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1. Start
- If you are able to get into the room before the session, arrange seating to make group work/discussions you have planned work better
- Greet your students as they arrive and take a register of attendance
- Collectively agree ground rules with your students such as no phones, being respectful of each other – you shouldn’t need to do this every session
- Check that people have brought the necessary materials (or if not, encourage sharing)
- Find out what your students have been covering that week. Check they are happy with the planned session and if there is anything else they want to cover
2. During
- Work systematically through your session plan, checking in often to stay on track
- Summarise the key points that emerge from activities before moving on
- Read the atmosphere of the room and ensure you use a variety of techniques to keep your group engaged (e.g. move on if an activity is taking too long and students are losing interest) and get everyone involved
- Get students working alone, in pairs and in groups to mix the dynamic up – where possible, get students to work with those they wouldn’t usually work with
- Mingle with your students – sit down with them or walk around – don’t stand at the front the whole time
- Encourage students to use whiteboards/flip charts and other resources
- Monitor how each group is progressing, keep them focused, and their discussions on track
3. End
- Make sure to check students’ understanding and plan to revisit in the next session or signpost if students are still unsure on anything
- If a concern remains unresolved, task students with finding out this information to bring to the next session. Avoid doing this yourself
- Ask the students what they would like to cover in their next PAL session or agree to do this via social media/MS Teams/poll/group chat/email
- Make sure to leave the room as you find it (clean whiteboard, arrange furniture)
