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JIMALEE SOWELL
Cote d’Ivoire
Good Instruction-Giving
in the Second-Language
Classroom
I
magine you are attending a seminar. The facilitator gives instructions,
and you have a vague notion of what you are supposed to do, but you
do not want to ask the facilitator to clarify because you are sure you
are the only one who has not understood. After the facilitator tells you to
start working, you turn to the person next to you and ask, “What are we
supposed to do?” That person says, “I’m not sure. I thought you would
know.” Soon you realize that almost everyone in the room is confused,
while the facilitator is standing behind the lectern wondering why no one
has started engaging in the activity she just explained.
Most of us can recall an experience where
the facilitator delivered instructions, but we
were unclear about what we were expected
to do. And, as teachers, most of us have had
experiences of giving instructions that were
misunderstood or incomprehensible to our
learners. While occasional foibles in giving
instructions are understandable, mastering
instruction-giving is a fundamental aspect
of good classroom teaching practice.
Instructions and their delivery can be
the determining factors as to whether a
lesson succeeds or fails (Scrivener 2011;
Ur 1996). According to Ur (1996, 16),
research indicates “that learners see the
ability to explain things well as one of the
most important qualities of a good teacher.”
For example, Wragg and Wood’s (1984, 82)
research found that the teacher’s “ability to
explain is most highly valued.”
This article will investigate the importance
and rationale for giving clear instructions in
the second-language classroom and provide
techniques for giving effective instructions.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
INSTRUCTION-GIVING
Instruction-giving has a direct effect on
learning; a lesson or activity becomes chaotic
and fails when students do not understand
what they are supposed to do. Nonetheless,
good instruction-giving is a challenge for
both native and nonnative language teachers,
as well as for both seasoned and novice
teachers. However, instruction-giving is a skill
that is sometimes neglected for preservice
and in-service teachers in teacher-training
programs. New teachers might assume that it
is a skill that will be naturally mastered; more
experienced teachers might assume that it
is a skill they have already mastered. For all
language teachers, however, instruction-giving
is an area that deserves attention and practice,
as it has a major impact on how well students
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are able to carry out activities and, as a result,
how well they learn.
GIVING INSTRUCTIONS IN THE
MOTHER TONGUE
Opinions differ as to whether instruction-giving
is a permissible use of the first language (L1) in
the second-language (L2) classroom. Atkinson
(1987), Auerbach (1993), and Macaro (1997)
agree that instruction-giving is an occasion that
warrants use of the L1 in the L2 classroom.
Both Ur (1996) and Cook (2016) believe
that some use of the mother tongue might be
necessary. Salaberri (1995) and Gardner and
Gardner (2000) assert that students should be
introduced to the use of English from the first
class; doing so helps students understand that
foreign languages are not just subjects to be
studied but are also, and more importantly, a
means of communication. Therefore, teachers
should strive to incorporate the L2 needed for
instruction-giving right from the beginning of a
course (Salaberri 1995).
Of course, any use of the students’ native
language is possible only if the instructor
has some familiarity with it. In multilingual
classes, it is an unrealistic expectation for the
instructor to manage explanations in multiple
languages. By extension, if teachers who do
not speak their students’ native language(s)
can make their instructions understood
in English, it is possible for teachers who
speak their students’ L1 to make themselves
understood in English as well.
There might be instances when the use of
the L1 for instruction-giving is justified for
the sake of efficiency and clarity, but there
is a danger of overuse and the possibility
that students and teachers will become
accustomed to the comfort of instructions in
the L1. In my own experience in South Korea
with students who had already studied English
for many years, I found that quite a few of
them had difficulty understanding simple
instructions in English. I surmise that this
difficulty arose because of former experiences
with receiving instructions in their L1. While
use of the native language to give instructions
might be helpful for beginning-level students,
if continued for too long, it becomes a
handicap rather than a help.
USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO
GIVE COMMON INSTRUCTIONS
One of the preliminary activities I did with
my Korean students at the beginning of each
semester was based on Total Physical Response
(TPR), a method of language teaching where
the teacher gives a command and the students
perform the action (Asher 2009). I first gave
students a handout with a list of common
instructional commands used throughout
the course, such as “Take out a pen or pencil”
and “Turn to page ___” (see Table 1 for a list
1. Take out a pen or pencil.
2. Take out a piece of paper.
3. Write your name on the paper.
4. Open your books.
5. Turn to page ______.
6. Read page ______.
7. Close your books.
8. Put your books away.
9. Stand up.
10. Sit down.
11. Find a partner.
Put your desks face-to-face.
