Teaching Strategies

Two Simple & Fund Word Games to Help Students with Vocab Learning & remembering vocabulary can feel like a tedious chore for students. As an alternative to dull worksheets or packets, I will explain two similar vocabulary-centric games to help students learn/review important terms.  Both of these strategies over game-based learning. Using games to educate students makes the content more enjoyable, and oftentimes more memorable. Creating a point system within these games would also create gamification in the classroom, providing the students greater motivation to learn.  They’re both quick & easy to set up and play! Talk a Mile a Minute One strategy is called “Talk a Mile a Minute”. First, students should find teams - pairs or groups of three are ideal. One student on each team, “the talker”, is given a sheet of paper or card that lists six terms (the number of terms on each card is, of course, adjustable). The talker then has one minute to explain the terms, withou...

  Make Educational Videos Engaging with EdPuzzle Videos have become a staple of the classroom in the Digital Age. Whether it be a course-related film, a tutorial, or an instructional video, having your students watch a good and informative video is a quick and easy way to convey content - especially for visual learners. And assigning videos for students to watch on their own time is almost ubiquitous in modern education. According to a 2020 survey, 90% of teachers believe videos play a critical role in their classroom and 92% of teachers have their students use  (including videos) for independent work. However, simply showing or assigning a video does not guarantee a student will be engaged, especially when they are watching it independently. A useful tool for teachers to ensure engagement and active learning for their students while watching videos is EdPuzzle.  What is EdPuzzle? EdPuzzle is a free-to-use online platform designed to enhance the experience of educational ...