How to Extend Learning By Giving Directions

How to Extend Learning by Giving Directions. This is part of a series: How to Extend Learning as Part of Everyday Life part 6. Effective Teaching Strategy: Giving Directions. In this article I am going to teach you how to extend learning as part of everyday life by giving clear directions.

How to Extend Learning as Part of Everyday Life

When it comes to bringing learning into the everyday moments of life, there is a simple three step formula I like to keep in mind. This is called the Powerful Interactions Framework.

The three parts to the formula are 1- be present, 2- connect, and 3- extend learning. This third step includes learning and implementing teaching strategies that build on the knowledge your child already has.

It is my goal to help teach you these effective teaching strategies so you can confidently extend learning when those key moments come up in your life. 

Effective Teaching Strategy: Giving Directions

Definition: Explicitly giving directions for completing a task; or providing instructions for your child’s action or behavior by clearly stating rules and expectations.

You transmit knowledge that can only be learned from one person telling another, that is, social-conventional or procedural knowledge. Be proactive and anticipate when directions will be needed. Give directions in a way that is clear, understood, and helpful to your child.

How to Extend Learning by Giving Directions

What this looks like

Honestly this is very self explanatory. I think the key to remember is to give directions that our child can truly understand. Sometimes the best way to tell if we are giving good directions is just to ask our child to tell us what the direction was and see if they can repeat it in their own words. 

By utilizing this strategy, you can create more harmonious situations when your children are helping you with “real life” work.

For Example:

• Setting clear boundaries and expectations can make working in the garden together fun and magical rather than hectic.
• By giving clear directions, children can actually help with the dishes rather than being underfoot.
• With regular small directions, children can help clean up an area, sharing the load with mom.

Giving directions sets us up for creating enjoyable experiences together in the normalcy of everyday life.