how to give holiday homework

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How to Do Your Homework During the Holidays

Last Updated: January 5, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 50,078 times.

Sometimes, even if you are done with exams for the academic term, you end up with homework during your school holiday. Whether you are making up work, preparing for a new class, or simply already have to start working on next term, it is possible to get your homework done during your holiday and still enjoy your free time. All you need to do is set a schedule, designate a space to study, and stick to your plan—we'll show you how!

Organizing Your Time

• Try setting aside consistent times for certain subjects every day. For example, if you know you will have time in the afternoon, set aside a block from 2pm to 4pm to work on your homework.
• If you need to work on multiple subjects over the holidays, alternate your study time from day to day. You may want to work on your history homework on Mondays and Wednesdays, and your maths work on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Use a personal planner or calendar to mark down your study times, and write what assignments you want to work on for each day.

• Studying distracted can actually make it more difficult to learn and retain information. When you designate no-study time, it’s important to stick to it so that you don’t miss vital steps or information in your school work.

Setting Up Your Space

• If you are traveling and you forget something, it may be difficult or expensive to get a replacement on the go.
• To avoid missing anything, look at each assignment before you leave and make a checklist of what materials you need to complete that assignment. Go through the checklist and make sure you have packed everything you need to take with you before you leave school.

• If you carry a phone or tablet with you regularly, set reminders on your digital calendar so that you get instant notifications.
• If you use a planner, write reminders down there as well, so that you know what you expect to do and when you expect to do it.

• Clear your study space of all distractions. If you work at a desk, for example, make sure that only your computer, your notebook, your school books, and materials relevant to your studies are set up.
• Make the space more comfortable by providing yourself with comfortable seating, good lighting, and accoutrements such a blanket that may help you feel more relaxed in your space.

Working On Your Homework

• Apps like Freedom and LeechBlock allow users to temporarily block certain sites or set whole blocks of time where the internet is inaccessible.
• Tools such as FocusWriter and Focus Booster are designed to help you track your time to accomplish specific tasks.

• Taking occasional breaks has been found to improve attention and potentially make your overall studying more effective. [7] X Research source Even if you are focused on an assignment, try to include breaks to keep from overworking yourself.

• Do try to avoid packing schoolwork into times that won’t properly allow you to focus, such as on a tour or during a family get-together. Save the school work for designated study time or your leisure time.
• Make sure your environment is compatible for the work you need to do. For example, avoid bringing your computer or scientific calculator to a beach setting, which could damage such equipment.

• If possible, save any editing for a time when you are not on a trip or dealing with family visits. Find a low-stress point in your holiday where you can go over the work you’ve done thus far.
• See if any of your peers would be interested in exchanging assignments and peer editing. Arrange it with a friend before you leave school, and set exchange deadlines for the two of you.

Expert Q&A

• Do not save all of your homework for the last day of your holiday. This makes it more likely that you will not get all of your work done on time and at a satisfactory level. Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 0
• Let your friends and family know your planned study schedule so that they can plan not to disturb you during those times. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 1
• Make sure you have a way to contact your teacher, such as their email address, in case you have any questions that arise while you are away from school. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.
• ↑ http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/68908.html
• ↑ https://psychcentral.com/news/2011/02/09/taking-breaks-found-to-improve-attention/23329.html
• ↑ http://www.hercampus.com/life/campus-living/how-not-over-or-under-pack-winter-break
• ↑ http://ameritech.edu/blog/tips-make-environment-best-study-space/
• ↑ http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/apps-media-distractions-947/
• ↑ http://www.medicaldaily.com/health-benefits-beach-3-reasons-hit-beach-summer-246789
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/01/

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7 Smart Strategies to Actually Get Homework Done During the Holidays

• Taking Courses

While most people consider the holidays “the most wonderful time of the year,” for some students, not so much. With families to care for, holiday parties to prepare for and gift shopping to finish in between, finding time to complete schoolwork may seem down right impossible. For students, the mounting stress of the holidays can result in late assignments, or, even worse, assignments never submitted at all.

But it’s important to remember that late assignments and missed assignments will have a negative effect on your grade.  A failing or incomplete grade  can affect your graduation plans. And that’s not very merry at all. So instead of waiting until the last minute and panicking the night before a deadline, here are seven strategies you can use to ensure your homework gets done on time and gift yourself a much needed break.

