Teachers use a variety of strategies to capture students’ attention, which is a necessary step for any lesson. Expert-level teachers take this one step farther, making sure that their attention-gathering techniques engage students cognitively, sparking productive curiosity and connecting to key concepts and skills to be learned in a unit or lesson.
This free, 4-page brief gives insights and strategies for teachers on how to shift beyond getting students’ attention and into cognitive engagement, including:
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Priming students for what they’re about to learn by using cognitive interest cues that help students recognize what within a lesson or unit will be interesting, relevant, or meaningful to them.
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Activating students’ prior knowledge, using curiosity hooks, and helping students see personal, relevant connections to their learning.
This brief is part of McREL’s Expert Teaching series, which outlines shifts in practices and perspectives that teachers can make to advance student learning success.
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