1. Teaching using active learning

2. Why should we use active learning?
Students find it ‘engaging’ and ‘enjoyable’
The focus is on the students themselves rather than the teacher
Students who actively engage with the material are more likely to be able to recall information (Bruner, 1961).

3. Active learning

4. Why don’t we use active learning?
It takes more time to plan activities
Some content must be taught the traditional ‘didactic’ way
Too much active learning can become repetitive rather than a healthy balance of the two approaches
As teachers, are we guilty of standing and talking for too long? Are we sometimes guilty of liking the sound of our own voices too much? 

8. Starters

9. The ‘1 minute’ brainstorm
Students or pairs of students asked to write down everything they know on a topic in one minute
Could award a prize for the student with the most points

10. What did you learn?
Students to write down the learning objectives or what they can remember from the previous lesson

11. Guess the lesson objectives
Students are told the nature of a topic and/ or
given books and asked to summarise what they
will be learning about.
Could be extended so students pair up to discuss answers then several pairs selected to report back to class

12. Review Questions / Exam Style
Give students a handout containing review
questions and/or exam style questions (or have on desk) as they come into the classroom
Encourage students to make a prompt start
(Included as an example of a commonly used didactic approach)

13. Delivering new content

14. Didactic approach
Even though this style is not active learning this approach is included because it is effective to combine the two styles.
Could use to deliver some background content before an active learning approach, and always use to summarise the key points afterwards.
Also effective to deliver some content in this style before mini plenaries
Not all content can be taught through active learning
Using this approach helps avoid repetition

15. Teach a partner Students put into pairs
Students given two different paragraphs and given time to prepare
Students teach each other the paragraphs (not just recall)
Can extend by having a collaborative question or task and moving students.
Teacher picks several students to summarise the two paragraphs back to class

16. Students to summarise to class
Students to read a paragraph or section of the study pack
Using a random name generator select a student to summarise the key points back to the class
Ask another student to summarise what the first student said

17. Think-pair- share (paragraph)
Students given the same paragraph and asked to highlight the key points
Students then combine in pairs to discuss the key points
Teacher then picks one or more students to report back

18. Jigsaw Set up ‘expert groups’ of information
Assign pupils a number eg 1-4
All of the 1s will then go and work together, all of the 2s etc.
After 10 minutes you will be told to return to your home group.
Each member of the group takes it in turn to feedback what they have been doing as a ‘RoundRobin’ or ‘question the expert’
can extend by coming to a group decision about an agreed outcome

19. Question the Expert Class split into 4 or 5 groups
Students select one student to be the ‘expert’. Other students are given a paragraph to read.
The teacher then gives a short explanation to the ‘experts’ who go back to their groups and teach the same explanation.
Extend by including a collaborative task

20. Exam Technique

21. Think – pair – share (Exam Q)
Pairs of students given a different exam question to answer
Students then explain to each other how they have answered the question
Students then mark each others answer using mark scheme and explain to each other.
Select one or two pairs to summarise back to class
Could use same exam question

22. Reverse Questions
Students are given the mark scheme and asked to come up with the question it was based on
Students then pair up and discuss answers (or questions!)
One or two students then selected to feedback to the class

23. Group work / Stations Students work as pairs or in groups of 4
Each table works on a different task. E.g. Cut up a mark scheme and students have to match up the questions to answers
Students then move tables, or the activities are passed around.

24. Snowballing / Rainbowing
Put students into pairs and ask them to discuss and complete a task e.g. What is the best exam question
Then pair teams up with another pair to discuss the task
Then students move into another group and discuss their findings or method e.g. What is required in a good exam answer. At this point ensure students are placed in different groups (use colours)
Could extend by asking group to feedback to
class

25. Leading Questions
Students work as pairs, each student given a list of questions with model answers.
Students take it in turns asking each other the questions and directing each other to the correct answer by giving clues.
Could use model exam questions. Give a demonstration first.

26. Exam paper gallery Cut an exam paper up into sections
Put different questions around the room with a mark scheme (or put mark scheme at the front)
Students to move round independently and mark own work

27. Scaffolding
Place several review questions (starter or plenaries) around the room – include a mark scheme
Students to move around and practice answering the questions
Students then pair up, and are given a set of the questions each to test each other

28. Timed Exam Questions
Set a time limit on exam questions (one at a time)
At the end of each question go through the mark scheme and allow students to self-mark

29. Mini Plenaries / Afl

30. Think-pair- share (Key points)
Students to summarise the key points from the lesson or part of a lesson
Students to pair up and discuss these key points
One or two students then randomly selected to summarise this back to the class.

31. Think-pair- share (Questions)
Students given a set of questions to think about independently (could be the learning objectives)
Students to pair up and discuss their answers
One or several students selected to summarise their answers to the rest of the class

32. Think-pair- share (Q + A)
Students to come up with one question and one answer based on the lesson or part of the lesson
Students to pair up and ask each other their question (could repeat)
One or several students then selected
to report back to class

33. True or False Students given a piece of text to read independently
They then combine with a partner to decide on true or false statements.
Then teacher takes feedback.

