The 3-Tiered Task Command Translators: Academic Verb/Command Classroom Posters

The 3-Tiered Task Command Translators - 30 Essential Academic Commands/Verbs

Overview: Stop Guessing, Start Doing!
Empower your students to tackle any assignment by mastering the language of academic instruction! This set of 30 visually engaging, tiered posters transforms confusing commend verbs (like Define, Analyze, Evaluate, and Justify) into clear, actionable steps. Perfect for creating a language-rich classroom and building crucial critical thinking and problem-solving skills. No more receiving work that misses the mark because the students misunderstood the prompt! Help students understand what’s asked of them, and how they can show what they know to answer a question, prompt, or problem appropriately, effectively, and efficiently.

What Problem Does this Resource Solve?
Students often default to summarizing or describing when a prompt requires higher-level thinking. This resource provides a common visual language that explicitly separate the “what to do” (the verb) from the “how to do it” (the action). These posters are essential for test prep., general education transition, promoting critical thinking/ problem-solving through action, and Special Education support, ensuring all students can correctly translate instruction into successful assignment completion.

What’s included in this download?
(30 Command Verbs Across 3 Tiers - 10 Each) You will receive a total of 63 high-resolution pages organized by cognitive tier:

• 30 Full-Page Posters in vibrant COLOR (8.5"x11")
• 30 Full-Page Posters in printer-friendly B&W (8.5"x11")
• 3 Tired Cover Pages for Organization and Understanding

Each Poster is a complete reference tool and features:

• The command verb (e.g., IDENTIFY)
• A Unique Visual Icon: (e.g., magnifying glass over lines of simulated text, zooming in on one specific part) to aid in visual memory.
• The Full Definition: (e.g., Point out, name, or recognize a specific factor, part, or piece of information.)
• A Clear Academic Example: (e.g., Example: A student circles the main verb in a given sentence.)

The 3-Tiered Cognitive Structure
The Posters are color-coded and organized to show students the progression of thinking required:

• Tier 1 - Foundation: Recall & Recognition
  - Low-Level (Cognitive Demand): Find, Name, Tell
  - Some of the verbs/commands included: Define, List, Describe, Match, Identify, State
• Tier 2 - Application: Processing & Relating
  - Mid-Level (Cognitive Demand): Use, Break Down, Show
  - Some of the verbs/commands included: Analyze, Compare, Calculate, Order, Demonstrate
• Tier 3 - Advanced: Judgment & Strategy
  - High-Level (Cognitive Demand): Judge, Defend, Create
  - Some of the verbs/commands included: Evaluate, Justify, Recommend, Argue, Critique

Suggested Classroom Uses:

• Display: Post all 30 posters in a “Command/Verb Wall” or “Word Wall”, feature in tiers are all together at once.
• Reference:
• Active Review: