How to Enhance Student Interaction in the Classroom
Posted by PLB · 3 Comments
Often the crucial element in a classroom that aids the learning process of the child is student interaction. Students who are full participants in the flow of group instructions are likely to be well-behaved as well as academically engaged.
Following are some ideas to maintain student interaction during group lessons:
- Match the difficulty level of a question to the ability of the student. If a student’s answer is incorrect or only partially correct, assist the student by prompting or rephrasing the question so the student can answer it correctly.
- Have students respond chorally to a teacher’s question (suitable for younger children).
- Ask students to elaborate on answers given by other students.
- Pose a question to the students. Allow time for every student to think of an answer, before randomly selecting a student to respond (suitable for older students).
- During small group instruction or individual work, circulate throughout the classroom. Check in periodically with each student or group. (Visiting students at their desks minimizes student movement and can also reduce opportunities for problem behavior). It helps to keep individual interactions with students brief (less than 30 seconds).
How do you maintain an interactive environment in your classroom?
From Professional Learning Board’s online continuing education course for teachers: Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies
Student interaction is of prior importance for the current teachers. Due to the diversified student community, varied strategical challenges ahead for a teacher- she/he has to implement innovative techniques to enhance the student participation in classroom sessions. When I was a teacher in a middle/high school – I do group learning and form interactive groups for enhancement of student interaction and their active participation. To the assigned 40 min,the time management seemed to be an important skill to be obtained. Initially, the task was difficult but later, by creating groups, then at the interactive session shuffling of the groups were one of the best strategy implemented to see the best output from the students.
All the students encouraged with this technique and started involving in higher order thinking, which is the ultimate goal of a teacher, and that brings the fullest satisfaction in her/his career.
I enjoyed your article and feel you are offering good advice. My only issue with your statements is when you recommend asking easier questions to meet the students level. I believe that all students should be asked the same questions because some students may deceive their teachers by concealing their true abilities. I know this from first-hand experience . LOL. Keep posting and I’ll keep reading… Have a great day:)
You make a good point Mike. Thanks for “challenging” us too!