Instructional Pacing: Definition and Research Needs

Abstract

Classroom characteristics such as instructional orientation and composition of work groups and instructional procedures such as teachers' use of contingent praise and systematic correction are major contributors to academic success. An important factor that has not received a great deal of attention is instructional pacing. Instructional pacing is characterized by the manipulation of two distinct time periods within an instructional sequence: the within-trial interval and the intertrial interval. This paper discusses research that has examined the components of the within-trial interval and intertrial interval. In addition, a research strategy is suggested to examine the components of instructional pacing. Such research would provide teacher training programs with an empirically valid teaching competency in instructional pacing, and would provide teachers with a powerful teaching tool.