Analysing responses to instructions of increasing length and complexity
(Ulliana & Mitchell 1996)
Purpose:
To assess a student’s ability to comprehend and follow instructions of increasing
length and complexity.
Comprehending and following teacher instructions requires students to:
• shift attention and selectively listen to the teacher’s language while filtering out other
sensory input
• use cues from the surrounding context to add to or alter the meaning of what is said
(eg environmental cues and nonverbal communication)
• extract key ‘meaning’ elements of the instruction
• remember what is said and recall the sequence of actions
• stay on task to complete what has been asked.
The instructions in the assessment are ordered according to the following factors:
• Whether they are
routine
or
non-routine
. Instructions that are heard regularly (routine)
are easier to comprehend and respond to than those heard less often (non-routine).
• The
presence
or
absence of referents
. Students find it easier to follow instructions
when they can see, feel or hear what is being referred to. Instructions that refer to
locations, people, and items that are not visible are more difficult to understand.
• The
number of steps
or actions. The more steps in the instruction the more difficult
it is to recall and comprehend.
• Whether the steps are
sequential
or
non-sequential
. Sequential instructions must
be done in a set order and are easier to respond to than non-sequential instructions,
as the first step provides an ‘in-built’ memory aid for completing the second step.
Instructions
Step 1:
Using the following table as a guide, determine the instructions that will be given
to the student and record in
column 1
of
The examples provided are a guide only and should be adapted according to the context/
learning experience.
The instructions may be planned to be given to the whole-class or to individual students
within the context of learning experiences and transition periods. It is important to note
whether the student observes how other students respond before they respond.
Note:
To ensure that the assessment is validly assessing the comprehension
of the whole instruction, keep the content of instructions simple and
familiar to the student.
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Support Materials for Students with Special Education Needs
English K–6
Speaking and listening
ASSESSMENT
