Great For: Helping Students Find Meaning in the Scriptures

These teaching techniques will help students find meaning in the scriptures.

January 29, 2013
Classroom in my Pocket

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 […]

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December 31, 2012
Three-Step Interview

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 […]

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December 31, 2012
Empathy

Students are asked to imagine themselves in a given situation, and are asked questions about the situation. For example Health Studies students being asked to imagine they are a child who has just been admitted to hospital. Students learning mission skills are asked what the investigator would be seeking. (See the document 25 Ways for […]

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December 31, 2012
Write or Think-Pair-Share

During Think-Pair-Share, group members think about a question/topic individually, then share their thoughts with a partner. Large group summarized sharing also occurs. Hints: The goal of a think/pair/share is to allow participants time to think BEFORE they discuss with a partner. Research shows that when people are given time to contemplate an answer to a […]

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December 31, 2012
Mark a list

Oftentimes the Lord makes a list of attributes or qualities that are worth noting and titling in our margins. Have students "mark a list' of items in their scriptures. Look for items set off by commas, or lists of things to get a certain result. The items may be contained in more than one verse. […]

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December 31, 2012
That Cute Curly Thing

The pilcrow symbol can be very helpful in understanding the Bible. It marks off a new paragraph. Use it to identify main themes between "paragraphs" and new trains of thought. Just look for that cute little curly backwards 'P'--¶! Example: In Jeremiah 21, the man who throws Jeremiah in the stocks asks a question in […]

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December 31, 2012
Role Playing

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 […]

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December 31, 2012
If ... Then Statements

Many scriptures make promises and conditions by putting them in a formula, usually stated as a "If [this happens], then [that will happen]." Look For: Watch for the words like "If..." and "then..." CAUTION: many times the "then" part is implied and the word "then" word is left out. Example: 1 Nephi 2:20 "Inasmuch as […]

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December 31, 2012
Team Adds Details

Divide students into pairs and have one student tell [or write] a story from memory in as much detail as possible, with the second student adding in as much missing detail as possible. Now, the entire class looks over the story in the scriptures and adds in any additional details. The teacher and students work […]

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December 31, 2012
Daydream

This exercise requires a good imagination. After reading the verses silently (perhaps a few times), invite your class to close their eyes and take a few minutes trying to visualize the scene depicted in the scriptures in your mind. Try to imagine every detail, see how people walked, talked, and acted. What is the scenery? […]

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