12. Get into a group of ______
students.
Put your desks together.
13. Make a half-circle with the desks.
14. Look at the board.
15. Look at the teacher.
16. Look at the dialogue.
17. Repeat after me.
18. Raise your hand.
19. Put your hand down.
20. Pass your papers to the front.
Table 1. Common classroom instructions in English
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of common instructional commands). After
demonstrating the actions and going over the
list with students, I gave commands and had
the students perform them. In my experience,
starting the course with TPR for common
instructions helps students understand typical
classroom language, which has a positive impact
on classroom management.
While initial TPR activities lay a foundation
for classroom instructions and classroom
language, they do not need to be restricted to
the beginning of a course. Teachers can add
pertinent mini–TPR lessons for instructions
(and related classroom language) as the course
progresses. TPR lessons for instructions can
relate to different aspects of the class, such as
Instructions to Set up Class Work and Instructions to
Bring the Class to an End (Gardner and Gardner
2000; Salaberri 1995), or they can be created
based on student needs. Of course, TPR
activities should match students’ proficiency
levels. It is also important not to overwhelm
learners with too many instructions in English
at once (Gardner and Gardner 2000).
For native and nonnative teachers who need
guidance on giving instructions in English
as well as other classroom language, Hughes
(1981), Gardner and Gardner (2000), and
Salaberri (1995) are valuable resources.
Additional online resources for classroom
language teaching and learning include the
following:
www.finchpark.com/courses/links/
classroom.htm
www.eslprintables.com/vocabulary_
worksheets/school/classroom_language/
https://en.islcollective.com
Following are descriptions of the three stages for
giving good instructions: the preparation stage,
the delivery stage, and the post-delivery stage.
THE PREPARATION STAGE
Good instruction-giving begins in the
preparation stage. Although teachers may feel
they can easily improvise, instructions “are
often not as clear to their students as they are
to themselves” (Ur 1996, 16). A good way to
make sure your instructions for an activity
are clear and concise is to write them out as
you develop your lesson plan (Woodberry
and Aldrich 2000). Scrivener (2011) suggests
sticking with words that are familiar to your
students, trying to write one sentence for
each main point, and—if your instructions
seem too long—deleting as many words
as possible while still keeping the original
meaning. Of course, there will be some
Wordy Instructions Concise Instructions
1. Now, I would like for you to get out a
piece of paper and put it on your desk.
2. Once the paper is on the desk, could
you please write down five questions
using the present continuous tense?
3. Now that you have written five
questions, I would like for you to fold
the paper in half.
4. Now, when I turn on the music, please
pass your paper to the person on
the left, and I would like for you to
continue passing your papers until the
music stops.
1. Take out a piece of paper.
2. Write down five questions using the
present continuous tense.
3. Fold your paper in half.
4. When the music starts, pass your
papers to the left. Continue passing
your papers until the music stops.
Table 2. Revising wordy instructions
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variation as to what will be acceptable for
your students, depending on their proficiency
level. Keep in mind, however, that instructions
should be simple and clear for all learners
(Ur 1996). Table 2 gives an example of how
to revise wordy instructions to make them
shorter and more comprehensible.
It is important to plan instructions in advance
until you feel confident that you can deliver
acceptable instructions without preplanning
(Scrivener 2012). Even with sufficient practice,
you might find that you sometimes need to
plan instructions, especially for complex or
multistep tasks and particularly for beginners.
Consider what additional input aids
understanding
During the preparation stage, think about
support mechanisms that might facilitate
understanding: gestures, pictures, drawings,
or written instructions. Your choice will
depend on the context you are working in,
your students’ proficiency levels, and their
backgrounds. For example, you might consider
cupping your hand behind your ear while saying
“Listen” or, for lower-level students, providing
pictures and words that convey the instructions
you want to give; see Gardner and Gardner
(2000) and Scrivener (2012) for examples. If
you are asking students to put the desks in a
U-shape, you might draw a U in the air with
your finger or on the board. For learners who
are more familiar with written text than oral
input (such as false beginners in an English as a
foreign language setting), you might write out
instructions and display them with an overhead
projector, a PowerPoint slide, or a flip chart as
you read them. This provides oral and written
input at the same time and offers extra support
until your students become accustomed to
your instructions.
