We have all been told to include an icebreaker into our lessons and heard of various versions of icebreakers. But why do we actually need to do them?
By understanding the aims of an icebreaker, which is illustrated in the picture, we can see that the main aim is to put our students and learners at ease to prepare them to effectively start learning.
By doing this, it will settle nerves, introduce everyone, encourage communication, and support confidence in your learning environment.
If we all think back to courses, lessons or seminars we have been on, I am sure we can remember those ice breakers that forced you to get up and do something. These can sometimes back fire if the facilitator hasn’t address potential learning needs. For example, if you have a learner who struggles with numeracy skills and you have planned an icebreaker that requires people to stand up and showcase these skills. It will immediately cause a barrier for this learner.
Try to understand the learners in your lessons, identify any possible barriers or issues, and plan an icebreaker that encourages full participation from everyone.
There are thousands of icebreakers on the internet that you can find and incorporate into your lessons.
We found some here on Ice Breaker games
So get planning, be creative, and create fun lessons with fantastic icebreakers.
