There are several unknown benefits of lesson starters that every teacher must uncover. In addition, knowing when to use them is key. Let us delve into this as Hon Jerry Akporhor- Lead Educator @ Informed Teachers Network coaches us all.
He writes…
Lesson starters are as important as textbooks and other learning resources.
Teachers who start their lessons with interesting related starters are more likely to have successful lessons. They give learners a blast of the learning experience.
When to use starters in the class as a teacher
1. Children come to school with low energy, family issues, etc. They need starters to warm them up.
2. Children went out for a break. They come back to class with unfinished business. Half of their mind is still outside. They need starters to bring their full attention to class.
3. Children have been seated for long hours of learning. They are tired and sleepy. They need starters to energize them and shake the sleep off.
4. The class is noisy and distracted. Instead of shouting “keep quiet” start their favorite song or rhyme.
5. They are having a hard time understanding a concept. Interject with a starter and see the magic.
6. You are switching from one subject to another, you need a starter.
These starters come in different formats; Videos show(documentaries, tutorials, etc), listening to audio(different sounds including music), picture descriptions, solving puzzles, reciting rhymes and poems, playing games, singing songs, etc.
Benefits of Lesson Starters That Every Teacher Must Consider
Sometimes we do forget to employ them in our lessons, other times too we deliberately ignore them with the idea to save time. It is actually not time-wasting. The benefits of Lesson starters include the following.
#1 It improves their memory.
#2 It improves their vocabulary.
#3 It improves their problem-solving skills.
#4 It gets them ready for the lesson.
#5 It is a good class management tool.
#6 It makes the class lively.
#7 It unlocks the Lesson,
#8 It builds a strong bond between teachers and students.
#9 It encourages participation.
#10 It helps revise the previous Lesson etc.. etc…
Some are topic or subject-specific.
Others can be modified to fit other subjects and topics.
Some take more time (that should be taken into consideration).
It is good to or know many starters as a teacher.
It’s is more effective when you vary them.
Engaging learners in the same activity over and over again becomes boring.
Remember the games, songs, and rhymes you were taught back in your school days.
Consult other teachers. Go on the net. There are thousands of brilliant starter ideas you can find.
They are good tools to start a lesson, they are good tools to keep the learning going and good plenary tools.
Be an innovative teacher, be an interesting teacher.
We hope you learnt something useful, especially the benefits of Lesson starters as shared by Hon Jerry Akporhor. Keep your class activities, lessons, and all you do in class filled with unforgettable moments for learners.
CHECK THIS: 10 Lesson starters every teacher should try
The Ghana Education News Editorial Team is a specialized collective of education researchers, journalists, and policy analysts dedicated to providing high-fidelity reporting on the Ghanaian academic landscape. Serving as a primary bridge between governing bodies—including the Ghana Education Service (GES) and WAEC—and the public, the team leverages over a decade of combined experience to serve students, parents, and educators nationwide.
Lead Architect & Editor-in-Chief
The team is led by Wisdom Kojo Eli Hammond, a distinguished Ghanaian Edu-Tech Entrepreneur, AI Solutions Developer, and Product Architect with over 25 years of cross-disciplinary experience in education, finance, and digital media. Wisdom is the visionary force behind SkulManager, Ghana’s premier school management ecosystem, and the Lead Consultant at Education-News Consult.
A self-taught innovator, professional Web Designer, and regular columnist on GhanaWeb, Wisdom engineered SkulManager.com as the only platform strictly tailored to the GES Curriculum. His technical leadership has redefined educational assessment through a Hybrid Marking Ecosystem, pioneering the BECE and WASSCE Home Mock services—a unique fusion of WAEC-trained human examiners and advanced AI marking engines operational since 2022.
Wisdom’s 360-degree view of institutional challenges is grounded in his tenure as College President and Lecturer at Pinnacle College (Achimota), as well as his background as a school administrator and accountant. He is a dedicated lifelong learner currently advancing his studies at the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), with academic ties to the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
An accomplished author, his works include Returnees of the Dead Forest (UK Published), Simplified Beacon of Light (850+ Q&A), and The Leader in Me. A foundational pillar of the award-winning NGO Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Wisdom is committed to building intelligent systems that solve societal problems and prepare the next generation of Ghanaian students for a digital future.
Contact: 0550360658 | Portals: GhanaEducation.org, GhanaEducationNews.org, SkulManager.com, BECEPrep.com. Educationnewsconsult.com etc