Give students of all abilities the opportunity to dance
October 4, 2018
Archive
Shorten activities
July 13, 2018
Some kids might not be able to focus for a long time on one activity or may become tired. Short movement games could be alternated between dance exercises....
Have short activity breaks
July 13, 2018
Allow kids to ‘let off steam’ and ‘drop focus’. They may want to do their own stretches or moves in between dance exercises....
Shorten movement tasks and dance exercises
July 13, 2018
Short and specific movement tasks work better than long ones. Some kids might not be able to focus for a long time on one activity. Structure the class in short, interesting, and contrasting experiences. Movement games could be alternated between dance exercises....
Reduce background noise when giving instructions
July 13, 2018
Minimising background noise and distractions while giving instructions can help all kids hear and focus on the teacher....
Check in with the child to see if they have understood
July 13, 2018
You can do this in a supportive way by asking them to tell you in their own words what they have to do for a particular task or activity....
Simplify and repeat instructions
July 13, 2018
Some kids might need instructions to be made simpler and dance movements repeated multiple times. You may need to limit the amount of information given, so that only one step is explained at a time....
Model the behaviour you want to see in class
July 13, 2018
Model calm behaviour when students are overstimulated; allow silence and time for a child to respond; have patience for confusion and chaos when children become overwhelmed...
Engage the child’s attention before giving instructions
July 13, 2018
Call the child’s name before giving instructions. Making eye contact with the child, or giving a gentle physical prompt (e.g. softly tapping their arm or hand) can help to make sure the child is listening and paying attention....
Set clear rules
July 13, 2018
The structure and rules of the dance class should be covered in the first class. It can help to use pictures as well as words to explain the rules. Keep a short list of the rules in a place that is clearly visible to the...