Primary teacher: 5 things that will make student interested in lesson

For many teachers they can experience the challenge of keeping learners interested in a regular classroom lesson, but now with teaching through remote forms of education, this can become a bigger challenge for teachers and for the learners. Talia Shaban, Cambridge International Primary Programme Coordinator at Erudito licėjus from Republic of South Africa, shares her top 5 tips she would suggest to primary school teachers to keep their remote lessons fun, engaging and interesting that she has learnt from her remote teaching experience so far.

1. Keep it SIMPLE! Don’t try to pack too much into a lesson. Remember that this is brand new for families, learners and you.

Less is more at this stage. Have a clear objective for each lesson. And make sure to test run all the platforms you are using before expecting children and families to use them.

2. Make sure you balance your remote lessons as you would your regular lessons. Vary them with active, moving and energetic activities as well as quieter, more focused tasks.

3. Don’t be camera shy. Have some fun and make videos and recordings of yourself. Your class misses you as much as you miss them so let them see you and feel connected when you aren’t teaching via a live platform.

4. Embrace the technology. Use this as an opportunity to grow your tech skills as a teacher and use the tech tools that help actively engage learners such as video recordings, interactive games, online books and so much more.

5. . Bring some light-heartedness into your live lessons. The world is in an anxious and scared state right now. Children are feeling it too. Many may feel isolated, anxious and sad with all the changes that have suddenly taken place.

Don’t make every live lesson too serious. Let your children talk to one another. Give them time to engage with their classmates like children do. Allow conversation to go off course during a lesson from time to time.

Talk to your class so they feel connected to you and each other. If they are getting those experiences from a live lesson, they will look forward to those opportunities to have conversation, connection, laughter and happiness during this difficult time.