Pique Interest
With the technique Pique Interest, learning intentions are shared as questions, rather than statements. For example, if the purpose of a lesson is to teach students about DNA, the lesson might begin with two questions:
‘What is DNA?’
‘What does DNA look like?’
The teacher would tell the class that the purpose of the lesson is to answer these questions.
Why use this technique
Students aren’t always as interested in the planned learning as we might hope. Questions can be a good way to get them interested and help get the lesson off to an active start - one in which students are thinking (rather than watching and listening passively).
Notes and tips
Start with a statement
So you are clear in your own mind about the learning goal of a lesson, it is often a good idea to first write the learning intention as a statement, which you can then turn into one or more questions. For example, a learning intention statement for a lesson about the gunpowder plot might read:
We are learning about the gunpowder plot, specifically, to understand the reasons why this failed.
Pique Interest questions derived from this might then be:
‘Why did the gunpowder plot fail?’
‘Who was the most influential person in foiling the gunpowder plot?’
Encourage students to ask their own questions
You might also encouarge students to come up with some questions themselves. For example, you might ask:
‘What questions do you have about the gunpowder plot?’
A key goal of the lesson will be to answer these as well.
Return to the questions
Later on in the lesson, you can return to each of the questions posed, using these as your steer to check understanding (short-term learning) and summarise the main learning points.
Focused reflection
How well do you currently use this technique?
Is it a technique you will focus on developing?
If so, what are the key features you will focus on (things to do, and not do)?