Rules of Engagement in class

15 Jul Rules of Engagement in class

Keeping children engaged throughout your lesson is the key to successful teaching and effective learning.
Even on the best of days, we understand that trying to keep 25 children engaged in your lesson can feel like a near impossible task.

That’s why we want to share with you our top tips on how to get and keep your student’s attention.

Bursts of information-


Depending on what age group you are teaching, you will need to adapt the amount of information you pass onto your students at one point. 
Did you know that primary school students have on average an 11-minute attention span before they begin to disengage? To keep them as interested and on-task as possible, give short bursts of information and give them time to think about and digest what you have told them, rather than overwhelming students to the point where they feel lost and give up. 
You could do this by intermittently including activities or group tasks to help kids solidify ideas in their mind.

Let them talk-

Not over you, or to each other while you are teaching, but allowing children to speak in class can do wonders for keeping their attention. Engaging in class conversations and allowing students to have their own voice, spark debates and ask questions is a great teaching technique. Students don’t want to learn in an environment where they feel powerless or inferior, so allowing them to have their voice and communicate their thoughts, will only do good things for your class engagement.

Mix it up-

Did you know that there are 7 different learning styles that most children adopt?

1. Visual: You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
2. 
 Aural: You prefer using sound and music.
3.  Verbal: You prefer using words, both in speech and writing
4.  Physical: You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch
5. 
 Logical: You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems
6.  Social: You prefer to learn in groups or with other people
7. 
 Solitary: You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

All students learn in different ways, so where you can, try to mix up your lesson plans and incorporate multiple learning styles in your classroom. This may not always be possible, for example, it may be difficult to use aural learning in a maths class but teaching in a way that is truly effective for your students, will keep then engaged for longer.

Keeping your students engaged throughout your lesson is a notoriously tricky task, however with these few tips, you may find it just that little bit easier.

If you need help finding your next teaching role, contact us here today.