Page 160 - Routines-Based Early Intervention Guidebook

Routines-Based Early Intervention Guidebook

Teaching how to follow directions 12.4
The ability to follow direc ons involves many skills. It requires a child to pay a en on,

understand what has been asked, remember what has been asked, and stop a task to com‐

plete the direc ons given to them. When we see that children are having difficulty following

direc ons, it is important that we dissect just exactly what we are asking of them. Direc ons
can range from very simple to quite complex. O en children are asked to do things that are

over their head and they are viewed as being unsuccessful at following direc ons.

Educa onal plans o en include goals that target understanding simple direc ons. A

child needs to follow direc ons for her own safety as well as to reduce frustra on.
Unfortunately, children most frequently hear rapidly‐fired commands in situa ons that

demand an immediate response. These situa ons do not provide visual support and offer li le

me for teaching. While this is a necessary part of life for many students, other opportuni es

are needed to prac ce following direc ons in a more controlled se ng. The events that take
place throughout the day offer mul ple chances to show a child how to properly follow

direc ons. Most children enjoy par cipa ng in daily ac vi es but can grow frustrated if they

cannot par cipate or produce good work because they cannot follow direc ons.

Direc ons can be easily described as having a number of 1) steps and 2)
components. Our instruc ons increase in difficulty as one or both of these aspects increase in

number. Looking at the chart on the following page, you can see steady growth of an

instruc on as you add components. Make a copy of this chart and observe a student in a

handful of se ngs to see where he is having the most success and where he is having
difficulty. Once you know his level of func oning, share the informa on with his teacher to

make her life easier and the child more successful. We can then choose to increase the

demands by adding one step or one component. Count your ck marks in these boxes to

serve as your data collec on.
Addi onally, you can record yourself as you teach and then count how many

steps you include in your direc ons. Are there one, two, three, or four? How many

components? Are your direc ons clear or confusing about what you expect children to do?

Are their hidden or embedded instruc ons? When you say, “get ready to go” do you really
mean clean up, grab your backpack, and get in line? It can be painful to listen to yourself but

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