Jun 12, 2022
The Role of Clear Instructions in Classroom!
Teachers must understand that unclear instructions are the first step toward learners’ dropout and learning weaknesses.
Have you ever had a child in the middle or upper grades who couldn’t read or write properly? What are the main causes of such issues? Actually, when children do not understand the teacher’s instructions and do not act in accordance with the other children, they believe they are weak and are unable to learn or compete with the other children in the classroom. They have accepted their situation and are no longer interested in learning.
This is particularly common in underdeveloped countries’ schools, where classrooms are overcrowded and students are unable to understand the teacher’s instructions. Furthermore, the teachers lack the necessary training to deal with such a situation.
Teaching, in comparison to other professions, necessitates a diverse variety of abilities. On top of that, giving clear instructions helps a lot. Students do not act in accordance with unclear instructions, which causes disruption in the classroom. As the preceding example demonstrates, unclear instructions are the first step toward dropout and learner weaknesses. They believe they are weak in their studies or unable to continue studying if they do not understand the teacher’s instructions.
Clear instruction is dependent on the classes for example, in primary classes, students would be unable to follow long and multiple instructions at the same time. You might, for example, give instructions such as
“Mr Shahid, please stand up, open your books to page 40, come to exercise #4, and answer question #3.”
It is not a single instruction, it is a combination of 5 or 6 instructions and certainly, the students could not follow it. It is the responsibility of the teacher to divide these instructions and give them a single instruction in time. For example, the teacher should ask them
“Open your math book to page number 40.”
Once the students have opened the books to the page number, the teacher should direct them to
“Go exercise number 4 and so on.”
The volume should be loud, I would say the volume should be optimal, the voice should be clear and the class should be handled with precision.
For clear instructions, the teacher must first ask for their attention, and then, once all of the students are attentive and ready, the teacher should speak clearly and loudly. Don’t give instruction more than once. Wait a few moments, read their expressions, and then politely repeat the instruction. Gestures and body language are very important in the delivery of instructions and in the classroom, so use them appropriately. Combine the instructions; this will cause the student to become confused. Confirm with the students that everyone has understood and followed the instructions, either by reading their faces or by asking them.
Students feel confused in class. It is therefore the responsibility of the teacher to mitigate them. Teachers should greet the class, it is preferred to greet them with mental and physical activity. The teacher should ask them how they feel. Are they ready for class? Once they are ready for class, the teacher should move on. For example, he can ask them to open a particular book and tell them step by step what they are going to learn today.
The human brain processes information in a sequential manner. As a result, the teacher must guide the students appropriately. For example, if a teacher is going to teach about computer peripheral devices. The subject could be introduced in the following way:
“First, we will discuss the input devices, then we will go toward the output devices, after that, we will cover the storage device, and finally, we will review all the input, output and storage devices.”
Teachers should keep track of the time allotted for each activity so that students are properly engaged. For example, the instructions below can be used to manage time.
- You have only 5 minutes to read this
- Three minutes left
- Complete your work in three minutes
- It’s time to finish
- Let’s stop now
- Stop writing, please
- Put away your notebooks/books, please
There are a few general instructions that should be followed in the classrooms.
- Can you speak loudly, please
- Can you repeat it, please
- Do you understand
- Are you with me?
- Look at me
- Look at the board
- Please stop talking now
- Listen to Mr A
- I can’t listen to you
- Show me your notebook
- Come to the front of the class
So, how does the teacher understand that the students are having difficulty following instructions? They may confirm through facial expression, body language, or student confirmation, or they may misread, for example. Teachers are well-versed in the psychology of children. When students appear puzzled, it is clear that they are unsure of what they should do. The teacher should deal with the situation without informing the student.
The energizer can be used to help students focus on the instructions. It’s possible that the energizer has the opposite meaning of instruction. For instance, “set” mean “stand,” and “stand” means “to set.” Similarly, “start” means “stop” and “stop” means “start.” This will sharpen and train the children to comprehend instructions quickly.
The teachers, particularly the fresh teachers must work on their instructions. They can write the instructions for every stage of the class and may practice accordingly in class. With modern technologies, they can also record their instruction and later on listen to them for self-correction.
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