1. Plan Ahead

It’s easy to lose track of deadlines when the days are filled with holiday fun, and that doesn’t leave much time, or thought, for course work. Even with so many (welcome) distractions, it’s important to complete schoolwork on time. To better pace yourself, create a schedule for what assignments are due and when, and break up that work into smaller chunks. Keep this schedule in an easy-to-see place so you can avoid any last minute surprises.  

2. Save the Easy Assignments for Later

When you first sit down for a school session, you may feel inclined to get the easy material out of the way. However, your energy and focus are at their peak when you first start. Use this brainpower advantage to get through the most challenging subjects early on. Then, should you really experience holiday and homework crunch time, you’ll be able to complete the smaller assignments with less stress and in less time.

3. Enlist the Elves

You have your your own helpers who are ready and willing to lend a hand: your spouse, kids, siblings, parents, in-laws, grandparents, the list goes on. Instead of feeling obligated to handle all the holiday hoopla alone, get your helpers involved. Let a family member supervise the cooking or make a gift pit stop for you so you can get away for half an hour or so. Or, spend your bonding time with family wisely; instead of finding gifts for your kids to give grandma and grandpa, save yourself an extra shopping trip and sit down together to handcraft something special. Not only will you save time and money, you’ll also have a wonderful family memory. And isn’t that what the holidays are supposed to be about?

4. Be Realistic

The holiday season is also a hectic one; unrealistically high expectations for yourself may cause your schoolwork to suffer. Trying to do too much will leave you drained and burnt out. Combat this by asking your family which holiday traditions they treasure the most, and cut out the rest. If your teenagers don’t enjoy holiday light shows anymore, then save yourself the trip and use it to get your schoolwork done instead. And when you’ve finished, you can spend your time doing the things your kids actually do like. Be reasonable with your time, and you can balance work and holiday fun.

5. Shop Smart

Obviously, you can save yourself a lot of time, money and hassle by shopping online. But being savvy about it can make all the difference. Give yourself a time limit to scour sites for the best deals and comparison shop. If you don’t find a better offer online after 10 minutes, stop, and move on. Most importantly, avoid or turn off any sale alerts. If you keep leaving your schoolwork behind to check your email inbox for the latest deals, you’ll never get it done. Save the emails for later; in a few hours, the sales will still be there.

6. Reward Yourself

Take breaks in between studying by giving yourself an extra holiday treat or two, or spend it with friends and family. To feel reenergized and refreshed, take a break that lasts 20-30 minutes, coincidentally, the same amount of time it takes to bake a batch of cookies or wrap up a few gifts! Whatever you do, take a break that is mentally or physically active, and you’ll be at your most productive when you return.  

7. If all else fails… Request a Course Extension

If you’re looking for the gift of time, Thomas Edison State University students may  apply for an eight-week course extension  as long as you continue to make satisfactory progress in your course. Your mentor must be able to certify that at least 50 percent of your course work has been completed. After submitting the course extension request , along with the fee, you’ll receive an extension approval via email from the University. 

Written by Thomas Edison State University

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• BookWidgets Teacher Blog

20+ creative alternative homework ideas for teachers

When giving homework, it must always be based on learning goals your students have to reach, just like in your lessons. But it’s sad to see that lots of teachers are using homework as extra lesson time. Of course, as a teacher, you’re on a clock. But that doesn’t mean your students have to suffer from it and keep working on those boring textbooks and worksheets at home.

Consider goals like attitudes, real-life experiences, and practice, physical exercise, social encounters, creative solutions, and philanthropy as crucial as your lesson goals. These are things students don’t just pick up in your classroom. These are things they pick up in life.

In this blog post, I’ll give you some innovative homework ideas that will engage your students more. These alternatives to traditional homework will thereby also teach your students new things that can’t be taught in the classroom. You will find a variety of homework ideas: online and offline.

I will mention homework alternatives for primary school and high school. Some of these ideas can be changed a little bit, so they are the perfect fit for the right audience.

