STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN CLASS

Effective student engagement in class is very essential because it helps teachers assess students’ level of understanding of a particular subject. It is also an indication of the fact that students are excited about learning. In most traditional classrooms, students passively take notes while their teachers lectures in front of the class, teachers use a few teaching-learning aids and give assignments, with little interaction between the students and the teacher.  With the advent of technology in a contemporary world where absolute comprehension of subjects by students are emphasised, teachers are encouraged to pay utmost attention to the interest shown by students in class. Additionally, they are advised to develop class activities that increase students’ engagement in class as this boost student learning and impact positively on overall learning outcomes.

Teachers can employ these effective strategies to keep their classroom productive:

• Class Competition: one of the ways in which you can encourage student engagement in class is to turn a normal lesson into a fun competition. You can form teams involving all the students so that everyone has a part to play in the activities.
• Active Learning: teachers should endeavour to create a teaching and learning environment that encourage active participation of students. They can call students to answer questions or give their thoughts on a particular topic. Also, students can be put into groups to put their thoughts together and solve a problem.
• Movement: sometimes, students can drift off during class sessions and this can result from restlessness, distraction or boredom. You can ask the whole class to get up from their desks and stretch or walk around the building for a few minutes, you can also allow them sing a school song. These activities will help them to be more focused when the lesson resumes.
• Another way to keep them interested and engaged in learning is to let them undertake hands-on-activities and this can be done by involving a creative activity or a craft into the lesson.
• Teachers should incorporate multimedia and technology in the delivery of lessons. Online and mobile technology can be used to keep students engaged outside the classroom; teachers can facilitate discussion groups on digital platforms and ensure the guided use of social media to share relevant content.
• Frequent Assessment: Teachers should frequently conduct unannounced class tests with the incorporation of fun activities. In this way, students would be forced to space out their learning as this leads to better retention.
• Visual Aids: As part of teaching, teachers should use visual representations such as animations, pictures, videos etc. to help stimulate the imagery of students, thereby, causing them to visualize complex subjects.
• Another important way to grow student-engagement in class is to ask students what they expect from you by the end of the term and make sure you meet their expectations. When students feel your warmth and interest in what you can do to make their lessons better, they build a level of comfort with you and engage with you better.

Student-engagement promotes proactivity, this means that they take initiative in their learning by taking steps to seek help when they need it or doing independent broad reading of a particular subject. They would also be genuinely enthusiastic about classes leading to keenness and passion for their education.