There are mastery tests every 10 lessons. During the test lesson, students are tested for mastery of the strands presented in that lesson block. If a student performs below standard on a particular strand, remedies are clearly specified. These remedies often include re-teaching specific portions of certain lessons.

There is no required homework specified in Connecting Math Concepts because all the information needed to learn the content is presented and practiced during the lesson period. There are optional homework lessons that may be utilized, but they are not required.

In traditional basal programs, each lesson or unit is generally devoted to a single topic. Connecting Math Concepts, however, is designed around curriculum strands. Each CMC lesson is divided into a number of five- to ten-minute segments addressing topics from different strands. This organization provides three advantages:

1. Students are more easily engaged with a variety of topics. For instance, rather than a single 30 minute lesson on subtraction that can become tedious, a lesson consisting of 10 minutes of subtraction, followed by 5 minutes of estimation, 5 on facts, and 10 on word problems keeps the child engaged and interested.
2. Lessons composed of several segments make cumulative introduction much easier. Students begin to see early how skills are intertwined with other skills, making mastery and retention of skills obviously necessary.
3. Strands allow for a more systematic application of the concept introduced. For example, instead of a single major unit on problem solving, CMC coordinates instruction in place value, number families, and computation in a way that allows students to apply these concepts to problem-solving activities that gradually become more difficult throughout the entire program.

Detailed information is contained in the Teacher's Guide for each level. The placement test for Level A is individually administered, however, for other levels the test can be administered to an entire class.

Lesson objectives are a list of objectives presented at the beginning of each lesson to the teacher. New skills that will be taught are highlighted in boldface, cuing the teacher to pay particular attention to student performance during specified points in the lessons.

The workbook activities reinforce all strands and skills presented in the teaching portion of the lesson, as well as strands learned earlier but not presented in that lesson. This helps keep all skills top-of-mind.

Source: 

Grossen, B. (n.d.). Reading Mastery: Frequently Asked Questions.

The only way to reliably replicate the high levels of success obtained with Reading Mastery across teachers and settings is to script the programs. Three reasons explain why scripting is necessary to obtain reliable replication: 

1. RM is carefully engineered for success. Every question, every example is field-tested and the program revised to result in greater success for the children. Any errors the children make are evaluated to determine what in the program may have contributed to the error. Once the cause is diagnosed, the program is fixed up to prevent that error from occurring in the final version. Revising to prevent errors and misconceptions involves close attention to detail - sometimes an additional example or non-example is added, sometimes an additional phrase is added to the instructions. This revision process has been shown to significantly improve the effectiveness of a program (Collins & Carnine, 1988). This level of detail in the design and development of the program is crucial to its effectiveness. This kind of detail cannot be adequately communicated as a set of abstract theories. 
2. RM uses a wide and complex variety of teaching strategies that are carefully integrated to accomplish specific results. The expected results shift over time from areas such as deductive reasoning to learning about gravity and pressure to using evidence to support inferences, and so on. The variety of the teaching strategies used and the subtleties involved in their successful application make general models of teaching (such as model, lead, test) too vague and too simple to be sufficiently effective. 
3. RM encompasses a wide range of teaching goals and objectives in a variety of domains. Research is just beginning to see how dependent the selection of specific teaching strategies is on the specific nature of the content being taught. The interspersed questions, in particular, may appear to be "the same strategy," when actually there are a large number of comprehension strategies being taught, concepts being reinforced, and models being presented through the questions. To describe the individual teaching procedures involved in teaching these strategies would be very complex. Yet with the scripting, all this instruction appears simply as interspersed questions. A teacher could not simply ask interspersed questions without the script, and accomplish the same results. 

Reading Mastery is a six-level program teaching the full range of reading skills. Early levels of the program emphasize phonics instruction to develop a basis for comprehension. In the later levels of the series, students read some of the classics in great children's literature by authors such as Mark Twain, Eleanor Clymer, and Langston Hughes. The program also encourages outside reading by providing study material for award-winning modern novels such as Charlottes's Web and Island of the Blue Dolphins.

Reading mastery also includes a strong writing component. From the very beginning of the program students write their own complete answers to questions rather than circling somebody else's. By the end of the program students are not only answering questions, but writing at least one paragraph a day on issues related to their reading. They are taught to reflect, compare, evaluate, and to think.

