If you happen to teach financial literacy to students, then you likely face a problem each year. How do you make your subject actually interesting to students? It’s a vital skill that they develop for success in life, but the content itself can be quite boring for students who aren’t going into the finance sector.
Since you, yourself, understand how important financial literacy is to develop, you likely want to help your students find an interest in the subject, so they can go on to lead successfully financial lives. To help your subject become more interesting and save your students from boredom, here are a few ideas to keep the learning exciting and interesting.
Games
Whether you want to use online games, board games, or even games that you have invented yourself, playing a game is an excellent method for teaching. It’s a method that is being used more commonly with toddlers and early development, but that doesn’t mean that students can’t still benefit from the model. In fact, they may be more receptive to it than ever. By introducing the lessons as a game, your students are engaged and learning while not even realizing it.
Smartphone Apps
This is another method that can be used to keep your students active in their learning. By performing a quick search, you can typically find a few smartphone apps that assist in finances that you can teach your students about. A great deal of finances can now be conducted via mobile phones. Teaching your students about them is not only a practical method of applying their knowledge, but it also keeps them up to date on the latest technology being used in the finance sector.
Budget Simulations
An important financial literacy class model to follow is to engage your students as if the class was the real world. Using simulations is a fantastic way to engage your students. One method is to have them make decisions about finances and then see what the rewards and consequences of those decisions are. Not only does this allow them to experiment and see in real-time what impact financial decisions can have, but it also keeps them interested in the subject. Not to mention, the consequences could leave a lasting mark and help them to stay on the path of good financial decisions in the real world.
A different approach is needed when instructing subjects that many consider being boring. Even something like financial literacy can be a lot of fun if approached in the right way. These ideas can be utilized in your classroom to instruct your students thoroughly about the subject but also keep them engaged and enjoying it.