Most activities that fail, fail at the instructions. Learners must understand the task in a language they are still learning.
The sequence
- Get attention - a signal (raise hand, chime, "OK, everyone, look at me"), wait for silence.
- Group first - "Work with your partner" before the task, so learners are not moving while you explain.
- Instruct - short imperatives, one step at a time, in language below the class level.
- Demonstrate - do the first item with a strong learner or show an example on the board.
- Check (ICQs) - two or three questions about what learners will do.
- Hand out - materials after instructions, so learners listen instead of reading.
- Start - "You have five minutes. Go."
- Check again - walk round in the first 30 seconds; re-explain quietly to any pair that is lost.
Graded language
| Avoid | Use |
|---|---|
| "What I'd like you to do now is to read through this text and see if you can find..." | "Read the text. Find three jobs." |
| "Could you possibly get into groups of about four?" | "Groups of four. You, you, you and you." |
| "Discuss with each other your opinions about..." | "Talk to your partner. Do you agree?" |
| Phrasal verbs and idioms (go over, have a go) | Simple verbs (check, try) |
ICQs (instruction-checking questions)
- Ask about the task, not about understanding: never "Do you understand?".
- Short, closed questions: yes/no, either/or, a number.
- Check the parts most likely to go wrong.
| Task | ICQs |
|---|---|
| Read and match headings | "Do you write or read?" (read) "How many headings?" (five) "One extra heading?" (yes) |
| Pair role play | "Are you A or B?" "Can you show your card?" (no) "How long?" (five minutes) |
| Mingle survey | "Do you sit or walk?" (walk) "How many people?" (all) "Do you write names?" (yes) |
Demonstrations
- Do the task with one learner while the class watches ("Ana, you're A. Ask me question one").
- For written tasks, do item 1 on the board.
- For games, play one round in front of the class.
- A demonstration replaces many words: if you need more than three sentences, demonstrate instead.
Online
- Instructions on a slide or in the chat as well as spoken.
- Put learners into breakout rooms only after ICQs; paste the task and the time into the rooms.
- Visit each room in the first two minutes.
- Use a visible timer.
Planning instructions
Write the exact words in the lesson plan for every task, with the ICQs. Count the words; at A1-A2 keep instructions
under about 40 words per task. Check them with scripts/instruction_check.py.
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