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Giving clear instructions
Have you ever given an instruction, and then watched the class do something completely different? Or watched students stare at you, with no idea what to do? You are not alone. Giving clear instructions is one of the most important teaching skills.
Think about the last instruction you gave your class. Did everyone understand it? Did everyone start the activity straight away? Or did some students copy others, and some do nothing? When instructions are unclear, learning time is lost.
Q2: Which of these problems do you have when giving instructions? (Tick all that apply)
- Every teacher faces these problems — you are not alone
- The most common cause is giving too many steps at once — the brain can only hold a few things at a time
- If students start before you finish, the problem is usually noise or attention — not the instruction itself
- “Do you understand?” almost always gets a “yes” even when students do not understand — we need a better way to check
- Small changes to how you give instructions can save many minutes of every lesson
Clear instructions have four parts. Get attention first — do not start until everyone is quiet and looking at you. Keep it short — one step at a time, with simple words. Show, do not just tell — demonstrate or write the key word on the board. Check understanding — ask a student to explain it back, do not just ask “do you understand?”
Drag each instruction into a box, or tap an instruction and then tap the box you want to put it in. Use the green box for clear instructions, and the red box for unclear ones.
Unclear instructions are long, vague, or full of choices. Words like “maybe,” “whichever,” or “quickly look at” leave students guessing. “Do you understand?” almost never tells you the truth.
A useful rule: if you need more than 15 words, you probably need to break the instruction into smaller steps.
Try to remember the exact words you used. How many steps were there? Did you check that students understood?
- Most teachers find their instructions are longer than they thought — this is normal
- If students did not all start the activity, the instruction was probably too long or had too many steps
- If you said “do you understand?” and got “yes,” you did not really check — students often say yes to be polite
- A good test: could you give the instruction in 15 words or fewer? If not, it needs to be shorter or broken into steps
These five techniques work in any classroom, no matter how large. They cost nothing. Try one this week.
Think about an activity you do often. How would you use each technique to introduce it more clearly?
| Technique | How I would use it |
|---|---|
| Get attention first | |
| One step at a time | |
| Show, do not just tell | |
| Check by asking back | |
| Set a time |
Here are some examples of how each technique could look in a real lesson.
| Technique | Example in action |
|---|---|
| Get attention first | Stand still at the front. Say “eyes on me.” Wait. Do not begin until the room is quiet and every face is looking up. |
| One step at a time | Step 1: “Open your book.” (Wait.) Step 2: “Find page 14.” (Wait.) Step 3: “Read the first sentence.” Each step lands before the next. |
| Show, do not just tell | Before pairwork, take one student to the front. Show what Student A says. Show what Student B answers. The class sees the activity, not just hears about it. |
| Check by asking back | “Anna, what do we do first? Joseph, what do we do next?” If they answer correctly, the class is ready. If not, explain the step again. |
| Set a time | “You have three minutes.” Or “Until I clap.” Or “Until you have written four sentences.” A clear ending helps students focus. |
Q6. Watch the video below. Which problem sounds most like yours? Which change will you try first?
Host: Three teachers share the instruction problem they had, and the simple change they made.
Teacher 1: I used to talk and talk before an activity. I would explain everything in one long speech. Then I would say “go” and half the class had no idea what to do.
Teacher 2: I asked my class “do you understand?” after every instruction. They always said yes. But then they did the wrong thing. The “yes” meant nothing.
Teacher 3: I gave instructions while students were still moving and talking. I shouted over them. Most students did not even hear me.
Teacher 1: Now I break the activity into small steps. I say one step. They do it. Then the next step. Short instructions, one at a time. The class follows me much better.
Teacher 2: Now I check in a different way. I say “tell your partner what we are going to do.” I listen. If they get it wrong, I know I need to explain again.
Teacher 3: Now I wait for full silence first. I stand still. I wait. When everyone is quiet, I give the instruction. Once. Clearly. It feels slow but the activity starts faster.
Host: Clear instructions save time. Break them down. Check understanding properly. Get attention first.
Q7. For each technique, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
Think about an activity you will do tomorrow. Write the exact words you will say. How will you get attention first? How will you check students understood?
- Clear instructions save time — lessons run faster when students know exactly what to do
- Get full attention first — never give an instruction over noise or talking
- One step at a time — long instructions overload students’ memory; short steps stay clear
- “Do you understand?” does not work — ask a student to repeat the instruction instead
- Always set a time and demonstrate when you can — students remember actions better than words
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