Ice Breakers

One of the biggest challenges of literacy training is making the sessions fun and keeping your students engaged, especially at the beginning of each session.   In fact, the hardest part of learning is often just getting started and grabbing your student’s attention and keeping them enthused, particularly if you are working with a shy or uncooperative student.  One great way to engage your student is through utilizing ice breakers. 

 

Ice breakers are a tool used to break tension, lighten the mood and create a more receptive learning climate.  Ice breakers usually invoke humor or thought provoking tasks.   They can be brain teasers to get your student’s curiosity peaked or they could be fun games to lighten the mood.

Games are effective ice breakers.  As you will see later, games can inject levity into your sessions as well as also giving your student and you a better understanding of each other.   Since we may work with many students from various backgrounds, ice breakers can open us to our student's different cultural and social customs. 

  

Some advantages of these ice breakers include:

• gaining a better understanding of each other
• lightening the mood
• helping to connect with your student
• engaging your student in dialog
• breaking down barriers 

There are numerous ice breakers you can use that can make your teaching experience more fun.  Listed below are a few:

• "true or false" - have your student write down 3 statements (2 true and one false) guess which one of the statements you think is false.  Do the same for yuorself and have your student guess
• have your student share something unusual or personal about him or her (nothing too personal of course).  It could be a place you have visited, a unique hobby, one of your achievements or an unusual experience.  Maybe you met a celebrity and possibly that encounter was awkward.  Maybe you like to collect memorabilia.  It can be anything, preferably something unique, odd or humorous. 
•  "deserted island" - ask your student what item they would want to have with them if they were stranded on a deserted island
• have your student bring in an item that is special to them or that has some kind of symbolic importance.  Since it is an item they like they may be more willing to talk to you about it which can spur your dialog and open them up to the learning process
• ask your student what their favorite vacation spot or relaxation activity is 

You can even make up your own ice breakers.  You can think up an ice breaker that will interest your student.  If they are sports fan you can start off each session with a few minutes of sports trivia or ask them about the hometown team.  The important thing is to get them to feel relaxed and engaged.

Still not sure what type of ice breaker would work for you and your student?  Listed below are a few websites that offer examples of ice breakers.

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/articles-detail-view.php?id=1159 

http://www.lessonplanet.com/article/language-arts/language-arts-ice-breakers