20 Creative homework ideas

You can divide homework tasks into the following themes or categories:

• Crafts & arts
• Outdoor activities & outings
• Games and activities
• Physical activities
• Digital or computer activities
• Philanthropy & social work

💡 Good to know : all the ready-to-use homework activities are created with BookWidgets . You can easily create activities like these yourself or duplicate an activity below for free, edit it if needed, and share it with your students. You can do so in the examples separately, or you can find all the homework examples in the BookWidgets Blog group folder .

Crafts and arts homework

1. prepare a dish from a recipe book.

2. Make a board game

3. Create a birdhouse

4. Transform a fictional book character into a hand puppet

Outdoor homework activities and outings

5. coupon game.

Students can also go grocery shopping with their parents. Here, they have to read the ingredients of the products and help their parents choose the healthiest products for the best prices, figure out the best deal between the sizes of items, …

6. Visit the zoo

7. Visit the local dumping ground or container park

8. Build a tree house

Games and activities as homework

9. bookwidgets games.

10. Minecraft

11. Play Cards

12. Play Zoo Tycoon or Rollercoaster Tycoon

Physical homework activities

13. rope skipping.

Many rope-skipping songs let your students do different tricks while rope-skipping. This is an excellent opportunity for homework as well. Ask your students to transform a rope skipping song into a song with lesson content. Let them count or spell or even sum up the different states or capitals. To engage their lifestyles even harder, you can additionally give them the assignment to create a TikTok in which they are jumping and singing.

Click here to see how you can get Tiktok more involved in the classroom.

14. Walking quest

If there aren’t any walking quests in the neighborhood, you could ask your students to create a walking quest like this for their fellow students. What a fun day it will be!

15. Obstacle Quiz

In order for students to answer the questions, they have to run and pass a challenging parkour. This is a fun homework exercise, and in the end, it’s a great lesson starter or lesson end.

16. Swimming games

After the activity, they can fill out an Exit Slip:

Digital or computer homework activities

17. create a picture album.

This teaches them to handle the online software, add pictures and write without spelling mistakes. And of course, creating memories is so much fun!

18. Video job application

19. Your life in 10 minutes - video

20. Email pen-pals

Is it still too complicated? Read the messages from your students, before they send them, and provide them with some feedback.

Philanthropy and social homework

21. grow a community garden.

22. Help in a retirement home

23. Help at a homeless shelter

24. Collect litter

Here’s another homework tip: Don’t call homework “homework”. Call it a challenge. Homework has become a negative word for students, and I bet they start rolling their eyes as you even mention the word.

Still looking for more inspiration? Check out the blog on short films and lesson activities that spice up your Google Classroom . Tip: even if you don’t use Google Classroom, there is a lot of inspiration back here.

Above you have read single assignments. But, you also have the option to involve your homework in a project. Find out more here .

So, as I mentioned earlier, there are many fun alternatives to traditional homework. Now it’s up to you to apply this in the classroom as well. In this folder , you will find all the examples you have come across.

Which idea do you or perhaps your students like the most? Let us know on Twitter . Of course, there are many more alternatives. If you have other ideas, you are always welcome to share it with other teachers in our Facebook group .

One more thing: don’t forget to say hi👋 on LikedIn .

Join hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and get the best content on technology in education.

BookWidgets enables teachers to create fun and interactive lessons for tablets, smartphones, and computers.

Why We Should Give Students a Homework Break Over the Holidays

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I have so many fond memories from holiday seasons growing up: the smell of delicious food being made by my Mexican and Filipino families, warm light on the faces of my relatives, and lots of laughter. As I got older, though, things changed—mostly because I had so much homework to do.

Instead of joking with our relatives at the holidays, my brother and I would often sequester ourselves at the edge of the room, thick textbooks open and pens in our hands. Sometimes, we’d miss events altogether. When we did attend, the ramifications could be intense. During one spring break, I chose to go to an Easter party with my family. But by midnight, I was stress-weeping because I had so much work to do by the next day.

As a teacher, I now understand the temptation to give work over school breaks. There never seems to be enough time to do the projects or read the texts I’d like to with my kids, and asking students to work or read during breaks eases that crunch. I also worry that my students will lose some of their learning in the weeks they are gone.

Recently, though, my school created a new homework policy that, among other things, encourages us to avoid giving students work over extended school breaks. Our administration cited studies that raise questions about the benefits of hefty doses of homework.