Each level has a Presentation book that contains scripts for every lesson of the program. There are also teacher's guides for each level of the program that contain Behavioral Objectives for each lesson, a scope and sequence chart, as well as other information useful in teaching the program. Levels I and II also have an optional spelling book component. Student materials include Storybooks and Takehome Books for Levels I and II, and Levels III-VI utilize Workbooks, Textbooks and Skillbooks.

There are a variety of teacher-directed activities included in the presentations as well as independent student activities.

Teacher Directed Activities include:

• Pre-reading exercises: (levels I-II) The students learn letter sounds and master decoding and comprehension readiness skills
• Word Practice: (all levels) The students read lists of words aloud, both in unison and individually. These words will later appear in the reading selections.
• Vocabulary exercises: (levels III-VI) The students learn the meanings of difficult words that will later appear in the reading selections.
• Skill Exercises: (all levels) The teacher explains the skill exercises contained in the student's Takehomes, Workbooks, or Skillbooks.
• Group Reading: (all levels) The students take turns reading aloud from their Storybooks or Textbooks.
• Comprehension Questions: (all levels) Both during, and after the group reading, the teacher presents comprehension questions about the reading.
• Individual Checkouts: (levels I-V) In selected lessons, the teacher measures each student's decoding rate and accuracy.
• Workcheck: (all levels) The teacher checks the student's independent work.
• Spelling: (levels I-II) The teacher conducts optional spelling activities.

Independent Student Activities include:

• Silent Reading: (all levels) The students read stories, questions and exercises.
• Story Items: (all levels) The students answer questions about stories.
• Skill items: (all levels) The students complete exercises that teach specific decoding, comprehension, literary, and study skills.
• Vocabulary Items: (levels III-VI) The students use new vocabulary words to complete sentences and work crossword puzzles.
• Review Items: (all levels) The students review previously taught skills and vocabulary.
• Fact Games: (levels III-VI) The students play games that involve facts they have learned.
• Special Projects: (levels IV-VI) The students complete special projects that relate to their reading selections.
• Writing Assignments: (levels IV-VI) The students write paragraphs on assigned topics.
• Supplementary Novels: (levels III-VI) The students read novels independently and complete comprehension activities for each novel.

• Reading Mastery I: 160 lessons
• Reading Mastery II: 160 lessons
• Reading Mastery III: 140 lessons
• Reading Mastery IV: 140 lessons
• Reading Mastery V: 120 lessons
• Reading Mastery VI: 120 lessons

There are placement tests for each level of the program. 

The program is designed for daily presentation of lessons.

Each skill that is taught is critical to understanding a future skill that will be taught. Nothing is presented merely because it is interesting, all material is selected to be a building block for later material.

There are currently over 40 Direct Instruction programs for teaching Reading, Language, Arithmetic, and Spelling. There are developmental curricula for grades K-6, as well as corrective curricula for grades 4-Adult.

The most noticeable features of a Direct Instruction program are the superficial, or external elements. Each program is fully scripted, from what the teacher says, to anticipated student responses, to correctional procedures. All of this is included in each of the programs. However, the real power of a DI program comes from the careful analysis of each skill taught. The skill is broken down into its component parts, then each component skill is taught to mastery. Afterward, the skills are combined into a larger context where different skills are utilized across settings, resulting in generalized fluency.

A track is a series of tasks used to teach a given skill. In a typical Direct Instruction program, a track will run for 20-80 lessons. During this time additional skills are being taught and they eventually merge into another track.

This relates to the idea of generalization. As activities change from day-to-day, the student learns how to apply concepts and operations across settings.

The length of a lesson will vary from program to program, however most range from 30 to 50 minutes.

Each program has specific details pertaining to its schedule and is included in the program's Teacher's Guide. However, all programs are designed to be presented each instructional day.

Many traditional teaching methods use a linear approach to instruction. Skills are taught in independent units until the next unit is introduced. In Direct Instruction programs, the design utilizes skills that were taught earlier to support skills that are being taught currently. Anything that has been taught may be used later in the program. Through this design feature, the student is accountable for all content learned, even content from prior lessons.

By providing immediate feedback and correction when necessary, students are given the opportunity not just to practice, but to practice the correct response. Also, because corrections take place immediately, students do not have the ability to develop or practice bad habits or incorrect skills.

