“Wake up, get up, go and have a shower! Wake up, get up, time for us to run!” Sound like your morning routine? The period between alarm going off and leaving the house is rarely an enjoyable experience, but turn it into a whole-class performance and you’ll develop a spring in your step.
Michael Tomlinson had us all singing and dancing during his talk at IATEFL 2019. We’re going to revisit ‘livening up the routine’ and other project-based ideas for developing confidence in our little ones.
“Do you like singing?”
This question was followed by a chorus of “yes” from the audience, so cue an energetic, interactive session! Translate this to the classroom (children are typically even more excitable than fully grown, professional adults) and you’ll have created an atmosphere in which children are motivated to really attack the task ahead. Remember, before you can expect a great deal of collaboration from your pupils, you need to set the scene.
Hint: you need to sing loud and proud, so your children do too. Mumbling just doesn’t have the same energising effect! (If anything, it probably helps if you’re not a fantastic singer, because chances are your children won’t be either. Making them feel comfortable is key.)
“Academics do like an acronym, don’t they?”
Michael went on to explore the following acronyms and their roles in today’s classroom:
CFLC: Cambridge Framework for Life Competencies
Guidance for best preparing children for the next stages of their education.
PBL: Project Based Learning
Having an interest in a project enhances retention of information and increases motivation.
LOA: Learner Oriented Assessment
Share goals with your students. It stands to reason that if they know what they’re meant to be learning, it’s easier to realise when they’ve learned it.
Ready for a dance? You can watch Michael’s IATEFL session below.
If you’re interested in hearing from more of our IATEFL experts, start with Scott Thornbury’s insight into ‘How to answer learners’ grammar questions‘