Issue 11 - Summer2005

Other Issues

   

VTTN News

VTTN Provincial Workshops - July 2005

Helping students use L2(English)

Using Vietnamese vs.using English in class

Giving intructions

Teacher'S classroom language

Creating a positive atmosphere in the classroom

Activities for promoting communication in class

Blocks to communication anh suggested solutions

Adapting textbooks for communication

VTTN Quiz

Primary VTTN

Teaching Tips

Dear Language Doctor

VTTN resources

VTTN provincial contacts







Giving instructions in the English language classroom

 
Good instructions make this groupwofk successful in Hanoi


The importance of clear instructions
    →  Ensures all students are involved and clear of what to do.
    →  Acts as a time saving short cut in the long run. The students learn to recognise repeat instructions. Teenagers respond well to routine and feeling secure in class.
    →  Avoids classroom disruption/distraction. Kids tend to 'mess about' if they are not sure what they are supposed to be doing.
   → Improves the teacher's control of the classroom and helps with achieving lesson planning   aims and objectives.
    →  Improves the pace of a lesson. Transitions between stages are 'snappier'.         

Here are some tips on how to give effective instructions
1. KISS Ð Keep It Short and Simple
2. Always check students have understood by using checking questions.
3. Get everyone's attention BEFORE giving instructions
4. Feed in your instructions step by step.
5. Maintain eye contact with the class.
6. Use gestures to convey meaning.
7. Use examples, do a couple in front of the whole class.
8. Model your instructions by yourself or with other students.
9. Pause when you give instructions. You may also need to repeat or paraphrase your instructions.
10. Always set a time limit.
11. Make sure all the student can see and hear you.
12. Pre-plan your instructions if you are not confident.
13. Make it clear when students can start and stop a task by giving signals (clapping your hands)
14. Give out handouts after the instructions.

How to check understanding when giving instructions
    → Get students to recap by asking questions like "Who can tell me what are you going to do?"

    → Give visual reminders: You can use your fingers to check stages which students have to go through or give countdowns.

    → Use comprehension questions by asking questions such as "Which exercise are you going to answer?"; " How much time do we have?"; Who are you going to work with?" or "What are you going to do after that?"

    → Use concept questions such as "Are we going to do exercise 4?"; "We have ten minutes to do this, right?"; "Are you going to work on your own?" or "Do we need to write or only speak?"

Types of instructions
Technique
                               
Step by Step                    
Say, Do, Check    
 Show Don't Tell      
Recall                     

Other names  
Feed-In Approach
Three- Step Instruction
Model It / Demonstration
Tell Me Again / Say It Again

 Explanation
One instruction at a time
Teachers say, students do, then teachers check
Teachers show and don't tell
Get students to say the instructions
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