I worried about how this new plan would affect my curriculum pacing, and about what my students might “lose.” But I realized that my concerns were really about my desires, not what was best for my students.

The new policy led me to re-evaluate my assignments and timing, and I ended up being able to make adjustments so my kids could complete necessary projects without working when they should be recharging. I’d worried about my students’ learning, but recent research challenges our long-held belief that students’ learning “slides” significantly over long breaks.

Taking the stress of homework out of my students’ holiday breaks is important. They deserve an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate as much as I do—particularly if they are overscheduled to begin with. Young or old, we all need rejuvenation time. In addition, more studies are demonstrating the benefits of down time for students. Having unstructured time recharges them, but also allows their brains to build connections that strengthen and improve their executive functioning.

We need to be mindful of other factors that complicate homework assignments over holiday breaks. We don’t always know what our students’ lives are like outside our classrooms. Do they struggle with access to the resources necessary to complete assignments? Do they have stressful home situations?

Here are a few ways we can send our students off on a positive note when they leave us for holiday breaks. I’m trying them myself this winter!

Provide activities that support students reconnecting with themselves, their loved ones, or their community.

While we want to avoid giving mandatory work to students, we can offer opportunities and ideas for learning-friendly activities they can do during their break. Maybe that’s an optional/extra credit project that asks students to interview a family or community member (though we should also provide time after break for those who couldn’t work over break). Or maybe we can offer students some ideas about how they could use their time to take care of themselves or their communities. We could provide reflection questions once they’re back from break, to help them find meaning in the experience. Encouraging students to use their time to volunteer or take care of themselves allows us to help our kids grow not just as students, but as people.

Offer opportunities to find a new passion, set goals, or reflect.

While some students may travel or connect with family, some of our kids may have a lot of free time over their break. We can encourage them to use the time to set goals for the year, dream big and draw or write their five-year plan (remind them this is for fun and plans will change!), or reflect on their year or life so far. We can also encourage students to discover something they’re passionate about, or use the time to pursue something they love.

Deepen your relationships with students and allow them to open up to you.

Sometimes, our kids are simply not given the space to dive deeply into something that lets them tell us who they are. Give students a project that allows them to explore their identity or have them write a story about their lives. This will not only provide some critical thinking, reading, or writing enrichment, but more importantly will provide valuable insight into our students’ lives and help us build deeper connections with our students. We can return the favor by completing the project ourselves or writing a story and sharing it with them.

After the break, see what stuck with students.

Instead of returning from break with the mindset of what was “lost,” give students a chance to share everything they remember from the last unit. Instead of assuming they all had a great time they want to share, welcome kids back with an opportunity to celebrate the experiences that stuck with them from their breaks. Help students generate a class-created study guide so they can review what they learned before the break. This gives them space to support one another and remind each other what they learned, as well as gives us an opportunity to praise students for what they’ve retained. It also provides important feedback for us on what stuck over the break and what we need to reteach.

Ultimately, our students look to us not just for academic growth, but to support their growth as human beings as well. Taking away homework stress over break may cause us to change our short-term plans, but providing them with opportunities and resources instead can have some long-term benefits that can change their self-perception and their lives more than a packet of homework ever could.

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5 Must-Give Winter Break Homework Assignments

Jen Schneider Blog , Reading 0

This post contains some affiliate links. Purchasing from these links helps me keep this blog running to share education ideas with this community. Thank you for supporting teachers! It’s almost winter break and your students are going to be at home with family, eating, possibly playing video games, and maybe even enjoying some snow! You want to make sure they are learning, right? Winter break homework is essential! Send home these 5 assignments to give over winter break to make sure your students come back to school ready to learn!

1. Be kind.

Kindness doesn’t cost a thing. First, encourage your students to choose kindness every time they can. Hold the door open for a stranger, bite their tongue when they really want to snap at a sibling or a parent, and do a needed chore without being asked. #Bekind may seem like a trendy mantra for schools, but it’s really a way of life that spreads the holiday spirit. Winter break homework should be all about kindness!

