Five active teaching methods for crowded classrooms

Active teaching methods turn students from passive listeners into participants. They have opportunities to think about a topic, discuss it with classmates, solve problems, explain their work and learn from one another.

This article has been prepared for the “Teaching Methods” section of the Teacher.af blog and supports the platform’s aim of sharing practical educational content and teachers’ experiences.

Why Is Active Teaching Important in Large Classes?

In a large class, some students may speak more often while others have fewer opportunities to participate. A teacher also cannot work individually with every student during each lesson.

Active methods help distribute participation among students. For example, instead of asking one student a question while everyone else only listens, the teacher can ask all students to think independently first and then share their response with a classmate. In this way, more students become involved in learning at the same time.

The following five practical methods can be used even where resources are limited.

1. Think, Discuss with a Partner and Respond

In this method, the teacher asks a clear question and first gives all students a short period to think independently. Each student then shares an answer or opinion with the classmate sitting next to them. Finally, several pairs share the result of their discussion with the whole class.

For example, in a science lesson, the teacher might ask: “Why do plants need light to grow?” In a language lesson, students can discuss the main message of a text. In mathematics, they can compare different ways of solving a problem.

This method is suitable for large classes because every student has an opportunity to think and speak, rather than only those who regularly volunteer to answer.

For better implementation, the question should be specific and the time for each stage should be set in advance. The teacher might say: “Think for one minute, discuss with your partner for two minutes and then be ready to share your answer.”

2. Learning in Small Groups

Dividing students into groups of four to six can make classroom activities easier to manage. Each group works on a question, text, problem or short activity and presents its result at the end.

To reduce confusion, each group member should have a clear responsibility. One student may read the instructions, another may write, one may monitor the time and another may present the result.

Roles should be changed from time to time so that all students have opportunities to practise different skills.

Group work is most effective when the task is clear and practical. An instruction such as “Discuss this topic” may be too general. A task such as “Identify three main reasons and write one example for each” provides a clearer objective.

In very large classes, it is not necessary for every group to present its result. The teacher can select several groups at random and ask the others whether they have a different point to add.

3. Using Response Cards or Hand Signals

In a large class, asking one or two students a question does not provide a complete picture of the whole class’s learning. Response cards or hand signals allow the teacher to see the answers of many students in a short period.

Where paper is available, each student can have several simple cards, for example:

• true and false;
• A, B, C and D;
• agree and disagree;
• I understand, I am not sure and I need further explanation.

The teacher asks a question and all students raise the appropriate card at the same time. Where cards are not available, students can use finger signals. For example, one finger may represent the first option, two fingers the second and three fingers the third.

This method provides a quick assessment and helps the teacher decide whether to move to the next part of the lesson or explain the topic again.

To prevent students from copying one another, the teacher can ask everyone to prepare an answer first and then show it at the same time after the count of “one, two, three.”

4. Peer-to-Peer Teaching

In this method, students explain a concept, answer or problem-solving approach to one another. Explaining something to another person can help a student understand it more deeply and identify gaps in their own knowledge.

For example, after solving a mathematics problem, each student explains their method to a classmate. In a language lesson, one student can explain the meaning of a paragraph while another adds any missing points. In science, each group member can explain one stage of a process to the others.

Before the activity begins, the teacher should clarify the correct answer or concept sufficiently. If students teach one another about a topic they have not yet understood, incorrect information may spread.

The teacher’s role is not removed in this method. The teacher moves between groups, listens to explanations, identifies errors and summarizes the main points at the end.

5. Simple Learning Stations

In the learning-stations method, several different activities are placed in different parts of the classroom. Groups of students move from one activity to another after a set period.

For example, a language lesson might have four stations:

The first station is for reading a text, the second for answering questions, the third for explaining vocabulary and the fourth for writing a short summary.

In classrooms where movement is difficult, students do not need to change places. The activities can rotate between the groups instead. For example, an activity sheet can be passed from the first group to the second group after five minutes.

This method requires more preparation, but it can keep students engaged for a longer period. Activities should be short, clear and appropriate for the available time. For the first attempt, it is better to use only two or three stations and increase the number after students become familiar with the process.

How Can Teachers Maintain Order During Active Teaching?

Active teaching should not be confused with disorder. Participatory activities may create more noise than a lecture, but the noise should be connected to learning.

Before an activity begins, the teacher should clearly explain the purpose, time, group arrangement and expected result. Instructions should be short and, where possible, written on the board.

It is also useful to have a clear signal for stopping an activity. For example, the teacher may raise a hand, say a specific word or clap three times. Students should know in advance that when they see or hear the signal, they must stop talking and pay attention.

The teacher should also manage the timing of activities. Short activities of five to ten minutes are generally more suitable for beginning than long activities.

How Can Participation from All Students Be Increased?

In some groups, one or two students may do all the work while others only observe. Assigning roles, changing group membership and randomly selecting the presenter can reduce this problem.

Before the activity, the teacher can explain that every group member must be able to describe the final result. Instead of allowing the group to select its own representative, the teacher can randomly choose one member to respond.

Students who speak less should also be given opportunities to participate. Participation does not always mean speaking in front of the whole class. Writing an answer, discussing with one classmate or carrying out a group responsibility are also valuable forms of participation.

Start with Small Changes

Teachers do not need to change an entire lesson at once to make teaching more active. At first, only five minutes of a lesson can be assigned to one of these methods.

For example, the lesson can begin with a “think and share” question, or response cards can be used at the end to check students’ understanding. After observing the result, the teacher can gradually introduce group activities or learning stations.

The best method is one that matches the lesson objective, students’ age, class size, classroom space and available resources.

Conclusion

Large classes present real limitations, but suitable planning can create more opportunities for student participation. Think-and-share activities, group work, response cards, peer teaching and learning stations are methods that can be implemented at low cost.

The purpose of active teaching is not for the teacher to do less work. It is for students to take a greater role in their own learning. When students think, explain, ask questions and work together, deeper learning becomes more possible.