Sabotage!
Resources:
None
What to do:
This is a strategy works extremely well with learners of all abilities.
Although it’s very simple to sabotage a lesson it does require a little thought and planning – and confidence!
Here are a few quick and easy ideas on how to sabotage your lesson INTENTIONALLY:
- missing out a vital resource in a practical lesson;
- not providing a full set of instructions (written or verbal);
- making deliberate/obvious mistakes with what you say/do;
- not providing enough of what’s needed for the lesson;
- leaving things in the wrong place;
- mis-numbering instructions;
- deliberate errors in written instructions/information provided by you;
- disorganised resources;
- incorrect resources;
- mismatched information/instructions and resources;
- disconnected cables/power sockets switched off for essential electrical equipment;
- missing furniture/seats.
The aims of this strategy is to get the learners thinking for themselves, solving problems, communicating and developing their confidence, independence and resilience.
It’s great for getting them working together, sharing and helping each other.
The first time you try this you WILL have to lead them to the sabotaged part of the acitvity and walk through what is wrong, how it’s wrong, why it matters and how it can be fixed.
After all, they are probably used to you being the expert who knows all the answers and makes everything right!
If the learners miss your sabotage, then you may have to make it obvious to them that there is something not quite right… cue hammy acting!
They soon pick up that their teacher is not infallible and, sometimes, they know or can do something better than you. This seems to be the bit that the learners really enjoy – pointing out your mistakes and showing/telling you what you have done wrong. It can lead to all sorts of great opportunities for exploring their learning and getting them talking: ‘so why do you think there is something wrong with that?’, ‘what do you need?’, ‘why do you need it?’, ‘what else could you do/use?’, ‘what’s missing?’, ‘where is it?’, ‘who has it?’ etc.
Variations:
You may want to sabotage different parts of the lesson for different groups/abilities/tasks in different ways. Give it a go – it’s great fun!
Guest post by www.twitter.com/dinx67
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