Carefully consider when to hand out papers
and other materials
As a general rule, you should not hand out
worksheets or other materials before giving
instructions. As soon as you give materials
to students, they will focus on the materials,
and you will often find it difficult to reclaim
their attention (Scrivener 2012; Ur 1996).
However, with some activities, students must
have the requisite materials in hand to clearly
understand your instructions (Scrivener 2012).
THE DELIVERY STAGE
Arrange student groups and furniture before
giving instructions
If you give instructions before arranging
pairs and groups, students might forget the
instructions in the process of moving around
(Proctor 2014). Therefore, before giving
instructions for an activity, have students form
desired groups and arrange the classroom
furniture as needed. Make sure students
know which group they are in and where they
should sit. To save time and to avoid putting
your students in an awkward social position,
do not have students select their partners or
group members. Selection can be done in a
random manner, such as having students count
off by numbers or giving students the name of
a fruit and letting them find their fruit-group
mates. The following script gives an example
of instructions for this approach:
1. Everyone gets a card with the name of
a fruit on it. (Teacher holds up cards and
hands them out.) Find students with the
same fruit name. Apples find apples.
Pears find pears.
2. When you find your fruit group, put the
desks together in a circle. (Teacher makes a
circle with arms.)
3. Apples are near the whiteboard. Pears,
near the back door. Oranges, next to
pears. Strawberries, near the bookshelf.
4. Okay, find your fruit groups and sit
together.
Get your students’ attention
Make sure you have your students’ attention
before you start your instructions. If they
are not listening to you, the quality of your
directions is irrelevant (Scrivener 2012; Ur
1996). There are many ways to get their
attention. You can ring a bell, blow a whistle,
clap your hands, play music, or stand still. You
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can also let your students know that when you
raise your right hand, it is a signal to be quiet.
Once they see you raise your right hand, they
should respond by raising their right hands,
too, until everyone is quiet and focused on the
instructor. You can also alter your voice or use
a certain clue phrase, such as “Time to start.”
Speak simply but clearly
When you give instructions, the point is to
make sure your students know what they are
expected to do. This can best be accomplished
by using simplified language common in
instruction-giving, which often includes
imperatives and short sentences. According to
Doff (1988, 227), “most of the language we
need for organizing the class consists of simple
expressions which can be used again and again.”
Avoid difficult colloquial language, challenging
grammatical structures (especially structures
that have not been introduced to students),
and complex jargon. Do not use exceptionally
polite and complicated language, such as “It
would be great if you could possibly open your
books now, if you don’t mind.” Avoid foreigner
talk, the register we use when speaking to
those perceived as nonnative speakers, such
as “All learners—talking to partner—make
conversation” (Thaine 2010, 11). This unnatural
language is not only confusing to students;
it also models incorrect structures that they
might adopt into their own speech (Brown and
Larson-Hall 2012). Aim your instructions to
be a level or two below your students’ current
level (Scrivener 2012) and pause after giving an
instruction, allowing learners time to absorb
the message (Gardner and Gardner 2000;
Proctor 2014; Scrivener 2012).
Model your instructions
Meaning is made clearer through demonstration.
