Latest Issue of the MindBrainEd Think Tank + (ISSN 2434-1002) 7 MindBrained Bulletin Think Tank V4i7 Exercise J | Page 16

The technique I use the most
now is called “dyadic circles,”
though “dyadic lines” is more
appropriate in my case. I
consider it one of the most
powerful, but underused,
English teaching techniques. Student pairs form long lines down the aisles with
partners facing each other. They engage in some short interaction related to the day’s
lesson. When I give the signal, everyone in one of the lines shifts one person to the
right so that everyone has a new partner. Then they do the exchange again. After
three or four interactions, they are energized, they have internalized the language
more deeply, and they have made new friends.
I can’t stress how important this last factor is for first-year students. If you are going
to ride any wave of developmental psychology, ride this one. To move into the adult
world, teens have a strong need to develop autonomy. Building their own identities
and establishing new relationships outside their existing cliques is a part of this
process. As a result, most crave meeting and interacting with as many other students
as possible, something dyadic circles lets them do. In short, dyadic circles increase
motivation, blood flow and internalization through repetition. Underused!
There are other ways, super easy ones, to make a “Movable Class” (a term coined by
Kevin McCaughey in the U.S. State Department; read his article for more ideas and
keep an eye out for his contributions in future issues). It is not always possible to
schedule in an activity that gets hearts pounding, but even just standing up increases
blood flow. (In fact, just deciding to stand up raises your blood pr