Effective Use of

the Gradual Release

of Responsibility Model
By
Dr. Douglas Fisher
Professor of Language and Literacy Education
San Diego State University

Evidence on effective instruction is The Gradual Release of

accumulating at an amazing rate. Responsibility Model
We know that all learners need
A common way that teachers can
purposeful instruction in reading
do this is to use a gradual release
skills and strategies, motivation
of responsibility model (Pearson
to read, access to a wide
& Gallagher, 1983). The gradual
variety of texts, and authentic
release of responsibility model
opportunities to read and write
of instruction requires that the
both inside and outside of school
teacher shift from assuming “all
(Farstrup & Samuels, 2002; Fink
the responsibility for performing
& Samuels, 2008). We also know
a task … to a situation in which
that students need to develop
the students assume all of the
their expertise in all aspects of
responsibility” (Duke & Pearson,
reading and writing, including
2002, p. 211). This gradual release
oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics,
may occur over a day, a week, a month, or a
vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension (Frey &
year. Stated another way, the gradual release of
Fisher, 2006). And we also know that the skills of
responsibility “… emphasizes instruction that
the teacher, and how the teacher uses valuable
mentors students into becoming capable thinkers
instructional time, matters.
and learners when handling the tasks with which
This evidence on effective literacy teaching, they have not yet developed expertise” (Buehl,
which includes small group instruction, 2005).
differentiation, and a response to intervention,
The gradual release of responsibility model of
presents a challenge for many teachers and
instruction has been documented as an effective
schools. Clearly, whole-class instruction will not
approach for improving literacy achievement
work to improve the literacy achievement of our
(Fisher & Frey, 2007), reading comprehension
children. To be effective, teachers have engaged
(Lloyd, 2004), and literacy outcomes for English
students in purposeful instruction designed to
language learners (Kong & Pearson, 2003).
meet the needs of individual and smaller groups
of students.

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 EFFECTIVE USE OF THE GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY MODEL

Components of the Gradual Release of • Independent work. As the goal of all of

Responsibility Model our instruction, independent learning provides
students practice with applying information
As delineated in the visual representation in in new ways. In doing so, students synthesize
Figure 1 (Fisher & Frey, 2008), there are four information, transform ideas, and solidify their
interactive (or interrelated) components of a understanding.
gradual release of responsibility model:
Importantly, the gradual release of responsibility
• Focus Lessons. This component allows model is not linear. Students move back and
the teacher to model his or her thinking and forth between each of the components as they
understanding of the content for students. master skills, strategies, and standards.
Usually brief in nature, focus lessons establish the
purpose or intended learning outcome and clue
students into the standards they are learning.
How is the Gradual Release of
In addition to the purpose and the teacher Responsibility Used?
model, the focus lesson provides teachers and The gradual release of responsibility model
opportunity to build and/or activate background provides teachers with an instructional
knowledge. framework for moving from teacher knowledge
to student understanding and application. The
• Guided Instruction. During guided gradual release of responsibility model ensures
instruction, teachers prompt, that students are supported in
question, facilitate, or lead their acquisition of the skills and
students through tasks that strategies necessary for success.
increase their understanding
of the content. While this can, Implementing the gradual
and sometimes does, occur with release of responsibility model
the whole class, the evidence
“As part of a gradual
requires time. Instructional
is clear that reading instruction release of responsibility planning can consume hours of
necessitates small group model, curriculum must a teacher’s time. As teachers,
instruction. Guided instruction be vertically aligned.” we have to plan for a diverse
provides teachers an opportunity group of learners, students
to address needs identified learning English, students who
on formative assessments and find reading easy and those
directly instruct students in who struggle, and students who
specific literacy components, need strategic intervention to be
skills, or strategies. successful. As part of a gradual
release of responsibility model, curriculum must
• Collaborative Learning. To consolidate be vertically aligned. Our students do not have
their understanding of the content, students time to waste on skills and strategies they have
need opportunities to problem solve, discuss, already mastered. Similarly, without strong
negotiate, and think with their peers. vertical alignment as part of the gradual release
Collaborative learning opportunities, such as of responsibility model, skills can be missed.
workstations ensure that students practice and
apply their learning while interacting with their What is vertical alignment?
peers. This phase is critical as students must
Vertical alignment is both a process and an
use language if they are to learn it. The key to
outcome, the result of which is a comprehensive
collaborative learning, or productive group work
curriculum that provides learners with a coherent
as it is sometimes called, lies in the nature of the
sequence of content. Vertical alignment
task. Ideally each collaborative learning task will
ensures that content standards and reading
have a group function combined with a way to
skills and strategies are introduced, reinforced,
ensure individual accountability such that the
and assessed. Vertical alignment guarantees
teacher knows what each student did while at
the workstation.