After you give instructions, whenever possible,
model what you want your students to do
(Scrivener 2012; Ur 1996). You can do this
on your own, with a student, with a pair of
students, with a group of students, or with the
whole class. Your choice will, of course, depend
on the activity and your students. If the activity
simply involves question/answer sets, you could
pretend that you are two people, A and B, and
then model one or two question/answer sets in
front of the class. You could also, as Scrivener
(2012) suggests, perform the activity as a think-
aloud monologue whereby you demonstrate the
procedure. For example, “First, I will write five
sentences that describe the picture. Then, I will
exchange papers with my partner. Next, I will
read my partner’s paper.” You can also model
the activity with a student—for example, if
you are practicing a dialogue, you are A and the
student is B—or you can ask a pair of students
to take on the roles of A and B. For activities
that involve group work, you can ask for a group
of volunteers to come to the front of the room
and demonstrate part of the activity for the
whole class. If, for instance, you are going to
play charades in groups, have a group come to
the front and have one student mime an action
while the others guess what it is. If you have a
whole-class activity, you can give an example
using the entire class. For example, if you are
doing a “Find Someone Who … ” activity,
where students try to find other students based
on given information (e.g., finding someone who
likes horror movies), you can tell your class that
you are playing the role of a student, and then
go around asking the question, “Do you like
horror movies?” to individual students until you
find a student who says “Yes.” When you find
that person, ask the student’s name and then
write it down on your paper, following the exact
procedure you expect your students to use.
It is sometimes beneficial to model an activity
in two steps, using yourself first and the
students second. For a question/answer pair-
work activity, first demonstrate alone and then
have two students demonstrate. For the charade
group activity, first tell the class that you are
going to mime an action that they should guess.
Then call the volunteer group to the front and
have one student mime while the others guess.
In most cases, modeling one or two examples
will be sufficient to help students understand
what they are supposed to do. However, when
an activity or procedure is new to students, or
when you are working with students who have
not had much experience with interactive
classroom activities, you might need to give
additional examples and more instruction on
working in pairs or groups.
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Use extra-linguistic devices to aid meaning
Extra-linguistic devices—gestures, facial
expressions, voice, and visuals—facilitate the
understanding of your instructions. These
could be the extra-linguistic devices you
thought about during the preparation stage,
or they could be devices you decide to use as
you give your instructions. Scrivener (2012)
suggests developing a set of gestures and facial
expressions in your repertoire that you use
regularly. When you speak, stress key words
and use pauses to give emphasis. You might say,
for example, “Write down three questions.”
You can also write key points on the board
and make use of pictures (Scrivener 2012).
Break down instructions when there are
several steps
For activities that have several steps, give
instructions after each step rather than giving
all instructions at once. Consider this set of
instructions:
Take out a piece of paper and write down
five things you did last weekend. Then, for
each one, find other students who have
done the same thing and write down those
students’ names next to each sentence. And
then, once you have found all the students
who have done the same things you did last
weekend, you can sit down.
The task itself is not particularly complicated,
but when the instructions are given all at once,
they seem long-winded and have the potential
to confuse students. In this case, it would be
better to give one part of the instructions at
a time. After students complete each step of
the activity, announce the next step. Breaking
the instructions down step by step enhances
comprehension and allows more opportunities
to demonstrate what is expected.
Give students a time limit
Before you start an activity, let students know how
much time they will have. This helps students
stay focused on the task and manage their time.
Check for understanding
After you give instructions but before you start
an activity, make sure your students understand
what they are supposed to do. There are many
ways to do this, not least through observation.
If learners look confused and turn to other
students to find out what they are supposed to
do, they have not understood your instructions
(Gardner and Gardner 2000). “Do you
understand?” is a common way of checking
for understanding, but it is not particularly
effective because many students, whether they
understand or not, will answer “yes” out of fear
of embarrassing themselves in front of their
classmates (Scrivener 2012; Ur 1996). A more
effective way to check for understanding is to
ask concept-check questions—simple questions
that students can respond to with a short
answer. “What are you going to do now?” is not
a concept-check question because it asks for a
long and possibly complicated answer. Here are
three examples of concept-check questions:
• “How many students are you going to
interview?”
• “Who is going to speak first?”
• “How many questions are you going to
write?”
If your class is at a high-enough level, you can
ask a student or students to repeat instructions
back to you before starting an activity (Scrivener
2012) or to demonstrate part of the activity so
that you know they have understood (Ur 1996).
No matter how eager students might be to get
started on an activity, do not let them begin
until you have finished giving and checking
instructions. To let students know you have
finished giving instructions and that the activity
can begin, give students a clear starting signal
such as “Okay, let’s begin” (Scrivener 2012).
