Asking for written or shorter directions

Learning goal

Ask for a long set of directions in usable steps.

Materials

The student page below and a pencil.

Opening question · 3 minutes

“What specific change to the directions could help?”

A school situation · 5 minutes

An art task has six spoken directions. Casey remembers the first two but is unsure what to do after that.

One possible response · 4 minutes

Casey asks, “Could I see the steps written down?” The teacher supplies the list and helps identify the next step.

Practice · 10 minutes

What specific change to the directions could help?

1. A student can follow the first step but loses track of the remaining spoken steps.

2. The written directions have a word the student does not understand.

Possible answers

1. “Could I have the steps written down?”

2. “What does this word mean here? Could you show one example?”

Student page · 5 minutes

Use the ready-to-print student page at the end of this lesson. Students may write, draw, or give an answer aloud.

Exit question · 3 minutes

“Choose one of the stories. What could the student say or do first?”

Student page to print

Asking for written or shorter directions

Write, draw, or say your answer. You may pass.

An example

An art task has six spoken directions. Casey remembers the first two but is unsure what to do after that.

What specific change to the directions could help?

One possible response: Casey asks, “Could I see the steps written down?” The teacher supplies the list and helps identify the next step.

1. A student can follow the first step but loses track of the remaining spoken steps.

What specific change to the directions could help?

2. The written directions have a word the student does not understand.

What specific change to the directions could help?

One sentence to keep

Choose one story above. Write the first thing the person could say or do.