Following Directions IRSC Adult Education Live Virtual Lesson Diana Lenartiene, Ed. S. moderator/instructor

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Following Directions

From putting together a piece of furniture, to cooking a recipe, to taking a test, we are asked to follow directions on a daily basis, in fact, sometimes more than several times per day. There are specific things we need to know to effectively follow directions. We will review them in this presentation. Sometimes, failure to correctly follow directions can even be life threatening!

Suppose you are mixing chemicals for use in a garden to kill pests. Failure to correctly follow the product directions could lead to failure of the product to kill the pests, or could kill the plants or grass as well. Have you ever tasted a cake where the cook had forgotten to add the eggs? Not the most pleasant experience!

So what is the secret of effectively following Directions? Directions are usually sequential. That means that they must be followed an a specific order. Failure to follow the steps in order can cause The task to be completed incorrectly, sometimes Requiring that the tasks be repeated in the Correct order for the result we want.

Here are some steps for following written directions: Directions are specific. That is, they tell you Exactly what you are supposed to do. If you Skip steps, “cut corners” or do what you “think” instead of what the directions say, your result may be quite different from what you had expected or hoped to get. Directions give us important information! Here are some steps for following written directions:

First, carefully read the entire set of directions so you know what you have to do.

Second, think about what you have to do.

Third, follow directions in the order they are written.

Fourth, don't skip any steps in the directions.

Fifth, if there's something you don't understand, ask for help!

We will now view two videos on following directions

Now let’s try this test! 1. Read everything through carefully on this page before you do anything. 2. Print your name in the upper left-hand corner of this page. 3. Write the date below your name in the upper left-hand corner. 4. Circle the number “4” at the beginning of this sentence. 5. After the date written just below your name, write your birth date. 6. Draw a line through this sentence. 7. Put an “X” in the upper right-hand corner of this page. 8. Punch a hole with your pencil through the number “8” at the beginning of this sentence. 9. Draw a big smiley face in the middle of this paper. 10. Now that you have read everything through carefully, do only items 1 and 2.

Reading and Following Written Directions REVIEW First, carefully read the entire set of directions so you know what you have to do. Second, think about what you have to do. Third, follow directions in the order they are written. Fourth, don't skip any steps in the directions. Fifth, if there's something you don't understand, ask for help!

Now, you need to make a copy of this screen to send to your teacher for proof of Attendance. This can be done in three easy steps:

If you still have questions, please contact me at: dlenarti@irsc.edu Thank you for viewing this presentation. Diana Lenartiene, IRSC ABE Instructor