learning to follow directions: the fun and easy way

Copyright © Dr. Erica Warren www.goodsensorylearning.com Learning to Follow Directions

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Learning to Follow Directions:

The Fun and Easy Way

Mazes and Entertaining Activities that Teach

the Subtleties of Linguistic Cues

Samples of Beginner and Intermediate Workbooks

and Downloadable Documents

By Dr. Erica Warren


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Copyright © by Erica Warren. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in

any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, by

anyone other than the original purchaser for his or her own personal use without the prior

written permission of the publisher.

Erica Warren Publications

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845-528-6029

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www.goodsensorylearning.com

[email protected]

All my fabulously fun and innovative products can be purchased at:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Erica-Warren/Products

I would like to thank my editors for their help and support: Mark Schiffman, Kelly

McMorrow, Zoë Holdorf, Eamon Murphy, Daniel Williamson, Griffin Reagan, Maddy Bergstrom,

Michael Viscogliosi, Chuckie Schemmer, Lindsay Cardaci and Danielle Klausner.


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Table of Contents

Topic Page #

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Vocabulary to Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Listen and Draw Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

What am I Sample . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Maze Travel Sample . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12


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Introduction: Subtleties in language can be a difficult thing to master. Many students struggle

with the wording in directions and multiple choice questions. This book was created

for students that need to learn how to follow directions, interpret questions and

understand the subtleties of linguistic cues.

Working as a learning specialist for many years, I have discovered that making the

learning process fun and entertaining is key. Consequently, these materials were

created for my students and others like them that enjoy learning through games. By

using these resources, students will strengthen the following areas of cognition:

! Language Skills

! Sequential Processing

! Spatial Abilities

! Memory

! Attention

! Executive Functioning

! Attention to Detail

! Visual Processing

Vocabulary to review: • Rows: Think of rows of seats. Rows go from left to right like the “rows” of seats

in a football stadium.

• Columns: Think of columns in a building. Columns go up and down like the columns

that hold up many large structures.

• Prepositions: Review prepositions such as: between, next to, above, below, around,

beside, over, under, behind, beneath, in front of, through, past, down, with,

smaller than, nearest to, farthest from, closest to, bigger than, directly

surrounding, and on top of.

• Other qualifiers: Review qualifiers such as: more than, less than, left, right, first,

last, final, next to last, north, south, east, and west.

• Conjunctions: Discuss conjunctions like: and, but, or, and either – or.


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Directions:

Follow the Directions and Draw Follow the directions and draw. Read each direction aloud to students or have them

read them independently. As directed, students then draw in the boxes. Also, as

each task is completed, advise them to cross out the directions. Labeling the rows

and columns can be used as added assistance.

Sample:

1. Draw a line in the box between the frogs.

2. Write the name of the panda in the empty box next to him.

3. Make the circle in row three into a smiley face.

4. Place a bow around the cat’s neck.

5. Draw a nut in the open beak.

Fred

1 2 3 4

1

2

3

4


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Follow the directions and draw:

1. Draw a mustache on the face in the second row, second column.

2. In the empty box below the basketball player, draw him a body.

3. Draw a box of tissues to the right of the sad face in row one.

4. Draw a Popsicle in the box with the face in the middle of the first column.

5. Draw a face that is yelling in the empty box to the right of the one asking for quiet.

6. Draw another face sticking its tongue out beside the one in the last row.

7. Draw a nose on the face with only two teeth showing.

8. Draw hair on the face that looks like he just won a lot of money.

9. In the empty box next to the worried face in row four, draw your own face.

10. In the empty box in the middle column draw a goofy body for the face above it.

If you like this activity you can get more at: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Language-

Arts-Following-Directions-the-Fun-and-Easy-Way-Beginners-1


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Directions:

What Am I? Have your students read or listen to the directions and cross out the boxes as

directed. Be sure to have the students cross out the directions, too, as they

complete the task. Rows and columns can be labeled for added assistance. The

remaining box at the end of all the tasks, answers the question: What am I?

Sample:

1. I am below the 1st row.

2. I am in any of the columns to the left of the last column.

3. I can see.

4. You can see my legs.

5. I am not in the second to last row or the last row.

1 2 3 4

1

2

3

4


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What am I?

