Starting with Prior Knowledge

If we begin lessons with prior knowledge, we give learners an opportunity to contextualise their learning within the bounds of their existing knowledge and understanding.

This gives them a route through which to access new ideas and information.

And it makes it more likely they will see how the learning relates to their lives and to the world in which they live.

Here are three ways you can use prior knowledge as a starting point, to build engagement.

Strategy One

Begin a new topic with a general discussion activity in which learners explore what they already know about the topic, or related areas.

This gives you an opportunity to assess the extent of learners’ prior knowledge.

You can then use this information to inform your lesson planning.

It will also help learners to see what follows in the context of their discussions, priming them to make connections between what they already know and the new content you have lined up for them.

Strategy Two

At the start of a unit of work, introduce the general topic and then invite learners to identify three questions they could ask their peers to find out what they already know about this.

When the questions have been formulated, ask learners to walk around the room and interview 3-5 of their peers.

This prompts discussion of relevant prior learning.

It also gives learners access to information connected to the topic that their peers possess, but which they might not.

The activity creates an exchange of information about the topic, while also facilitating engaging interactions between learners.

Strategy Three

At the start of a lesson, introduce learners to the topic and provide three pieces of relevant information.

Next, ask learners to work with a partner to connect each piece of information to three things they already know.

When sufficient time has passed, ask pairs to get into groups of four and share their ideas.

Conclude the activity by asking 2-3 groups to share their answers with the whole class.

This is a variation of a lateral thinking exercise in which participants must make connections between seemingly disparate objects.

In our version, the lateral thinking is a tool to get learners making connections between what they already know and what the lesson is about.

This is a good way to create engagement and to generate meaning for learners when they are meeting a topic for the first time.

Stimulating Starter Activities

Another way to create engagement at the start of your lessons is through stimulating starter activities.

These set the tone for your lessons.

If we can grab learners here and focus their full attention on learning, maintaining engagement for the rest of the lesson is much easier.

Here are five examples of stimulating starter activities you can use to do this.

Question-Answer Match

Hand each learner a slip of paper as they enter the room.

Half should have questions written on them, half should contain answers.

Challenge the class to match the questions to the answers and then to predict what the lesson will be about.

Secret Missions

Place envelopes on learners’ desks marked with the words ‘secret mission’.

Inside, there should be a set of instructions telling learners what they need to do for the starter activity.

Let learners discover these for themselves.

You can increase the anticipation by doing a verbal countdown from ten to one, before letting learners open their envelopes.

Countdown Timer

Display a question or task on the board beside a countdown timer set to a short period such as two minutes or sixty seconds.

Start the timer immediately and implore learners to complete the activity as quickly as possible.

This creates a sense of pace and excitement from the word go.

You can increase the sense of immediacy by calling out when the timer hits certain points. For example: ’30 seconds gone! Only 30 seconds left!’

Video Instructions

Make a video of yourself delivering instructions for the starter while wearing a costume connected to the topic of study.

Play this as learners take their seats.

You should get a positive response!

You can then invite learners to complete the starter, to guess who you were dressed up as, and to make a connection between their guess and the lesson topic.

Finish the Story 

Display the first part of a story on the board.

This should connect to the topic of study.

Begin reading the story and then, as it comes to an end, tell learners they must pick it up from there and either write or discuss what happens next.

This plays on the psychological draw of narrative, using it to hook learners into the lesson.

You can modify and adapt each of these five starters.

What they all share is a focus on immediate engagement, and the use of surprise or the upending of expectations to bind learners into the lesson.