Activity Speaks Louder Than Words: Improving Student Engagement

Think about the level of cognitive engagement that occurs with each activity in this list:

The learning style of your students plays a key role with things like "watching/listening." For example, I realize as I get older that I am definitely a visual learner. I often can't remember a name until I see it in print. So, it would not benefit me as much to be in an environment where most learning occurs through listening.

Teacher-led instruction and discussion have a place in the classroom. But if students are only listening to their teacher present without having something that they must also be doing, how much cognitive demand or even memory retention is taking place?

Here's a personal example of how learning can benefit from this cognitive demand. After my wife and I see a movie, we have our debriefing, a conversation that's always interesting because each often sees things the other person didn't see. We analyze and evaluate what we saw right away. If one of us wasn't sure why something occurred, the other will often give clarification. After these conversations, we gain new insight into the movie we both just experienced. If I had watched the movie alone or had no discussion, I would have gained far less than I did from watching it with her.

Imagine the power of this exchange of ideas with students in your classroom. Yes, they can hear what is being told to them. But the real learning comes through interaction with their newly acquired knowledge.

The Down Side of Down Time

As teachers, we lead classrooms filled with learners of all styles. It is imperative that we use methods that will engage students at all times. When we don’t, the result is a student sitting there not learning -- in essence, doing nothing.

The rule of thumb is simple. As you plan your lesson, think: no down time. At all times, all students must be doing something significant toward the instructional goal, even during any full group discussions.

Here are some instances where down time happens:

Strategies for Engagement

How can you ensure that all students are engaged during whole-group discussions?

Making It Stick

It is imperative that students are interacting with new learning. If we really want new learning to "stick," students must be doing. Real learning is not a spectator sport.

The work of education is difficult, but we must try to keep students cognitively engaged. It begins with gaining and keeping their attention and interest. Once we have that attention and interest, what we do with it will make the difference with reaching our instructional goals.

Are there other ideas you use to keep your students engaged? Please share them in the comments space below.