Tips for Properly Pacing Lessons in the Classroom
One of the most important factors to consider when putting together a good lesson plan is how to pace every topic. Since each student is unique, determining the right pace can be challenging. These tips for properly pacing lessons in the classroom, whether it’s a physical classroom or a virtual one, will help you prioritize student comprehension and engagement.
Mix Entertainment and Education
“Edutainment” refers to activities that mix entertainment and education, like group readings or vocabulary bingo. Finding the right edutainment activity will keep students engaged. Otherwise, you run the risk of boring them and losing their focus. Edutainment also creates a light, warm atmosphere in the classroom. When teachers neglect to create a friendly learning environment, they risk losing the attention of young learners.
One of the best activities to both entertain and educate young students is TPR storytelling. Taking the time to learn the basics of TPRS will show you how to effectively teach vocabulary phrases through reading, storytelling, and, most importantly, repetition.
Monitor Each Student’s Progress
One of the most essential tips for properly pacing lessons in the classroom is to check in on your students consistently. If you’re not paying attention to whether students understand each lesson, you can end up hindering their learning experience instead of improving it.
To check in on students, you can simply ask each of them how they feel about their comprehension of the material. On the other hand, you can whip up a quick activity, whether it’s a group discussion or a small worksheet, and use the results to determine how you should move forward with the subject.
Slow Down or Speed up When Necessary
You should always plan daily lessons well in advance, but don’t be afraid to alter your pace when necessary. If some students aren’t quite grasping a topic as quickly as you were hoping, slow down and take your time finding out where the confusion is and how to clear it up.
However, if you notice that your students are generally quick learners, don’t be wary about advancing at a quicker pace. You certainly don’t want to move too fast. Still, there’s nothing wrong with moving through lessons quicker than you were expecting, as long as it benefits your students’ education.
