Using Engagement Strategies  

  
Student engagement refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and 
passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to 
the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education. Engagement 
strategies are tools that educators can use to ensure that students are engaged to get 
the best possible outcome, as active learning requires students to participate in class.  
 
Direction​:  
1. Read each Engagement Strategies (the ones that are blue) 
2. As you read them do each activity that is asked 
3. After, match the examples(the red ones) with Engagement Strategies (the blue 
ones) if you want you can time yourself to see how long it takes you to get all of 
them correct!  
4. Scatter it around for the next group:)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Using Physical Movement:​ Physical movement strategies have a direct connection 
to students energy level. When you have your students stand up, walk around the 
classroom, or stretch it increases blood flow to the brain which stimulates engagement. 
Right now do 5 jumping jacks and touch your toes!  
 
Stand Up and Stretch:​ The teacher asks students to stand up and stretch. This is 
especially useful when students need to change focus or their concentration level. 
  
Vote with your feet:​ The teacher posts signs in specific parts of the room identifying 
responses to a true/false or multiple choice questions. Students move to the location 
that has the sign with the answer they think is right.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maintaining a Lively Pace: ​Maintaining a lively pace involves actions the teacher 
takes that have an indirect effect on students’ energy levels. Pace modulation refers to 
speeding up or slowing down depending on students needs. Sometimes the teachers 
slow down the pace to emphasize content and sometimes the teachers move quickly 
through content because it might be familiar to students. The change in pace keeps 
students energized and focused.   
➔ Now say the 50 states in one minute 
➔ Say the alphabet backward 
 
Instructional Segments: T​ he teacher ensures that each of the following aspects of 
management and instructions is well planned and occurs quick, but unhurried; 
presentation of new content, application of knowledge to new situations...etc  
 
Motivational hooks:​ The teacher uses news headlines, video clips, songs, poems, and 
other short attention-grabbing media to spark students attention.  
 
 
Motivating and Inspiring Students: M
​ otivation and inspiration occur when 
students have opportunities to be self-actualized and when they have opportunities to 
be connected to something greater than self. Have students get involved or do 
something that helps people in their community so that way they don’t feel like what 
they do in class is not useful outside of school. Can you Share examples of classes that 
motivate you to get involved with your community?  
 
Possible selves activities:​ The teacher provides students with opportunities to imagine 
what they could develop into later in life.  
 
Altruism Project:​ The teacher has students brainstorm aspects of their community that 
they are interested in getting involved with. Once they have a list, the teacher can either 
group students interested in similar things together.   
 
 
 
 
 
Using Academic Games: (​With one person in your group play one round of thumb 
war!) To most students, games are intrinsically engaging because of the different 
structures. Include games in everyday lesson plans instead of doing lectures for the 
entire class time. When this strategy is used teachers can observe that students are 
engaged in the academic games enthusiastically and they can explain how the games 
enhance their understanding of the content.   
 
Talk a Mile a Minute:​ The teacher prepares a set of cards, each with a category and list 
of items that fit in that category. Students get in a team and each team designates one 
person as the talker. The talker tries to get his or her team as many words as possible 
by just describing them.   
 
Find the Order:​ T
​ ape one topic onto each student’s back and instruct students to work 
together to find all the different parts of the specific topic.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Answer Sheet 
 
Using Physical Movement 
- Stand Up and strectch 
- Vote with your feet 
 
Maintaining a Lively Pace 
- Instructional Segments 
- Motivational hooks 
 
Motivating and Inspiring Students 
- Possible selves activities 
- Altruism Project 
 
Using Academic Games 
- Talk a Mile a Minute 
- Find the Order