1. I do not have an identical twin.

2. I am any animal but the snake.

3. I am in column 1, 3, 4 or 5.

4. I am in neither the 2nd or 3rd row.

5. I am an animal that you can see on this planet.

6. You can see my ears.

7. I am any animal but a pig.

8. I have what I like to eat with me in the picture.

9. I am closest to the last column.

If you like this activity you can get more at: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Language-Arts-

Following-Directions-the-Fun-and-Easy-Way-Beginners-1 or

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Following-Directions-Intermediate-1


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Maze travel Follow the directions and make a continuous line through the maze from the start to

the finish. Be sure to have the students cross out the directions as they complete

the task and rows and columns can be labeled.

1. Follow only two koalas.

6. Jump over the panda to the empty box.

7. Jump up onto the bird and travel.

8. Fall through the clouds and ride on all the apes.

9. Jump down to the empty box and then over the dog.

6. Run to the finish.

start

1 2 3 4

1

2

3

4

Finish


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Follow the directions to get through the maze: 1. Fall through the clouds and land on

the trampoline.

2. Bounce to the right and land on the

horse.

3. Ride the horse North only one box.

4. Step right to the empty box and jump

over the flames.

5. Ride the hot air balloon all the way up.

6. Jump left and ride in the monster

truck through the clouds.

7. Slip all the way down the water slide.

8. Chase the mouse.

10. Jump to the right onto the ski lift

and ride it North, then East.

11. Jump right and ski to the finish.

Start

Finish

If you like this activity you can get more at:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Following-Directions-The-

Fun-and-Easy-Way-Intermediate-2

Most recently, Dr. Warren unveiled Good Sensory Learning where student-inspired, fun, multisensory teaching materials are created and available to the public. The most recent publications include:

• Teaching Visualization Power Point Presentations - Instruction and Activities • Piggy Banking: Downloadable board game that teaches everyday math • Reversing Reversals 1 and 2: Fun activities for struggling readers • Main Idea and Detail Game - Hey, What's the Big Idea? • Fraction Hockey, Golf, Bowling, Shuffleboard and Stair Toss • Place Value Golf, Hockey, Bowling, Shuffleboard & Stair Toss Games • Figurative Language Literary Term and Grammar Game - Word Shuffle • Inferences Activities and Games: Learning the Fun and Easy Way • Planning, Time Management and Organization for Success • Reading Games: Making Phonics Multisensory and Fabulously Fun • Vowel Combinations Made Easy • Compound Word Puzzle Games: Making Connections • Eclectic Learning Profile-Understand/Accommodate 12 Learning Styles • ELP: Understand/Accommodate 12 Learning Styles Manual/Inventory • Language Arts: Following Directions the Fun and Easy Way -Beginners • Following Directions Beginner and Intermediate 1 • Valentines: Language Arts Following Directions and Linguistic Cues • Halloween: Language Arts Following Directions and Linguistic Cues • Thanksgiving: Language Arts Following Directions and Linguistic Cues • Helping Students that Struggle with Executive Functioning • Multisensory Multiplication and Division to Melodies CD: MMDM • Sentence Building 5 Ws Detectives A Fabulously Fun Writing Game • Test Prep: Helping students prepare for midterms and finals • Vowel and Consonant Fabulously Fun Activities • Nouns are a Blast with Noodle the Noun Hound • Prepositions are a Blast with Preppy the Preposition Penguin • Measurement Memory Strategies Power Point • Angles Instruction, Memory Strategies and Activities Power Point • Monster Multiplication: A New Multisensory Approach to Long Multiplication

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About the Author: Dr. Erica Warren!

Dr. Warren has always aspired to empower the spirit of those who struggle with learning. So after finishing a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, Dr. Warren tailored a special degree program that combined course-work and research in Educational Psychology, Special Education, School Psychology, and Adult Education.!

In 1999, Dr. Warren opened the doors of Learning to Learn in Ossining NY. What started as a private practice to help individual students maximize their learning potential and find joy in the learning process, blossomed into a place where students, parents, teachers and schools can receive educational support, materials, training and advice. Her website, www.learningtolearn.biz offers an ever-growing wealth of information, links, materials and support. Learning to Learn now offers:

! One to one educational support ! Teacher training and workshops ! Educational materials ! Cognitive therapy ! School consultations ! Learning profiles and reports ! Technology & software advice ! Student advocacy In 2005, Dr. Warren unveiled Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials where student-inspired, fun, multisensory teaching materials are created and available to the public. Dr. Erica Warren, Learning Specialist and Educational Therapist http://www.dyslexiamaterials.com/ http://www.goodsensorylearning.com/ http://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/goodsensorylearning http://learningtolearn.biz/Home.html You can contact Dr. Warren @ [email protected] or 845-528-6029

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