A method for providing instructions includes the step of presenting an assessment item to an examinee. A first series of pictures is presented to the examinee, each representing a step in a nonverbal sequence of instructions from a depicted examiner to a depicted examinee for answering the assessment item. Next a second series of pictures is presented, each representing a step in the depicted examinee's thought process used to deduce an answer. Alternately, a unitary series of pictures is presented, each representing a step in both a nonverbal sequence of instructions from a depicted examiner to a depicted examinee and a thought process of the depicted examinee used to deduce an answer. Thus a nonverbal set of instructions can be given to the examinee via an easily understandable pictorial form, with demonstrations by the examiner provided as well as necessary.