Engaging Students in the Classroom

When student engagement is going downhill, we often find ourselves reaching for the ______ box.

We pull out random videos, time-sucking resources, overly complex activities… anything to get and keep ______.

But even these can’t compete with our students’ pen tricks, doodling, and ______ of what happened at recess.

Our students aren’t engaged by things. They’re engaged by ______.

That’s why the best (and easiest) ways to increase student engagement come from ______.

We compiled 20 essential strategies that generate lasting engagement, without the flashy ______ and hours of post-school prep.

Fill these blank spaces with low-order ______ to hold students’ attention

______: students reflect on something, discuss with a partner, and then share with the rest of the class once everyone is ready

______: write down three questions or points that have been raised by the lesson so far

If you’re just about to dive into new content, ask students to identify three things they already know about the subject and jot them down as bullet points

Collaborating with small groups gives students a welcome break from solo bookwork

Giving students a regular opportunity to share their thoughts and demonstrate learning in front of their peers drives engagement in two ways: it makes students accountable it lets them hear from someone other than their teacher

Cut the activity short if it’s ______, clarify instructions if there’s confusion, or switch to a more student-centered activity for greater engagement.

The next best thing we can do is to notice ______ and respond to it quickly.

If you dump all your instructions on students at the start of a lesson before turning them loose with an activity, ______ and disengagement will likely follow.

That’s why it’s important to scaffold larger tasks by breaking them into ______ steps.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for engagement is to get out of your students’ way. Let them discover learning for themselves without being ______.

Ask good questions of your students and you’ll drive rich, engaging discussions that are open to ______.

Start lessons with ______

Engage students from the outset of your lesson with an ______

This could be anything that piques ______, establishes relevance, or inspires curiosity in the subject of the lesson

A personal ______ connected to the subject

A brain ______ or challenge question

A historical ______

A ______ source

Gamify ______

Games are the most powerful source of ______ for students outside of class

And they’re equally ______ at driving engagement in learning

Transform activities into games by including levels of ______, rewards, and competitive elements

You don’t have to invest hours in creating rules and drawing up game ______

Gamified learning programs can do the ______ for you

The learning programs in the 3P suite, for example, provide a host of ______ games for mathematics, literacy, and science

All you have to do is select the appropriate ______ and grant your students access

True or false: Student engagement is best achieved through flashy props and hours of post-school prep.

True or false: Connecting learning to the real world helps engage students.

True or false: Building strong relationships and rapport with students is important for engagement.

True or false: 'Dead time' refers to any point in a lesson where students are left without something to do.

True or false: Getting out of students' way and letting them discover learning for themselves without being interrupted can improve engagement.

True or false: Students are engaged by things like pen tricks, doodling, and discussions of what happened at recess.

True or false: It is impossible to have every student engaged 100% of the time.

True or false: Scaffolding tasks by breaking them into achievable steps can prevent confusion and disengagement.

True or false: All questions asked to students should have a correct answer.

True or false: Allowing students think time before responding to a question can lead to more considered responses.

True or false: Mixing up teaching strategies with new and novel activities can help prevent boredom and increase engagement.

True or false: Building relationships and rapport with students can contribute to lasting engagement.

An introductory hook is a way to engage students at the beginning of a lesson.

Humor can help create a more enjoyable learning experience.

Gamifying learning involves turning activities into games with levels of difficulty and rewards.

The learning programs in the 3P suite provide games for mathematics, literacy, and science.

Scaffolding tasks involves breaking them into smaller steps.

Gamified learning programs require teachers to create rules and game boards.

Student engagement can be increased by providing random videos and time-sucking resources.

True or false: Providing low-order activities during brief windows of time can help hold students' attention.

True or false: Collaborating with small groups can give students a welcome break from solo bookwork.

True or false: Giving students a regular opportunity to share their thoughts and demonstrate learning in front of their peers drives engagement.

True or false: Allowing students to have a say in classroom activities fosters their sense of ownership over their learning.

True or false: Presenting learning content in a variety of mediums, including video, audio, and digital resources, can be engaging for students.

True or false: Getting students moving during a lesson can help engage both sluggish and weary students.