Teachables

Teachables is a term used in education to refer to topics, skills, or activities that are considered suitable for deliberate instruction, often in the context of curriculum design or lesson planning. A teachable is typically a discrete, observable skill or concept that can be taught, demonstrated, practiced, and assessed within a short instructional segment.

The concept is not standardized and is used variably across disciplines. In many elementary and early childhood programs, teachables align with skill progression and everyday life contexts—for example, counting to ten, letter sounds, or following a simple sequence. In special education, teachers may define teachables as targeted objectives that are measurable and functionally relevant to the learner.

Teachables are distinct from teachable moments, which are spontaneous opportunities for instruction that arise in daily life. Teachables are typically planned elements of a curriculum or intervention, though their identification may also emerge during ongoing assessment and progress monitoring.

Critics note that emphasizing discrete teachables can overlook broader, integrative learning and social-constructivist approaches; effective instruction often weaves teachables into meaningful tasks rather than teaching skills in isolation. The term remains descriptive rather than doctrinal, signaling instructional targets rather than a formal theory.