Warm Ups…Why We Use Them

Why do we use warm-ups in the classroom?

A while back I was talking with some ASL Teachers about teaching and what they do in the classroom. It got some great thoughts churning in my head about how I start my classes. My big takeaway from the discussion was to think about my warm-ups and how to make them better. Teacher chats always inspire me to create awesome materials…in this case, warm-ups.

Starting a class with a warm-up is essential for a number of reasons

1. Get students to settle down

2. Focus on the material in the lesson

3. Slowly ease students into the class

4. Review important concepts and materials

5. Set the tone for the class

The best way to start a class is to start easy and gradually increase the difficulty of the material. When starting a new unit, you would never start using the vocabulary in large chunks of information. You would first introduce the terms in small chunks of comprehensible input of learning, like a sentence. Then you would have students practice the new terms several times, review them, and even check for understanding. Then, you would start to put them in context using short, simple stories or paragraphs.

Warm-ups give students something to get them going so the wheels in their head can start turning. There are a plethora of warm-up ideas out there that can be used, but because of time, energy, motivation, and other factors, like life,  we never seem to get innovative with how we start class. I have a few go-to ideas for my class, and I seem to stay with those so I don’t have to get creative.

Interpersonal communication conversations

YouTube Videos

Partner A/B activities

None of the above-mentioned are bad ideas, but they can get dull and redundant for students and for a teacher. If you are bored and stuck in a rut, chances are you are bringing your students into the doldrums with you.

When changing up your warm-ups, consider the following factors:

Setting the tone – The warm-up being used should set the tone for what the focus of the class period is all about.

Planning – A warm-up should always be thoughtful and planned out. Whilst some of us have been doing this teaching gig for years and can pull some activity out of thin air, it is always best to be prepared and plan out the warm-up. Construct a good warm-up and set students up for success in the class.

Team building – Most of us probably spend the first day or two of school trying to get to know students and help them get to know each other’s names. This is something that really should take place every day. We expect our students to have conversations on a variety of topics with other people they hardly know. If we build teamwork and making connections into our warm-ups, we establish a culture of closeness and less inhibition. It is important for students to feel comfortable.

Length of time – The warm-up should be started in the first few minutes of class and last no more than 10 minutes; less than that is you have short class periods. The activity should get students out of their native language and into the target language immediately. I have a no voice on policy when you enter the classroom. This helps the transition into the warm-up become a little easier. The quicker you get them into ASL mode, the better.

Piques Curiosity – A warm-up should be fun and engaging and really draw students into the material.

Energy level – A great warm-up will raise the energy level of students while still keeping them focused on the task. Also, a fun environment will create a more relaxed atmosphere for language practice and participation.

Stay tuned for my next post, where we will be discussing ideas for warm-ups.

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