Reviewing and Revisiting Information

One challenge instructors face when it comes time to review information is keeping their students’ attention. The last thing an instructor should say is, ”OK class, time to review”. Using that phrase will cause your students to prematurely “shut down” their brains because they assume the actual learning of new information has been completed. The problem is that you have not had the opportunity of ensuring that your students have actually retained the information initially presented. This exercise requires a little bit of prep work on your part as the instructor, but allows you to assess if the transfer of knowledge (the learning) has occurred…

Prep time: 30:00

Delivery time: 15:00

The Preparation

1. Make up a series of flash cards with questions pertaining to the lesson of the day.


2. Tape one card under the chair of each student (it is ok if every student does not have a card)

The Delivery

1. Towards the end of class have each student get up and look under their seat. If they have a card, have the student carefully remove the card (so they can be reused) and remain standing.


2. Break up the standing students into 4 or 5 groups around the room and even out the group numbers with the remaining students who are sitting down.


3. Once in their groups, have the groups select a speaker and a scribe.


4. In their individual groups, have the students discuss and answer the questions on the cards and the have the scribe write down the answers.


5. Once all questions have been answered, have the group signal that they are finished.


6. Once all groups are finished, the speaker of each group will read the question and the group answer for the class.

This is a great way for you (the instructor) to review information and never once say “OK, let’s review”. As the instructor, be ready to fill in any additional information the students may have missed in their answers.