The Importance of Giving the Right Instructions in English Lessons

The Importance of Giving the Right Instructions in English Lessons

Introduction

Why did I choose this very subject?

The issue I was concerned when I started this school year was that the 7D class students' performance was worse than 7G class. This year at school, I started to deal with two 7th-grade classes. In particular, the students in the mentioned class had a lower base of knowledge. They found it hard to do the provided tasks, and even those trying them did it incorrectly. And then I realized that students didn't know how to perform the tasks and were lost with instructions.

Clear and effective instructions are at the core of success in any English lesson. Whether instructions are issued has a direct impact on learners' ability to understand activities, engage in learning activities, and achieve learning outcomes. To English language learners, particularly primary and secondary school, issuing sufficient instructions that suit their age group and language skills is very important.

In this report I will discuss my experience of teaching English and give the importance of providing clear instructions, the specific considerations for primary and secondary learners, and effective strategies for ensuring understanding and maintaining a productive classroom.

Why Giving the Right Instructions is Important

To begin with, I began exploring how the inappropriate given instructions impact learners` comprehension, motivation and performance. Here, I learned that giving proper instructions is at the center of successful teaching due to the following reasons:

- Clarity and Comprehension: Proper instructions enable students to comprehend what is expected of them, lowering misunderstandings and errors.

- Classroom Management: Precise instructions help keep things under control by cutting down interruptions and enabling students to remain focused.

-​Student Autonomy: When instructions are clear, the students are able to learn independently and by themselves without constant direction from the teacher.

-​Assessment and Progress: Clear instructions assist in guiding the students towards achieving learning objectives and also facilitate easier tracking of progress.

Having set the importance of providing clear instructions, the appropriate methods had to be adopted at my classes. Thus, in order to make students` understanding the task and engagement in the learning process I have tried several techniques such as the PPP method (Presentation, Practice, Production), Instructional Scaffolding, The "I Do, We Do, You Do" Approach

The PPP Approach (Presentation, Practice, Production).

How It Works:

Presentation: Provide brief, step-by-step directions with demonstrations and examples.

Practice: Take students through guided practice to achieve mastery.

Production: Allow students to complete tasks independently to apply their understanding.

Why It's Effective: It offers incremental learning through a scaffolded approach, reducing perplexity

Instructional Scaffolding

How It Works:

Divide large tasks into smaller, manageable tasks.

Provide prompts, hints, and modeling to lead the learners through the process.

Progressively withdraw support as students become self-sufficient.

Why It's Effective: It requires students to build knowledge incrementally and gain confidence.

The "I Do, We Do, You Do" Approach

How It Works:

I Do: The instructor does the task and provides accurate instruction.

We Do: Classmates and teacher do the task together.

You Do: Students work through the instructions on their own.

Why It's Effective: This method allows for progressive independence and a chance for questioning and correction.

The 3-Step Instruction Method

How It Works:

1. State the Instruction Clearly – Use clear, simple language. 2. Demonstrate the Task – Show them what you would have them do.

Among all of these approaches, I have chosen The "I Do, We Do, You Do" Approach

When I started using it at my classes some students could cope with the doing the simple tasks. For instance, when I want my students to do grammar task, first of all, I explain the structure. Forming the Present Continuous Tense. The objective is to help learners understand and use the tense correctly.

I do: After explaining, I give model examples: I am talking, They are playing.

We do: I ask the class: “What am I doing?” (I mime an action like writing.)

Students answer: “You are writing”. If it needs, I can support students if they confuse the pronouns.

Provide partial sentences and complete them together (e.g., She ___ (run) She is running.)

You do: Students work in pairs to describe what their partner is doing.

Complete a worksheet independently by filing the blanks with the correct form.

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Speaking Task: Giving Directions

Objective: Practice giving and following directions.

I Do:

Model giving directions on a map: “Go straight, turn left, and the bank is on your right.”

We Do:

Use a classroom map and guide students through giving basic directions in pairs.

