Keeping students engaged is a difficult task. For any teacher, it becomes more difficult especially for students who easily get bored.
I may encounter a group of learners with whom I am unable to maintain the interest that I ask: “How do I make my class more interactive? And as a teacher, it’s my goal to keep them engaged to make sure that learning takes place.
Doing so requires me to use varied teaching strategies so I can hit their interests bull’s eye. It’s overwhelming, but it should be done to foster learning.
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How Do I Make My Class More Interactive? 6 Interesting Ways Every Teacher Must Use
1. Make use of interactive activities
It is essential to plan out what interactive activities to use in the classroom. Our students are looking forward to that. It’s one of the aspects of the classroom that attracts students.
Although we can’t do away with incorporating lecture methods to facilitate learning, we have to modify this technique. As we present complex information, we have to involve the students.
We can still make it interactive by asking questions and by allowing students to present their thoughts. We have to avoid having our students memorize facts and information.
Well, the content is best understood if students are encouraged to learn deeply through interactive activities. Brainstorming sessions, for example, after a limited-time lecture will keep students involved.
By simply asking questions and requiring students to participate, and limiting the time to have a lecture, can still make a difference.
Moreover, after presenting the concepts, I am asking my students to form groups for cooperative learning. As they work together in groups, my students are introduced to the active learning approach.
2. Make learning fun
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By providing fun learning activities, our students are more engaged to focus and participate. Hence, they should not sit all day long. Get them moving. As they do it, they have the chance to socialize with their classmates.
Giving them assignments, for example, will make them responsible and they will do their best to perform for themselves and for their group. Initially, I prepare task cards that spell out for the assessment of the day. This breaks from monotonous pen and paper quizzes.
Modifying our instructional routines will help our students stay engaged and focused. Let your students play games and of course, you have to join the fun. This is a celebration of your support for your students.
3. Know your students’ different learning styles
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Creating different learning stations in the classroom will break the boredom and make students interactive. Right from the start, you have to make an analysis of the assessment of your students’ learning styles. Since no students are equally the same, you have to cater to their learning needs.
As the facilitator of learning, you have to know how to accommodate your diverse learners. Your students learn in different ways. So, they have to be given the most appropriate learning tasks so they will participate and stay focused.
Being creative in your presentations will help. Establish activities that will serve the kinesthetic learners for example. These learners do their best if they are doing something and they are moving. More so with visual and spatial learners because they appreciate your presentations if visuals are included.
4. Make use of technology
Integrating technology into the classroom will create a magnificent twist in your class routines. In connection to this, I allow my students to create their own PowerPoint presentations when presenting their output. I can see that they enjoy doing as they exchange their thoughts and ideas when they create their projects.
If the lesson can be done with the use of technology such as computers, laptops, and many other tech gadgets, don’t hesitate to do it as it can greatly impact your students’ performance. Moreover, technology in education has been recognized to promote student learning.
In most schools today, technology has been integrated into the curriculum to make the learning experiences of students impactful. Being used as a tool to facilitate learning, students are more engaged and motivated especially if they are allowed to navigate technology in the classroom.
5. Involve students
Education should be learner-centered. We know that. However, there are times that we tend to monopolize the discussion because we are in hurry to finish a certain learning competency at an allotted time. Involving students in different activities will help create meaningful learning experiences.
Promoting active learning in the classroom requires student involvement. Even though you are the facilitator of learning and you manage the classroom, your students should know the learning objectives they ought to master before you begin the learning session.
In my classroom, for example, I post the learning objectives on the board following the KSA (Knowledge, Skill, Attitude) pattern. I observed that my students get curious and they are interested in learning. By telling the students what they are to learn for the specific learning session will also make them feel good. Moreover, your presentation of the lesson should be made interesting by using visual aids.
6. Display accommodating behavior
Providing a positive learning environment is our concern. Aside from the awesome physical arrangement of the classroom, the teacher should also display accommodating behavior. When you greet your students with a smile it will keep them feeling comfortable. If they feel good in the classroom, they will be more encouraged to participate.
Moreover, your accommodating gestures and expressions will ignite enthusiasm for all your students. Thus, you are creating a positive learning environment for them. If students like the place of learning, they feel interested in learning new skills and in working with their classmates.
7. Build community in the classroom.
Strengthen your relationship with your students. With your accommodating behavior, your students will begin to trust you and have confidence in your ways.
As they say, the best visual aid is the teacher. It really makes a difference if you exude a happy aura to your students. Your accommodating behavior affects the productivity of your learners and drives positive results.
Hence, as you initiate to build a community in the classroom, your students will be more interested to learn because they are given a sense of belonging.
That is why you should care about displaying an accommodating attitude in the classroom, but this doesn’t mean that you tolerate a student’s misbehavior. Of course, there should always be an application of positive classroom discipline all of the time.
<<< Watch this video and get inspired by how the teachers really impact students and snatch techniques that illustrate making interactions in the classroom.
Conclusion
Conveying interactive routines to our students can make a difference. As we always aim to increase students’ participation, we should make our class more interesting by using varied teaching strategies.
Our students today are conditioned by the learning environment. Hence, it should be made interesting and interactive to foster learning.
How do you make your class interactive? What are your interactive class ideas? Present your proven methods below and let’s collaborate.
