This practice helps (…)

Here is another example of an engaging practice that, from a professional experience, fosters students’ SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT. By school engagement we mean students’ observable participation in school activities, sense of belonging to classmates and teachers, and valuing success in school-related goals.

It is implemented by: Teacher

It is directed at students aged: 12-14

Target group: Class-centred

Main subjects involved: Science and technology

ICT involvement:  no

Description of the practice: Learners state all the concepts of each teaching/learning unit and link them together as a whole. This practice helps them to see the connection between the concepts, to recall the whole subject and to synthesize it. The practice works like a game.

Accessible to any student: yes

Meaningful participation for every student: yes

Why? Once the list of concepts has been drawn up, they are put together in the form of a diagram/map of concepts on the board, which the pupils fill in, while at the same time explaining the interconnection. As it works like a game, there is the excitement of contributing to getting the diagram completed by everyone. As it ‘synthesizes’ and establishes a connection between all the concepts of the teaching unit, it helps them to understand and guide their study, in the sense of perceiving the subject as a whole from the various parts and/or the other way round.