Clear Instruction Writing

Lesson 3: Creating Effective Instructions

Teaching Year: 6

Duration: 30 minutes

Class Size: 30 students

Unit: Exploring Instructional Language (Lesson 3 of 5)

Location: New Zealand

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Apply our knowledge of instructional language to write clear, concise instructions for a simple task.
• Use appropriate language features such as imperative verbs and sequencing words.
• Focus on clarity and conciseness in our writing.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

• Write a set of instructions that others can easily follow.
• Use clear, concise sentences with imperative verbs (e.g., "cut," "mix," "turn").
• Include sequencing language (e.g., "first," "then," "finally") to organise the steps logically.
• Review their instructions for clarity and remove unnecessary words.
• Demonstrate understanding of audience needs by tailoring language accordingly.

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Curriculum Alignment

English Learning Area (Years 5-6) — The New Zealand Curriculum Refresh (Te Mātaiaho)

• Listening, Reading, and Viewing:
  Understand and use instructional texts appropriate to the context, purpose, and audience.
• Speaking, Writing, and Presenting:
  Compose clear and coherent instructions, using imperative verbs and sequence markers.
• Language Features and Structures:
  Use precise vocabulary and sentence structures suited to instructional writing.
• Literacy Learning Progressions:
  Plan and compose texts using a clear structure and sequence, adapting language for purpose and audience.
• Key Competencies:
  Thinking (planning and monitoring), Using Language, Symbols and Texts (writing for purpose), Relating to Others (considering audience), .

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Lesson Outline

Time	Activity Description	Resources/Support
5 min	Introduction and Recap:

• Briefly revise key features of instructions: use of imperative verbs, clear sequencing, concise language.
• Share an example of a simple instruction (e.g., how to make a sandwich).
• Highlight features on the example (imperatives, sequence words, clarity). | Projector/whiteboard, example instruction text | | 10 min | Guided Writing Task:
• Students choose a simple familiar task (e.g., "How to plant a seed," "How to tie shoelaces").
• Using a graphic organiser (step sequencer), students orally plan their instructions in pairs first.
• Teacher models drafting one step using clear, concise language and imperative verbs, thinking aloud.
• Students draft their instructions step-by-step, focusing on clarity and logical order.
• Use sentence stems and prompts such as "First, you...", "Next, you must...". | Step sequence graphic organiser, sentence stem cards, teacher model text | | 10 min | Peer Review & Revision:
• Students exchange drafts with a partner for peer feedback using guided questions:
  • "Is your partner’s instruction easy to follow?"
  • "Are the steps in the right order?"
  • "Are the sentences clear and concise?"
• Students revise their instructions incorporating feedback.
• Teacher circulates scaffolding ideas and providing feedback, especially to diverse learners. | Peer feedback prompts on cards, rubric checklist (simple) | | 5 min | Class Share & Reflection:
• Select a few students to read their instructions aloud.
• Discuss what makes instructions clear and effective.
• Reflect on challenges and strategies used (self-regulation and metacognition).
• Set a small goal for the next lesson (e.g., focus on using more precise vocabulary). | Class discussion, reflection prompts |

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Differentiation Strategies

• Support for Diverse Learners:

  • Provide sentence stems and word banks with imperative verbs and sequencing words.
  • Use oral planning before writing for students who need language support.
  • Visual aids such as graphic organisers and flowcharts help students organise ideas spatially.
  • Pair high-achieving students with peers to model clear instructional language.
  • Allow extra time or break task into smaller chunks for students who need it.

• Extension Activities:

  • Encourage confident writers to include language features such as adverbs of time (e.g., "carefully," "quickly").
  • Challenge students to write instructions for a more complex task or to include diagrams.

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Teaching Notes

• Ensure explicit teaching of imperative verbs and sequencing language as per New Zealand Curriculum guidance .
• Reinforce the recursive writing process: planning, drafting, revising, and editing .
• Emphasize metacognitive strategies: students setting goals and self-monitoring their writing clarity .
• Use familiar tasks to connect writing to students' everyday experiences, embedding culturally relevant examples when possible.
• This lesson aligns with the English strand but connects well with Technology and Science when students write instructions for practical tasks, supporting cross-curricular integration.

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This lesson plan is designed to maximise engagement, scaffold language learning explicitly, and encourage reflection to support continuous improvement aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh.