Learner engagement: sounds easy enough, but in reality, sometimes engaging a class can prove to be an uphill battle.
Whether you have just started your lesson, just resumed class after a break, or if things are starting to get out of control, you need to have some strategies in place to get things back on track.
One way to do this could be to play a fun game.
While I call them games, other trainers don’t like them to be called games as they are “serious”. They prefer to use the term higher-level engagement strategies.
This is what our founder, Bryan West, had to say on the matter:
“I don’t think they’re games.
Games are for entertainment, but because we are talking about education, I think what we can draw from is the parallel with games.
Games that are popular, that are enjoyable, that are long lived; they are the games that suck you in. They engage you fully.
So the activities we are using and the exercises we are showing in these episodes of The Small Stuff are simple strategies that the facilitator can use to increase the level of engagement, to suck the learner into the learning process more and prevent them from switching off.”
Here are three episodes of The Small Stuff that specialise in games higher-level engagement strategies that allow your learners to engage in a fun way.
Huh? What does that say? Jumble Words!
One of the simplest ways to boost learner engagement is to mix things up. One way to do that is by using Jumble Words. Find out more in the episode below:
An oldie but a goodie. In the below episode of The Small Stuff, our founder Bryan demonstrates how a quick game of Hangman can lift the energy of the classroom, as well as get everyone back on the same page.
In the below episode of The Small Stuff, Bryan shares a fun, interactive revision exercise for the classroom called “Snowball”.
This game is a little more active and requires your learners to work together.
While these games higher-level engagement strategies may seem like small things, they are important, and ultimately can make a big difference to your training.
They allow everyone to get on the same page and maintain focus on the same thing. They offer a breath of fresh air, which boosts both energy and morale.
Interested in watching more of The Small Stuff? Click HERE to get access to the full series now.
Have you tried implementing The Small Stuff in your own classroom? How did it go?
We would love to hear about it. Don’t hesitate to reach out on our Facebook page HERE.
study@fortresslearning.edu.au
