As a teacher, you always know when your "kids" have enjoyed a lesson when they ask you at the beginning of every lesson that follows whether they can repeat that lesson. Kahoot is that lesson. Ever since I introduced Kahoot into my Afrikaans classroom at the beginning of the year, every time I enter a Grade 3, 4 or 5 classroom someone is sure to ask, "Can we do a Kahoot today?"
What is a Kahoot? Kahoot is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn - any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages. One of the best things about Kahoot is that it encompasses so many aspects of boys best practice:
So how does it work? Firstly, I create a Kahoot which is set of multiple choice questions. A helpful feature is that videos, images and diagrams can be added to the questions to amplify the engagement. There is an option to use an existing Kahoot as is or to edit the questions to suit your needs. As an Afrikaans teacher, I always set my own Kahoots as there are not that many Afrikaans Kahoots and those on the site do not suit my needs.
The next step is to play the game with my class. No sign up is necessary which makes it incredibly easy to play with a class. I log into my account and select the Kahoot I would like the class to play. There are then two options:
I usually select the Classic mode as I am fortunate enough to have access to a full set of iPads so that each boy can work on his own iPad. My boys then type "kahoot.it" into their search bar, type in the game pin (which I have projected on the screen), enter their nickname and they're ready to start.
I recently discovered that a YouTube link can be added to the set of questions so that while the boys are joining the game they can listen to a chosen YouTube link. The actual video plays in the background of the screen. As I use Kahoot when teaching Afrikaans I usually add an Afrikaans music video to the Kahoot. In this way the boys are being exposed to Afrikaans music. It also makes the sign up process far more enjoyable as the boys end up singing along... and dancing too!
I control the game from my computer and all the questions and answers appear on the screen. The boys choose the answer they think is correct and click on the corresponding button on their iPads. When setting the Kahoot I have the ability to decide how much time should be given to answer each question. Once the time is up or all the players have answered the question, the stats for that question appear on the screen showing how many players chose each of the four answers. I can then click onto the next screen which shows the leader board. I then decide whether I want to discuss the question or move onto the next question.
At the end of the game, I always give the players who feature on the leader board a sweet. It still amazes me how hard boys will work to get a little sweet. The boys also get a chance to evaluate the Kahoot they have just played.
I have used Kahoot to consolidate vocabulary as well as to introduce new vocabulary. The best part of using Kahoot in the classroom is that all the boys are actively involved, having fun and learning at the same time!
- competition
- movement
- time limits
- active involvement
- chaos
So how does it work? Firstly, I create a Kahoot which is set of multiple choice questions. A helpful feature is that videos, images and diagrams can be added to the questions to amplify the engagement. There is an option to use an existing Kahoot as is or to edit the questions to suit your needs. As an Afrikaans teacher, I always set my own Kahoots as there are not that many Afrikaans Kahoots and those on the site do not suit my needs.
The next step is to play the game with my class. No sign up is necessary which makes it incredibly easy to play with a class. I log into my account and select the Kahoot I would like the class to play. There are then two options:
I usually select the Classic mode as I am fortunate enough to have access to a full set of iPads so that each boy can work on his own iPad. My boys then type "kahoot.it" into their search bar, type in the game pin (which I have projected on the screen), enter their nickname and they're ready to start.
I recently discovered that a YouTube link can be added to the set of questions so that while the boys are joining the game they can listen to a chosen YouTube link. The actual video plays in the background of the screen. As I use Kahoot when teaching Afrikaans I usually add an Afrikaans music video to the Kahoot. In this way the boys are being exposed to Afrikaans music. It also makes the sign up process far more enjoyable as the boys end up singing along... and dancing too!
I control the game from my computer and all the questions and answers appear on the screen. The boys choose the answer they think is correct and click on the corresponding button on their iPads. When setting the Kahoot I have the ability to decide how much time should be given to answer each question. Once the time is up or all the players have answered the question, the stats for that question appear on the screen showing how many players chose each of the four answers. I can then click onto the next screen which shows the leader board. I then decide whether I want to discuss the question or move onto the next question.
At the end of the game, I always give the players who feature on the leader board a sweet. It still amazes me how hard boys will work to get a little sweet. The boys also get a chance to evaluate the Kahoot they have just played.
I have used Kahoot to consolidate vocabulary as well as to introduce new vocabulary. The best part of using Kahoot in the classroom is that all the boys are actively involved, having fun and learning at the same time!
