How to Give Students Directions They Actually Understand

No more than a minute after you’ve provided instruction on the day’s targeted content and given students directions for their next task, some brave soul utters the line that brings tired teachers to their knees: “What are we supposed to be doing?”

None of us want this. As teachers, we all want students to fully understand what they’re supposed to be doing so that they can be successful as they do it.

Good news: A few small changes in how we give directions can be the lever that boosts student understanding and engagement.

Wait For It

As time becomes more scarce in the classroom and simultaneously student needs and external pressures become more abundant, it is easy as a teacher to get in the zone and move relentlessly forward. After all, the pace of the class and the acquisition of the content are on our shoulders. But providing wait time that allows for students to think about what they just heard and ask questions for clarification is essential.

One way I slow myself down and remember to provide wait time is by scanning the room and making eye contact with as many students as possible. This, coupled with the silence, signals that I am expecting questions—rather than just willing to tolerate them. 

Let It Marinate

When a task requires multiple steps, complex processes, or an extended work period, I build in processing time for students. In addition to the wait time, I might have students write down the three most important steps on a sticky note. This then becomes a visual cue on their desk that they can return to.

Or I might build in a moment of metacognition by prompting students to pair with a partner and share which part of the task they think will come easiest to them and which part will be most challenging. This pair-share approach to understanding directions has several benefits. Having multiple pairs’ voices in the space is often what it takes to break the nobody-wants-to-talk syndrome that can sometimes happen in a class. It is also a great opportunity for students to connect the directions to the learning objective with a prompt like “How will taking these steps help us meet our goal for the day?” This is a surefire way to move away from an activity-based lesson to a standards-based approach.

Augment Instructions

There is no greater test of a teacher’s confidence in themselves and their students than their economy of language. I find the more insecure I am, the more I talk. The less I trust the students, the more I talk. But being clear and concise about what the steps are and what I’m expecting is a gift to students: They can spend their cognitive load on learning rather than wading through a swamp of directions. A few strategies to help with this are scripting directions until you have embodied the skill, adding visual reinforcements (like icons) to written cues, and using physical signposts.

An example of this in a high school English class might involve explaining three main steps to draft an essay over the course of a week. Step one is going back into the text to find key quotations to use. When I explain step one, I project the icon of a magnifying glass while I stand at the front left of the classroom by the library of books (a visual cue that the step is text-focused). Step two is the drafting of thesis and topic sentences. When explaining this step, I stand in the center of the classroom, accompanied by a pencil icon. The last step is the outline of the essay. I explain this in the front right of the classroom while projecting a ladder icon. Each day when I review the directions, I repeat the same visual and physical sequence.

Adjust Language

Often, the check-in question after directions—“Do you understand?”—can actually shut down the very thing we’re hoping for: a student being vulnerable enough to admit that they don’t get it. Strategies to counter this all relate to the language we use. For one, I always make sure to assume that there will be questions by asking, “What questions can I answer?”—as opposed to “Are there any questions?” Setting an expectation for questions communicates to students that not getting it isn’t a failure, and in fact by asking a question they are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

Additionally, I will often explicitly assume that the error in misunderstanding is my fault, and not the students’. I often cold-call on a student and ask the question: “Could you share back what you heard me say to see if I explained it correctly?” This technique creates a no-risk zone for students to communicate what they’ve heard. And it also ensures one more repetition of the directions for all students.

Another strategy I have used is turning directions into a checklist and providing it to students to work through at their own pace. This builds self-awareness and self-management—and who doesn’t love to check a box? It’s also a great way to create different sets of directions for different learners according to their specific needs, and nobody needs to know they have a unique checklist.

A few small but intentional tweaks can ensure that your students have the ability to meaningfully engage with every lesson—even if they don’t get it at first.