Teachers of all ages struggle to find creative ways to make their lesson plans come alive and engage their students. Students can become bored if they are not sufficiently challenged or if the topic is not interesting. Adding new content to the curriculum will help make learning more fun for adults and younger learners.
1. Bring current events into the classroom
Integrate award-winning and expertly produced journalism from reliable sources like The New York Times to inspire students and give them multiple perspectives about the news. The New York Times News Service offers licensed content that can help students learn about the world, develop a habit of learning, and keep up with current events.
Are you looking for a key educational resource? The Learning Network is available for licensing from The New York Times. The Learning Network, from The New York Times, is designed by educators and curriculum developers with extensive experience in classrooms and curriculum development. It provides rich and creative materials that encourage students to express their ideas and think critically.
2. Learn about Age-Appropriate Resources
The opposite is also true. We all know that children “zone out” when the material in the lessons isn’t difficult enough. A curriculum that is too complex can make students feel overwhelmed and want to quit.
What can you do to fix this problem and help your students understand concepts that are difficult to grasp? Learn about learning resources that have a real-world context and are appropriate for your student’s grade level. Content that is designed to promote comprehension will help break down subject matter. Once a child can focus on their accomplishments, they are more likely to accept challenging topics and accelerate their learning.
The New York Times for Kids, a special section of The New York Times in print format that mimics a traditional newspaper, creates content that focuses on the most important news for younger readers. This special section is available for classroom use. It can include information on how schools prepare for disasters, the best slime recipe, and even the ways to incorporate the news into creative teaching methods.
Scholastic is one of the leading educational publishers in the world. They offer licensed content to educators, publishers and organizations that want to engage young readers through quality storytelling and trustworthy news coverage. Upfront, a classroom magazine adapted from The New York Times news articles provides students with context about what is happening in the world and exercises them to explore why this information is relevant to them. Science World, another title available, contextualizes recent breakthroughs in technology and science by connecting the news to essential biology, earth science, chemistry and physics concepts students will be learning in class.
3. Multimedia content can be used to enhance e-learning.
Modern classrooms, particularly in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, heavily rely on personal technology, educational technology and e-learning. The student can often self-direct the lesson on their terms and pace. This is convenient, but it can also lead to students tuning out and becoming disengaged. Nobody wants to listen for hours to a talking head! How can you keep your students engaged in eLearning? Use the formats that students are most interested in on other platforms, like videos and photos.
The New York Times Photo Service and The New York Times Video are available for licensing. Our photojournalism offers a unique window into the world of art, entertainment, and technology. Ask students to use this worldly and unique multimedia content for discussion or writing prompts. They can describe what they see in the images and improve their critical thinking skills.
4. Include puzzles in your lesson plan
People of all ages love puzzles! All of us are competitors, even against ourselves. It has been proven that the satisfaction of solving a puzzle increases dopamine levels in our brains (the feel-good chemical). Higher dopamine levels can improve memory and motivation while making us happier.
Picture puzzles are a great way to help young minds develop early learning skills like visual perception, concentration and self-confidence. Highlights Hidden Pictures is a picture puzzle from Highlights Magazine. It challenges young minds to find 10 or more hidden items within an animated picture.
Students will enjoy the opportunity to enter a new world through topical wordplay that sharpens their wit. The New York Times Crosswords, edited by puzzle master Will Shortz, can be used with students from middle school and above to engage them through their clever themes and hidden jokes. You can use references to popular culture and works of art, such as movies, TV shows and music from the classical period, to tie themes into your lesson plans.
5. Teach students to be discerning
Fake news can be found everywhere. It is difficult for consumers to tell the difference between fact and fiction. News is more important than ever to help students learn about the world and avoid being sucked into fake news stories. The constant stream of opinions and talk shows can also add to confusion. When teaching the news to students, it is important to use reputable sources of news and authoritative content. This will help them be more discerning about the information that they encounter.
6. Teaching English as a second language with Journalism
The New York Times articles are written to the highest journalistic standard and have been edited by the best editors. They are the ideal English learning tool for building important language skills such as grammar and vocabulary. Use evergreen content that is curated and paired with relevant media and news articles for students to engage English language learners of any age.
Sarah E. Elia, a private English tutor in Beijing, is always looking for new ways to motivate her students. Ms. Elia believes that The New York Times is the ideal “textbook” for her tutoring sessions, thanks to its wide range of vocabulary, interesting content, and world news. A couple of years ago, she wrote an article for The New York Times explaining how she uses Times articles to tutor students.
Students of all ages and backgrounds can benefit from learning English by reading newspaper articles. News articles can help students express complex ideas and give them new vocabulary. These articles can also help students with their careers. Students will be able to use their newly acquired language skills in their careers by analyzing relevant industry topics, such as financial or business news.
Where can I find good articles for students?
Here is a list of educational materials that teachers can use in their classrooms.
Scholastic
Scholastic offers the following titles for licensing through Licensing:
- The New York Times Front: This publication is a great way to introduce young minds to journalistic integrity. Students can improve their writing and reading skills while also gaining an understanding of the context around the news.
- ScienceWorldScience World contextualizes recent research findings in an easy-to-digest format. This publication is perfect for students aged 11-16.
Highlights: Hidden Pictures
Hidden Pictures is a game for children aged six and older. The children are challenged to find 10 or more hidden objects, sharpening their early learning skills. The puzzles are available in English and Spanish.
The Learning Network
The Learning Network engages students using The New York Times journalism. The lesson-of-the-day activities help students think critically about articles and the news.
The New York Times for Kids
The New York Times for Kids will appeal to children aged 8-13. It is a newspaper that highlights stories important to young readers.
The New York Times
The New York Times is a wonderful addition to high school curriculums, particularly in contexts of current events and history.
Bring Your educational content to the next level.
NYTLicensing provides a variety of educational content, from ready-to-use products to articles and multimedia files to comprehensive copyright licensing. This allows learners of any age to develop skills by using journalism of the highest standard. Use it to promote English learning objectives such as news literacy, writing style, critical thinking and reading comprehension. It can also be used for debates, research, and other activities.
How can newspapers be used in the classroom?
Students can benefit from reading news articles in many ways. They are a great way to keep society up-to-date on current events.
Where do students get their news?
Fake news is a growing epidemic. One informal survey found that 74% of college-age students get their news via social media. Students need to know how to distinguish fact from fiction, especially with the rise of TikTok on Instagram and Reels.
How can we use educational media?
Education media can supplement classroom instruction, provide individualized learning experiences, enhance engagement, facilitate distance learning, and encourage collaboration. They also reinforce learning and foster creativity.
How can students engage with the news?
Students can interact with the news by reading articles, watching television news, participating in class discussions and research, completing assignments, creating multimedia presentations, or participating in extracurricular events. These activities help students develop their critical thinking, research, communication, and presentation skills while also keeping them informed of current events.
How do you incorporate current events into the classroom?
Use the following three suggestions to teach current events:
1. Use credible news sources to find out about a wide range of topics – from food to world news!
2. Encourage students to develop critical thinking. Ask the students to read and analyze the articles. Then, have a class discussion.
3. Incorporate current events, whenever possible, into lesson plans. If you are teaching about COVID-19, for example, you can relate it to the Bubonic plague.
Why is media important in teaching and learning?
You can use news media in the classroom to enrich lectures, stimulate discussion or as an assessment task. Students can reinforce concepts by using news media such as photojournalism and video.
