Giving Instructions Clearly
Even the best activity fails if students do not understand what to do. Clear instructions are one of the most important — and most overlooked — teaching skills.
✓How to give clear instructions
- Speak clearly and at an appropriate pace
- Use short, simple sentences
- Give instructions one step at a time
- Demonstrate the activity when possible
- Check that students understand before they start
Check understanding the right way
Instead of asking "Do you understand?" — which students almost always answer "yes" even when confused — ask specific questions: - "What do we do first?" - "Do you work alone or with a partner?" - "How much time do you have?"
These questions confirm that students actually understand the task.
✓A simple instruction-giving sequence
1. Get attention
2. Give the instruction (short and clear)
3. Demonstrate or give an example
4. Check understanding
5. Start the activity
Try This: Before your next activity, plan your instructions in advance. Write them down in short steps. Then practice checking understanding with specific questions instead of "Do you understand?"