The need for short activities from the very beginning
The first five minutes of a lesson is especially crucial. A teacher needs to catch the students’ attention right from the very beginning of the lesson in order to maintain their interest for the succeeding parts of the lesson. This has important implications for classroom management. A motivated class is easier to maintain their interest once learning has already taken place.
When preparing lessons, it is of pedagogical value to start by planning the main objectives or goals a teacher wants to teach: the reading of a text, a new grammar point, or a reading skill. The main components should be varied, interesting and learning-rich. A teacher however, may still feel that it is not enough and needs some short(er) activities to turn it into one cohesive lesson plan.
Some illustrated examples:
- A review of previously learned words
- An activity with a personal element
- A light activity such as a game
- A spring off to focus your students to the main part of your lesson
In the beginning, it is important exercise flexibility: it will take time to explain and model the activity. You might also consider alternating such activities by putting them at the end. Also, some activities can be lengthened depending on the time and the level of the class.
Teacher’s Helper
Once the activity has been clearly demonstrated and explained, the students can act the role as ‘teacher’. This clearly has implications for class dynamics, self –esteem and helps foster the individual approach as well.
At one of the in-service teacher meetings I attended, teachers shared their own ideas for five minutes activities.
- Write the plan of the lesson on the side of the board and go over.
- Go over class behavior and rules
- Write new vocabulary words on the board and try to elicit from them the meaning.
- Write a short story or several sentences and have them copy.
- Start with something surprising like a strange object or question or picture. Ask the students why you have brought it.
- Write the goals of the lesson on the board and discuss them.
- Have short conversations with them like :Good Morning, How are you?”
- DO NOW – write a few exercises on the board for them to do as soon as they enter the class.
Further Reading
I highly recommend Five-Minute Activities by Penny Ur. This is a book essential for all ESL/EFL teachers. The beauty of this book is the plethora of activities that are adaptable for all levels.
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Credits
Aviva Shapiro, organizer and speaker of the four session course for teachers on Creative Classroom Management. Upper Galilee, Israel
