Picture yourself as a student in a classroom where a small thing made a big difference for you.
Small Things that Make a Big Difference:
Physical, Social and Procedural Strategies to Help Students Focus and Engage in Learning
Debbie Woelflein, CAGS
August 20, 2024
Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC)
Standard #1: Learner Development
The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences
Objective: Educators will share suggestions to help students focus and engage in learning through physical, social, and procedural strategies.
�Events of Instruction
Gaining attention
Informing learners of the objective
Stimulating recall
Presenting content
Eliciting desired behavior
Providing feedback
Assessing lesson outcome
“Takeoff area” where students enter
Focal point for technology
Rolling caddie or shelves for small group work
Your own space
Storage place for students’ equipment
Organized space with see-through containers
Display area
Making the Most of Classroom Space
7 Recommended Zones to Gain Attention and Elicit Desired Behavior
Making the Most of Classroom Space: What Does Research Say?
Visual Stimulation
Displays of Student Work
Inspirational Visuals
Visual Aids
Making the Most of Classroom Space: Focus Walls
Tone of Voice: How Can It Facilitate Learning?
Verbal and Non-Verbal Cues
(2 mins.)
Avoid
loud tones, rise in vocal register, a barrage or any note of panic
Project
warmth and lively interest
Maintain
a steady, calm, yet assertive demeanor
Non-verbal
facial expressions, hand gestures, body language
Eye contact
more than the front and middle of the room
Written feedback
add a personal touch
Research on How Tone Affects Learning and Comfort
Capitalizing on Opening Moments
Framing the Lesson
Engaging Students
Capitalizing on Opening Moments
“What’s Going on in this Graph?”
Over 75 New York Times Graphs for Students to Analyze
�
Providing Smooth Transitions
�Planning physical movement throughout the room
https://learn.teachingchannel.com/videos/smooth-transitions-in-classroom (2 mins.)
Using curriculum for transition�https://learn.teachingchannel.com/videos/managing-transitions. (5 mins.)
Check for Understanding
Synthesize Learning
Aid in Classroom Management
Take Advantage of Closing Moments
Providing feedback and assessing lesson outcome
“Wish you had been here. . . ”
Small Things that Make a Big Difference
Objective: Educators will share suggestions to help students focus and engage in learning through physical, social, and procedural strategies.