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These teaching strategies will help students to:
- identify gaps in existing knowledge and understanding
- work collaboratively to gather information
- share their ideas or knowledge in a safe environment
- use the information gathered to generate and communicate ideas
- record responses in a range of formats.
Brainstorm
- Select a topic or question for students to consider and respond. Record all responses or ideas in a space everyone can view.
- Students can say their ideas, or they can write it on a post it notes and place on a board or large piece of paper
- Once enough responses have been collected, ask students to reflect on the collected ideas.
Circle talk
- Pose a scenario, question or issue and have students share their ideas or opinions with a partner.
- Place students in two concentric circles (one circle within the other), with students facing each other a partner.
- State a scenario, question or issue and then ask the inner circle to respond, followed by the outer circle.
- Once all the students in the outside circle have finished sharing their thoughts, ask them to rotate one or two spaces in the same direction so students can share with a new partner. You can pose them same scenario, question or issue or a new one.
- Consider group dynamics when pairing students on sensitive topics.
- For large groups consider running two circle talks.
Eight squares
- Each student folds a large piece of paper so it has eight sections.
- Students find eight different people to add information or their opinion (in words or pictures) about a topic and sign their name in one of the eight sections.
- You can play music in the background to make it more fun or act as a timer.
Four squares
- Each student folds a large piece of paper so it has four sections.
- Students find four different people to add information or their opinion (in words or pictures) about a topic and sign their name in one of the four sections.
- You can play music in the background to make it more fun or act as a timer.
Free think
- In small groups, ask students to discuss a topic, scenario or issue and write down all responses.
- Once all groups have finished discussions, you or a volunteer from each group can read out some responses for further discussion.
Gallery Walk
- In small groups, provide each group with a large piece of paper with a topic or question. Ask each group to write down their thoughts or responses.
- Once enough time has passed rotate the pieces of papers around the room until every group has had a chance to record their responses on each piece of paper.
- Once the pieces of paper have returned to their original group have students read and reflect on the new responses.
- You or a volunteer from each group may read some responses to the whole room for further discussion.
Head talk
- Place students in groups of six and provide each a member a number from 1-6.
- Pose a question or scenario for groups to discuss and come up with agreed upon response or solution to, as one person from each group will be required to feedback to everyone else.
- Once discussion time is over, roll a six-sided die to determine which number from each group will feedback their group response to the rest of the class.
- Consider and reiterate the right-to-pass in this activity.
Letter box survey
- Prepare a set of letterboxes and label each with a number. (These can be made using a shoebox, tissue box or ice-cream container).
- Devise a set of numbered questions (one question for each letter box) and provide a copy for each student.
- The questions should require students to respond from a personal view. E.g. What do you think the Government could do to encourage young people to get regular STI testing?
- Students complete the questions individually without discussion and place their answers in the corresponding letter boxes.
- Place students in groups and given them a lettterbox to read and sort into no more than 4 categories.
- Have students report their findings to the class. It may help to allocate roles to each group member - time keeper, recorder, reporter, manager. Limit reports to one minute.
Maths investigation
- Identify an issue suitable for investigation through measurement, graphing, timing, etc.
- Encourage prediction of the outcome and record finding appropriately.
- E.g. How many millilitres of liquid can be absorbed by a period pad.
- E.g. 2. How many times you laugh in a day.
Placemat
- Place students in groups of 2 to 4.
- Give each group a large piece of paper with a section for each group member, including an additional middle square or circle. This is the 'placement'.
- Without speaking, each student writes down their own solution or response in their section of the paper.
- Group members share their ideas or responses with their other members and then record an agreed upon response or solution and in the middle part of the paper, which will be shared with the class.
Research corner
- Provide information in a range of formats (print, website, fact sheet, video) for self-directed learning.
Ask students to share their learning through whole class feedback, on noticeboard (digital or written) or using an activity on this page.
Rip and review
- Write four questions on the board.
- Form students in groups of four and give each student a piece of paper divided into four sections numbered 1 through to 4.
- Ask students to write their response in the corresponding numbered section of their piece of paper.
- Once complete, ask students to rip their pieces of paper by the four sections and place all the same numbered sections in a pile together.
- Each person takes one pile, reads through the responses and summarises collected response to the whole group.
Scavenger hunt
- Give each student a 'scavenger sheet' which includes set of open-ended questions related to a topic.
- Provide a range of resources (e.g. fact sheets, books, posters, pamphlets, websites) to find the answers to the questions.
- Set a time limit for students to answer all the questions.
- At the end of the time limit, students feedback to the room and discussions.
- You can give groups the same question or a range of questions.
Silent card shuffle
- Use pre-made card sets, featuring visual images, statements, concepts or single words for this activity.
- Silent card shuffle: the cards are spread out face-up and students are to arrange, group, match or sequence them.
- Circle and observe: students are to move around the other groups and notice what they observed on how others have arranged the cards.
- Return and refine: students return to their original cards to make any changes they wish after seeing what others have done.
- This is a great way to show students that it is ok to change and refine your thinking after seeing/hearing someone else's ideas.
Streamline
- Pose a question or statement. E.g. What are potential consequences of having sex?
- Individually, students write their own list of 5 responses on a piece of paper.
- Students then form pairs and streamline their response into a top 5 list.
- Pairs find another pair and repeat the process of creating a top 5 list.
- Groups then write their top 5 on the board for the class to discuss.
Survey
- Students identify:
- an issue
- a group of people to interview about the issue (e.g. class members, teachers, parents, community members, family)
- a set of questions.
- Students conduct the survey through observation, interviews or survey sheets.
- Students consider how to best present and distribute their findings (e.g. school newsletter article, letter to families, presentation, etc)
- Teachers should review survey or interview questions before students use them with others.
- This can be a relatively short or long-term project.
Viewing
- Select a piece of media (film, television, print) for students to analysis, critique and discuss that relates to sexual health.
- Have a list of questions or areas you would like students to consider or answer.
- Consider using one of the above strategies to answer the questions or generate further discussion and analysis of the media between students
- Consider the production date of the media - students may find it harder to critique or respond to media they deem "too old"
- After critiquing the media, ask students to create their own resource which they feel has more relevant or accurate information about the sexual health topic.