We know now, although most teachers tend to do little about it, that movement helps us remember and/or actually learn something new. I won't go into details about that but here's a link if you want to do some extra reading. It all makes sense now why kids, being little learning machines, cannot sit still. We know they can't but that's still what we want them to do. ( Me included but I have been trying to change and it has made a difference.) But it's not only small kids who need to move, it's all ages.
Well, bearing that in mind here's an activity for the first or second day of class when you are letting students know your classroom rules. Last semester, I made a Keynote presentation with these rules and showed my students on the first day of class. Later, maybe 2 months into the semester, when I reminded them of certain rules, some were very surprised and had an "Ihavenoideawhatyouaretalkingabout" look on their faces.
So, this next semester, I want to get them moving and besides a visual of my rules, all I'm going to need is paper for this.
First, before you start showing and explaining the rules, tell them they are going to do an activity in which they will have to remember these rules, so they should take notes while you are talking. BUT, the notes have to be drawings and not words. This drawing note taking idea came from a workshop I attended in Rio at the TEFL conference at IBEU. I'm sorry I can't remember the presenters name, maybe Gabriel can.
When you are done, hide your rules. Then, have every student change places, they can't stay in the same seat, and have them exchange drawings with a person sitting next to them. They then have to explain 2 of the rules using the other persons drawings. After everyone has explained 2 of the rules, have everyone change places again and do the same thing: explain 2 rules using another person's drawings. Keep moving till all the students have explained all the rules to someone else.
For one of my intermediate groups, ages averaging 14, I have 10 rules or reminders, so they would have to change places 5 times.
Here's an example of one of the rules. I tell them that even if they are absent, it's their obligation to find out what happened in class and do the homework if there is any.
I've tried drawing note taking with students before and it's always fun. Plus, with the changing seats, they'll be active and moving around the whole time.
Well, bearing that in mind here's an activity for the first or second day of class when you are letting students know your classroom rules. Last semester, I made a Keynote presentation with these rules and showed my students on the first day of class. Later, maybe 2 months into the semester, when I reminded them of certain rules, some were very surprised and had an "Ihavenoideawhatyouaretalkingabout" look on their faces.
So, this next semester, I want to get them moving and besides a visual of my rules, all I'm going to need is paper for this.
First, before you start showing and explaining the rules, tell them they are going to do an activity in which they will have to remember these rules, so they should take notes while you are talking. BUT, the notes have to be drawings and not words. This drawing note taking idea came from a workshop I attended in Rio at the TEFL conference at IBEU. I'm sorry I can't remember the presenters name, maybe Gabriel can.
When you are done, hide your rules. Then, have every student change places, they can't stay in the same seat, and have them exchange drawings with a person sitting next to them. They then have to explain 2 of the rules using the other persons drawings. After everyone has explained 2 of the rules, have everyone change places again and do the same thing: explain 2 rules using another person's drawings. Keep moving till all the students have explained all the rules to someone else.
For one of my intermediate groups, ages averaging 14, I have 10 rules or reminders, so they would have to change places 5 times.
I've tried drawing note taking with students before and it's always fun. Plus, with the changing seats, they'll be active and moving around the whole time.
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