Directions? What Directions?

So I decided that I wanted to do a blog about helping students remember directions. I know you repeat yourself a lot when you’re teaching, and it can drive even the most patient teacher bananas. In the process of learning some memory techniques to share with you, it occurred to me that we, as adults, can probably benefit from these techniques as well. Let me use a simple story as an example.

Two days ago when I got home from work, it was raining like crazy. And when it rains, I like to place a bucket under a particularly leaky spot in my gutters to collect rainwater for plants. (Yes, I need to get my gutters fixed. That’s another issue.) Now this leaky spot is situated directly behind my car as it sits in the carport. So I said to myself, “Kim, when you leave tomorrow morning, do not forget to move the bucket.” Yeah. Mmmm-hmmm. The next morning, I ran over the bucket. BLAM. No more bucket.

So the following techniques to help little ones remember directions might have helped me as well!

  • Have students visualize the directions. Do they have to complete a worksheet, turn in their writing folders, and then choose an independent center? State each direction and prompt each child to form a mental picture of himself doing these things.

  • Pause after each direction and have students repeat what you’ve said. Hearing the direction one more time can only help!

  • Have students copy down their directions on slips of paper designated specifically for this purpose. Consider always using brightly colored paper for this. It’s more difficult to lose track of a neon yellow piece of paper.

  • Chant the instructions and have students snap or clap as you chant.

How do you help students remember classroom instructions?


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