For my Medical Spanish course, I create "situation cards" which give a quick synopsis in English of a situation from the point of view of the Dr. and Patient. Each Dr. situation has a corresponding patient situation. I randomly distribute these and ask my students to create a dialogue in Spanish given the information in English. Afterwards, they find their "match" and play out the dialogue together.
Creating the situations cards allows your learners a safe environment to practice and interact. I'm sure you get great results and I know your students must be grateful. Thanks for sharing.
When I when I was teaching Pharmacology I created a Pharmacology Scavanger Hunt. I gave them clues to what the medications were and they had to use there PDR and nurseing drug books to identify the meds. It took quite a bit of time to prep, because I had to make sure that the clues I gave were consistant through all the PDR editions that we had. But it was fun, and the feed back that I recieved from my students was, that it really built up there confidence in utilizing drug reference texts. I counted there work as a quiz grade, and I would definately do the activity again.
The activites I have created consists of crossword puzzles, hang man, and a generic type of jeopardy. I like to create things that are team based therefore I am not zeroing in on specific individuals. I will notice that some people become the "spoke person" of the group and answer everything in which I will let them know that they need to give their fellow classmates time to think and to answer the question also.
Glad to here you are using active methods, Lisa. You might want to have groups confer, but give their answer through one "spokes person" you pick who is not the one who usually answers everything. Thanks for being an involving instructor, I'm sure your learners appreciate it!
Emily, this is a lovely way to teach then how to use the PDR once they are in practice and new drugs emerge they are unfamiliar with...I'm sure the active method also helps them to remember pharmacology which can be dry content at times. Keep up the great work!
I have played hangman with my students. work pretty much like charades and students have a lot of fun along with learning
Hangman can help students learn spelling and pronunciations, and I'm glad to hear it has worked for you. Continue your creative efforts !
Crosswords and Flash cards and the students love the learning concept.
Using interaction works to create memory in learners, Tanye. Good to hear you are using both crosswords and flash cards.
How did you go about creating your BINGO game?
I use a Macbook and created a grid on MacDraw and filled each block in with a text block. I'd think you could do the same on Microsoft word or Excel, Tory.
I have also created a game probably known by many its called Jeopardy. I make five columns consisting of word parts, suffixes, prefixes,disease and disorders and hodge podge. And number it starting with 100 all the way through to 1000. split the classroom into 2 groups and toss a coin they pick a catagory i ask the question the team that is up send one person up to the board once up there there is no help from the team they must write the answer correctly. Its so much fun and it brings the class together the interaction with everyone is amazing.
Adults love Jeopardy style activities because the format is familiar and fun for them. It is amazing how involved and competitive they get and it definitely is a motivator. Continue to strive for involvement, and you will find many successes.
I have used the "Whole Brain" method with various Science terms.
I let people work in teams of two when I am not sure about the general artistic confidense of a particular class. I pick the teams the first few times we have the activity.
I have packs of poster-size post-it paper. Thia allows for large drawings that can be posted/stuck to walls or markerboards around the room. I encourage people to present their work spread around the room.
It's amazing how some simple pictures and a grid can teach people complex scientific terms. I like that you let the students create the pictures, as it gives them ownership of the content. I haven't used the larger post its, but will try them. Thanks for sharing your adaptation.
I often ask the students to create their own games--they have done bingo, jeopardy, wheel of forturne, pyramid, and others. Sometimes they enjoy the games more when they create them. We also use post-it notes to label body parts--one student is the maniken and the rest in the group have to label with the pre-made post-its!
I love the idea of using post it notes to label body parts-so much more kinesthetic and also visual versus just seeing pictures on power point slides. Keep creating these sorts of learning methods and you will see success in a variety of students.
I have done lots of different ice breakers with my class. Everything from interviewing each other and telling the class about the person they have met, to telling 3 truths and 1 lie game.
Ice breakers can gain students' interest and create positive connections. Continue to use what your ideas and you will see success.
