Keep your Students Engaged and Learning with Brain Breaks!

When teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), it is important to provide students with opportunities to take breaks. These "brain breaks" can help students refocus and recharge. Regular brain breaks enhance attentiveness, concentration and focus. They accelerate learning by allowing children to release their energy, anxiety and stress. Brain breaks also increase circulation and promote physical fitness and coordination.

There are a variety of ways to incorporate brain breaks into your ESL classroom.  They can be as simple as having students stand up and stretch, or do a quick lap around the room. Brain breaks can also be more structured, like playing a game or doing a short movement activity. No matter what type of brain break you choose, be sure to give students a few minutes to get up and move around every hour or so.

Here are a few ideas:

Take a walk

Getting some fresh air can help clear your mind and refocus your energy. A 10-minute walk around the block can do wonders!
Listen to music: Listening to calming or upbeat music can help improve your mood and help you get back on track.

5-4-3-2-1 

In this simple game, students stand up and the teacher (or leader) has them do five different movements in descending order. For example the teacher would say: “Do five jumping jacks, spin around four times, hop on one foot three times, walk all the way around the classroom two times, give your neighbor one high-five (pausing in between each task for students to do it).

Trading Places

Have students stand behind their pushed-in chairs. Call out a trait, and everyone who has that trait must change places with someone else (students who do not have the trait stay where they are). Examples: “Everyone with curly hair.” “Everyone who ate cereal for breakfast.” “Everyone who is wearing stripes.”

Six Spots 

Number six spots around your room from 1-6. Have students each go to a spot of their choice. Choose a student to roll a die (if you can make a big one out of foam, it adds to the fun). All the students at the number rolled must go back to their seats. Students that are left go to a new spot, and the die is rolled again. Continue until only a few students are left.

Mingle, Mingle, Group! 

In this game students mill about the classroom saying, “mingle, mingle, mingle” in soft voices until the teacher says, “Groups of 5,” at which point the students must quickly group themselves into groups with the correct number of people. Students who are left over must do three jumping jacks before the next round starts. The teacher can call out any number for the group size. You can also add rules such as: as soon as a group is complete, all members must sit down in a line.

Dance Party! 

Put on some rockin’ music and dance! If you can make the room semi-dark and have a black light or other special effect, your kids will love it!

or...

• Do a quick puzzle.
• Take a short walk.
• Get up and stretch.
• Play a game.
• Do some deep breathing exercises.
• Watch a funny video.
• Have a healthy snack.
• Read a book.
• Listen to music.

These cards make it easy for you to integrate brain breaks into my classroom. They are also great activity songs for physical education, group activities, morning meeting and indoor recess. Invite your kids to pick up a card and do what it says. Kids can move, dance, sing, play, pretend.. These are some ideas but you can add yours!

grab your free copy here

Be creative! There are endless possibilities for brain break activities. Get creative and find activities that fit the interests and needs of your students. Use brain breaks throughout the day. Space them out so that students have a chance to take a break and relax.