Teaching Direction Following Using “Before” and “After”

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1. Teach the Concepts of Before and After

There are probably other ways to do this, but I would do this through a sequencing activity with three pictures.  Have the main event in the middle picture, and ask the student to point to the picture that happened “before” or the one that happened “after”.

Then, ask the student to use the words “before” and “after” to describe the events.  For example, you could say “when did Henry throw the ball” and the student would say “before he fell down” or “after he picked it up”.

2. Teach Directions with Before

  • Write the word “before” on a piece of paper and then get two pictures of directions you want the child to follow (click here to download my following directions pics)
  • Explain to the child that when someone says “before you do this, do this”, that means you need to reverse the order.  Lay out the cards to make the sentence “before…clap hands…touch nose”.  Read the direction out to the child: “Before you clap your hands, touch your nose”.  Explain that the word “before” means you need to do the second thing before the first.  Then, show the child how to take the two pictures and reverse the order so they read “touch nose…clap hands”.  Have the child follow the direction.
  • Keep practicing that same direction over and over again by having the child take the pictures off of the sentence and reverse their order before following the directions.
  • Once the child can do this with the first set of directions, start introducing other directions.
  • Once the child can do this with a variety of directions, put the pictures in front of the child but don’t let him rearrange them (make him think about it in his head only).
  • Once the child can do that, take the pictures away entirely and have him do it with visuals.

3. Teach Directions with After

  • Make the same kinds of cards with the word “after”.
  • Explain that when someone says “after”, the directions stay in the same order.
  • Practice this a few times until the child understands not to switch the order.

4. Mix the Directions

  • Now that the child understands, mix directions with “before” and “after” together.  Use the visuals at first to help him remember when to switch the order and when not to.
  • Once he gets better, take the visuals away and have him do it only by listening.