Despite our number of years teaching, whether a novice or a veteran, we are all lifelong learners. We want to improve our “art” of teaching using the latest brain-based learning research and to expand our repertoire of engaging and effective learning strategies. We also need to be able to improvise and use low-tech learning activities on the go! Below is a mix of engaging teaching strategies you can pull out whenever a lesson needs a change of pace.
Although these learning activities are all effective and engaging, their use needs to be moderated. For example, if you always use a KWL chart at the beginning of a unit, no matter how effective the technique is, it will become stale for the students. So, mix it up a bit and try some of the other assessments of prior knowledge activities.
Ten Engaging Teaching Strategies to Try
So, here is a list of suitable teaching/learning activities to try. Some are best suited to the beginning of the lesson, some are for small groups and some are applicable in almost any lesson. Give them a try! If you would like to suggest some more, then please email me.
| WHY? | WHEN? | WHO? | |
| See Think Wonder | Encourages students to make careful observations and thoughtful interpretations | Beginning / middle | Individually, small group or whole class |
| Think Pair Share | Encourages students to share and discuss ideas around a problem, issue or topic | Anytime | Small group or whole class |
| Jigsaw | Assign each group a different aspect of a topic which they research, then they report back to their normal group | Middle | Small group or whole class |
| KWL | Students state what they already know, what they want to know and finally what did they learn (self-assessment) | Beginning and end | Individually |
| Brainstorming | Useful for generating lots of ideas quickly. Can also be used as a mind-mapping activity | Anytime | Small group or whole class |
| Chat Stations | Useful to generate small group discussion. Students get to move around. | Beginning / middle | Small group then the whole class |
| Mindmapping | Useful to help students organise and structure complex and related content | Beginning, but can be added to throughout | Individual or small group |
| Crumple & Shoot | Useful review strategy for content and to get the students moving | Middle or end | Whole class in small groups |
| 1 Minute Paper | Helps students identify misconceptions and provides a diagnostic tool for teachers | Middle or end of a lesson | Individually |