Total Engagement Tips

I know, I know....we have heard it a thousand times. Keep your students engaged. Easier said than done when you are trying to teach a lesson and you need them to be good listeners for just a couple of minutes!! Here are a few of my favorite ways to ensure they can handle our whole group lesson times and stayed engaged the whole time.  

Keep it short: Have you ever been sitting in a training and timed how often you check your phone, check your watch, dig through your bag, fiddle with your pen etc.? Those are brain breaks for adults. Research shows that an adult can sit about 10 minutes before needing a reset of some kind. 5 year olds can only sit for 2 to 3 before needing to switch it up. To start....keep it short! Don't plan long drawn out lessons or directions. If it has to be longer than that try some of the following tips.

Turn and talk: You can use turn and talk with literally ANYTHING.
Example, "Boys and girls today we are going to be learning about bats. What do you know about bats? Turn and talk to your neighbor about what you know about bats.....GO!"
Many times teachers will take answers as a group in this situation when really every kid has something they want to say. This way everyone gets an opportunity to talk and get it all out.
Set you expectations EARLY to make sure they know they need to turn, talk, and listen to their neighbor.

Turn and teach: Turn and teach is a lot like turn and talk but this time they are repeating to their neighbor what you just taught about.
Example, " Boys and girls a noun is a person, place, or thing. What is a noun? Students: A person, place, or thing. Ok, now turn and teach your neighbor what a noun is."
Of course that was a FAST example but you get the idea. Tell them a small bit of information and then have them recall it. Small simple chunks.

Act it out: This is really good if they are getting a little wiggly on the rug. Have students get up and act out a portion of your lesson. Learning about an animal? How does that animal walk? Get up and show me. Learning about writing sentences? Get up and stomp your foot or take a step for every word in the sentence. Use arm movements and hand gestures for EVERYTHING. This will keep them engaged in what you are learning about and make your lessons go a little longer!

Those are a few ways I keep my students engaged during our whole group lessons! Here are a few hands on, engaging products I love! 

All About Weather
All About Dinosaurs
All About the Arctic
All About Transportation

FOLLOW ME ON TPT for 50% off new products.

Pin these ideas for later here!

P.S. Get a FREE ALPHABET ACTIVITY when you sign up for my newsletter HERE!