The beginning of a lesson may grow naturally from previous work or a special effort may be necessary to motivate learners. Possible ways of introducing a lesson are given.

1. Ask a question or provide a riddle or puzzle.

2. Tell or read part or all of a story.

3. Use some type of visual aid.

4. Have students perform a brief task.

5. Allow learners to use one or more of their senses to become aware of something special.

6. Have students do something which requires them to use a skill. When they discover difficulty performing a skill readiness for learning will have been established.

7. Pose a problem to be solved.

8. Encourage students to imagine or visualize something.

9. Begin a cognitive map about a topic.

10. Have students complete open-ended statements.

11. Play a game.

12. Set a goal to be reached by doing a task.

13. Demonstrate or dramatize a discrepant or puzzling event and let students offer explanations.

14. Distribute ads or travel brochures about a place to be studied.

15. Prepare a motivational bulletin board with options for students to respond to the pictures or questions on it.

If beginning teachers write out the opening paragraphs of their lessons they and their supervisors often get a better picture of just what kind of impression the learners will have. Even experienced teachers sometimes jot down a few opening sentences. These statements or questions offer the security that goes with facing an audience and knowing what to say. Having a vague notion of what should happen but still needing to plan what to say in front of an audience may leave listeners impatient. Of course, any teacher will modify or improve on preplanned openings to meet the needs of a situation but it is hard to change something that is not planned. Writing the first few sentences also allows the planner to back away and visualize what might happen if certain words are used. Quoted below are lesson openings that were used when the situation was not planned. Note how frequently these openings focus on the teacher instead of the learners. Visualize what these situations would do for classroom management.

Opening Statements Possible Pupil Responses

1. "Okay, today I'm gong to give you a fun "Fun like the other twenty-three we already worksheet." had to do today?"

2. "Listen up everybody! I want you "But I don't want to do it for you. You just

to ......." chewed me out for ...."

3. "Okay, you guys, let's get ready to "But I'm not a guy."

discuss ..."

4. "Would you like to ....?" "No-o-o-o, but what choice do I have?"

5. "Tell me, have you ever -- ?" "Yaah!" ... "No-o-o!"

6. "Well ---- Hm --- okay class." "I should have stayed in the washroom for five more minutes."

7. "I'm going to read you a ..... Then I'll ..." "You are going to read me?" Please get going

and do it. Don't stand there talking about it."