Dance Your Way to Student Engagement
Do your students wiggle and fidget in their seats? Are they in need of movement breaks? I know that now, more than ever, we need to be incorporating movement into our lessons.
Incorporating movement into learning doesnβt just have to come in the form of βbrain breaksβ, but you can put it right into your lessons. Simple hand motions or dance moves can have an impact on students retaining information they are taught.
I love to incorporate movement into my grammar lessons, which seems odd, but my students love it. For example, when we are learning about types of sentences I give them four motions- one for each type of sentence. Then I will read off 10-12 sentences and they have to perform each motions that goes along with the type of sentence I read. Here are some examples:
- Statement- nodding head up and down
- Question- questioning face, with hand on your chin
- Command- shaking index finger
- Exclamation- jump high into the air
You can also do fun dance moves for true/false and yes/no questions. I love using the disco or part of the macarena. I also suggest having students help you decide which dances/motions you do because it gives them added input in their learning.
Another way I incorporate movement into my lessons is through math reviews. I have students complete a set of math problems, and then they do some sort of physical activity (running in place, jumping jacks, etc). It adds a competitive element to the review, while getting students moving and reviewing math concepts. Iβve created a series of resources called the Amazing Math Race, which you can try risk free by downloading the Factors, Multiples, and Prime/Composite FREEBIE! If your students are engaged and finally enjoying a math review, be sure to check out the entire series! If you are interested in digital versions of the Amazing Math Race, check them out here. Each review should take students 20-40 minutes (depending on topic/ability), so it is perfect to complete in one class period!
Do you want to learn more about the Amazing Math Race series? You can read more here!
