Guided vs.

Independent Practice - TeachHUB 06/12/2021, 6:09 PM

K-12 Resources
By Teachers, For Teachers
Provided by the K-12 Teachers Alliance

Guided
vs.
Independent
Practice
Dr. Lyne Ssebikindu
Elementary school principal; Ed.D. in
Curriculum and Instruction

August 21, 2020

Professional Development

! " Teacher Resources " Professional Development

As schools are getting ready to open, teachers,

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As schools are getting ready to open, teachers,

administrators, and district staff need a clear definition of
both independent and guided practices. District and school
leaders are overwhelmed with the changes going on in the
education of our students. Most teachers have had a
substantial amount of liberty over content and how they
will deliver instruction. As we plan for the education of our
students going forward, there is a need to prepare for both
independent and guided practices.

What is Independent Practice?

Independent practice is often perceived as a difficult
process, but if implemented correctly, it can result in great
gains in student achievement. During independent practice,
the teacher encourages students to apply skills previously
demonstrated. Students then perform the task ”
independently”, showing what they have learned and
demonstrating their competency. The teacher’s role in
independent practice is to support students as a facilitator.

The design of educational systems intends to increase

student independence by optimizing the following
characteristics:

Students’ learning styles

(https://www.teachhub.com/teaching-
strategies/2020/01/what-are-the-different-types-
of-learners/)
School curriculum

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Classroom delivery
Learning and instruction

What are the Benefits of

Independent Practice?
The two-pronged goal of instruction should be that
students internalize the lesson content in the way by which
they can retrieve and properly apply it at will, and in so
doing, continue to build upon that information as they learn
independently. The procedural elements of independent
practice include the following:

Immediate and specific teacher feedback

Assessing individual student’s performance
Classroom structure
Academic gains
Independent practice can be used to cultivate one-on-one
relationships with students in the classroom during the
process by which the teacher conducts individualized
assessments (https://www.teachhub.com/professional-
development/2020/02/how-to-use-student-
assessments-in-your-classroom/) and again when
following-up on homework. The process of independent
practice facilitation is also effective for small-group
instruction.

Which Student is Independent

Practice Appropriate For?
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Independent practice requires an understanding of your

student’s learning strengths and experiences.

To insure success of the independent practice strategy,

evidence shows that students must possess the following
skills and abilities:

Critical thinking
Independence/self-confidence
Self-monitoring/self-management capability

What is Guided Practice?

Guided practice refers to explicit, structured instruction by
the teacher. Historically, the guided practice model
produces the evidence of student learning when, following
the teacher’s presentation, then collaboration with the
student, students produce their independently prepared
work product demonstrating their content knowledge. Next,
the teacher gives students actionable feedback pertaining
to their content mastery. While some students prepare their
work product, the teacher can privately attend to students
who need further help. The guided practice model is
sequenced as “I do”, “We do” and lastly, “You do”, with the
teacher operating primarily as facilitator who empowers
students to master of each skill or subject of instruction.

Sharratt (2013, p. 145) defines guided practice as a

“Transition practice that allows leaders to pull back and the
learners to step forward” through transition from teacher-

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centered to student-centered learning

(https://www.teachhub.com/teaching-
strategies/2020/07/student-centered-learning-
strategies/).

Guided practice is a teaching strategy that involves the

following three phases:

Phase 1: The teacher is modeling to the students by

demonstrating “how” the task is done. The teacher
demonstrates the “thought process” used in
completing the task. During this phase, the student
role is that of an observer. The teacher presents
examples that should draw students’ attention to the
task/skill being demonstrated.
Phase 2: The student and teacher perform the task
together. During this phase, the student practices the
task/skill with the teacher interjecting or supporting
throughout the process.
Phase 3: The students demonstrate the task on their
own. During this phase, students take on the
responsibility of optimizing the learning environment,
applying preferred learning styles (narrative, artistic,
graphic, etc.), and complete the task without teacher
input. The teacher is now the observer giving specific
feedback if the student requests clarification.
Students’ presentations can be completed in class or
as a homework assignment.

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What are the Benefits of

Guided Practice?
Two primary benefits of effective guided practices are 1) the
lesson is focused and 2) the teacher gives clear instructions
to students defining “when” and “how” to use a particular
strategy. The teacher gives the students guided practice
using the strategy and provides feedback on their use of
the strategy.

In an effective guided practice lesson, for example, a

teacher would write a sentence on the board, then read it
aloud several times, counting the words rhythmically, to
reinforce the sound of the completed sentence. Next, the
teacher has the students take turns pronouncing the words
of the sentence and discussing them. Next, the students
would take turns writing the words on the board. As the
student writes a word, the class participates by reading it
aloud. Successive students can write their own sentences
on the board while the seated students read the words
aloud in unison. The net result of the guided practice
strategy is that the teacher engages the students in their
own learning.

Which Student is Guided

Practice Appropriate For?

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Guided practice is a wonderful technique for teaching

students who need collaboration with the teacher and
explicit directions through each step in a task. Another
group of students that benefits from use of the guided
practice technique is students with disabilities. Because
IEPs (https://www.graduateprogram.org/2020/02/what-
is-an-individualized-education-plan/) generally specify
that students have extra time for interaction with the
teacher, guided practice provides that essential service in a
way that instructs students with special needs at the pace
and in a format that meets the need for special
accommodations.

How to Determine Which to

Use
Both guided and independent practice have the potential to
enhance learning opportunities for our students. When
determining which practice to use in the classroom consider
the following variables:

The developmental levels of your students must be

identified
Provide content which matches the developmental
levels and academic needs of the students
Utilize materials which require increasingly more
student interaction
Provide ample time for students to practice
Observe students as they work to determine if they

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need clarification or other help

References

Sharatt, L. (2013). Scaffolded Literacy Assessment and a

Model for Teachers’ Professional Development. In Elliott-
Jones, S& Jarvis, D(Eds) Perspectives on Transitions in
Schooling and Instructional Practice (pp. 138-155) Toronto:
University of Toronto Press

#GuidedPractice, #IndependentPractice

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