#BeKind can't just be a hashtag. We have to live and model it to our Ss every day. In your words online and in person, show those around you at even though it can be tough to #choosekindness , you never know what someone is going through. Learn their story and #bekind . pic.twitter.com/ACymQgmuVz — Jen Schneider (@jenmschneider) August 7, 2018

2. Sleep in.

Teachers, students, parents all deserve some rest! When we get time off, we should use it to let our bodies relax. School starts so early for most kids, so give them an assignment to sleep in a bit (with parental permission and without sleeping the whole day away, of course)!

3. Spend some time with people you care about.

No matter what holiday (if any) your students celebrate over the break, hopefully they will be surrounded by people who they love and care about. Keep in mind, this isn’t the case for every student in your school.

For some, school is their happy place, and home is not the best place to be. For these (and really all) students, make sure they know how much you care before they leave for the break. I don’t send my 100+ middle schoolers home with gifts (I have to watch my wallet too), but I try to let them know every day (through words and actions) that I really do care about them. If you’re worried about a student being safe over break, you should let a counselor know. If it’s more than just a worry, make sure to go through the proper channels to report suspected abuse.

4. Take a nap.

Even if your students slept in, they could take a nap (provided they wake up before nap time). I promise, I will be taking a mid-day snooze on December 26 after my sugar cookie coma and Lego overload (holy cow my daughter has some Legos under the tree. . .shh. . .) subsides!

5. Read. . .anything.

OK, this sounds like a true homework assignment, but I am simply recommending for my students to read ANYTHING over break. Turn on the closed captioning on YouTube videos and Netflix shows. Read a blog post or a web article about Minecraft. Take a trip to the library and check out the latest Neal Shusterman Scythe book or an inclusive LGBTQ YA title . Anything goes over winter break. JUST READ!

Here are a few favorite titles I recommend!

Elementary Readers:

• Pax by Sarah Pennypacker

Middle School Readers:

(My middle schoolers recommend these titles!)

• The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

High School Readers:

• I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Check out some places to find FREE ebooks online !

These 5 homework assignments to give over winter break will have your students back to school refreshed and ready to learn in January! Of course, sending students home with bundles of worksheets, packets, and work is not recommended. “Homework” should be about enjoying time with family and a well-deserved break for teachers and students!

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Organising Students

How to get started and on top of your holiday homework

We know school has finished, or is just about over for the year for most students, and the last thing you probably want to think about right now is completing your holiday homework.  Let us tell you it is important to do, particularly for those in senior years at school, and that you want to get on top of your holiday homework early!

Unfortunately most students will push holiday homework aside and not even start to look at it until maybe sometime the week before school goes back.  Don’t let this be you as it will just create unnecessary stress and pressure.  Whilst you are not expected to study for 8 hours a day over the holidays, it is important you do set aside time to prepare and complete what you have been assigned to do as a minimum.

When working with our current students we have highlighted they would be better to start now and spread out what they need to do by chipping away at it.  For may we have set them the a goal of trying to get most of it done prior to Christmas and then reviewing again just before they go back.  Do you think you could give that a go too?

So how do you get started and on top of your holiday homework? Steps to take:

• The second step is to work out what order you are planning to do it in and then allocate time to each task – naturally it is holidays so if you were planning to do a task tomorrow and something comes up just reschedule it until the next day or another time – you can be flexible!

• If you have had a step up to the next year level it is also important to re read any notes you have taken to assist consolidating that knowledge now rather than not doing anything with them until you go back to school.

A few other things that you can do include:

• going through your school notes from this past year and work out what materials you might like to reference again next year ie those subjects that you are continuing with and put them somewhere easily accessible.
• working out where your dedicated study space, or spaces, will be and set them up ready to work at.  Purchase any necessary stationery, books or supplies you need.

All we can do is to urge you to take notice of this advice and ensure you won’t be one of those students rushing to get your work done at the last minute.  For those of you in Year 12 it will be much better to start the year ahead wouldn’t you agree?

Now go and get started but also remember to enjoy the summer too!

For further information on how we might be able to assist you or your child please do get in touch for a chat.

If you have a child in Year 10-12 in 2023 you might also like to consider the Success as a Senior Student Workshop we are running online on 29 February 2024  – click here .

