Teaching students to use the Gospel Library to answer questions is one of my very favorite teaching techniques. In my opinion taking the time to teach students how to look up and answer when you can easily answer it yourself, separates good teachers from excellent ones. Using this method will take more time in class, […]

If you've got a lot of material to cover in a short amount of time, you can cover the material more efficiently when you know what students already know about the topic.  One way to quickly assess student understanding of series of events is to give them strips of paper with the main events summarized […]

This idea came from a Pinterest post by Erin Guinup.  She didn't post a link to a website, but posted a picture of her chalkboard from doing this activity that you can see at right. You can see her pin on my Seminary Pinterest page. Basically, you start with a topic.  Each student is given […]

This post was adapted from the original at http://seminaryatsixam.blogspot.com/2012/11/seminary-in-my-pocket.html Classroom In My Pocket  During an early Seminary lesson, I gave each student a rock to keep in their pocket as a reminder of our lesson that day. Little did I know that "Seminary In My Pocket" had been born. During my first lesson, I shared a story with [my students] about an […]

During three-step interview, students, in pairs, interview each other, then report what they learn to another pair. This method helps students network with each other and develop communication skills. Step 1: Student A questions Student B Step 2: Student B questions Student A Step 3: Students A and B enter a small group discussion with […]

Form two concentric circles. The smaller, interior group discusses a topic, while the larger outside group observes. Good for larger classes. Hint: Describe how this activity presents students with an opportunity to model or observe group processing behaviors. Reverse roles as needed. Rotate perspectives as an observer. This could be useful for teaching missionary techniques […]

Use LDS.org's website to help students hear and read a talk. EXAMPLE: I asked the students if they had ever heard the story about "What have you done with my name?" Some had. I told them we'd watch a movie about names, and I asked them to listen for the role that commandments play in […]

Look for ways to help students share those ideas that they have in common. For example, all of your students have had experiences with prayer, church attendance, hurt feelings, etc. EXAMPLE: I asked the students to tell me what they had learned about the benefits of scripture study. Going around the room, each student told […]

Assign students to make a movie about a gospel topic. You may want to have students plan their script so that a Primary child can understand it. My students happen to love anything dramatic, so this is very easy for us. I have a big box of dress up clothes and wigs that they use […]

This is a familiar but underused teaching technique. When you invite students to role play, "The students' job is to shore up their friend, and they almost always bear testimony in the process -- almost without realizing it." (Becoming a Great Gospel Teacher, Eaton and Beecher, p 91) "We've had our students play everything from […]