As an educator, a primary goal is to keep your students engaged. This, however, can be challenging due to the sheer number of distractions students face combined with all the material they are expected to learn. The possibilities for teachers to engage K-12 students in the classroom are boundless, but here are 4 easy ways teachers can increase student engagement this year.
- Personalized Learning
Personalized learning techniques allow teachers to tailor lessons to individual student interests. This helps raise engagement levels since it ensures that each student can learn in their own way. Each student has unique learning styles, conducting a simple personality test at the start of the semester can help understand their preferences and learning abilities.
Some examples are having different styles of instructions, both visual and written, to help explain the assignment, or create projects with outlined instructions, but have an open topic for students to pick what they are interested in.
- Gamify the Learning Process
Games help students of all ages learn about subjects in an engaging and fun way, making it easy to remember concepts. Transform activities into games by including levels of difficulty, rewards, and competitive elements. You can create games based on students’ interests or relatable real-life problems that students can apply it to. Have students compete together in friendly competition with small rewards but put more emphasis on learning instead of winning.
- Student Collaboration
Collaborating with small groups of students helps children learn each other’s perspectives and connects them together. Students can come together for a group project, a group discussion, to give feedback, or present their work with others to drive engagement and express their ideas. Giving students more of a voice in the classroom strengthens their peer relationships and spark more interested in their learning.
- Embrace Technology
Using technology in the classroom has improved education by providing teachers with powerful tools to enhance student engagement. There are numerous educational apps and software that offer interactive and engaging learning experiences. Online collaborative platforms, such as Slack and Google Classroom, allow students to work together, share ideas, and collaborate on projects regardless of their physical location. These platforms further promote communication skills, teamwork, and a sense of community within the classroom.
What are some ways you get your students engaged?
Resources:
https://www.cypherlearning.com/blog/k-20/5-elements-that-make-lessons-more-engaging
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