The Direct Instruction Podcast

A podcast about Engelmann, Project Follow Through, and Direct Instruction (DI). Hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell.

How Are Educators Worldwide Using Direct Instruction? with Jessica Jessica Colleu Terradas and Jon Owen

Welcome back to The Direct Instruction Podcast — I’m your host, Dr. Zach Groshell. If you’re new here, this show is about Big DI — Direct Instruction as a science of teaching. We look at real implementation, talk with people running DI in schools around the world, and get practical about delivering faultlessly designed curriculum […]

10-19
58:20

DI Voices #11: Kurt Engelmann

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

10-01
02:48

DI Voices #10: Morgan Hay

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

10-01
02:14

DI Voices #9: Kimberly Flynn

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

10-01
04:11

DI Voices #8: Bryce Kennedy

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

10-01
03:19

DI Voices #7: Melanie Helle

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

10-01
02:07

DI Voices #6: Tyann Robertson

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

08-28
03:13

DI Voices #5: Tamara Bressi

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

08-28
03:49

DI Voices #4: Sofia Gutierrez

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

08-28
03:02

DI Voices #3: Athena Trust

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

08-16
04:38

DI Voices #2: Sean Duncan

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. In this mini-episode, principal Sean Duncan reflects on his school’s success with DI reading — and how that’s driving momentum for DI math, with […]

08-16
03:11

DI Voices #1: Alisa Kerr

I’m thrilled to share a new project straight from the heart of this year’s National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes — a new YouTube playlist I’ve put together called DI Voices. Armed with just my phone and a little persistence, I tracked down educators between sessions (no small feat at this amazing, high-energy event!) to […]

08-16
03:54

How can Leaders Support Schoolwide Direct Instruction? with Bonnie Grossen and Kurt Engelmann

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Direct Instruction Podcast. I’m Dr. Zach Groshell, and today I’m joined by two outstanding leaders in the DI community: Bonnie Grossen and Kurt Engelmann. Bonnie Grossen has supported schoolwide Direct Instruction implementations across a wide range of settings—from urban districts to rural communities, both in the U.S. and […]

07-13
59:08

How Can Direct Instruction Strengthen an MTSS Framework? with Stephanie Stollar, Diane Kinder, and Marcy Stein

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Direct Instruction Podcast. I’m Dr. Zach Groshell, and today I’m excited to share a conversation with three leading voices in education: Stephanie Stollar, Diane Kinder, and Marcy Stein. In this episode, we dive deep into how Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) can align with Direct Instruction to create […]

07-01
53:27

How do Direct Instruction and Behavior Work Hand-in-Hand? with Geoff Colvin

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Direct Instruction podcast. My name is Dr. Zach Groshell, and today I am excited to be bringing you an interview with another DI legend, Geoff Colvin. Geoff will take us through the functions of student behavior, and the intersection of a well-managed classroom and a well-designed lesson.     […]

05-14
36:12

How does Direct Instruction Support Special Education? with Randi Saulter and Ann Baum

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Direct Instruction podcast. My name is Dr. Zach Groshell, and today I am excited to be bringing you an interview with Randi Saulter and Ann Baum. Randi and Ann are two passionate special education teachers who will take us through what Zig Engelmann called the “picky, picky” details […]

02-20
50:25

How do Fluency and Direct Instruction Improve Literacy Outcomes? with Jan Hasbrouck

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Direct Instruction podcast. My name is Dr. Zach Groshell, and today I am excited to bring you an interview with Jan Hasbrouck, the keynote speaker at NIFDI’s 2025 National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes. Dr. Hasbrouck is a renowned researcher and author with a distinguished career dedicated to […]

12-01
58:13

How Can Higher Education Better Prepare Future Educators? with Kathy Madigan

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Direct Instruction podcast. My name is Dr. Zach Groshell, and I am excited to be bringing you an interview with Dr. Kathy Madigan all about Higher Education and Direct Instruction. Kathy has been a teacher, principal, college professor and curriculum coordinator. She co-founded the American Board for Certification […]

11-03
55:41

What are the Components of an Effective DI Implementation? with Tamara Bressi

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Direct Instruction podcast. My name is Dr. Zach Groshell, and today I am excited to be bringing you a glimpse into my classroom for an unscripted coaching session with Tamara Bressi. Tamara is an experienced Direct Instruction teacher, trainer and instructional coach. I had the honor of working […]

09-22
52:31

How Has DI Impacted Reading Proficiency in Indigenous Communities? with Casey Sovo

Hello, and welcome back to the Direct Instruction podcast. My name is Dr. Zach Groshell, and today I am excited to be bringing you a fantastic episode about the role of Direct Instruction in teaching kids to read in indigenous communities across America. I will be interviewing Casey Sovo, a member of the Comanche Nation, […]

06-16
56:30

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