STUDENT ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS
- Ask them questions!
- See if they retained information with closed-ended questions.
- Have them paraphrase to make them think a little more.
- Ask open-ended questions to start a discussion ("why" and "how" questions).
- If you're having trouble getting them to open up, start with a string of closed-ended questions and expand to an open-ended question.
- Keep students on their toes by tossing around a bean bag.
PRESENTATION
- Face your students, not the screen.
- Make eye contact with everyone.
- Speak clearly.
- Minimize reading slides aloud: paraphrase and expand on the information.
- Use the students' names.
- Move around the room.
- If they start looking tired, have them stand in place and stretch for 15 seconds.
- Run drills: make everyone say aloud what you want them to learn (e.g., repeating "reduce, reuse, recycle").
INTERACTION
- Have volunteers come up to the screen to help you out.
- Use handouts and have students work in pairs.
- Make sure to plan ahead for both of these techniques.
MISTAKES - ON PURPOSE
- Misspeak a few times, and encourage students to correct you.
- This will cause students to listen more intently.