As a teacher educator, I spend many months each year observing classes, and more often than not, I see them start abruptly and then peter out with no real conclusion.
These kinds of classes miss key learning opportunities because a well-structured introduction can capture attention, activate existing knowledge and promote metacognition. A thoughtfully planned conclusion can consolidate learning, encourage reflection and help teachers assess understanding.
Starters and plenaries can act as cognitive anchors that transition students into and out of the learning process, and they also provide important data that teachers can use to adapt their methods.
Here are activities that work well.
Starters that stimulate enquiry and encourage participation
Concept mapping
Concept mapping involves the individual or collaborative creation of a mind map or diagram that demonstrates topic understanding.
It promotes meaningful learning by encouraging students to visualise relationships between concepts. It can also support active learning, as it requires students to critically evaluate and organise their thoughts – crucial skills for higher education study. Concept maps also help educators identify knowledge gaps to address during the session.
However, some students find it difficult to articulate connections between concepts, while larger groups may spend a lot of time managing and interpreting multiple maps. To mitigate these issues, provide clear instructions, templates and examples. Alternatively, digital tools such as MindMeister or Coggle can make collaborative mapping and sharing easier.
Gamified activities
Gamification, the application of game elements to non-game contexts, can improve student engagement and promote active learning at the start of a session. Examples include incorporating rewards and challenges into activities such as quizzes, polls or team-based mini-games. These activities also help break the ice, establish a collaborative atmosphere and spark interest around the learning content.
However, ill-developed gamified activities can distract from learning goals. Also, more introverted students may feel uncomfortable with the competitive element of such activities, and accessibility issues and digital literacy gaps may exclude others. To reduce barriers, ensure that platforms and tools are compatible with assistive technologies and offer multiple options for engagement. For example, you can let students work in smaller groups or pairs or do the activity in their own time.
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Comparative advance organisers
Comparative advance organisers (CAOs) are learning aids that build on existing knowledge by presenting comparisons, contrasts or relationships between what students already know and new information.
An example of a CAO for a literature class could be a comparison table highlighting the differences and similarities between characters in a novel. Other examples include “know, want to know, learned” tables, where students write down what they know and what they want to know at the beginning of the session and then what they learned by the end.
Other CAOs include flowcharts or process diagrams, video prompts, narrative introductions and problem-solving scenarios.
When using CAOs, clearly explain the reason and use visual aids such as mind maps or flowcharts to aid understanding.
Live polling
With live polling using tools such as Mentimeter, Poll Everywhere or Kahoot, you can begin sessions with attention-grabbing, thought-provoking or contentious questions related to what students will learn during the class.
By collecting responses in real time, teachers can quickly identify misconceptions or attitudes and tailor their teaching to ensure sessions are inclusive and effective.
Technical issues, such as connectivity problems or unfamiliarity with the platform, can cause disruptions, and poorly designed questions may fail to promote meaningful engagement or critical thinking. So, ensure you test the questions and technology in advance. You can enable anonymous responses to encourage participation from all students.
Plenaries that promote reflection
Exit tickets
Exit tickets are brief assessment activities featuring prompts to help teachers gauge understanding. Example prompts include: “What was the most important thing you learned today?” or “What questions do you still have?”
While extremely useful, in large classes, processing responses can be time-consuming, and students may provide superficial answers if not adequately motivated. Therefore, ensure prompts are clear, focused and linked to the session’s objectives. Polling platforms can help streamline the process.
3-2-1 reflections
The 3-2-1 reflection technique requires students to list three things they learned, two questions they still have and one aspect of the class they found most interesting or impactful.
To prevent students from giving overly simplistic or generic responses, provide clear instructions and model examples, and emphasise the value of honest, thoughtful reflections. Digital tools such as Google Forms or online discussion boards can encourage those who are hesitant to speak up to do so with more confidence.
‘What if’ scenarios
“What if” scenarios are enquiry-based activities that challenge students to apply their knowledge to hypothetical situations.
For example, a chemistry teacher might ask the class a question such as: “What if all the elements on the periodic table suddenly disappeared except for carbon?” A history teacher could ask: “What if the Axis Powers had won the Second World War?”
These questions develop students’ problem-solving skills and increase adaptability while deepening understanding.
Hypothetical questions can also foster a collaborative atmosphere and engagement with a diverse set of perspectives. They are particularly effective in disciplines such as law, ethics, science and business, where theoretical concepts can be applied to real-world challenges.
Some students may struggle to engage with abstract or speculative questions, especially if they lack confidence or background knowledge. In such cases, scaffolding, examples and prompts can help. Group discussions or written reflections can aid inclusivity and participation.
One-minute summaries
This timed activity requires students to summarise a session’s key points.
As well as promoting knowledge consolidation, it allows students to practise condensing complex information into clear and concise statements – a useful skill within and beyond academia.
Students with weaker language skills or limited knowledge may struggle to articulate their thoughts clearly, in which case, sentence starters or prompts, such as: “The key idea I learned today is…” or “One thing I am still unsure about is…”, can help.
By bookending classes with starters and plenaries, teachers can prime students for deeper learning and make sure it sticks.
Paul Demetriou is a lecturer in education at New City College London.
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