The Following Instructions task asks participants to carry out sequences of instructions on an array of props laid out in front of them. The instruction sequences consist of descriptions of actions to be performed on a set of five stationery items (a ruler, an eraser, a pencil, a folder, and a box), in each of three colours (red, yellow, or blue). There are two actions: touch (e.g., touch the red pencil) and pick up (e.g., pick up the yellow ruler). Actions involving touching and picking up are concatenated using the adverb “then” to produce increasingly longer sequences that vary in length but not in lexical complexity. A span-type procedure is employed in which the length of the instruction sequence increases systematically. Each span consists of a block of six trials. Testing starts at one action (e.g., Touch the red ruler), increases by one action per block (e.g., touch the red ruler and then pick up the yellow pencil), and is terminated after three incorrect trials in one block. The object array is in view at all times. Participants listen to the instructions and are restricted from manipulating any of the objects. At the end of the presentation, participants are asked to perform the actions in sequence. Responses are recorded as accurate if all elements of the individual action phrase—action, object, and colour—are correctly recalled in their original serial position in the instruction sequence. The number of correct features (colour), objects (item such as pencil / pen etc.) and actions (touch pick up) are also recorded. 

Gathercole SE, Durling E, Evans M, Jeffcock S, Stone S. Working memory abilities and children's performance in laboratory analogues of classroom activities. Appl Cogn Psychol. 2008;22(8):1019–37.