Incorporating Students’ Interests into Lesson Planning

 Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

The best strategy to engage students in studying and boost their desire for a successful learning outcome is to incorporate their interests into lesson planning. Providing each student with a unique learning experience and high-quality learning opportunities enables teachers to boost student engagement and motivation in learning (ReachOut Australia, n.d.). It has an immediate effect on students' learning since it makes them feel heard and respected while also boosting their self-esteem and confidence. Also, it helps them retain information for long-term learning outcomes and enhances their attitude toward learning and school.

How to incorporate students' interests in lesson planning

Making lessons pertinent to students' real-world experiences and interests is a good method to include their interests in lesson planning. The lesson should be created by the teachers considering the students' interests. Some students benefit more from listening to music while others might prefer using visual aids. Teachers should design lessons to match the requirements and interests of their students similarly, based on their interests. To do this, educators should poll students or speak with them directly to ascertain their areas of interest, following which they should select resources that are suited to their interests (LessonPix, n.d.). The teachers must remember to give the students options so they can select learning resources and activities based on their interests. For instance, students should be given a choice of writing prompts to select from during the English creative writing class that correspond to various interests. When doing this, instructors should be careful to incorporate examples from real life that are relevant to their students' interests to make the material more interesting and meaningful.

Using technology or multimedia in the lesson that students are interested in is another approach to take advantage of their interests. It can heighten interest and engagement among students and make the course more pertinent to their everyday lives (Nina, n.d.). Students can access various educational applications, software, videos, podcasts, or social media platforms while they are learning so that they can not only explore their interests within the context of their lesson but also better prepare themselves for the future (McKnight, 2014). Last but not least, when organizing lessons, teachers should constantly be adaptable, imaginative, and sensitive to the requirements of their students.

The benefits of considering students' interests when creating lesson plans

There are several advantages for teachers and students when class plans take into account student interests. First off, embracing students' interests fosters more motivation and involvement in the learning process (JBCN International School, n.d.). When students are engaged in the subject, they actively participate in the classroom by contributing to the discussion and asking more questions. It produces a more engaging, interactive, and dynamic learning environment that encourages students to love studying and thirst for knowledge. On the other side, student retention also rises as a result of students' propensity to remember and retain material for longer periods when they are engaged in what they are studying, which leads to improved academic performance. The teachers can then implement differentiated education in the classroom that suits the student's learning preferences. Teachers can develop closer bonds with their students and foster a more welcoming and encouraging learning environment by giving them the chance to explore and learn in subjects that are important to them.

As a result, any teacher can employ the effective strategy of incorporating students' interests into lesson preparation to create an interactive, relevant, and engaging learning environment for their students.

References

 

JBCN International School. (n.d.). Best 11 Strategies Involving Student's Interest in Learning. Retrieved from https://www.jbcnschool.edu.in/blog/students-interest-in-learning/

 

LessonPix. (n.d.). Engaging with Student Interests. Retrieved from https://lessonpix.com/articles/5/390/Engaging+with+Student+Interests

 

McKnight, K.S. (2014). Common Core literacy strategies for ELA, history/social studies, and the humanities, grades 6-12: Strategies to deepen content knowledge (grades 6-12). Retrieved from eBook Central (accessed through LIRN).

 

Nina, W. (n.d.). 9 Unique Ways to use Technology in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.goguardian.com/blog/9-unique-ways-to-use-technology-in-the-classroom

 

ReachOut Australia. (n.d.). Why it’s important to understand students’ needs and interests. Retrieved from https://schools.au.reachout.com/articles/why-its-important-to-understand-student-needs-and-interests#:~:text=Understanding%20your%20students'%20interests%20will,engage%20with%20the%20learning%20process.