Inclusion Strategies for Secondary Classrooms

Chapter 4 Ensuring students understand instructions

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Instructions
As Teachers

ELN Students

We try to give clear instructions We think we are giving clear instruction Our directions may be clear *Our directions frequently are anything but clear

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Students dont perceive the message we are sending They are confused They have poor metacognition They think they understand our directions when they don't

Drawn conclusions in teaching

Teachers

Administrators

Instructions should be explicit, not implicit Word instructions clearly Word instructions simply Be subtle when shifting from instructions Have students repeat back check for understanding

Instructions should be concrete List materials needed List steps needed to be followed Multiple representations of directions Give instructions in bit size chunks

Keys to Improving Instructions

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Gain students full attention Provide written and oral instructions Repeat instructions Chunk instructions Solicit Tell-backs and Show-me

*These are all quick and simple steps to increase students with special needs understanding

Gaining students full attention

Attentional Cues
Using signals for getting quiet Use of instructional cues (eyes and ears on me) Give instructions when all eyes are on teacher

Students with ADHD

Executive attention Selective attention Sustaining attention Orienting attention

*attention is ensured *confusion is eliminated

Provide written and oral instructions

Some students have better auditory perception, others have better visual perception teacher needs to provide both type Write directions on board, overhead, PowerPoint before giving them out orally

Confusion is eliminated, facilitates students understanding when they both hear and see instructions reduces frustration Students knows what to do

Repeat instructions

Facilitates students when they more than one opportunity to listen Increases brains ability to attend and learn new material Memory is enhanced Reduces cognitive overload

Chunk Instructions
Means to combine small, meaningful units of information Makes it easier by reducing memory load Memory is enhanced when smaller number of items must be remembered Students are not overwhelmed Students know exactly what to do

Solicit tell-backs and show-mes

Ask students to show you what they are suppose to do Have them tell you what they are suppose to do Memory is enhance when student repeat back