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Your Career• 3 Min read

6th September 2020

Creative Homework Ideas

How can you create homework assignments that build on the day’s lessons and encourage creative, student-led learning? It’s a challenge for most teachers, especially as motivating pupils to complete homework can add a whole extra layer to your lesson plans. But it’s essential to bridge the gap between teacher and student learning –  the skills gained through independent study reinforces knowledge from your class, as well as a host of other benefits:

• Extended learning time – outside of the constraints of the school day, students are free to learn at their own pace and in their own environment.
• Independent learning – vital skills for exam preparation and higher education
• Teaches students to be resourceful and to overcome challenges independently.
• Gives students the freedom to be creative in their learning, gain valuable problem-solving skills and confidence in their own abilities.

Tips For Setting Creative Homework

• Plan independent learning both in and out of the classroom – you can monitor students effectiveness and address issues that may arise in the classroom before they become problematic for pupils at home.
• Don’t leave homework assignment to the end of the lesson, rushing through the task might leave some students confused which inevitably leads to a lower homework completion rate. Write plenty of time for explaining homework assignments into your lesson planning – read our Beginner’s Guide To Lesson Planning here
• Homework should to not too easy nor not too hard, offering pupils a challenge that reinforced the topics learnt during the day
• Give room for creative expression – allowing students to add their own diagrams, decorations or chose their own project topics from a selection. 
• Try using peer or self-assessment to mark homework – a double whammy of reducing your workload and allowing pupils to take control of their own learning.
• Include timings and explicit steps for completing more complicated assignments, especially for pupils that you anticipate might struggle. Comprehension of the task is the biggest hurdle in getting pupils to work on an independent basis.
• Self-driven projects, posters, creative tasks and research are more exciting than standard comprehension tasks and might encourage pupils that find sitting and writing dull or hard to complete the homework set – give students the freedom to learn and be creative in their home study.
• Provide specific instructions and internet safety reminders for research-led assignments. It’s very easy for children to find research overwhelming with a vast amount of information available online. Provide suggested websites and links in your homework to keep things on track!
• Don’t introduce a new topic for homework – keep it to topics that you’ve already covered in class
• Taking note of the subjects that excite and engage your class and set homework accordingly – try keeping dryer topics and  for the classroom so that you can monitor engagement
• Mark work promptly – essential to keep students motivated to complete work in their own time!
• Offering students the opportunity to select the homework that they would like to do from a selection guarantees a higher rate of completion. We’ve seen some teachers create grids or sheets of homework assignments for the pupils to select, or offer baskets of activities for younger children to take home and complete with an adult.

Creative Homework Ideas For All Ages

Coming up with innovative ways for students to reinforce their knowledge at home can be difficult – many of these ideas would be suitable for lots of subjects with a little tweaking!

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Learning with Fun: how to enjoy Holiday homeworks

Summer holidays mean relax : students can finally take a break and spend some time with their friends and families. Assigning them books to read, exercises to complete and problems to solve is an outdated homework model. Thanks to education technology , it is now easier than ever to stimulate students during holidays , motivating them to keep on training their mind. Here are some ideas.

But first, catch their attention and enthusiasm

Before using smart tech tools to engage students and help them to enjoy the summer learning activities, it is important to understand their needs and catch their attention , improving their motivation and enthusiasm. This has nothing to do with technology. It is a previous process that teachers should conduct face to face in the classroom.

Rule #1: appeal to students’ interests

Students enjoy their homework when it sounds funny, interesting, relevant to them: that’s why teachers should incorporate what their learners know and love in the summer assigments. How? First of all, taking a poll to find out what the majority of the class is into – sports, arts, nature? – and then creating a way to integrate the favourite subjects into the summer homework. Appealing to students’ interests is a great motivation driver!

Rule #2: keep it short

Holiday homework has the purpose to practice – or extend – those concepts learned at school during the school year. The duration of homework per day depends on the purpose . The National PTA (Parents Teacher Association, U.S.A.) recommends 10-20 minutes of homework in the 1st grade, arriving to 120 minutes of homework for a student in high school. But it is very tough to find a student who enjoys 2 hours of homework per day! In fact, consistent studies suggest that shorter – and more frequent – homework assignments are more effective , because learners are more likely to complete them.

Rule #3: stimulate sharing

During summertime, students prefer to stay outdoor, enjoying leisure with friends . Holiday homeworks can be a great opportunity to leverage on students’ cooperation, stimulating them with assignments including teamworks and activities to complete together with their classmates.

