A pupil may understand an instruction when it is given but forget part of it once they begin working. A concise visual reference removes the need to keep every step, value or success criterion in mind at once. The aim is to make the route through the task easier to follow without simplifying the learning.

Choose when a reference is useful

Use this support selectively for work with several stages, unfamiliar routines or important details that pupils need to revisit. It is less useful for a simple task that the pupil already completes reliably.

A suitable reference might be:

• a checklist with three or four short steps;

• a worked example left on the board;

• a task card showing the order of an activity;

• essential words, values or equipment;

• a simple diagram showing what the finished work should contain.

Keep it brief. A dense page of instructions creates another reading task and can add to the memory demand.

Build the reference around the task

Write actions rather than long explanations. For a science investigation, the reference might read:

1. Measure 50 ml.

2. Add one spoonful.

3. Stir for ten seconds.

4. Record what changed.

For a piece of writing, it might show the purpose, three required features and one model sentence. For mathematics, leave the relevant worked example visible beside the questions.

Tell the pupil what the reference is for and where to look when they lose their place. Ask them to identify the first step before starting. During the task, prompt them to check the reference before repeating the whole instruction.

Keep the intended learning intact

Remove incidental memory demands, not the thinking the lesson is designed to develop. If the aim is to explain a scientific process, provide the practical sequence but still expect the pupil to interpret the result. If the aim is to write independently, a short planning frame may help, but it should not supply the pupil’s ideas.

Reduce support when it is no longer needed

Look for evidence that the pupil can:

• start without another verbal explanation;

• return to the correct step after an interruption;

• complete the sequence in order;

• notice when they have missed something.

Then shorten the checklist, remove familiar steps or keep the reference only for new and demanding tasks. Support should become more selective as the pupil gains control.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Repeating the same long instruction instead of giving the pupil something concise to consult.

• Filling the board with several competing lists.

• Leaving the reference in place automatically when the pupil no longer needs it.

• Reducing the level of challenge rather than reducing the avoidable memory load.

The Department for Education recommends instructions that are manageable, sequential and available when pupils need them. An EEF classroom video also stresses that scaffolds should be temporary and responsive to the pupil, because unnecessary scaffolding can add cognitive demand.

Further reading

• Classroom practice: manageable and sequential instructions (Department for Education)

• Using scaffolds to support working memory (Education Endowment Foundation)