Stop wasting time: Front load your instructions!
Dries D’haese and Paul A. Kirschner
Centre of Expertise Education and Learning, Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium

The more time teachers use for introducing learning material and practicing with it (time on task), the more and better students learn[1]. Unfortunately, teachers often lose significant amounts of valuable instructional time on classroom management issues[2] ranging from minor disruptions to major behavioural issues. This problem disproportionately affects students from less advantaged backgrounds[3]. As Zig Engelmann aptly put it during this interview: “The clock is a teacher’s worst enemy, and every time the clock ticks it ticks in favour of the advantaged students and against the disadvantaged students”.
Effectively managing classroom behaviour and the lessons themselves so that the scarce time available is used productively is, according to Robert Coe and colleagues[4], a core teaching skill. Fortunately, big gains can sometimes be found in small adjustments. Consider this example in which a teacher says:
“What is the past participle of ‘savoir’? Silently write your answer on your mini-whiteboards. I’ll count down from 3 to 0, and then we’ll all raise our mini-whiteboards at the same time.”
At first glance, this sounds like clear and effective instructions with a defined Means of Participation (MoP)[5]. Yet, it’s not unthinkable that one or more students immediately raise their hands or – even worse – shout out their answers before the teacher is finished. Indeed, as soon as a teacher asks a question or gives instructions, there’s a chance that students’ attention will go exclusively to what they must do, without listening to how they should do it. This is where front loading comes in – a technique introduced by Adam Boxer in 2020 in his blog and which is gaining increased recognition in practical oriented books[6].
What is front loading?
Front loading is a simple yet powerful technique for structuring instructions so that your expectations are immediately clear. It entails:
(1) Clarifying how students should approach the question or task – how to answer, collaborate, or engage (MoP);
(2) Then stating what the actual question or task is.
Here are a few examples:
“In silence and individually. Complete exercises 4 and 5 on page 63.“
“You’ll have 2 minutes to think individually. No discussion yet. Write down everything you remember about plate tectonics.”
“I’ll count down from 3 to 0. Hold up the number of fingers corresponding to your answer. Which of the following numbers is a multiple of 8?”
Revisiting our earlier example, front loaded it would be:
“Silently write your answer on your mini-whiteboards. I’ll count down from 3 to 0, and then we’ll all raise our mini-whiteboards at the same time.
What is the past participle of savoir?”
What makes front loading so powerful?
By clarifying expectations up front, you prevent many classroom management issues and maximise instructional time. Clear instructions reduce distractions and free up cognitive space in students’ limited working memory, allowing them to focus fully on the task at hand, rather than the process for doing that task.
To use the technique effectively, it’s important to plan your instructions carefully. Think through how you want students to respond or engage. This intentionality improves the quality of your instruction and the overall flow of your lessons.
You can further reinforce the use of front loading by embedding the MoP into behavioural routines. For instance, “on your mini-whiteboards” could incorporate the unspoken behavioural expectation that students silently grab their mini-whiteboards and markers, focus on the upcoming task, write their answers legibly (e.g., at least as large as the marker cap), and wait for your signal to hold up their mini-whiteboards together at the right height (e.g., low in the front row and high at the back of the class).
When to use it?
Front loading works particularly well for short, straightforward instructions. More complex tasks, like group work with multiple steps and/or sub-tasks, often require a different approach. Moreover, announcing “we’ll work in groups soon” can actually distract students’ attention from further instructions.
It’s also highly effective in digital settings. The moment students grab their laptops or smartphones, their attention can easily shift to those devices. To counteract this, start by clearly explaining what you expect them to do, what’s allowed, and how much time they have. Only after this clarification should you let them grab or turn on their devices. For example:
“When I’m done, I’ll show you all a QR-code. Don’t grab your devices yet. Wait for my sign to scan the code. It will lead you to an open-ended question. You’ll have 1 minute to answer it individually. No resources are allowed. Okay, scan the code.“
Try it yourself
How do you usually give instructions? Do your students follow them as planned? If not, why not give front loading a try?
Be patient with yourself. It takes practice to refine your instructions and make this technique a natural part of your daily teaching routine. But it’s worth the investment. You’ll find that front loading brings calm to your classroom and makes the most of your precious teaching time.
[1] Creemers, B. P. M., & Kyriakides, L. (2011). Improving quality in education: Dynamic approaches to school improvement. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203817537
Muijs, D., Kyriakides, L., van der Werf, G., Creemers, B., Timperley, H., & Earl, L. (2014). State of the art – teacher effectiveness and professional learning. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 25(2), 231–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2014.885451
[2] Behar-Horenstein, L. S., Isaac, C. A., Seabert, D., Davis, C., & Zahn, J. (2006). Classroom instruction and the loss of instructional time: A case study. College Teaching, 54(1), 17–20. https://doi.org/10.3200/CTCH.54.1.17-20
Van Droogenbroeck, F., Lemblé, H., Bongaerts, B., Spruyt, B., Siongers, J., & Kavadias, D. (2019). TALIS 2018 Vlaanderen – Volume I. Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
[3] Romano, M., & Weinstein, C. S. (2023). Elementary classroom management: Lessons from research and practice (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
[4] Coe, R., Rauch, C.J., Kime, S., & Singleton, D. (2020). Great teaching toolkit: Evidence review. Evidence Based Education. https://evidencebased.education/great-teaching-toolkit-evidence-review/ https://evidencebased.education/great-teaching-toolkit-evidence-review/
[5] Lemov, D. (2021). Teach like a champion 3.0. Jossey-Bass.
[6] Barton, C. (2023). Tips for teachers: 400+ ideas to improve your teaching. John Catt Educational Ltd.
Lemov, D. (2021). Teach like a champion 3.0. Jossey-Bass.