With hyperlexic learners, it's important to remember that they "may find it easier to attend to and grasp language information that they see, better than that which they listen to, and meaning is often difficult to attach to words," (source) which is why relying solely on spoken or verbal instructions isn't ideal.
Instead, we need to ensure we're playing to the strengths of the hyperlexic learner and considering their unique learning profile whenever we give directions or instructions. Otherwise, the instructions we end up giving might be vague, confusing, or overwhelming. And that can lead to lots of other challenges.
So, what can you do to give better instructions to hyperlexic learners?
Well, let's take a look at some suggestions and quick tweaks on how to improve the directions you might already be giving.
7 Ways to Give Better Instructions to Hyperlexic Learners
If you want to give clearer instructions that stick and are easy to understand, then keep the following suggestions and strategies in mind.
1. Write out instructions by pairing written language with spoken language
One of the top tips for supporting hyperlexic learners is to write things down. That's something you will hear and see me share over and over again because it's incredibly helpful.
So, one of the best things to do when giving instructions to hyperlexic learners, is to also write those instructions down. After all, verbal instructions might get forgotten, misheard, or misunderstood. And, unlike written words, those spoken words disappear quickly.
Keep in mind that, when it comes to writing things down, you don't have to use anything fancy. It can be a quick message on a sticky note or something scribbled on a whiteboard.
But, it could also take the form of something more structured. Think checklists, assignment instructions, anchor charts, visual schedules, chore charts, rubrics, and so on.
The point here is to use written words to support executive functioning and language processing, while also playing to their strengths (as we'll discuss further in a bit).
2. Sing instructions or incorporate music
Another way to make instructions stick with hyperlexic learners is to sing them or incorporate music. You can use familiar tunes or make up songs that incorporate your instructions. For example, "wash, wash, wash your hands...wash them 'til they're clean" can be sung to Row, Row, Row Your Boat.
Try to make it fun and playful. Get silly, even. (Thankfully, my husband is brilliant at creating little jingles that blend silliness with helpful strategies and catchy tunes.)
However, please be mindful that many hyperlexic learners also have perfect pitch. As a result, they may not like it when you sing. So, this strategy may or may not work for your child, but it is still something worth exploring.
3. Use rich intonation when giving spoken instructions
Since hyperlexic learners are gestalt language processors, they're really drawn to rich intonation (and music, which is why the last strategy works so well!). You can lean into this when giving spoken instructions by emphasizing key words, making your speech more playful and musical by adding rhythm or melody, playing with pitch, using a sing-song voice, and/or exaggerating your tone of voice a little.
4. Break tasks down into individual steps
Sometimes instructions might be so broad and overwhelming that it's hard for hyperlexic learners to know where to start or what to do next. One thing that can really help is to break those instructions down into smaller parts and to give one instruction at a time.
Instead of saying, "brush your teeth," which has lots of little steps rolled into one, you might break it down like so:
- First, open the toothpaste.
- Next, put some toothpaste on your brush.
- (and then continue breaking down each step...)
When breaking things down, try to use short, direct sentences that make the step super clear. You might want to compile them into a written checklist or routine chart and pair each step with an image of some kind. Or, if you're using spoken language, then you'll want to remember to pause after each step to allow for processing (see tip #6 below).
5. Be clear and specific by saying exactly when you mean
Sometimes instructions can be really vague or abstract. Personally, we've noticed this with school assignments over the years and I wish teachers gave more detailed and clear instructions on them, but that's a rant for another day.
However, even our day-to-day requests as parents can be really vague. For instance, I once asked my son to grab something out of my purse from the closet. He asked me which purse (there were a few options that I rotate through), which pocket the thing was in (because purses have many!), what that thing looked like that he was supposed to be looking for (I forget what it was I even asked him to grab), which closet, etc. The point here is that his questions really highlighted how unspecific I was. I could have told him it was the pink purse and which closet the pink purse was in and so on...
So, in order to be clear and specific, say exactly what you mean. Avoid using idioms or vague words and be sure to name the exact item or action. Then also remember to provide enough details.
