Video tip: Instructions
Teaching tip
Watch the latest in our video series of short clips for the classroom. In this edition, Lynda shows you a tip on using instructions in the classroom and how to get everybody’s attention after a noisy activity.
Tip 1
Making sure everyone has understood instructions for an activity is important in the classroom. Imagine you’ve just given the instructions for an activity. You could then ask: Do you understand? But you won’t actually find out whether people have really understood. So why not ask a confident member of the classroom: What are you going to do, (Thomas)? And then let the student explain the instructions again (in German if necessary) so that everyone can hear the instructions again.
Tip 2
On the topic of giving instructions, you could also play the game Simon Says… although you can change it to your own name: Kirsty says… Joanna says… Sean says…
- Students should follow your instructions only if the sentence begins with Simon says.
- Say some instructions which the students should follow: Simon says put your left hand in the air.
- Simon says close your book.
- Simon says smile.
- And then say something that does not begin with Simon says…
- Stand up. Nobody should follow this instruction because it does not begin with Simon says.
- Let students have a turn.