Avoid giving vague instructions
While your instructions should be concise,
they should not be vague. Instructions that
are ill-defined can be just as confusing as
instructions that are too wordy, detailed, or
complex. Telling students “Write a story” or
“Get into groups and have a discussion” will
likely result in confused looks and a slew
of questions. Give students specific tasks
(Woodberry and Aldrich 2000) and specific
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instructions (Scrivener 2012). Instructions
such as “Find three hobbies you have in
common with your partner,” “Interview your
partner using the questions in Exercise A on
page 22,” and “Listen and draw what I say”
let students know exactly what they need to
do. Of course, this goes back to the planning
stage—when you are writing your lesson plan,
be clear about what you will ask your students
to do and what instructions you will give.
THE POST-DELIVERY STAGE
Monitor student activity
The post-delivery stage allows the teacher to
make sure that all students understood the
instructions. As students begin an activity,
circulate around the room to see if they are
carrying it out correctly and give help as
needed (Scrivener 2011). Even when you
have given good, clear instructions, you
might find that students do not know what
to do or are confused about some aspect of
the instructions. If you find that all or most
students are off track, stop the activity and
give instructions to the whole class again
(Scrivener 2012). If only a few students
need help, you can assist them individually
or in their groups. Throughout an activity,
periodically monitor students and make
yourself readily available for assistance.
While you do not want to be an imposing or
threatening presence, students should know
that you are present and involved in what they
are doing (Woodberry and Aldrich 2000).
Do not become hostile or defensive if your
students have not understood
Placing blame on students who have not
understood will only result in making you
look incompetent or make students feel
inadequate. If you realize that your students
have not understood, back up and do some
repair. How you accomplish that will depend
on numerous factors, such as the activity,
you, the learners, the time of day, and so
on. Simply repeating the instructions you
gave previously might work, or recasting the
instructions in different words might be the
solution. You might need to give students
more examples or model the activity again.
You might need to break the activity down
into more steps and have students do the
activity step by step, or you might need to use
a combination of tactics. With patience and
a thoughtful approach, you can usually find a
way to get students on track.
A SAMPLE SET OF INSTRUCTIONS
The following set of instructions uses the
principles discussed to conduct a lesson that
occurs in three steps. Prior to this lesson, the
students have been practicing using the simple
past tense and recently practiced asking and
answering yes/no questions in the simple past.
Step 1
Teacher: First, you are going to write down
five sentences about what you did last weekend.
Here is an example. (Teacher shows students the
following example on the board.)
1. I saw a movie.
2. I went to the supermarket.
3. I made a cake.
4. I cleaned my house.
5. I read a book.
Teacher: (pointing to the example on the board)
This is my example about what I did last
weekend. Now, you write five sentences about
what you did last weekend.
(Students write down ve sentences about what they
did last weekend while the teacher circulates and
gives help as needed.)
Step 2
Teacher: Now, for each sentence you wrote,
you are going to try to find a classmate who
did the same thing. (The teacher returns to the
example on the board.) My first sentence is,
“I saw a movie.” I want to find a student who
also saw a movie. How can I do that?
Students: Ask a question.
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Teacher: Right. What is the question?
Students: “Did you see a movie last
weekend?”
(The teacher writes the question next to the example
on the board.)
Teacher: Right. And what answer am I
looking for?
Students: “Yes.”
Teacher: That’s right. Now, I will try to
find a student who also saw a movie last
weekend.
(The teacher demonstrates by asking students one at
a time if they saw a movie last weekend. When she
nds a student who answers “yes,” she asks for that
student’s name and writes it down next to her rst
sentence.)
Step 3
Teacher: Now, I also need to find someone
for numbers two, three, four, and five. (pause)
For each sentence you wrote, you are going to
try to find someone who answers “yes.” You
have ten minutes.
(The teacher conducts concept checks.)
Teacher: Do you want to find a “yes” or “no”
answer for each question?
Students: A “yes” answer.
Teacher: What do you do when you find a
“yes” answer?
Students: Write the name.
Teacher: How much time do you have?
Students: Ten minutes.
Teacher: Okay, let’s begin.
(The activity begins. The teacher monitors students
to see that they are performing the activity correctly
and is available to assist students as needed.)
EXAMINING YOUR OWN PRACTICES
Methods for enhancing instruction-giving
skills
A part of reflective teaching is developing
an awareness of your classroom behavior.
