Which instructional strategy is focused on guiding students to master a specific concept before moving on?

The instructional strategy that emphasizes guiding students to master a specific concept before progressing is best captured by direct instruction. This approach is characterized by explicit teaching and structured lessons that aim to clearly communicate key concepts and skills to students. Direct instruction allows for systematic teaching sequences where key ideas are broken down into manageable parts, and students receive immediate feedback and support.

By focusing on mastery, this method ensures that students have a strong foundational understanding of a concept before they encounter more complex ideas, thus fostering a successful learning progression. This is particularly beneficial in maintaining student engagement and preventing gaps in knowledge that could lead to challenges in future learning.

Other instructional strategies, such as discovery learning, involve students exploring concepts more independently, which may not guarantee mastery of specific content before advancing. Scaffolding provides support to help students learn new concepts but does not necessarily prescribe a fixed structure for mastering one concept at a time. Individualized learning customizes instruction based on each student's needs but may not inherently prioritize mastering one specific concept before moving on.