DIRECTION-FOLLOWING TIPS

1. Listen for important words that tell you what to do. Examples include: read, study, draw, listen, decide, center, write, remember, do, circle, upper, tell, left, underline, fill-in, choose.
   
2. Listen for numbers. Numbers tell you what pages to read, how many problems to solve, how many pages to make a report.
   
3. Listen for words that the teacher emphasizes or says louder. These are often important direction following words.
   
4. Here's a trick to help the student remember more than one direction at a time. Write numbers and special marks, like L, on worksheets to match what the teacher says. These will help the student remember what to do when the teacher is finished giving directions.
   
5. Have the child picture the directions he hears in his mind.
   
6. Have the student write notes about the directions he hears.
   
7. Have the child illustrate the directions he hears.
   
8. Ask the child to repeat the directions to himself a few times. Repetition gives the child more chances to remember what is heard.
   
9. Instruct the child to ALWAYS write the directions down.