Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Reaching Boys Who Struggle: Giving Effective Directions

Although this sequence may appear time-consuming, investment in learning and using these steps can pay major dividends, both for us and our students. Kathleen Palmer Cleveland


Effective Directions in Sequence                                       Examples
Step 1:  Change state. "If you can hear my voice, clap once."
"If you can hear my voice, clap twice."
Soften your voice and say, "If you can hear my voice, look this way."
Step 2: Explain relevance. "Thank you for coming to attention so quickly. We have some important work to do today! I am confident that you will do well."

"In the last lesson we did ___________ s a way of getting better at _________________. Today we will continue that process by doing ______________. This is going to help you become more skilled at _______________. So to review, the goal for this lesson is _________________. Let's get started!"
Step 3:  Be crystal clear. "There are three steps to complete in order.
Step 1:  First, we will__________
Step 2:  Second, we will_____________
Step 3:  Third, we will________________"
Step 4: Engage in multiple modalities. "As you read the directions along with me, I will highlight the important words on the SMARTboard."
Step 5:  Check for understanding. "Turn to your neighbor and make sure you understand each step."

Step 6:  Announce duration. "I have set aside about _________(minutes, hours, days)for you to complete this work. You will have plenty of time to finish."
Step 7:  Pair verbal commands with auditory start/stop signals. "When I give the signal, you will __________. "(state first step of task).
Step 8:  Provide backup. Leave the written directions visible on board.
Step 9:  Give fair warning. "You have two minutes to finish your work."
Step 10:  Acknowledge effort. "Thank you for completing your task and coming to attention."




From Teaching Boys Who Struggle in School:  Strategies that Turn Underachievers into Successful Learners P.90-100

10 Strategies for Reaching Boys Who Struggle

  1. Build Trusting Relationships
  2. Follow These Guidelines for Classroom Policies 
  3. Understand Boys' Basic Requests for Communicating
  4. Give Effective Directions
  5. Give Informational Feedback
  6. Use Affirming Statements
  7. Teach Pragmatic Communication Skills
  8. Increase Physical Comfort
  9. Apply the Principles of Active Learning
  10. Build Literacy Through Engaging Activities


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