Ask: “How do I get to the library?” and encourage group answers.

You Do:

In pairs, one student gives directions while the other follows on a printed map.

Students create their own map and practice with a partner.

Check for Understanding – Apply Concept Checking Questions (CCQs) to check for understanding. • Why It Works: It ensures that all students comprehend the task involved before they begin.

This is one of my favorite techniques I use in teaching English. It is a wonderful tool within various teaching methods to help teachers quickly verify that students understand a concept or instruction. To make sure if learners understand the task, I ask such CCQ questions as: “Are we writing or reading?”, “Are we working in groups or in pairs?”, “Are we doing a written task?” and etc. Thus, it can be clearly seen how well students comprehend the instructions.

Factors to Consider When Giving Instructions

Instructional effectiveness is based on the age and level of linguistic proficiency of students. Younger, lower-proficiency students should be taught by using simpler and scaffolding instructions than older and higher-proficiency students.

a) Age Consideration

1. Aged 6-10 or Primary School Level

Primary children are growing intellectually and linguistically. Instructions are to be:

​-Simple and Concrete: Use elementary vocabularies and explicit and definite commands.

​-​Visual and Physical Cues: Utilize gestures, pictures, and demonstrations.

​-​Short and Sequential: Break tasks into infinitesimal steps.

​-​Repetitive and Routine-Based: Always apply familiar phrases for the reinforcement of knowledge.

For example: Instead of telling, "Do the exercise on page 12 and write a paragraph on your favorite animal," tell, "Turn your books to page 12. Look at the pictures. Write about your favorite animal. I will show you.".

2. Secondary School Students (11-18 years)

Older students have greater cognitive ability and language skills, allowing more detailed instructions.

​-​Moderately Detailed: Provide instructions in simple steps, with age-appropriate language.

​-​Written and Spoken Support: Provide oral and written instructions for multi-step procedures.

​-​Chances for Clarification: Encourage students to ask questions and clarify understanding.

b) Language Skills Considerations

​1.​Beginner (A1-A2):

​-​Keep sentences short and simple.

​-​Demonstrate tasks rather than describing them.

​-​Repeat instructions and check comprehension regularly.

​2.​Intermediate (B1-B2):

​-​Give instructions in a clear step-by-step fashion.

​-​Use visual aids to reinforce complex task instructions.

​-​Encourage peer explanation for better understanding.

Giving Effective Instructions Strategies

No matter what the age or language level, there are some strategies that work for all teachers which can improve how they give instructions:

​1. ​Employ Plain, Brief Language: Steer clear of complicated terms and compound sentences.

​2. ​Organize Instructions Logically: Order tasks in the order they should be performed.

​3. ​Show Whenever Possible: Demonstrate the activity or show visual representations.

​4. ​Monitor for Understanding: Employ concept-checking questions (CCQs) to verify understanding (e.g., "Do we work individually or with a partner?").

​5. ​Be Consistent: Utilize familiar phrases and structures in instructions.

​6. ​Adapt to Feedback: Monitor student responses and modify instructions in the event of confusion.

Problems and Solutions

Practical Examples of Good Instructions

​1.​Primary Level Example:

Activity: Drawing and Describing an Animal

Instruction:

​"Take a paper. Draw your favorite animal. Write 3 sentences about it. I will help you."

​​Demonstrate by drawing a basic animal on the board and typing an example sentence.

​2.​Secondary Level Example:

Activity: Group Discussion on a Story

Instruction:

​​"Discuss in groups of four the personality of the main character. Write three points. You have 10 minutes."

​​Provide a handout with discussion questions for reference.

7. Conclusion

Offering clear and age-appropriate instructions is paramount to effective English teaching. Students at the primary and secondary levels require tailored approaches to ensure understanding and engagement. Through consideration of students' age and language capacity, using clear and concise language, and incorporating supportive strategies like modeling and concept-checking, teachers can create an organized learning environment in which students thrive.