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Look for Ways to Make it Relevant and Fun – You


and Your Students Will Come out Ahead
I'm always up for a reminder about the things we need to do capture
student's attention while learning about a new subject. And it's a great way
to start the week! – KW

Making your students interested in a subject can be a real challenge. There


are so many variables that can affect their engagement.

Lack of interest can be caused by difficultly concentrating, family problems,


emotional difficulties, learning disabilities, and many other factors.
Sometimes it’s just plain boredom – not everything is about fun all the time.
Even the bubbling hormones running through the teenagers’ bodies can
cause difficulty to concentrate on anything other than the schoolmate in the
nearest chair.

Having said that, as a teacher, you still have to do your best and try to get
them to learn at least the basics of any subject. Here you will have to
become creative and try one or more of the following ways to get their
attention and interest.
1 – Make them see it as part of their daily life
Try as hard as you can to find a way to relate the subject to their daily lives.
It will make it much more likely for them to be invested in what you are
explaining. For example, if the subject is literature, try to show what they
can learn from the characters’ behaviour that they can apply to their own
lives.

2 – Make it fun
Yes, sometimes, some subjects are just not fun. You are well aware of it, but
you still have to teach this “boring” subject to them. How about making the
learning process a bit more fun? You can try to create some kind of
competition, or game, that can help them to learn, or maybe even use songs
or videos. Sometimes, even a funny cartoon can be what you need to make
them have a laugh and never forget the subject.

3 – Show the relevance to their future careers


Students think that, at the end of the day, they are at school so they can get
ready to get good jobs in the future. This is how most of the people (parents
included) see school nowadays, unfortunately. So take advantage of it, and
try to relate your subject to how it can be applied in a work environment.
Tell them all about how doctors, engineers, IT developers, writers or dancers
can use that information to become successful.

4 – Let them participate in the whole process


If you want to see your students really engaged about something, let them
participate. And not only after you distribute the tasks but from the very
beginning. Ask them for input on the subject that will be presented, which
resources will be used and how they will be evaluated. And talking of
resources…

5 – Use multiple resources


To avoid students’ sleeping on their desks during your presentation, try
using multiple resources. The human voice can be very hypnotizing to some
people, and others are easy distracted by it, as you know. Bring videos,
music, slideshows, toys and games, tell stories, bring in a special guest for a
talk.

6 – Make it personal
Try to relate the subject to your own life and circumstances. You don’t
necessarily have to tell a private story about yourself, but tell them
something about how you felt when you got in touch with that subject for
the very first time, or how you have applied it in your life so far.

7 – Leave the exams for later


Do not start the conversation about the new subject telling them about a
test on the material. Unless the assessment will be more engaging and fun
(think Project Base Learning, inquiry learning, etc), this should be the final
part of the process and not a source of anxiety.

8 – Change the environment


Sitting in a classroom for a whole day is hardly anyone’s ideal day, especially
if you are young and full of energy.

So why not move the class to a different environment and see how it affects
their learning process? Try taking them to museums, beaches, for a nature
walk, or even to the school’s backyard. Even the fresh air on their face might
help to keep them alert and more interested.

9 – Make it achievable
If you scare them by saying that this is a very complex subject and that they
will be in trouble if they don’t manage to learn it, you are bound to fail.
Students usually overreact under pressure and don't see these messages as
a challenge at all. Try to take steps that help them feel they are capable of
learning the material.

10 – Understand their interests


And in order to make any of the tips above work, it is mandatory that you
know your students’ interests. If you know about their hobbies and goals,
you may be able to better relate the subject to their lives.

Conclusion
Getting the best from your students might not be easy – but we should try
to achieve it all the time, ‘boring’ subjects included. Remember that things
have changed and what worked for you might not work for a class of
children or teenagers nowadays. They have different demands and have to
live up to new expectations, so be prepared to understand them and offer
the best class you can.

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