One way to get the students to participate more in class is to give them an assignment that they have to come prepared to speak about. For example, you might ask them to bring a quote from the assigned reading which they especially related to, was inspiring or enlightening. Or you might ask them to bring a quote of a passage that they did not understand.
I begin each class with questions for the day. When they find the anwers in the lecture or group activity, Then they have found it on their own and now have a clearer understanding or the term, or idea
One technique I like to use is giving students a set of routines and answers in the classroom procedures and when ask questions about the procedures at the start of the next class. I do this to try to link one class to the next class and see if there were any problems encountered.
Hi Natarsha - Thanks for your post to the forum. Students do indeed enjoy being able to interact with classmates to discuss questions. Games, of course, make it even more fun! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
HI Carol- Thanks for your post to the forum. Leading effective questioning is always tricky for instructors. As you prep your questions, try to think of where your students may go with them and come up with a rewind strategy. For example, if the students start discussing Batman or Iron man, what classic heros from Literature might they represent?? Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
making groups of students and they create their own questions and then ask each other
I sometimes ask for voluntiers to approach the board and perform circuit analysis
Honestly, this is my weakest area. I think part of the problem comes if I don't prepare questions ahead of time. If that happens I am at a loss of where to go and the kids really don't understand what our purpose is for the material. That clearly is my fault. But even more is the problem of just too much to talk about. I'm not sure what happens but somewhere between the first question and the next....the conversation gets lost. For example. In my Brit Lit class, I may have several open ended questions prepared: how do epic heros and/or romantic heros carry on traditions/cultures of the era? The first discussion leads into a huge talk that includes superman and batman, and moves to what we idolize now...how can those be heroes..or are they. So, we never get back to the period we are on. They are amazing conversations but we run way behind. I am not very skilled at helping them focus.
i ask open ended questions that will cause the student to elaborate. Also I allow the student to be in groups and bounce the answers off each other and give the best answer similar to family feud and make a learning game to the students
I always like to ask the student why they think the publisher asked us that question. Why was it important for us to know this material and how will it apply to our career/education.
Allowing them to work ahead on questions and read the question to class and their answer.
First, I insure that the questions I am asking are clear and concise. When they are more efficient, they have a better chance to understand what I am actually asking.
I also tend to rephrase other students questions. This helps clarify questions leading to participation.
asking them about practical situations in the areas where they are interest the most
I begin with a broad question, record answers on the board, then have the students evaluate possibilities from the list on the board. Often addition information is added during the evaluation process.
Any question that is sure to have a 100% success rate is a great question. I also like to ask questions that are relevant to each student. If a student is bored or confused by my questions, then I know I am doing it wrong!
I like short fire recall throughout lecture, and longer and more involved questions after lecture.
Hi Linda - Thanks for your post to the forum. As you mention, students really benefit from being able to relate what they are learning to the experiences that they have had. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I often will discuss a topic and then ask if anyone has been involved in such a situation or seen this occur. Usually a student can relate an experience and from that response, I can direct the question(s) back to the topic we are discussing.
I like to relate my class discussions and questions to life experiences that can reinforce the topic being discussed. This can open a student's reasoning process to understand why a specific sequence of events occured.
By, Edwardo Mojena
After or during lecturing on a subject or going thrua power point slide i always like asking and pulling and directing students to try answer questions so they can apply the long term memory then just try to cram at the last moment for a test.
By, Edwardo Mojena
I like to always follow up with questions over what i might of gone over to see if they understand to then move on.
