Essential Elements of

Instruction

Chelsea Force
Professor Safi Hemdani, EDC 257
June 16, 2018
Essential Elements of Instruction (EEI)
● Developed by Madeline Hunter in the 1960's;
● Most commonly used for beginning teachers;
● Highly structured;
● Originally developed as a teacher-centered, direct instruction
approach;
● Can be adapted for more student-centered approaches.
Essential Elements of Instruction (EEI)
● Standards/Objectives ● Modeling
● Purpose ● Check for Understanding
● Anticipatory Set ● Guided Practice
● Active Participation ● Closure
● Teaching Input ● Independent Practice

Standards/Objectives
“An explanation of the type of
lesson to be presented,
procedures to be followed, and
behavioral expectations related
to it, what the students are
expected to do, what
knowledge or skills are to be
demonstrated and in what
manner” (Madeline Hunter’s
Lesson Plan, n.d., para.2).
● State the objective in
student language.
● What will be learned?
● How will students
demonstrate the
learning?
Example: At the end of the
presentation, students will
design a display that
presents three causes of the
Civil War.
Purpose
The why behind the
lesson. Statement of why
students need to learn the
objective and what
students will be able to do
after meeting the criterion.
● Explain why the learning
is important to them.
● Why is it important to
reach the lesson
objectives?
● Connect to real life
● Motivate your students!
 ● Share a relevant story.
Anticipatory Set ● Perform a short skit.
● Show thought-provoking
“A brief portion of a lesson
given at the very beginning to
images.
get students’ attention, activate
prior knowledge, and prepare Example: When teaching
them for the day’s learning. poetry, dramatically recite a
Also known as advance poem to the class and ask
organizer, hook, or set
for interpretations.
induction” (Gonzalez, 2014,
para.1).
 Examples of Active
Active Participation Participation:
● Class or small group
discussions.
When all students actively ● Reading a play aloud.
participate in the lesson ● Playing a game.
instead of passively ● Scavenger hunts.
listening. ● Performing an
experiment.
 ● Possible input sources:
Teaching Input ○ The teacher
○ The students
“Input refers to what the ○ A guest speaker
students receive to ○ The internet
facilitate the learning. ○ A video
That information can ○ Field trips
emerge from a number of ○ Pictures
sources.” (The Madeline ● Engage and involve
Hunter Model of Mastery students
Learning, n.d., p.13).
Modeling
“During Modeling, the
skill, strategy, or task is
named and given a
purpose as students see
and hear when and how it
is used or applied”
(Elements of Lesson
Design, n.d., p.2).
● Students receive visual
representation.
● Think aloud so students
see inside your mind.
Example: Solving an
equation step by step on the
board.
Check for Teachers can check for
Understanding understanding by:
● Using rubrics or
“Determination of whether benchmarks.
students have "got it" ● Examining written
before proceeding” responses.
(Madeline Hunter’s ● Posing key questions
Lesson Plan Structure, ● Listening to student
n.d., p.1). responses.
 Examples of Guided
Guided Practice Practice:
● Students sharing
“An opportunity for each information.
student to demonstrate ● Students teaching each
grasp of new learning by other.
working through an ● Group problem solving
activity or exercise under ● Individual work that is
the teacher's direct directed by the teacher
supervision” (Madeline in class.
Hunter’s Lesson Plan
Structure, n.d., p.1).

Closure
“Those actions or statements
by a teacher that are designed
to bring a lesson presentation
to an appropriate conclusion.
Used to help students bring
things together in their own
minds, to make sense out of
what has just been taught”
(Madeline Hunter’s Lesson
Plan Structure, n.d., p.1).
● Promote memory and
recall.
● Reinforce important
points.
● Reflect on learning.
● Gauge student
understanding.
Examples: Exit slips,
sharing lesson summary
with a peer, or writing a
summary
 Examples of Independent
Independent Practice Practice:
● Worksheets
“When the teacher is sure the
students understand the new
● Presentations
material, they assign ● Dioramas
independent practice. The ● Essays
teacher releases students to
practice on their own based on *Independent Practice can
learning that has occurred
be homework, individual
during the previous steps” (The
Madeline Hunter Model of class work, or group work.
Mastery Learning, n.d., p.2).
Closing
The Essential Elements of Instruction (EEI) lesson planning
model is composed of 10 elements:
1. Standards/Objective 6. Modeling
2. Purpose 7. Check for Understanding
3. Anticipatory Set 8. Guided Practice
4. Active Participation 9. Closure
5. Teaching Input 10. Independent Practice
 References
Gonzalez, J. (2014). Know Your Terms: Anticipatory Set. Retrieved from
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/anticipatory-set/

Indiana Department of Education. (n.d.). The Madeline Hunter Model of Mastery Learning.
Retrieved from
http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/turnaround-principles/8-steps-effective-lesson-
plan-design-madeline-hunter.pdf

Madeline Hunter's Lesson Plan Structure. (n.d.) Retrieved from

https://d2l.pima.edu/content/enforced/443888-U6.201830/resources/hunter-lesson-plan.
pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=OvIPNNXJPUKvkh0PwvMSfMQHE&ou=443888
 References cont.

San Diego County Office of Education. (n.d.). Elements of Lesson Design. Retrieved from
http://www.sdcoe.net/lls/school-improvement/Documents/Elements%20of%20Lesso
n%20Design%20%28Summary%29.pdf