You'll also want to give instructions in order. And don't skip steps that might seem obvious (which will always make me think of the one potty training social story someone wrote for us years ago that didn't include flushing the toilet anywhere in the text).
Remember, the clearer and more specific your instructions are, the easier it is for hyperlexic learners to understand and follow those instructions.
6. Give time to process by pausing after giving instructions or individual steps
If you're not yet familiar with the power of pausing, I suggest you read this post about hyperlexia and auditory processing first.
Processing takes time for hyperlexic learners, especially with spoken words or tasks with multiple parts. If you move too quickly with more instructions or steps, you might overwhelm or confuse them. And that's where the pause comes in handy.
Giving a short pause between instructions can give hyperlexic learners the space they need to process and act. Pausing is such a simple thing to implement (when you remember to do it!), but it will make your instructions so much more effective.
Try to resist the urge to immediately repeat or rephrase instructions if they don't respond or act right away. We want to give them plenty of time to process and repeating or rephrasing things might complicate things or overwhelm them, especially if they're still trying to process what you originally said.
You'll also want to watch for signs that they're ready for the next step (e.g., starting the task/action, looking at you for more information). Keep in mind that these signs may be subtle and will vary from child to child so remember to pay close attention to the child.
7. Pair instructions with visuals
Pairing your instructions (whether that's written or spoken) with some visuals will make instructions concrete and easier to follow. Those visuals could be pictures, gestures, icons, examples of completed work, or even the physical object themselves.
Ideally, visuals should be placed where they're the most needed (e.g., in art class, hang up some examples of the finished art project on the board while explaining the project; next to each written step in a checklist).
Why These Tips Work Well
Now that you're armed with these 7 tips and strategies to try, let's take a closer look at why these particular tips work so well.
First things first, these tips play to their strengths. You're leaning into the hyperlexic strength of decoding in particular when you write things down and pair spoken language with visuals or text. Plus, you're using their love of words, visuals, and patterns, things that hyperlexic learners seek out, gravitate towards, and respond well to.
Another reason why these tips work so well is because they reduce overwhelm. When you take the time to break tasks down into manageable steps and write them down, there's less pressure on them to have to remember everything at once. Instead, our hyperlexic learners can reference them as much as they need and as often as they want. They don't have to worry or stress about what's next because you've already outlined those steps for them.
Additionally, these tips help avoid confusion because you're being clear, specific and literal, and you're adding context with visuals. These strategies actively help make instructions more concrete and easier to follow, which can reduce misunderstandings.
These tips also support and respect how hyperlexic learners develop and process language. Any time you sing, incorporate music, or use rich intonation, you are considering their gestalt language processing profile. You're also modeling potential gestalts that they can borrow and use themselves. And when you also take the time to write these gestalts down on top of that? Well, you're really showing that you understand the hyperlexic learning profile.
Remember, any time you write things down, use rich intonation, and allow for extra processing time, you are showing that you respect their processing differences. You are literally giving instructions in ways that truly align with how hyperlexic learners naturally understand and learn.
The above tips also encourage independence and build confidence for our hyperlexic learners. They can look at their written instructions, read or re-read the individual steps, look at the visuals for clarification, and see how they are to complete the task on their own without always needing to rely on someone else to help them (not that there's anything wrong with that as we all need help sometimes!).
It's also worth noting that these tips and strategies can also strengthen comprehension. For instance, pairing spoken instructions with written words and visuals gives them multiple ways to process the same information. And, by breaking tasks down for hyperlexic learners, you're making the instructions more accessible and easier to follow.
A Quick Recap on How to Make Instructions Clearer for Hyperlexic Learners
As discussed above, simply relying on spoken instructions with hyperlexic learners can lead to a lot of misunderstandings and confusion. That's why we want to make sure we give instructions that are tailored to them and their unique learning profile.
We can do this by writing things down, singing instructions, using rich intonation when we speak, and saying exactly what we mean. We can also break tasks down into individual steps and pair instructions with visuals. But we also want to make sure we give them time to process by remembering to pause and wait. I can't emphasize that enough.
So, the next time you give instructions to hyperlexic learners, keep these suggestions in mind. They can really make a huge difference, whether that's at home, at school, or during a therapy session.
