Just like an adult, a student's attention span drops on average every 20 minutes. In order to avoid a harmful saturation in the short or medium term, the didactic break is there.
- Group size: Small Group, Medium Group, Large Group
- Equipment needed: No special equipment
- Type of class: During lecture, in Classroom
- Grouping: Individual, Duets, Small groups
- Objective: Approach content,
- Lenght: ≤ 10 min (5 min)
- Keywords: Activity, Didactic, Break, Rhythm, Memorization
Just like an adult, a student's attention span drops on average every 20 minutes. In order to avoid a harmful saturation in the short or medium term, the didactic break is there.
In a 2-hour session, plan for 3 to 5 breaks of 3 to 5 minutes each. These breaks allow :
- To take a break
- To get back on track
- To get back into your own rhythm
- To exchange with your neighbour
- To reread your notes
- ...
The idea is to make a break in the rhythm of the lesson and to propose to the brains present to launch into a different activity in order to return to the lesson after a few minutes. The best way to apply this principle is to propose something mastered (an explicit activity) and to ritualise it (repeat it every lesson).
Displaying a clock can be a good way to speed up the return to the lesson.
Below are some examples of didactic breaks:
Buzz Group: Initiate a free discussion on the topic covered in class, based on a "shock" or "polemic" question. The teacher can construct a mind map of the ideas or arguments put forward in real time, and should use some of them during the rest of the lesson.
I am here to : The teacher asks the students to write down the objectives of the lesson and how they think they will work on it. Before resuming, the teacher asks them to formulate a few answers in order to check that the objectives are the same for everyone, but also to create opportunities for meetings between those who would have considered the same methods.
Encourage memorization: 3 minutes to reread the notes and create a mini memory card based on key words. The teacher asks for one key word per pupil to say out loud.
Cold-warm-hot: for 3 minutes the students exchange their notes with their neighbours, reread, exchange and clarify the concepts.
Catch your breath: one instruction, talk with your neighbour about everything for 3 minutes.