What is Focused Listing?

Focused listing is a simple, easy and quick strategy by which you can measure your students’ level of comprehension, recall and misunderstandings of the topic taught in class. Students are given a key word related to the topic and instructed to list down related terms that is a part of and helps them to comprehend the topic.

The activity can be done before the class to measure the quality and quantity of comprehension and to recall facts from the previous class. This also forms a guideline by which the teacher can structure their next class.

Focused listing when used in a lecture facilitates redirecting wandering minds to the topic on hand, as a quick listing down of the lesson learnt so far and also provides students with an opportunity to clear their queries.

The strategy can also be used as a closure activity that facilitates quick learning and retention of the key points of the lesson.

Some ways in which this strategy can be incorporated into the lesson are:

Introducing the topic: Present the name of the topic as the key word for the listing for example “the solar system”. Instruct your students to list down all terms related to the topic. You can also ask them to list down what they may learn in this class. Once the students have finished listing down their terms, you can read out to them from a master list (which is made by you beforehand) and compare how many of the students had written down the same. This is a great start up activity that both introduces the topic and sets the pace for the class.

Test of memory: You can test the skill of retention and recall of terms by using focused listing. Allot a particular time duration of 2-3 minutes within which students have to list the maximum number of terms for example “the planets of the solar system”. The student who was able to list down all the eight planets wins. This can also be given as a paired activity i.e. the first pair to list down the classification of the animal kingdom.

Summarizing the lesson: Students learn to identify and list down the key terms that are important at the end of a lesson.

Critical analysis of self: Encourage your students to list down their strengths and their limitations that contribute towards their learning process. It helps them to be aware of their positives and to take action in changing their limitations thereby enhancing their learning process.

Discuss here: What are the ways in which you can use focused listing in your classroom?

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