The introduction to the lesson as a motivation for students. Possibilities and limits

Internship Report , 2015 , 14 Pages , Grade: very good

Didactics - Common Didactics, Educational Objectives, Methods

At the beginning of a lesson, teachers often have a lot of organisational matters (e.g. attendance checks, letters to parents...) on their minds. This is usually clarified right at the beginning of the lesson. This is often followed by the homework check. As a result, the introduction to the lesson may be neglected.

However, the beginning of the lesson is just as important a phase of the lesson as the development, the securing and the conclusion, because it has many didactic functions. However, students often have other things on their minds at the beginning of the lesson. For example, they have just written a mathematics paper or there was an argument during the break. Often they cannot immediately get involved in the new lesson topic.

It is therefore all the more important to make the introduction to the lesson varied, interesting and motivating so that the students can fully adapt to the new topic and detach themselves from the previous lesson.

But how can a teacher start a lesson? How can he motivate the students and arouse their interest? How can he build up a certain level of expectation and excitement for the lesson? And can a successful introduction keep the students motivated and interested for the rest of the lesson or even for the entire lesson?

Table of contents

1. Introduction

2. The beginning of a lesson – clarification of the term

3. Criteria for a successful beginning of the lesson (according to Hilbert Meyer)
3.1 Functions of beginnings of a lesson
3.2 Risks of lesson - introductions

4. Types of lesson-beginnings
4.1 Beginning of a lesson
4.2 Warm-up exercises
4.3 Initiating a lesson with a higher level of teacher guidance
4.4 Beginnings of lessons with a higher degree of self-involvement of the students

5. The beginning of math classes

6. Conclusion

List of references

1. Introduction

“Anyone who gets into something, and whether it’s in a bank at night, is active, takes responsibility for what he’s doing, and has a certain risk that it can go wrong.” (Greving/Paradies 2007, p. 17).

But how can a teacher¹ start a lesson? How can he motivate the students and catch their interest? How can he build up a certain expectation and excitement for the lesson? And can a successful start maintain the motivation and interest of the students for the course of the lesson or even for the lesson unit?

At the beginning of a lesson, you often have a lot of organisational things (e.g. check the attendance, parents’ letters...) in mind. This is usually clarified right at the beginning of the hour. This is followed in many cases by checking homework. This may mean that the start of the lesson may come up short. However, the beginning of a lesson is also an important phase of the class, just like developing, securing and closure, as it has many didactic functions. But at the beginning of the lesson, the students also often have other things in their minds. For example, they may have just written a math exam or they may have been involved in an argument during the break (Althoff 2015, p.13). Often, they cannot immediately get involved in the new lesson topic. It is therefore even more important to make the start of the lesson varied, interesting and motivating so that the students can focus completely on the new topic and move on from the previous lesson.

Hilbert Meyer refers to this phase of teaching as a 'Tor, durch das der Schüler in die neue Lern-Landschaft hinauswandert' (Woithe 2015, p.9).

2. The beginning of a lesson – clarification of the term

The term "beginning of a lesson" represents the first of the three essential teaching phases (start - development - closure). For a long time, however, the start of the course was not considered an independent phase of the course.

"In contrast, the term "beginning" contains the uniqueness of this phase and the necessary action of the teacher and the pupils" (ibid., p. 17). However, there was no particular attention paid to the start of the class neither in the Herbartian didactic theory, nor in "Klafki's theoretical education theory" (ibid., p. 17) or the "Berlin School".

Nowadays, the beginning of a lesson is given greater importance. It should introduce the students to a new topic and make them enthusiastic about it. The key question here is: “What does the teacher specifically say or do to introduce a new topic?”

The beginning of the lesson usually happens at the beginning of the class and follows the opening of the course (see 4.1). However, it can also take place after the completion of a topic in the middle or at the end of a lesson. If the beginning of the lesson is chosen towards the end of the hour, the pupils' homework is often used to prepare them for the new topic.

The beginning of the lesson can, however, not only introduce the lesson-topic, but also to the topic of an instructional unit or the topic of a project (Mühlhausen/Wegner 2010, p. 60).

3. Criteria for a successful beginning of the lesson (according to Hilbert Meyer)

Hilbert Meyer set out five criteria on how to successfully start a lesson. Since there are also other criteria that a good beginning of a lesson should fulfil, Greving and Paradies put together the following criteria.