34. Gallery Several questions posted around the room e.g. 6-8
Students asked to walk round and stop on a question of their choice (need at least one student on each question)
Students asked to summarise answers

35. Post it! (Questions)
Students write down one or several questions on post its
All the post its put on the whiteboard
Students then select a post it and answer the question

36. Split Group Questions
Display several questions to the class and ask students to choose only one to answer
Select students to summarise their answers back to the class

37. Learning Activities

38. Discussion
Students given time during a presentation to discuss their opinion or knowledge with each other
Can give points to discuss on slides
One or two students randomly selected to feedback

39. Role Play
Ask students to come up with their own role play or perform a set role play to model a process.

40. Practical Work
Practical work in Biology allows students to get ‘hands on’ and engage with the material
Demonstrations can also be used to illustrate key points

41. Modelling
Modelling is another ‘hands on approach’. E.g. Students to build the structure of a protein using a modelling kit

42. Memory Students get into groups of 3’s
Make two student’s the ‘architects’ and one student the ‘team leader’.
The leader’s have to view a diagram under a time limit and return to the group explaining how to draw the diagram. Only the
architects can draw.

43. Students to present (groups)
Students put into groups and asked to prepare a short presentation on a topic
Ask each student to speak for at least 30 seconds
Allow time for students to ask questions

44. Peer or Self Marking Students take more responsibility for their work
Helps students to become more familiar with mark schemes
Allows teacher to set more work (as marking is reduced)

45. Group Brainstorming
Class of students shown several different questions or themes to brainstorm.
Group of students brainstorm one of the questions on a piece of A3
Brainstorm posters passed around different groups with chances to add to or disagree with other groups brainstorms

46. Discussion Ladders (Debate)
Select a controversial topic
Put students into two lines facing each other
Give them a set amount to time to argue in favour of one side then swap – students must listen when not their turn
Then students move down a place and argue again
Then students move down a place and argue
the opposite way

47. Ceph method
Students given questions to ask based on a powerpoint lecture
Could have question ‘points’ in the powerpoint labelled
Students have to ask the question in the correct place during the presentation.

48. Home and Away
Students put into pairs and given 5 paragraphs each (different)
Students work independently and draw a picture based on one of the paragraphs
Students then have to guess each others picture and explain why they have drawn what they have drawn, allow students to see other paragraphs
Then students move to another pair and repeat

49. Post it! (Points) Students write down several points on post its.
All the post its put on the whiteboard
Students then view group answers

50. Scenario
Students given a role e.g. Doctor and have to decide on the best strategy
Give students a range of options to discuss

51. Feedback Have three posters of A3 around the room, entitled
What helps me learn
What I have enjoyed
What I would like to be different / improved
Ask students to go around and write answers on them.

52. Games

53. Splat! Students put into two teams
Students go up against each other to answer a question
First student to splat the whiteboard is able to answer
2 points for a correct answer, 1 if its passed across

54. Jeopardy Students answer questions in teams to score points
Use mini whiteboards /

55. Quiz Busters
Two teams answer questions to win squares. The aim is to make a line across.
All students answer on mini whiteboards with two team captains making the decisions

56. Bingo Students given cards with different key terms on
Only one card can win
Teacher reads out descriptions

57. Speed Dating
Give students set questions and answers, and move along the line to a timer
Students have to ask each other questions to build up a tally
The ‘couple’ with the highest tally wins

58. Hangman Students put into two teams (boys and girls)
Leader from one team plays other team
Turn is passed over when students cant get an answer

59. Who am I? Students work in pairs
Each student is given a name or description that they have to guess. Questions include ‘I’m I found in the nucleus?’
The other student can only answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The first student to guess their name wins.
Can be played in small groups

60. Plenaries

61. Quiz 1- 10 Students to number 1 – 10
Students answer questions read by teacher
Students give themselves a mark out of ten and teacher asks for a show of hands who got 5 or more, 6 or more etc.

62. Mini Whiteboards
Students answer plenary questions using mini whiteboards

63. Answer the learning objectives
Students to ‘answer’ the learning objectives at the end of a lesson
Could then pair up to compare answers (optional)
Several students selected to summarise answers

64. Questioning Technique

65. Questioning Use a random name generator
Ask students who don’t have their hands up!
Once a student has given an answer, ask another student to summarise what they have just said.
Questions can be used as a behaviour management technique

66. Teaching Tools

67. Random Name Generator

68. Shuffle!
Every other student (or students who you want separating) is asked to stand up
Students then told to walk round and count 4 seats and sit down
Effective for ‘think – pair – share’ as students have chance to talk with ‘new friend’ and ‘old friend’

69. Youtube Countdown Clock
30 Second countdown - useful for quickly directing students to collect/ put away mini whiteboards or put lab coats on.