Have you ever wondered why some teachers can walk into a room and have full command of the class from beginning to end? Sometimes it’s a killer lesson plan. Sometimes the teacher is extremely entertaining. Most of the time it’s EXPERIENCE.

Experience ... or devilish good looks!

Over the years, teachers pick up little tricks of the trade to keep their students focused and interested (even in the most mundane of topics). Don’t have years of experiment time up your sleeve? Never fear. Here are 4 simple tricks that will instantly transform your class:

1. Never turn your back

Keep the connection (and an eye on your students)! This simple tactic promotes concentration in the classroom and keeps you and your lessons the centre of attention. Make eye contact with your students and talk to them individually, not to a sea of faces.Tips:

• When you are not engaged in conversation (preparing materials, watching a class video etc), always face the class.
• Face the class when writing on the board … yes, it is actually possible! Stand to the side of the board and stretch your arm out.

2. Cleanliness is next to Godliness

There is nothing more confusing than a language teacher scratching foreign notes all over the board! Plan your black/white board before class (drawing a diagram on your lesson plan is a great prompt) and leave a section to the side for notes/working space.

Left: A clean whiteboard. This material is easy to read, take notes from and refer to during class.

Right: Messy whiteboard. Same material as picture 1 but very difficult to decipher.

3. Use color

If you have access to colored chalk/white board markers/text, use it! By that I mean color coding NOT blackboard acid trip.  Try color coding grammar excercises: yellow pronouns, blue adjectives, red verbs etc. or highlighting key words/fragments/topics. The more logical and vivid your class is, the more likely your students will instantly recall the lesson when they need it most.

4. Keep it personal

Let’s face it, people love to talk about themselves.  For most people, it’s their favorite topic (even if they don’t know about it). Your students are no different. Chanel that non-stop classroom chatter into constructive conversation practice by structuring your lessons around them.  Learning about habitats? Ask them about the habitat of their favorite animal or what habitat they live in.  Learning English Math vocabulary? Appropriate an example by using realia and a math situation they would encounter in the ‘real world’.

These are just a few simple tricks you can use to ensure success in your classroom.

Do you have any no-fail tricks?

Do you use any of the above with success/failure?

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