There are a lot of ways and methods to teach students. To attain knowledge students must participate in gathering information and processing it by problem solving and articulation. To connect with the lesson the best way to learn is through interactive classroom activities and not just memorizing facts or numbers. Interactive classroom activities help students to understand what they’re learning on a deeper, more integrated level and forgo one-way communication while getting them involved and engaged with the lessons or material.
Interactive classroom activities are all about instructing the students in a way they are actively involved with their learning process. There are different ways to create an involvement like this, the following activities are divided into categories:
Individual student activities:
Ask the winner
In this activity ask students silently to solve a question. Reveal the answer, instruct those who got it right to raise their hands (and keep them raised). The ones who got it incorrect must talk to someone with a raised hand to get a better understanding of the question and how to solve it next time.
Misconception check
Identify if students can put one’s finger on the correct answer, when given a false fact or statement. With this method you can discover students’ misconceptions when going over a previous lesson. It encourages students to think deeply and speculate all probabilities.
Student pair activities:
Think, pair, and share
Pair up students with problems or a question based around a certain topic or concept dealt in the class. Set time for students to discuss the problem and reach a proper conclusion. Students must voice out their conclusion. This way students will be engaged, communicate, and remember more of the lessons taught in class.
Peer review writing task
A great way to foster interactivity and collaboration in the classroom is with peer reviews which can be a great way to encourage students to help each other. Encourage students to exchange writing assignment drafts with a peer. The partner has to read the written assignment and must draft feedback covering the following points: strengths, weakness/ problem areas and finally pointers on what could be added or revised.
Student group activities:
Brainstorming
Brainstorming process is useful for generating creative thoughts and ideas most effectively done in a group setting. Instead of thinking alone at their desk with whatever it is they’re learning, brainstorming sessions are a great way to bring students together to engage, learn and work together. Moreover, students learn from each other and come up with surprisingly great ideas.
Movie Application
For this group activity make use of movies showing historical facts, geographical facts, biographies of famous people etc. Students will be split into groups and discuss concepts or events discussed in class which coincides in the movie. Also, identify what the movie got right or wrong and do a fact check.
Interactive game activities:
Tag, you are it (with words)
This activity will help students to be creative and stay focused. To start this activity the teacher will give a word to a student who must start talking about that word, thereafter the teacher will say stop randomly and the next student has to pick the last word that the previous student used and weave a story, think of a famous quote, phrase, poem or sing a song.
What am I
Create “what am I” puzzles based on the concepts and lessons that have been taught in class. Tape a term or name on the forehead or back of each student. Each student walks around the room, asking “yes or no” questions to the other students in an effort to guess the right answer.
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