Tip #4 - Ball toss activities

One of the previous tips was called "squishy-throwy things" and it suggested that bath sponges are ideal for throwing around the class.
Here are a few tips for what to do with them.

1. Choosing students. You won't remember every student's name. You could have up to 1000 students a week and it's just impossible. So when you need to select students to answer a question, tossing the ball to them and getting them to stand is a good way to identify who you are talking to and to make it fun.

2. Letting them toss the ball to each other. When you have an activity that involves many students doing the same thing - for example if you have asked the whole class to name 'types of building in a town', toss the ball to a student and then let them toss it from student to student with each new student providing an answer.

3. Double ball toss activity. If you have a question and answer drill, for example one student asking another student "What is your favourite..." and the second student replying, you can use two different coloured sponges with students with one colour asking and the other colour answering. Let the students toss them around. If, as often happens, you end up with one student with both balls, let him ask and answer his own question before throwing them to two other students. It always raises a laugh.

4. Getting the attention of students. You will need to practice your throwing skills for this but if you see  students who is gazing down into their laps, they are probably reading  books or playing with their phones. If you can accurately drop the ball into their laps from the front of the class it startles them. The whole class laughs and then you can target your next question at them.

5. Waking sleeping students. Number 4 works just as well to wake sleeping students, though if you have belligerent older students it might be better to either wake them gently or let them sleep.