Ur (1996) suggests that immediately after
a lesson, in-service teachers make notes of
the in-class instructions they gave and, when
possible, have a colleague observe them and
give feedback. Scrivener (2011) suggests
that teachers listen to themselves, record
themselves, and get feedback from others.
To become aware of our instruction-giving
practices, ideally, we need to incorporate
self-oriented methods, such as self-reflection
and self-observation, and outside-oriented
methods, such as peer observation. The self-
evaluation and peer-evaluation checklists in
Tables 3 and 4 can be used for reflecting on
your own instruction-giving practices or
having a peer observe you.
WORKSHOP ACTIVITY: PRACTICE GIVING
GOOD INSTRUCTIONS
The following workshop activity—an idea
from Kate Kurnick, a former director of
WorldTeach Ecuador—is a good opportunity
for in-service and preservice teachers to
reflect on how they give instructions, to
practice writing and delivering instructions,
and to see how effective their instruction-
giving is and how they might improve.
Materials needed: You will need a
description of one activity for each group.
The activities you use for this workshop
can be your own creations or come from
an activity book or an Internet resource.
Choose activities that do not require any
materials beyond what you would expect
your workshop participants to have with
them (such as pen and paper) unless you
will be able to supply needed materials.
Activities you use for this workshop should
not be familiar to the audience you will be
working with. For instance, do not use an
activity based on Bingo if you know that
the attendees in your workshop are already
familiar with Bingo.
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Self-Evaluation: Reection Yes No
1. I prepare how I will deliver instructions when lesson planning.
2. I arrange student groups and furniture before giving instructions.
3. I make sure I have my students’ attention before I start to give
instructions.
4. I hand out materials at appropriate times.
5. I speak clearly and pause appropriately when giving instructions.
6. I use language at or below my students’ current level of
understanding.
7. I use extra-linguistic devices to aid meaning.
8. I check for understanding before letting students start an activity.
9. I monitor students after they start their activity.
10. I am available if students need further help with instructions after
an activity has started.
NOTES:
Table 3. Self-evaluation checklist
Peer-Evaluation: Observation Yes No
1. It is evident that the instructor prepared instructions before
delivering them.
2. Student groups and furniture are arranged before the instructor
gives instructions.
3. The instructor gets students’ attention before giving instructions.
4. The instructor hands out materials at appropriate times.
5. The instructor speaks clearly and pauses appropriately when
giving instructions.
6. The instructor uses language at or below students’ current level
of understanding.
7. The instructor uses extra-linguistic devices to aid meaning.
8. The instructor checks for understanding before letting students
start an activity.
9. The instructor monitors students after they start an activity.
10. The instructor is available if students need further help with
instructions after the activity has started.
NOTES:
Table 4. Peer-evaluation checklist
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Procedure
1. Put teachers in small groups (usually
three to five per group).
2. Give each group a different activity
description.
3. Have each group write a set of
instructions for the activity the group
has been given. Encourage groups to
reflect on their instructions and revise as
necessary.
4. Put two groups together (Group A with
Group B, Group C with Group D, etc.).
5. In each group-pair, one group gives the
instructions for its activity while the
other group follows the instructions
and carries out the activity (Group A
gives the instructions, and Group B
does the activity; then Group B gives
the instructions, and Group A does
the activity). Activities do not need
to be completed. Once it is clear that
the instructions have been properly
understood, the activity can be stopped.
6. After the activity, have participants
reflect on their experiences and share
them with the whole group. Were
the instructions they prepared and
delivered easily understood? Were there
misunderstandings or misinterpretations?
If so, what repairs were needed and how
were they made?
CONCLUSION
While good instruction-giving is an essential
part of an effective lesson and an important
part of classroom management, it is a skill
that is often overlooked in teacher-training
programs and in classrooms. An otherwise
strong lesson sometimes fails because
instructions were not properly delivered.
It is not enough to assume that giving good
instructions is a naturally acquired skill. Both
preservice and in-service teachers need to be
attentive to good instruction-giving practices
and become aware of their own methods of
delivery and how they can be improved.
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Jimalee Sowell holds a master’s degree in TESOL
from SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont. She completed
two consecutive English Language Fellowships in
Dhaka, Bangladesh, and is currently an English
Language Fellow in the Ivory Coast.
