For both your students and you, a messy teaching session can be frustrating. Ideally, everyone should be active and focused. Especially if you conduct activating teaching, this is important. As a teacher, you yourself have a great responsibility in this regard. For example, do not simply assume that students do not want to or are not interested. But rather check whether the assignment was clear, or whether they still lack something to get started. In fact, you can't be explicit enough. Therefore, use the tips below to give instructions effectively.
Tip 1: use WHHTOF
To make sure your students have all the information they need to get started independently, you can use the abbreviation WHHTOF:
- What to do?
- How to do it?
- Where and how to find Help?
- How much Time is there for the assignment?
- What happens with the Outcome or result?
- What to do when you are Finished?
If you check your assignment and complete it according to these points, you will avoid ambiguity. Especially the last one is interesting because you should always assume that some students will finish before the time is up.
Tip 2: use PART
A simpler variation on this is PART. You can use these, for example, in a short assignment during the teaching session. PART means:
- Purpose
- Activity
- Result
- Time
Tip 3: give instructions in writing, not just verbally
Put the explanation or instructions for the assignment in the study guide, in the online environment, on the board or screen. This allows your students to review what is intended compared to verbal instruction alone. Written instructions are extra important to ensure accessibility for students with auditory impairments, for example.
Tip 4: do not have students listen and read at the same time
Written instructions help, but the moment you choose to hand them out also matters. Make sure you don't hand out the assignment first or put it on the screen when you verbally explain the instruction. This is because as soon as you hand out the assignment students' attention goes to the handing out process and then reading the instructions, they’ll no longer listen to your explanation. Should students already have the assignment, actively ask them to listen first. If they have laptops or phones with them, ask them to put away the phones and close the laptop.
Tip 5: keep it short
We all have limited attention spans. It is important to anticpate what is the essential information for completing a task and what is secondary. In the instructional text, you can also use underlining/ italics/bold print to make the importance clear. Do keep in mind digital accessibility in relation to students who use screen readers or have visual impairments.
Tip 6: repeat the assignment
People's working memory is more limited than you may realize. Assignments that are a bit more complicated and contain several steps are difficult to remember. Therefore, do not hesitate to repeat the explanation again and perhaps in a different way than the first time.
Tip 7: illustrate the instructions with examples
It may help to demonstrate the task briefly once. For example, with an individual or according to a scenario. Also give an example of what the result of an assignment can be, both good and not so good examples. If students have seen what the intention is, they can do the assignment more easily.
Tip 8: make space for questions
Some students take a while to process the instructions and only then come up with questions. Or, students start and only then discover that the assignment is not clear enough after all. So make sure in advance that you know how you will handle questions.
One way to verify that students have understood the instruction is to have students repeat what they think they should do.
It's also good to allow a moment of silence before putting students to work. And clearly indicate how and when they can ask questions. For example, that you as the teacher will be around for questions or that they should just come to you if they can't do it.
Tip 9: be encouraging
We know from research that a positieve atmosphere activates and stimulates students. Therefore, make sure you have an encouraging appearance, be positive and express confidence in their ability. A safe learning environment ensures that all students feel comfortable enough to ask questions. It is okay to say that an assignment is difficult, but at the same time indicate to them that if they do their best, it is perfectly possible to do the assignment well.