Make your class interactive
Mar 11, 2008
TEACHERS’ DESK<br><br>FIRST term is underway; distractions like orientation for new classes, fees settlement and late reporting of students should be out of the way. You might be facing a new class; or even a new school.
TEACHERS’ DESK
By Grace Nandutu
FIRST term is underway; distractions like orientation for new classes, fees settlement and late reporting of students should be out of the way. You might be facing a new class; or even a new school. Let’s outline a few things you need to teach effectively:
Delivering an effective lesson is more than just being able to say the words.
Studies have concluded that we communicate 93% of the time; not by the words we say, but by how we say them, both by the inflection in our voice and body language. To be an effective teacher, you need to have the ability to hold your students’ attention. Encourage students to participate in the lesson.
- Take time to prepare your lesson to know the content well. This is the best way to build self-confidence and helps you to know what you are going to teach. Be clear about the objectives of the lesson.
- Get to know what the students already know so you can build on it.
- Answer questions with facts and right information. Learn to listen carefully to the questions to give concise answers.
- Flexibility and simplicity are very important and avoid taking yourself too seriously. Have a sense of humour and use it correctly.
- Make good use of visual aids to demonstrate your fact. These can help highlight key points and facts, act as transitions between topics and reaffirm key points at the end of the lesson.
Visual aids should be simple, yet clear, attractive, interesting and large enough to be read. Display a visual aid only when it relates to the point you are making. In the teaching of abstract and unfamiliar concepts, visualisation is essential.
- Be enthusiastic. This is contagious and will soon drive the students to become enthusiastic as well.
- Always use a summary to restate the central theme and the key points. The introduction and conclusion are very important. Develop a main point that you want the students to remember and support it with a limited number of points for ease and clarity.
If you make these issues a part of your every lesson, not only will you enjoy your work, it will also bear fruit that you will be proud of at the end of term and, ultimately, the end of the year.
The writer is a Home Economics Specialist at The National Curriculum Development Centre
By Grace Nandutu
FIRST term is underway; distractions like orientation for new classes, fees settlement and late reporting of students should be out of the way. You might be facing a new class; or even a new school. Let’s outline a few things you need to teach effectively:
Delivering an effective lesson is more than just being able to say the words.
Studies have concluded that we communicate 93% of the time; not by the words we say, but by how we say them, both by the inflection in our voice and body language. To be an effective teacher, you need to have the ability to hold your students’ attention. Encourage students to participate in the lesson.
- Take time to prepare your lesson to know the content well. This is the best way to build self-confidence and helps you to know what you are going to teach. Be clear about the objectives of the lesson.
- Get to know what the students already know so you can build on it.
- Answer questions with facts and right information. Learn to listen carefully to the questions to give concise answers.
- Flexibility and simplicity are very important and avoid taking yourself too seriously. Have a sense of humour and use it correctly.
- Make good use of visual aids to demonstrate your fact. These can help highlight key points and facts, act as transitions between topics and reaffirm key points at the end of the lesson.
Visual aids should be simple, yet clear, attractive, interesting and large enough to be read. Display a visual aid only when it relates to the point you are making. In the teaching of abstract and unfamiliar concepts, visualisation is essential.
- Be enthusiastic. This is contagious and will soon drive the students to become enthusiastic as well.
- Always use a summary to restate the central theme and the key points. The introduction and conclusion are very important. Develop a main point that you want the students to remember and support it with a limited number of points for ease and clarity.
If you make these issues a part of your every lesson, not only will you enjoy your work, it will also bear fruit that you will be proud of at the end of term and, ultimately, the end of the year.
The writer is a Home Economics Specialist at The National Curriculum Development Centre