Teachers deliver a structured and sequenced approach to explicitly teaching new content. Learning is most effective when teachers break new information down and teach it explicitly using explanation, demonstration and modelling. This is especially relevant when students are new to an area (AERO 2024).

Gradual release of responsibility is not linear. Teachers move between modelling, guided and independent practice throughout lessons. Teachers make decisions based on student understanding and readiness. Students may move 'forwards' and 'backwards' in this process.

Gradual release is sometimes referred to as ‘I do, we do, you do’ or ‘modelled, guided, independent practice’.

Teachers check for understanding as they move students between modelled, guided, and independent practice. There is extended handover in the ‘we do’ (Sherrington 2020).

The concept of extended handover is central to gradual release of responsibility (Sherrington 2020).

Strategy learning module

The Strategy learning module – Gradual release of responsibility (PPTX 10.9 MB):

• breaks down the strategy
• shows how the strategy can be applied using different techniques
• offers professional learning support for a whole-school approach to explicit teaching.

More information about how to implement this professional learning can be found in Leading explicit teaching.

Technique guides

Explicit teaching strategies are implemented in the classroom through a range of techniques that are intentionally selected by the teacher. These techniques are not an exhaustive list of every approach a teacher may use to implement this strategy. The technique guides provided support teachers to understand and apply the technique as part of their explicit teaching practice:

• Modelling (I do, we do) – technique guide (PDF 236 KB)
• Scaffolding (we do, you do) – technique guide (PDF 149 KB)
• Independent practice – technique guide (PDF 155 KB)

What it isn’t

Moving too quickly to independent practice without ensuring student readiness. This does not support optimal learning.

Independent doesn't mean that students always work alone – it's the teacher's support that is reduced as students are ready (Hertzberg 2012).

Further resources

• Sherrington T (2020) The art of modelling: it’s all in the handover.
• Frey N and Fisher D (2010) Identifying instructional moves during guided learning. The Reading Teacher, 64(2): 84–95.