Why Verbal Instructions Often Fail and What ESL Teachers Can Do Instead

ESL-Wise: Blog 12

Why Verbal Instructions Often Fail and What ESL Teachers Can Do Instead

By Alan David Pritchard

I have been guilty of this more often than I care to admit.

"Right, everyone, I want you to do this, and then this, and after that, you should ..."

In my head, I have explained the task carefully. And thoroughly. I know what I want them to do, so it sits in my head as existing knowledge.

And yet, I am constantly reminded that clarity in my mind does not always translate to clarity in theirs.

You have probably experienced it: you give instructions, you see students nod, and then a minute later the hands go up.

“What are we doing again?”“Do we work alone or together?”“Are we writing full sentences?”

And it is natural to want to roll your eyes and assume the student was not listening properly in the first place.

For ESL students, verbal instructions alone often are not enough.

When you are working in a second language, even simple directions can feel overwhelming. Add unfamiliar classroom routines, academic pressure, and multi-step tasks, and confusion is bound to happen. Add to this mix, the subconscious use of idiomatic language or multi-clause sentences, and it's not wonder students get lost along the way.

So I think if we want students to engage meaningfully with learning, we need to treat instruction-giving as a teachable, scaffolded process, not just something we say at the start of a lesson.

Why Verbal-Only Instructions Break Down

It is easy to assume that if we said it clearly, they should understand. But that overlooks how language learners process input and how easily that input is lost.

1. Working memory is limited

ESL learners often expend more cognitive effort just understanding the language of the instruction. That leaves less capacity to remember the steps or sequence of the task itself.

2. Multi-step instructions overload the listener“

"Read the article, underline three points, talk to your group, and write a summary" sounds straightforward to us. But for learners, those are four separate tasks buried in one long sentence.

3. Nods do not equal understanding

Students often nod reflexively, either to save face or simply to move on. But a nod is not a guarantee that the message was comprehended.

Verbal-only delivery often leads to task confusion, uneven engagement, and a widening gap between confident and cautious learners.

Why Dual and Triple Coding Makes Instructions Work

Dual coding refers to presenting information through both verbal and visual channels. Triple coding adds spatial or kinaesthetic elements such as hand gestures, icons, movement, or physical interaction.

For ESL learners, this is not a nice-to-have. It is something that they need in order to get on with what we went them to do.

Well-coded instructions might include:

• Clear oral delivery presented in simple sentence constructions.

• Instructions projected on the board or screen

• Numbered or colour-coded steps

• Visual icons, symbols, or diagrams

This creates clarity, redundancy, and choice. Students can recheck what to do without interrupting. They are no longer relying on auditory memory alone. And they do not have to admit publicly that they did not understand.

Key Considerations When Giving Instructions

In my experience, this approach works best for multi-step instructions:

1. Use imperative sentences (Watch this video, Write down ..., Complete questions 1-6...)

2. Use short sentences.

3. Use visuals where possible.

A really useful piece of advice: if using a PPT, animate the instructions so that they appear one at a time.

Pause before the next one appears.

How to Scaffold Instructions So Students Actually Use Them

1. Turn the task into a diagram

One powerful approach is to represent a task as a visual staircase.

Each step is drawn and labelled:

• Step 1: Watch the video

• Step 2: Write down 5 facts

• Step 3: Answer questions 1-6 on the answer page

Here is a recent example I used with a low intermediate year 9 class. Note the use of simple, imperative sentences; the use of the step diagram - and the addition of simple images.

Students can see what is finished, what is next, and what the end product should be.

I like using this method because at the end of the lesson, students to recount the process afterward in the past tense:“First we read the text. Then we highlighted words. After that, we discussed it.”

It is a way to embed sequence language and past tense construction within the task without needing a separate grammar activity.

2. Use group leaders as instruction-carriers

Instead of repeating instructions to the whole class, assign them to one group leader. That leader then becomes responsible for explaining the task to their team with support materials such as:

• A printed instruction sheet

'• A visual flowchart

• A mini whiteboard with task steps

This builds:

• Paraphrasing and leadership skills

• Peer-to-peer communication

• A sense of ownership and agency

You can even teach useful leadership frames:

• “Let me explain what we are doing…”

• “The first thing is…”

• “We need to complete all four steps.”

Do Not Skip the ICQs

Instruction Checking Questions (ICQs) are one of the most powerful and underused ways to prevent task confusion.

After giving instructions, pause and ask one or two simple, focused questions to check understanding:

• “Do you start with reading or writing?”

• “Are you doing this alone or in pairs?”

• “How many sentences are you writing?”

These are not comprehension questions about the task content. They are confirmation questions about the task structure. And they reveal misunderstanding before it slows down learning.

Final Reflection

Clear instructions are not just a classroom routine. They are a form of teaching.

When instructions are scaffolded, visualised, chunked, and checked, students step into learning with purpose.

When they are not, the task collapses before it begins.

We differentiate reading and writing; therefore, we should differentiate instruction-giving too. That means thinking about what is said, how it is said, how it is shown, and how it is confirmed.

Because in an ESL classroom, the task does not begin after the instructions.

The instructions are part of the task.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below.

I’d love to hear from you.

Further Reading

• ResearchGate – “The Importance of Instruction‑Giving to Better Students’ Performance of Class Activities in English Lessons”https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371714560_The_Importance_Of_Instruction-Giving_To_Better_Students’_Performance_Of_Class_Activities_In_English_Lessons

• English in Action – “Instruction Checking Questions (ICQs)”https://englishinaction.com/blog/instruction-checking

• Sanako – “CCQs & ICQs: How to Ask Great Questions in Your Language Classes”https://sanako.com/ccqs-and-icqs-how-to-ask-great-questions-in-your-language-classroom

Right Fast is my teacher-designed, classroom-tested game series that helps learners build academic language through fast-paced retrieval and timed oral rehearsal. Perfect for ages 14+

 Click the image or explore all 10 categories and 100 sets HERE.