One of the best ways to engage your students is to incorporate visuals into the classroom. Visuals are a great way to reinforce learning and encourage students to complete activities independently. Using visual supports can also help teachers work uninterruptedly in small groups. Here are a few ways to incorporate visuals into your classroom activities:
First, consider the learning style of your students. Are some students visual learners? If so, consider assigning specific concepts to students. Or, you may want to create handouts and flashcards that can be distributed to students individually. Visuals help students focus on the meaning of each concept.
Peer teaching
Peer teaching is a great tool for teachers to engage their students. It’s an easy format for students to learn, and it can also be used to help struggling students learn content. Whether a student is ready to engage in peer teaching or not, the process will depend on the teacher.
Peer teaching is effective in early childhood education programs, but it’s not widely used in the K-12 community. A study in an Ohio school involved four sixth graders with similar reading levels. The students were assigned to pairs of tutoring partners, with the high-achieving student tutoring the lower-achieving student. During this time, they observed each other’s reading, and modeled how to be successful with it.
Peer teaching also helps students build their confidence and communication skills. It can improve the quality of education and help students feel more responsible for their own learning. Often, a student is reluctant to teach someone else if they don’t feel confident in their own abilities, and that can make the process more difficult. Ultimately, the process can help students rediscover their love of learning.
Culturally responsive teaching
Culturally responsive teaching is a great way to increase student engagement and academic performance. Students who are exposed to culturally relevant teaching methods are more likely to participate in class discussions and openly share their perspectives. Below are a few tips for implementing culturally responsive teaching techniques in your classroom. First, identify your students’ current knowledge and interests. This will allow you to create new activities and assessments that take their interests into account.
Students should feel included and important. This is best accomplished through making your classroom environment welcoming to everyone. It is important to recognize the diversity of your students, especially those with disabilities. This is crucial for building relationships with students. Learn about their families and their favorite foods. The best relationships are based on trust and transparency.
Keeping lectures short
There are several benefits to keeping lectures short in the classroom. One of them is a boost in student engagement and comprehension. While lecturers should not eliminate slides altogether, they should present them with only the main idea. The content of the slides should not include on-screen readings. Instead, the slides should present the keynotes of a topic and the details should be in the exposition of those keynotes. A great way to make your slides short is to post them on the course RPILMS website, where students can download and print them out prior to class. Another benefit is the inclusion of humor, which can catch students’ attention.
The length of the lecture has a profound effect on the way students learn. Teachers must take into consideration their students’ needs and provide breaks at regular intervals. While a three-hour lecture may seem perfect for some students, it is highly unlikely that students will remain attentive to the entire duration of the lecture. As such, it’s important to allow a five to ten-minute break every hour to give students a chance to stretch their legs, go to the bathroom, or just grab a cup of coffee.
Using technology
Using technology in the classroom offers a number of benefits to students and teachers. It enables teachers to differentiate instruction and allow students to work at their own pace. It also facilitates communication. For example, online grading systems allow teachers to monitor attendance patterns and manage transcript data. Tablets and other forms of technology enable teachers to differentiate instruction throughout the day. Tablets also allow teachers to give one-on-one instruction to students. In addition, they allow teachers to send important information to parents and students.
Other ways to incorporate technology into the classroom include creating digital mind maps. These maps are easier and faster to make than traditional mind maps. One popular tool is MindMeister, which has features designed for both educators and students. The teacher can use the mind map to reinforce a lesson or launch a problem-based learning exercise. It takes only a few minutes to set up and students can provide feedback using their personal devices or classroom devices. The results of these exercises are used to improve the lesson.
