Early Literacy: Instructional Classroom Language

01Teachers everywhere do something every day.

02They give instructions.

03We sometimes call this instructional classroom language.

04Some instructions help to manage a class.

05Other instructions explain how to do an activity, like a game or art project.

06This article gives tips on how to do both in English.

07General Classroom Management Greet your students in English In the morning, as your students enter the classroom, greet them in English.

08Say things like, Good morning!

09Please come in!

10How are you?

11Change the greetings often.

12This way your students will learn many ways to greet people in English.

13Identify things you do every day.

14Teachers know that routines are important for classroom management.

15Teachers can identify their own activities that are done every day, such as welcoming students to class, taking attendance, or stating the goals of the day.

16Using English for these daily routines can help increase your students' English skills and confidence.

17Write down common instructions in your classroom.

18Identify the most common routines, write them down, and post them in your classroom.

19Seeing them every day may help students.

20Students might also be able to lead some routines, like taking attendance.

21Use body language.

22When managing a class in English, use body language.

23For example, when you say, Listen to me, you can point to your ear.

24And if you say, Raise your hand, Raise your hand.

25Activity instructions.

26When you teach an activity, give clear instructions.

27If students do not understand, they will be unable to do the activity.

28But giving instructions is not easy.

29It takes practice.

30Many native English teachers and experienced teachers can have trouble giving clear instructions.

31But following a few tips can help.

32Generally, giving instructions for activities follows three steps.

33Step 1.

34Prepare.

35Step 2.

36Deliver.

37Step 3.

38Monitor.

39Step 3.

40Step 1.

41Prepare.

42First, plan what to say and then write it down.

43Before your class, practice alone, with a friend, or with your partner teacher.

44This can help you find problems or preparations you may have forgotten.

45It can also help you to feel more confident.

46Hand out materials after you give instructions, usually.

47Some materials, like crayons and paper, could distract students.

48This means you have lost their attention.

49However, if students need the materials to understand the instructions, hand the materials out before.

50arrange the classroom or students before giving instructions.

51Move around desks or chairs in the classroom or group your students before you give instructions.

52After moving around, the students may forget the instructions.

53group students yourself.

54Group students Unless it is part of a lesson, grouping students yourself can save time.

55It will also allow you to partner students based on their abilities.

56Step 2.

57Deliver.

58Get the attention of all your students.

59Before you start, make sure all of your students are listening.

60It is important to have their attention.

61Speak simply, clearly, and with emotion.

62When you give instructions in English, use simple language and pause often.

63When you stop, your students have time to think about the instructions.

64Change your voice.

65Make it go high or low as needed.

66Use body language, objects, and other visual aids.

67Body language helps when giving instructions.

68Objects and other visual aids help too.

69For example, if you tell your students to use a pencil, show them a pencil.

70Do not give long instructions all at once.

71If an activity has many steps, do not give all of the instructions at one time.

72If you give all of the instructions at once, students may forget some of them.

73Set a time limit for the activity.

74Time limits are very important.

75Students need to know how much time do I have to finish this activity.

76Time limits allow students to pace themselves.

77Model the instructions.

78Show them how.

79It is a good idea to model the instructions with a student or partner teacher.

80This is a good way to show the activity in action.

81Make sure all students understand.

82Now, after giving instructions, you need to find out if your students understand.

83But do not ask, do you understand?

84students might not want to say that they don't understand.

85Or, they might think they understand, but they do not.

86Instead, you can ask a few students to explain the instructions in their own words.

87Or, you can pick two or three students and ask questions about the instructions.

88Step 3.

89Monitor.

90As your students do the activity, walk around and watch.

91If they are having a hard time, stop the activity.

92Repeat any part of the instructions to certain students.

93Or, you may have to give all the instructions to the whole class again.

94However, if the students are having trouble with the activity, move on to something else.

95Monitor yourself.

96After you give instructions and the students are doing the activity, make some notes.

97What went well?

98What did not go well?

99What could you change or add to make it better?

100Monitor.

101Monitor other teachers.

102Teachers can watch each other give instructions.

103Then, they can give feedback.

104This is a form of peer review.

105If possible, teachers can record a video.

106Teachers can watch to see what worked or what did not.

107These tips are suggestions and in some cases reminders.

108Teachers can change or add to them based on their own situation.

109Teachers can keep a list of tips and add to them as they discover their own.

110I'm Anna Mateo.

111And I'm Katie Weaver.

112I'm Katie Weaver.

113I'm Katie Weaver.

114I'm Katie Weaver.

115I'm Katie Weaver.