General - All ages

Taking the register is a necessary part of every lesson, but can be tedious when done in its traditional format. In order to make this more relevant, I have introduced a word game to my classes.

Before starting the register, I introduce a key topic word. The pupils are then asked to reply to their name with a further key word from the topic.

This is useful when teaching a topic that has subject-specific vocabulary, as it enables pupils to start to utilise the key words. To extend this idea further, pupils are asked to answer to their name by giving a word that is associated to the one before.

With smaller groups, they can be asked to explain the relevance of the previous word, before giving a new word. I have used the activity across all age ranges, varying the complexity of the exercise accordingly. It certainly makes the start of the lesson more interesting and relevant.

Rebecca Smith teaches biology at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls in Cheshire.