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 EFFECTIVE USE OF THE GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY MODEL

that instruction is targeted on the intersection Farstrup, A. E. and S. J. Samuels (eds.), What
between student needs and content standards. the Research has to Say About Reading
In curricula with strong vertical alignment, Instruction, 3rd ed., International Reading
content redundancy is reduced and the Association, Newark, Delaware, 2002.
curriculum is rigorous and challenging.
Fink, R. and S. J. Samuels (eds.), Inspiring
Reading Success: Interest and Motivation in
Why is vertical alignment important? an Age of High-Stakes Testing, International
First and foremost, strong vertical alignment Reading Association, Newark, Delaware,
accommodates a wide variety of developmental 2008.
levels and is designed to increase the
intellectual, personal, physical, social, and career Fisher, D. and N. Frey, “Implementing a
development of all students. Vertical alignment Schoolwide Literacy Framework: Improving
allows teachers increased precision in their Achievement in an Urban Elementary
teaching because they are not teaching content School,” The Reading Teacher, 61, 2007, pp.
that is covered elsewhere or that students have 32-45.
mastered previously. Vertical alignment also
ensures that specific content standards are Fisher, D. and N. Frey, Better Learning Through
not entirely missed as a teacher at one grade Structured Teaching: A Framework for
assumes someone else focused on that content. the Gradual Release of Responsibility,
Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, Alexandria, Virginia, 2008.
Conclusion
Frey, N. and D. Fisher, Language Arts Workshop:
With strong vertical alignment and purposeful Purposeful Reading and Writing Instruction,
instruction, students learn. While there are many Merrill Education, Upper Saddle River, New
reasons that children struggle with reading Jersey, 2006.
and writing, there are not endless numbers
of solutions. Students who find literacy tasks Kong, A. and P. D. Pearson, “The Road to
difficult deserve increased attention from their Participation: The Construction of a Literacy
teachers, quality reading materials, and authentic Practice in a Learning Community of
opportunities to read and write. If we provide Linguistically Diverse Learners,” Research in
them with these essentials, we can expect great the Teaching of English, 38, 2003, pp. 85-
things. If we do not, we cannot expect students 124.
to know themselves or their world.
Lloyd, S. L., “Using Comprehension Strategies as
a Springboard for Student Talk,” Journal of
References Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 48, 2004, pp.
Buehl, D, “Scaffolding,” Reading Room, 2005, 114-124.
<www.weac.org/News/2005-06/sept05/
readingroomoct05.htm> (November 11, Pearson, P. D. and M. C. Gallagher, “The
2006). Instruction of Reading Comprehension,”
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8,
Duke, N. K. and P. D. Pearson, “Effective 1983, pp. 317-344.
Practices for Developing Reading
Comprehension,” in A. E. Farstup & S. J.
Samuels (eds.), What Research has to Say
About Reading Instruction, International
Reading Association, Newark, Delaware,
2002, pp. 205-242.

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 EFFECTIVE USE OF THE GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY MODEL

Teacher Responsibility

Focus Lesson “I do it”

Guided
Instruction “We do it”

“You do it
Collaborative
together”

“You do it
Independent alone”

Figure 1

RD 08 W 6641
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