MrZachG's profile picture. Former teacher helping schools implement effective instruction | Progressively Incorrect🎙️ | Director @Steplab_co North America | PhD, Author of Just Tell Them

Zach Groshell

@MrZachG

Former teacher helping schools implement effective instruction | Progressively Incorrect🎙️ | Director @Steplab_co North America | PhD, Author of Just Tell Them

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This book is all about the science of explanations and explicit teaching. Secure attention Use visuals Check for listening Sequence examples Use stories and analogies Avoid seductive details Manage cognitive load Gestures + more! Pre-order now! amazon.com/dp/103600368X/…


Zach Groshell reposted

Would love for you to subscribe. This is my Learning Science Design blog space. @SCottinghatt @profbeckyallen @C_Hendrick @PepsMccrea @SuperbuildersEd open.substack.com/pub/mrzachg/p/…


Zach Groshell reposted

New Substack post about a key tenet of instructional design that is often ignored by curriculum program and app developers The “Guess Who?” Test for Instructional Design” 👇 👇 👇

MrZachG's tweet image. New Substack post about a key tenet of instructional design that is often ignored by curriculum program and app developers

The “Guess Who?” Test for Instructional Design” 👇 👇 👇

Zach Groshell reposted

It’s the end of term and almost Christmas Hopefully, your out of office is on and you’re relaxing after a long and hard term. But if you wanted to read something to do with education then these are some of my recommendations. Running the School- Behaviour Management for Leaders…


Zach Groshell reposted

I wish we could hire teachers from Drama schools instead of Teacher Training programs. Drama majors know the importance of delivery from a well written script. Teacher Training majors are trained to hate scripts.


Direct Instruction and high mileage, general case teaching open.substack.com/pub/mrzachg/p/…


This is basically my dream educationrickshaw.com/2025/11/23/s5e…

Have you looked into PLATO that was used in the Illinois prison system? They were able to program direct instruction. That, with AI, could be foundation.



Zach Groshell reposted

100% agreed. Most "educational" apps aren't in the business of providing learning. They're actually selling "babysitting without guilt" x.com/NielsHoven/sta…

I've tried all the top reading apps, including ABC Mouse, Duolingo ABC, HOMER, Hooked on Phonics, Khan Academy Kids, and Reading Raven. I was shocked. I left the gaming industry bc I started to feel like a drug dealer. But I never sold drugs by marketing them as health food.

NielsHoven's tweet image. I've tried all the top reading apps, including ABC Mouse, Duolingo ABC, HOMER, Hooked on Phonics, Khan Academy Kids, and Reading Raven.

I was shocked.

I left the gaming industry bc I started to feel like a drug dealer. But I never sold drugs by marketing them as health food.
NielsHoven's tweet image. I've tried all the top reading apps, including ABC Mouse, Duolingo ABC, HOMER, Hooked on Phonics, Khan Academy Kids, and Reading Raven.

I was shocked.

I left the gaming industry bc I started to feel like a drug dealer. But I never sold drugs by marketing them as health food.


Zach Groshell reposted

🚩Red flag #3: Teaching letter names Teaching reading requires kids to learn letter sounds, not letter names. Teaching kids letter names is actually harmful for learning to read, because now kids have to remember not to use those names. We don’t pronounce cat “seeayytee”.


Zach Groshell reposted

Just did this question with my 7 year old daughter. She got it in 5 seconds and said "that's so easy, a 4 year old could do this!" How did we get here?

Thinking about how the SAT reading section now has micropassages that can be as short as 25 words. Absolutely howling at this question from an official College Board practice exam. Bro 😭

misterminsoo's tweet image. Thinking about how the SAT reading section now has micropassages that can be as short as 25 words. Absolutely howling at this question from an official College Board practice exam. Bro 😭


Zach Groshell reposted

Yes—perhaps the biggest problem with our schools. Abetted by the belief that vague skills are somehow still being imparted amidst the carnage. The faith in imaginary skills needs to stop.


Zach Groshell reposted

“Guess and check” makes me cringe


Zach Groshell reposted

we're working on it!


Zach Groshell reposted

“The incentive structure is almost perfectly misaligned with the conditions for learning. Apps are optimised for engagement, personalisation, smooth user experience, motivation, and time on task.” i’m so excited that i get to help invert these incentive structures. putting…

Most Education Apps Fail Because They Don't Understand Instructional Invariants. Link in reply ⬇️

C_Hendrick's tweet image. Most Education Apps Fail Because They Don't Understand Instructional Invariants. Link in reply ⬇️


Zach Groshell reposted

This conversation captures a shift many teachers are experiencing as they connect cognitive science, retrieval practice, and explicit teaching with better student learning. @beanie0597 @StamStam193 @mrzachg @MmeLockhartLDS @bamradionetwork bamradionetwork.com/track/why-thes… #teachers


Zach Groshell reposted

It’s my birthday, I’m 40! The best gift would be to check out my stack 🎂

Scattershot "enrichment" is just educational palliative care for the gifted. If gifted services don’t change pace or level of core academic content, they’re just (barely) managing boredom - not meeting real needs.

gtmom's tweet image. Scattershot "enrichment" is just educational palliative care for the gifted.

If gifted services don’t change pace or level of core academic content, they’re just (barely) managing boredom - not meeting real needs.


Zach Groshell reposted

Stellar episode with great insight 👇

🎙️ On the latest Freedom in Education Podcast, @Beanie0597 sits down with @tombennett71 to discuss behavior as a learnable skill. Behavior isn’t just manners — it’s a curriculum: how students enter class, work together, and engage in learning. Clear expectations taught from Day…



Zach Groshell reposted

Latest post 👇

Most Education Apps Fail Because They Don't Understand Instructional Invariants. Link in reply ⬇️

C_Hendrick's tweet image. Most Education Apps Fail Because They Don't Understand Instructional Invariants. Link in reply ⬇️


A “doom loop” is when the student is trapped in repeated errors, not acquiring the skill, and therefore cannot progress to new material. Mastery learning considers these solvable teaching problems, but education is designed to just pass kids along. The pain just shows up later.


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