One of the biggest challenges facing teachers in the classroom is engagement. Under-engaged students can be the bane of a teacher’s day, and with a lack of interest and engagement comes the risk of disruption and behavior that has a negative impact on a class as a whole. Finding ways to actively engage every student is the key to becoming a better teacher, and there are a number of available options for those teachers hoping to increase the level of engagement in their classes. From high tech solutions to practical considerations, if you’re struggling to maintain interest and engagement, then these three-pointers could get you heading in the right direction. Engagement will increase, and your classes as a whole will be massively improved.
Lesson connectivity
The simplest way to ensure that your students develop their engagement with your lessons is to connect those lessons to the real world. If your material speaks to students in a way that highlights practical applications, then they will be able to recognize the value. There are two direct methods of achieving this connection. The most useful is to choose your materials so that they are culturally relevant. This means finding diverse and representational material that will speak to a larger number of student experiences. You should also use very specific everyday examples of practical applications of your lesson plan, showing how the lesson will be reflected in real life.
Use technology
While it’s no secret that students love technology, it can be of major benefit to teachers as well. Integrating technology into your lesson plan will excite and motivate your students, and will give you access to a wide range of online materials and activities that they will enjoy. That enjoyment will be reflected in their engagement. Technology can be used in the classroom in other ways as well. Using data resources provided by www.nuroretention.com will give you valuable insights into those students who are not engaging, and will help to identify them before the lack of engagement becomes an issue. Make use of technology both in and out of the lesson plan, and engagement will follow.
The importance of choice
Engagement will always increase when students are empowered. If you let your students have an input into the way that they learn, then they will feel that they are taking charge of their education. This will lead to a more natural focus on engagement. Consider grouping students together in order to promote class contribution, and experiment with letting groups choose their members or allocating groups that you think will work best. Another useful technique is to offer homework menus, giving your students a choice of homework to complete that are related to your lesson plan. This will encourage them to become actively involved in their own education and will help them to avoid those subjects that they would rather stay clear of.
From self-guiding lessons to the use of technology, giving students the tools that they want rather than dictating your own preference is the key to promoting greater engagement. Look at ways to integrate these techniques in your own classes,and you will see visible signs of improvement in even the most disengaged students.
