Giving Instructions

Make sure everybody can see the materials - “chesting”

 Giving Instructions
Example

Ok, everybody listen to me. Sit down and take

a piece of paper. Fold it in half and then pick
up a pencil. Draw a house with four rooms on
the paper and write bathroom, bedroom,
kitchen and living room for each room. Then
draw a toy in each room, for example a yo-yo,
a kite or a robot. Then tell me, for example,
“The robot is in the bedroom.” I will listen and
draw, ok? Do you understand? Go!

Is this a good way to give instructions?

How can we make it better?
 Giving Instructions

Ok, everybody listen to me.

<stop, wait, is everybody ready?>
Sit down and take a piece of paper.
<stop, wait, is everybody ready?>
Fold it in half and then pick up a pencil.
<stop, wait, is everybody ready?>
Draw a house with four rooms.
- What do we draw?
- How many rooms?
Write bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and living
room for each room.
- What do we write?
- How do you spell ‘bathroom’?
 Giving Instructions

Be clear

B.E.C.L.E.A.R.
1. Break things down.
2. Explain the activity.
3. Create a step by step outline.
4. Let students see what the activity looks like.
5. Experiment with a student.
6. Assess their understanding.
7. Repair misunderstandings.

From: http://everythingteachingtesol.blogspot.kr/2013/01/normal.html
Components of Instructions
1. Get attention
2. Transition
3. Identify the materials
4. Explain and model activity
5. Explain class organization
6. Check students have understood
7. Time limit
8. “GO!”
Components of Instructions
EXAMPLE CLASSROOM LANGUAGE

1. Get attention
“Ok everyone!” “Let’s move on!” “Is everybody
ready?”

2. Transition
“Next we’re going to…” “Let’s look at this now…”
“Here I have…”

3. Identify the materials

“On this worksheet…” “On the board…” “These
flashcards…” “I have some sentence strips…”
Components of Instructions
EXAMPLE CLASSROOM LANGUAGE

4. Explain the class organization

“With your partner” “ “In pairs” “Make groups of
three” “First do it by yourself”

5. Explain the activity

“I want you to match the pictures with the words”
“Listen and put them in the right order”

6. Model the activity

“Can I have a volunteer to help me show you?”
“Watch us do this” “Let me show you with Jihyun”
Components of Instructions
EXAMPLE CLASSROOM LANGUAGE

7. Checking questions
“Let me check” “Where do you write?” “Will you
show your partner?” “What do you match?”

8. Time limit
“I’ll give you 1 minute” “You have 5 minutes so
take your time” “Tell me when you’ve finished”

9. Execute
“Are you ready?” “Go!” “Start!”
Checking Questions with
Instructions (ICQs)

“Do you understand?”

Is this a good checking question?
No - It doesn’t really check that students understand.

• It’s better to ask specific questions.

• Responses allow you to check understanding.
• Ask a mix of right and wrong questions.
• Ask ICQs near the end of your instructions.
Checking Questions with
Instructions (ICQs)

ICQ examples:
“Work together with your partner…. Ok, do you do this
alone?”
“Don’t turn it over. Wait until the other team guesses…
When do you turn it over?”
“Choose three cards… How many cards do you
choose?”
“Think of a word but don’t tell the other team… Do you
tell the other team?”
“Read and circle the animal words… Which words do
you circle?”
Final Tip:

For advanced-level students you can ask

individuals or the class to repeat/explain
the instructions back to you.