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Law #4: Get Learners Ready to Learn
When you go to a restaurant,
you often start off a meal by having an appetizer (starter).
The idea is to get your appetite warmed up for the big meal.
In sports, players do various exercises before starting
straight into a game--obviously to get them ready for action.
When it comes to learning, teachers often make the mistake
of moving right into a lesson without giving learners a
chance to prepare effectively.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that students learn better
when they have a chance to warm up before they begin a new
topic.
So how exactly can you get students "Ready to Learn"?
First, be sure that students are settled and that everyone
is "together". Depending on the age of the students,
you may wish to give them a time limit (e.g., 1 minute)
to get ready at their desks, seated, with their bags put
away, and proper books, copies, etc. on their desks. (remember
G.I.T.A.--Goals Instructions, Timeframe, Accountability)
You can also do a focusing activity such as a song, chant,
story, pranayama (breathing), or physical exercise (e.g.,
stretches). The activity you pick is totally up to you.
It will depend upon the time, the day, your mood, and so
on. But when you have a full bag of tricks to choose from,
you will easily find one that will suit your needs.
When it comes to teaching
particular subject matter, you can prepare learners by using
schema. A scheme is any activity that activates prior knowledge.
When you are going to teach a new topic, such as currency,
you can begin by asking students what they know about money--where
it comes from, where and how it is used, etc. This can be
done as a whole class activity or a pair/group activity.
Then when you launch into the details of your topic, students
brains are already turned on to the concept, making the
new information easier to absorb and assimilate.
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