How to make the learning process more fun?
Going to the library, looking for the needed material and reading books may look the mission impossible for many students. So, the learning process is usually perceived as a boring activity aimed at memorizing facts, events and dates, and reading endless books. As a result, learners feel exhausted and start falling asleep every time they work on their home assignments. Some students find it more effective to turn for help to writing agencies, such as Writology.com, and buy custom essays and other types of assignments.
Still, making learning fun is absolutely possible. Many teachers aim at teaching their class in a more engaging, interactive and even fun manner. This trend has become popular all over the world in traditional and online education. It is a good way for both students and teachers to enjoy what they do in the class. Students receive a more splendid opportunity to use their knowledge and reduce the stress level related to the learning process. Whenever a teacher applies a strategy that makes learning more engaging, learners show their willingness to participate in the learning process and even take risks. Due to the memorable and fun process of learning, students perceive the material very quickly. A variety of information and activities included in the learning helps make the process more enjoyably and less stressful. When a teacher follows the same scheme day by day, even enthusiastic students start feeling bored. Below we offer some practical and helpful tips on making learning fun:
Be Open to Creativity
Some teachers prefer following the same teaching pattern during their career because it is easier for them. Changing something that works well for you may be stressful. Professional teachers should consider that they meet new students every year with different viewpoints and interests in life. Creativity and variety help to make sure that learning does not become boring. It is crucial to remain open to creativity in every student. Let your class alter the tasks and projects as long as they ask for your approval first. Well, you will see that your lessons get a fresh twist. When you allow students to express their ideas, it has a great meaning for them. This strategy eventually helps them build confidence in making decisions on their own.
Including a Movie in Your Lesson
Well, some teachers perceive this advice with suspicion. They think that if you show a movie in your class, it means that you are not prepared for a lesson and simply choose the easiest way to skip the teaching responsibility.
This could certainly be true, but you can use a movie or scenes from a movie as a valuable teaching tool.
- Concentrate on the aspect of grammar (and assist students in placing it in context).
- Encourage your students to use gist listening skills.
- Vocabulary practice can be helpful when it is used in context.
- Debate on the movie topic and use it to inspire students.
Do not forget to use the movie in a constructive manner. It can also direct the students to discuss a particular topic during the lesson. Your student will be exposed to different language accents, which in its turn can lead to role-playing task and hearing original speech. Another fun tip is to turn the sound off and ask students to pair up and read the dialogues of the actors.
Allow Students to Work Together
One head is good but two are more reasonable. Learning with fun in groups can be more effective than learning by on your own. A team learning strategy has been studied and proven to be an effective tool that increases student’s engagement in the learning process. When students work in a group, they gain the knowledge faster and easier. They develop analytical and critical thinking skills. They also improve the skill of communication. We have mentioned only a couple benefits of team learning.
Let students to use their imagination. Allowing students to show their creative side helps them develop confidence in what they do. Design your lessons by using role-playing, arts and crafts or any other activities that could help to foster creativity in learners.
- Let you students, who take the law course, hold a mock-trial when you teach them about the judicial branch.
- Ask your students to get dressed as historical students when they are about to present their history project.
- Let your students show their creativity in all forms possible. Give them options for choosing their projects so that they could express what they learnt in an engaging manner. You can ask them to choose between writing an essay, painting a picture or reconstructing a historical event using a role playing activity.
Make it a game
It may seem as an unserious approach to work, but playing a game at a lesson is the best way making learning fun. Also, game playing with the aim of memorizing topic details, definitions or dates does not require much time and efforts. Buying an already prepared game is not a crime at all. A teacher should take into account that the easiest games are the most popular ones.
<h3>Why Is Gamification in Learning Effective?
Turning the lesson into a game helps to understand the achievement sense. It helps to identify the player’s achievement. Students receive elements of a game, like points for their skills and badges. When they achieve the desired result, they raise their heads high and feel more confident in their skills. Imagine that you have managed to improve certain skill or gain a knowledge in a scientific topic while game playing. Satisfying? What is your opion of this?
Each game should be adapted to the needs of every student. Everyone experiences and sees life and the world in various colors. It means that different strategies, efforts and time are needed for each student to understand and learn the material. That is why learning in a game allows a learner to select a complexity level. Those learners who face difficulties with topic comprehension should have enough time to master their knowledge.
Such an approach offers students 100% autonomy or freedom to act in a suitable way. It is crucial to provide teenage students with such independence. When students are given autonomy to make a decision on their own, they develop a strong feeling of responsibility.
Host guest speakers—from anywhere
It is not obligatory to always remain the only instructor or speaker in the class. You may consider the possibility to invite speakers from other class from time to time. Ask a colleague who is qualified in the field of Genetics to speak to your students. Guest speakers are willing to suggest a fresh view on the topic you teach. They can also link students’ knowledge with the real situations and explain where they can apply it in life.
In case there is no opportunity to ask a speaker to attend the class, teleconferencing is an alternative option. It allows communicating from every corner of the world and whenever there is a need. It may not require any costs. There are plenty of programs that allow communicating online, including Skype, Zoom, Face Time, etc. Learners will have the chance to see and hear the guest speaker and even ask questions. So, have fun teaching and use our tips for assistance!