The start of a lesson should:

provide the students with a framework and inform them about the course of the lesson adapt to the previous experience of the students and connect the knowledge of the students with the new topic Discipline the students and prepare them for the lesson enable action-oriented access to the new topic strengthen the self-confidence of the students (Greving/Paradies 2007, p.18).

3.1 Functions of beginnings of a lesson

In addition, the beginning of a lesson should fulfill a number of didactic functions. Following the criteria of Hilbert Meyer, the following functions must be named:

The start of the course is intended to inform the students about the (new) topic. It should arouse interest and curiosity among the students and make them ask questions, which leads to further involvement. In addition, an introduction can inform the students about the further steps as well as about the intended learning objective.

It can also make the students willing to take responsibility for their own learning and to cooperate.

The introduction can also give the students the opportunity to express their previous experience or prior knowledge. As a teacher, the beginning of a lesson can then also represent the opportunity to correct one’s own guidelines (e.g. due to a lack of previous knowledge of the students) (Paradies/Wegner 2007, 17 et seq.).

Mühlhausen and Wegner have combined these functions into four main intentions of the beginning of a lesson.

Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten

compare: Mühlhausen/ Wegner 2010

Not every entry must (and cannot) fulfill all functions at the same time!

3.2 Risks of lesson - introductions

Nowadays, the beginning of lessons is viewed as very important. Both in the literature as well as within the teacher-training, it is often regarded as a very important element of teaching. Aspiring teachers, in particular, therefore often overestimate the importance of beginnings of lessons. Particularly in the teachers’ exam, teaching-candidates design a "pompous[s] firework to impress the examination committee" (Mühlhausen/ Wegner 2010, p. 66). This performance gives beginners, in particular, a certain level of security. However, this often does not give students a chance to express themselves in this phase.

Another risk is uncertainty, which is present in the class. Has there been an argument during the break which has to be clarified first? Did the students think of a prank at the start of the lesson? Or how do the students react to the introduction? This makes the first phase of the class a very unforeseeable and uncertain phase.

4. Types of lesson-beginnings

4.1 Beginning of a lesson

Rituals which initiate a lesson must be distinguished from the beginning of the lesson. They describe, what the teacher says and does after entering the classroom. It can be, for example, the greeting, checking the attendance, a song or checking the homework. Initiating the lesson should mark the beginning and update both the teacher-pupil relationship and the learning material. According to Greving and Paradies, rituals which initiate a lesson consist of "reocurring and therefore immediately understandable, shortened and ritualised actions, which are often compressed in symbolic hints with a requesting character." (Greving/Paradies 2007, p. 27). The rituals which initiate a lesson also have certain didactic functions. For example, they can ensure that the balance of power between teachers and students be established, since the students have to adjust themselves to a certain ritual of the teacher during this phase. At the same time, distance and closeness can be regulated between teachers and students, as attention is directed to a particular ritual, object or procedure in this phase. This sequencing of the lesson (through a predictable, consistent ritual) also gives the students a framework for orientation and a certain degree of certainty (this is particularly important for new students). The rituals which initiate a lesson are also extremely important for students so that they can detach themselves from what happened during the break or the previous lesson and adjust to the new lesson. Finally, it should be mentioned that the rituals which initiate the lesson create a certain "tension in the new, surprising, which will come after the regular same thing" (ibid, p. 27). As a result of the functions just mentioned, rituals which initiate the lesson can lead to an increased concentration, composure and classroom discipline. Greving and Paradies illustrate a clear and good example of a ritual which initiates the lesson. They call this example the “Windspiel”. Small wind chimes with glass joints are hung next to the classroom door. When the teacher enters the classroom, he sets the wind chimes in motion. The wind chimes then make sounds for about two minutes. In these two minutes, the students have time to prepare their lesson materials, to briefly relax or to exchange important information with their seatmates. When they hear the last sound, all students must be seated and be absolutely quiet. The teacher, then, expects full concentration and attention from the students (Greving/Paradies 2007, p. 28). This is a very good opportunity that does not take up a lot of time and gives both the teacher and the student time to adjust² to the following lesson.

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¹ In the following, only the male form is used for reasons of readability. However, female people are always included.

² Alternatively, you could also use a singing bowl, for example.

• College: University of Education Heidelberg
• Grade: very good
• Author: Ramona Frommknecht (Author)
• Publication Year: 2015
• Pages: 14
• Catalog Number: V1149208
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346527554
• Language: English
• Tags: possibilities