The Impact of Model Lessons on Teachers’ Perceptions of High-Quality Instructional Materials

Abstract

A landmark study found that students spend over 500 hours per year on school assignments that are below grade level, negatively affecting their achievement (TNTP, 2018). To correct this situation, many schools have introduced high-quality instructional materials that are rigorous and developmentally appropriate. Unfortunately, the failure to implement these resources as intended often undercuts any impact that they might have (Donohoo & Katz, 2020). While some teachers state a desire to change their pedagogical practices, they fail to do so for a number of reasons (Le Fevre, 2014). The current study examines the efficacy of model lessons by testing the hypothesis that if teachers witness a content specialist model a lesson with new instructional materials using students in their school, they will be more likely to implement the instructional materials in their own classrooms.