A signal is a visual or audible cue that initiates a student response. Signals are used to ensure that all students answer at the same time. This benefits the student in a variety of ways. For instance, if one child is called on, only that child has an opportunity to respond, and the teacher is only able to determine that student's comprehension. If students are allowed to "call out" their response, aggressive students will eventually dominate the session limiting slower or more timid students the opportunity to respond. With signals, however, the teacher allows enough time for each student to be able to process the question and formulate a response. The teacher is then able to precisely analyze the comprehension of the entire group as they answer in unison.

The development process for Direct Instruction is very strategic. The first step is to analyze current curricula being used, and then review all state, and national guidelines. From there the developers build an intentionally thin draft that will clearly show any weaknesses. This is done intentionally; if a program contains too much practice or repetition from the start, it is difficult to know exactly how much was necessary. To start thin, and build up is a much more efficient process.

This rough draft is then evaluated on a small group of 12-30 students. As these students progress through the lessons, the authors continually modify the tracks to append areas of weakness. It is not unusual for an entire program to be cancelled and completely started over before it is even half finished.

After the authors have completed a program, it is then tested on a wider range and number of students. The authors then make another revision in response to student errors. Most programs will receive at least four major revisions before they are published.

The goal of Direct Instruction is to create successful, competent learners. By carefully constructing these programs so that students can be successful in each small lesson, the students build the confidence necessary to learn larger and more complex ideas. And every task the students are asked to do independently is something that they have already been taught in a guided manner, preparing them with the requisite skills necessary for that task. This gives every child an opportunity to believe they are capable of succeeding, and to succeed.

Teachers will have to surrender the notion that some students "just aren't ready to learn." Because the program requires ability-based grouping, all children will be placed according to their skill level. Low-performing students should receive additional instruction to accelerate their learning, and to catch them up with their peers.

By placing students at a level they can be successful, the students become engaged in their learning,'experience success, and display a marked increase in self-esteem. Direct Instruction shifts the focus from a child's deficit, to a focus on their success in mastering skills. See the FAQ "Why does the work seem relatively easy?"

Direct Instruction has been successful with students of all levels of performance and ages. Low-performers as well as talented and gifted students continue to succeed using DI programs.

Not at all. Through careful assessment, each student is placed according to his or her individual skill level. There they can receive instruction that closely matches their individual needs.

Each script has been carefully planned and specifically phrases the lessons to minimize confusion on the part of the student. The scripts also lead the lesson and help the teacher anticipate student responses, as well as answer many of the students' questions. Until a teacher has a great deal of experience with the programs, it is not recommended they vary from the script.

The scripts are an essential part of the program and are crucial to their success. The wording has been designed to ensure consistency across lessons and to ensure that the students understand all information presented. The script inhibits the teacher no more than the script to a play inhibits an actor, or the protocol for landing a plane inhibits a pilot.

The fast pacing achieves the highest level of student responses within a finite amount of time. And with a fast pace, students are actively engaged in the lesson, remain on task, and remain focused on the skills being taught. Also, because there is a short amount of time between when students learn information and when they have the opportunity to use it, their retention is higher.

Many schools have a "Port of Entry" classroom. There, students are assessed and given intensive instruction to help them integrate into their appropriate group. This is usually a short process, however, it is essential that afterwards close attention be paid to assure the student was placed into the correct group.

While each instance must be analyzed individually, generally speaking this would indicate a grouping problem. Analysis of Mastery test data would indicate individual performance, and it may be necessary for the students to be regrouped.

There are three levels of use for this term:

1. direct instruction versus indirect instruction, or telling versus implying.
2. direct instruction (sometimes referred to as little "d," little "i"). In this use, direct instruction refers to instructional techniques based on choral responses, homogeneous grouping, signals, and other proven instructional techniques.
3. Direct Instruction (capital "D," capital "I"). This refers to the specific programs designed by Siegfried Engelmann and his staff. Direct Instruction programs incorporate all the features of direct instruction (di), coupled with carefully designed sequences, lesson scripting, as well as responses to anticipated children's questions. When Direct Instruction is referred to in this organization, we are talking about this level. Siegfried Engelmann and Douglas Carnine articulated this theory in the text Theory of Direct Instruction (link to store), published by ADI.

Direct Instruction was developed by Siegfried Engelmann between 1966-1969 at the University of Illinois. Click here to read more about this time of research.

Direct Instruction programs are used in over 10,000 schools throughout the world, and there are over 500 schools the use DI on a systematic, school-wide basis.