Better Learning through Structured Teaching: A Framework for the Gradual Release of Responsibility

by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey (ASCD, 2021)

Four Phases of Responsibility

Better Learning through Structured Teaching updates the "gradual release of responsibility" framework for the post-COVID era. The four phases are: 1. I do it (teacher modeling), 2. We do it together (teacher guiding), 3. You do it together (students collaborate), and 4. You do it independently. Fisher and Frey think flexibly about the order and timespan of these phases, but argue that all four belong in every unit of study.

Modeling with Purpose

For the first phase, Focused Instruction, the authors emphasize motivation and apprenticeship. Rather than just modeling a procedure, instructors should use "eyes on me" time to place the lesson in a larger, compelling context and make expert thinking transparent, in the style of Reading Apprenticeship. The authors also caution that goals should be stated in student-centered language, not jargon lifted from standards. In STEM Calculus, I believe there is room for mathematical motivation (l'Hôpital's rule will help us find more limits), while in Business Calculus it is more important to offer real-world motivation.

Guiding Small Groups

The second phase, Guided Instruction, works best with small groups. The authors offer an "error analysis" method to identify students who need re-teaching to overcome misconceptions or over-generalizations, which could be put into practice using Canvas Mastery Paths. They also categorize guiding prompts: beyond the initial question, an instructor can prompt students to recall background knowledge, remind them of specific procedures, or invite metacognitive reflection. Taken together, these first two phases offer concrete tools I can apply in my Calculus courses, from how I frame a lesson to how I respond to errors.

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