Mormon Share > Teaching Techniques
 
    
      
Teaching Techniques
    
    
    
      
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          December 31, 2012
        
        
          
I learned this technique from Deann, who learned it from Linda D. When you have a large class of youth, you will need a seating chart to help behavior issues. It’s not mean — it’s positioning everyone so they can participate constructively. Daniel Roma teaches Seminary teachers that f you have more than five students, you need a seating chart. Deann seats her students boy/girl/boy/girl. I have never done that,…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          December 31, 2012
        
        
          
I used these questions on a worksheet to help students evaluate and understand personalities in the scriptures: :: Character Study :: Name: Scripture: Spouse/Children: Age: Hometown: Occupation: Describe this person using only three words. Circle the word you feel is this person’s core quality: ________________ , ________________ , ________________ Briefly describe the person’s attitude toward: Him/Herself _______________________________________________ Family ____________________________________________________ God ______________________________________________________ What problem(s) has this person experienced? Describe an event…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          December 31, 2012
        
        
          
Write the assigned verses or passages on a post it note. Mix up the order you will be covering the passages in, and stick an assignment under each seat in the classroom. When it comes time to read, have everyone look under their seat for their passage and read. I usually employ this method when we have several scriptures to read from different areas of the scriptures. Great for: Reading many…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          February 28, 2012
        
        
          
Since this is my first year, I’m still learning and looking for ideas on how to teach students to use the Gospel Study Aids like the Bible dictionary, index, gazeteer, maps, footnotes, and other supplements during their scripture study. Here are a few of the things I’ve used with success, and I’ll add more as I find them. Please share your ideas, too, in the comments section. We’re all learning…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          February 10, 2012
        
        
          
One of the most boring things we do in class is go around the circle or down the row — in order — with every person reading a single verse of scripture aloud. Here are some very simple ideas you can use to keep students engaged while reading scripture passages aloud. Randomized Scripture Reading The following methods are ways to engage students by making assigned passages randomized. Hey there, Delilah!…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          July 27, 2011
        
        
          
Many teachers use a Scripture Journal to help students retain information they are being taught or to help themselves with personal study. Here are some ideas for using a scripture journal that will give you lots of ideas. Occasional Use During Class My friend DeAnn purchase a composition notebook for each student for use as a scripture journal. Into this book they paste quotes and are assigned to write FITs…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          March 13, 2011
        
        
          
Seminary Mom likes to split her classes into groups for gospel learning. Here’s how she taught 3 Nephi 11 over the course of two days, while splitting into groups for researching the scripture topic: Today was a special day as we began our study of 3 Nephi 11, the crowning moment in the Book of Mormon. I know that the suggested teaching schedule recommends teaching 3 Nephi 11 in one…
Read more
           
         
        
          Teaching Techniques
          Family Home Evening, LDS Primary, LDS Seminary, LDS Singles, LDS Sunday School, LDS Young Men, LDS Young Women, Priesthood, Relief Society, Seminary Mom, Special Needs, teaching methods, teaching tips
         
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          March 13, 2011
        
        
          
Seminary Mom used lunch sacks to emphasize the importance of the material in 3 Nephi — truly a spiritual feast. Kids in her class added notecards to their lunch sacks each day during the lesson to add to their feast. It’s a great example of how to carry a theme over multiple days for lesson continuity. Below is her description of how it worked. This theme could be adapted to…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          March 13, 2011
        
        
          
Seminary Mom is big on hands-on activities, something I think is very important. Here are a couple of her ideas for using art to teach different messages in the scriptures: Principles to Live by (Helaman 15-16) Malachi 3 Principles to Live By Today our scripture block was Helaman 15-16. Using the manual I introduced several of the important discussion points for the lesson today. To start off, we read the…
Read more
           
         
        
            
        
        
          Jennifer Smith
          March 13, 2011
        
        
          
Here’s a great example of using drama to help gospel students learn from Seminary Mom: One of my number one desires as a seminary teacher is to have my students fall in love with the scriptures. I want them to know these individuals we read about who really lived a long time ago. I want the students to feel the truthfulness of what they are reading and to care so…
Read more