Are you looking for inventive ways to ensure that students will understand your instructions? If so, keep reading.
1. Stand in the proximity of the student when delivering oral questions and instructions. Urge the student to keep written reminders of task sequences.
2. Get the student to ask for help when they need it.
3. Teach the student listening skills (e.g., stop working, clear desk of nonessential learning materials, pay attention to the source of information, write down essential points, ask for clarification, and wait until all instructions are received before beginning).
4. Get the student to orally repeat or rephrase the instructions to the teacher.
5. Get the student to practice group listening skills (e.g., “Everyone, take out a piece of paper. Write your name on the paper. Number your paper from 1 to 20.”).
6. Place the student near the source of information to enable their capacity and ability to keep attention.
7. Get the student to question any directions, explanations, and instructions they do not understand.
8. Get the student to take notes relative to oral questions and instructions.
9. Urge the student to create an understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Train the student to periodically step back and ask themselves, “Am I listening and paying attention?” “What is the question?”
10. Get the student to take notes when instructions are being given following the “What, How, Learning materials, and On occasions where” format.
11. Select a peer to model answering oral questions and instructions without requiring repetition for the student.
12. Train the student to ask people to repeat portions of a conversation they were unable to follow.
13. Train the student to keep attention to the source of information by keeping eye contact, keeping hands free from other learning materials, and reducing other distractions.
14. Get the student to do those things that need to be done when they are discussed instead of procrastinating (e.g., organize needed learning materials for a task to be finished later).
15. Talk regularly with the student to help the student follow instructions for a learning experience.
16. Provide a consistent manner in which oral questions and instructions are delivered.
17. Provide mobility to assist the student.
18. Get the student to practice listening skills by taking notes when directions, explanations, and instructions are presented.
19. Provide visibility to and from the student to keep their attention when oral questions/ instructions are being delivered. The teacher and the student should be able to see each other at all times. Make eye contact possible at all times.
20. Make sure that all instructions, questions, explanations, and instructions are delivered in a clear, concise manner; at an appropriate pace; and loudly enough for the student to hear.
21. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to respond appropriately to instructions. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
22. Consider using Alexa to help you with classroom management. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.
23. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.
