Module 7: Directions and Feedback
Giving Directions – The “Big Five”
The “Big Five” Rules of Giving Directions:
1. Individualize directions,
2. State directions clearly and positively,
3. Provide an opportunity to respond,
4. Offer choices and options, and
5. Follow through by acknowledging the child’s effort.
Strategies to Address the Big Five Rules:
1. Individualize the ways directions are given.
• Some children may respond well to verbal directions, while others may need physical prompts or pictorial prompts to follow the direction. For example, a child having difficulty sitting in group may respond to a picture associated with the direction better than a verbal direction.
• Consider the circumstances of the directions. Whole group directions may not work for all children; some will need individual directions. For example, if the teacher tells the whole group: “Get your coats and line up.” Some children will not hear or focus on the full direction and may just line up. How can the teacher individualize this direction? (Repeat them slowly or rephrase in new ways.)
• A student may need extra support if you notice that he or she looks to adults or the environment to determine actions. For example, asks adults (or peers) what to do and follows their behaviors or looks around for environmental cues (paper bags, yarn, glue, paper – making paper bag puppets).
2. Give clear and positive directions.
• Directions should be short, simple, and specific. Tell the child exactly what you want her to do. Avoid directions that are vague such as “be careful” or “settle down.” These directions could be substituted with “hold on to the railing” or “sit quietly.”
• Be directive (asking questions opens the door for “no”).
• Maintain a positive tone when you give directions.
• As research indicates that physical activity is one of the best ways to stimulate the brain and learning (Hannaford, 1995; Jensen, 1998; Kempermann, Kuhn, & Gage, 1997), teachers may want to consider incorporating movements into routine directions. For example, telling children to walk like a duck to line up by the door.
3. Give children the opportunity to respond to a direction.
• Avoid giving multiple directions at one time. Giving directions one at a time allows the child to process the information. When multistep directions are necessary, tell the child the directions and then guide him or her through the directions as needed.
• Give the child a chance to respond to the direction. We know adults find it difficult to wait for children to respond to the direction as it is often easier for the adult to complete the task. Allow the child to ask questions or get clarification about the direction before attempting the task. Give adequate time for the child to complete the direction.
4. When possible, give the child choices and options for following directions.
• Sometimes it is important that children follow a direction in a specific way; but many times, it is ok to give the child some options. For example, during clean up time, the teacher might say “we need to clean up, you can get either put away the blocks or the cars.” Another example would be when the teacher gives the child options for sitting in circle (i.e. monkey hug, side-saddle, legs straight out or criss cross).
• Giving choices allows children to share control with the adults and helps them feel productive by contributing toward the shared goals of the classroom.
• Giving choices is also important to scaffold learning of direction following and often allows the teacher to get a clear picture of the child’s current understanding. Based on the child’s response, the teacher can begin to plan ways to move the child to the next level of understanding.
5. Follow through with positive acknowledgment of children’s correct behavior.
• Acknowledging a child’s behavior helps him or her to understand when they are following directions appropriately.
• It is possible for children to misinterpret your feedback, linking it to the wrong behavior. For example – After snack, the child wipes his crumbs on the floor and pushes in his chair. The teacher says “Good Job!” What was communicated to the child? How could it be rephrased to link the behavior to the feedback? (“Thank you for pushing in your chair when you were finished.”)
• We need to remember to link the direction to the real world by helping children understand why following the direction is important. For example, because it keeps us safe, or helps us get ready to go outside faster.
Ideas for Promoting and Practicing Following Directions
Teachers must be intentional in promoting and practicing following directions within daily activities.
• Reading books with predictable sequences. For example, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie helps children learn to anticipate sequences.
• Play songs with directions, such as Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.
• Play games that sharpen listening/responding skills. For example, Mother, May I? , Simon Says or The Freeze Game.
Reflection Questions
1. Consider “The Big 5” rules for giving directions. List the ones you are using consistently to guide children in your classroom and give examples. For the ones you are not using list ways you could begin to use those strategies.
2. How does using “The Big 5” help children engage in activities in the classroom? How do the strategies help with motivation? Persistence? What affect might these strategies have on a child’s sense of self?
3. What ways do you currently practice and promote following directions in the classroom? What additional strategies could you use to practice and promote following directions?
References
Hannaford, C. (1995). Smart moves: Why learning is not all in your head. Alexander, NC: Great Ocean Publishers.
Iowa State University Department of Human Development & Family Studies. (2013). Train-Coach-Train. Retrieved from https://iastate.app.box.com/s/9rg5sxh5mfh43da7e05k
Jensen, E. (1998). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Kempermann, G., Kuhn, H. G., & Gage, F. H. (1997). More hippocampal neurons in adult mice living in an enriched environment. Nature, 386 (6624), pp. 493-495.
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Effective Teacher Practices Supporting
North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development
NC Early Learning Network, a joint project of NC-DPI and UNC-FPG, 2016