Brief Instruction Steps
Overview
Providing instructional steps clearly and concisely can help learners understand classroom expectations and complete tasks efficiently. This is particularly important for young learners whose Working Memory is still developing and may overload easily. When outlining steps for a specific task in writing or pictorially, educators should be sure to ensure directions are sequenced clearly, and have sufficient visual spacing, taking care not to overload young learners with too much information at once. If giving directions orally, supplementing these instructions with visual cues can further support Working Memory. This can be especially important for students with learning disabilities who may struggle with listening comprehension, remembering steps in a sequence, planning and organizing, Auditory Processing or Speed of Processing. Providing brief, step-by-step instructions multimodally gives structure and multiple entry points to access, organize, and remain engaged in the lesson. Additionally, walking young learners through brief instructional steps, both orally and in writing, and checking for understanding can help support multilingual learners and those with learning disabilities and ADHD.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
Watch this video that gives tips, with examples, on giving students instructions. Combining these strategies of using brief instruction steps, providing visual cues, and verbally checking students' understanding provides multiple supports for Attention and Working Memory.
Design It into Your Product
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
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