Guide to Instructional Methods Used for Transitions in Class Periods

Ever notice how older movies seem to be less exciting and don't hold your interest the way a modern blockbuster does? The key is in the editing. A modern movie can change camera angles dozens of times a minute, while older movies tended to use one or two camera angles and long shots.

We're simply not designed to pay attention to something non-stop for hours on end. Research shows that a student's attention span peaks at about 10 to 15 minutes. After that, even a motivated and engaged student begins to drop off and lose concentration.

Often, all it takes is a one to two minute transition to break up the monotony and re-focus the student's mind. This guide will show you three easy activities that you can throw into your lesson to break it up into smaller parts.

Let Students Interact with a Think Pair Share Activity

The Think Pair Share method begins with a simple prompt - some question that students can think about and develop an opinion on.

Give students one to two minutes to think alone and write down their thoughts. Then, have them share those thoughts with a partner. Finally, have the pairs share their findings in a brief whole-class discussion.

The entire activity can be done in about five minutes. It's great to do in the middle of a lesson, and have students think about the information gained in the previous ten to fifteen minutes. Check out this article on the Think Pair Share method for some examples.

Preview a Topic with a Know Want Learn Method

The Know-Want-Learn (KWL) method begins by asking the question, "What do we know?"

Pause for a minute before you begin a new topic, and segue with this activity. Have students identify what they already know about the topic and what they want to know about the topic. At the end of the lesson or section of the lesson, have the students identify what they actually learned.

This is a great activity to pair with a simple graphic organizer or to use to practice note-taking. Check out this article on the Know Want Learn (KWL) method for a full explanation.

Have a Short Discussion with an A-B Writing

The A-B writing method is pretty simple. Write two opposing statements on the board. Have students agree with and respond to one statement or the other. After two minutes of silent writing, discuss the responses aloud.

This is a great way to recap and close a section of a lesson. It give students a chance to organize their thoughts and briefly discuss the topic. Read this article for some tips to remember while using A-B writing.

Recap

Well there you have it. Three great, short activities to use in class as transitions. Just remember - your students will naturally lose attention after 10 to 15 minutes. Try one of these methods to snap them back to attention and get their brains ready to learn some more.