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Provide Modified Written Instructions

Tags

All Ages Strategy

Skills

Auditory Processing Flexible Thinking Listening Comprehension Organization Working Memory Attention Verbal Reasoning

Provide Modified Written Instructions

If your student struggles to understand and/or complete multi-step assignments, particularly when they are given verbally

Teach It!

  1. Objective: Providing students with simple written instructions to support verbal instructions will help them more concretely process the information, and is especially helpful for students who have difficulty with working memory, sequencing or initiation.
  2. Teacher Takeaways: a) Provide a written copy of instructions in addition to those spoken or written on the board. b) Write them as a sequential list (Steps 1,2,3...), eliminating unnecessary words. c) Highlight or star key items so they stand out. d) Color code or pair steps with drawings. Ex: A picture of a book represents the reading portion of the assignment and a pencil represents the writing portion. This extra visual cue can help students better process and plan what is expected. e) Encourage students to check off each step as it is completed.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

When instructions are delivered using simple language and visual cues students can focus on the work rather than figuring out what they need to do. They also might have a much clearer picture of how to plan and organize their approach the assignment. This is especially helpful for students who have difficulty with working memory, sequencing or initiation.