Rule #4: make it fun

Instead of force students to do traditional summaries regarding books they have read during summer, try to assign different kinds of homeworks, maybe including more subjects at the same time . An example: a written recap of summer holidays where students have to talk about the places they visited, merging this story with the music they listenend to, the histories they learnt and including even the photos they took during holidays. This could be a great way to test the students’ capability to deal with multitasks and activities of different nature. Regarding the many ways students can learn with fun, technology gives a lot of solutions suitable for students to do their holiday homework and keep on learning during summer in a more engaging and funny way. In Google Play Store , you can find a lot of apps that allow innovative and effective ways to learn at home during holidays :

• To students , the apps enable them to learn and to do homeworks in a more innovative and – above all – fun way;
• For teachers , it will be possible for them to assign homeworks and other activities with the possibility to better organize students’ tasks and to collect homework in an easier way when students will be back to school.

Holiday Homework: 10 Last-minute Tips

Worried that your child hasn't finished his holiday homework yet? Fret not. We give you tips on how you can help him finish his work despite the holiday mood.

'Holiday homework' - two words that don't go together in any child's dictionary. But, it's a reality for most children and their parents today. Whether it's a science project on collecting different varieties of leaves or an English assignment on writing an essay on the vacation trip, holiday homework has its benefits.

According to a study titled 'When Is Homework Worth the Time?: Evaluating the Association between Homework and Achievement in High School Science and Math', by Maltese et al, published on ERIC in 2012, homework contributes to better scores in certain subjects like science and maths. The reports says, 'The results indicate a consistently positive significant relationship between homework and performance on standardised exams'.

Another study done by Pratisha Dekha, titled 'Homework During Holidays', published in the International Research Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies in July 2015, pointed out that holiday homework also helped build a child's personality. According to the study, 'Doing homework is a great way to develop a sense of responsibility. By being assigned work one day and knowing that it has to be done by the next day, children develop a sense of punctuality by turning their work in on time'.

Now that you know how holiday homework helps your child, we list a few ways in which you can help him finish his homework on time.

10 last-minute tips on helping your child with homework

1. Make a plan: With less than a month to go before schools reopen, you need to go through the tasks assigned to your child and make a plan, with his inputs, on how to finish the homework on time. Remember not to overburden him with work on any given day and distribute the assignments evenly over the month. His vacations are not over, and he shouldn't be exhausted even before school begins.

2. Set aside some time: Now that you have a plan in place, set aside a fixed time that your child should devote to homework every day. If possible, and depending on the work load, you can schedule homework time every alternate day, so she still has time for non-school related activities.

3. Motivate: Getting your child to do homework will need your expert motivational skills. Make him understand the new skills he's learning by completing the tasks. Also, give him a little treat whenever he finishes his homework in a subject a little ahead of time.

4. Be a role model : When your child is doing her homework, if possible, sit down with her and finish your pending paperwork. Sort out the bills or attend to the mails that you have been putting off for some time. Seeing you busy at work will motivate her and show her that you take your work as seriously as she takes her school work.

5. Make it a family affair: While going through your child's homework list, keep the most fun assignments for last. Whether it's a science project or a geography assignment, figure out the ones you could do with him. Collect rocks of different shapes or colours, or build a volcano at home. Show your child that holiday homework and learning can be a lot of fun.

6. Don't make it a chore: Do not tell your child things like, "Fun doesn't last. You have to get back to work," or "That's life. Deal with it." Getting your child to do homework during vacations is going to be a tough task. Don't make it harder by washing your hands off it and telling her to deal with it. Motivate her at every step and tell her why learning something new every day is a good thing and doing homework is just part of the learning process.

7. Don't do it for him: There's a difference between 'being there for your child', and 'doing your child's work for him'. Be supportive of him, by all means, but don't do his work for him no matter how much he complains. The goal of holiday homework is that he continues to learn even when he's on a break and learns to do so independently.

8. Don't blame her: If your child has not started work on any of her assignments yet, don't lose your cool and start blaming her or calling her 'irresponsible'. This will only make her panic and become disinterested in her work. Assess the situation and help her plan out what she needs to get done and by when.

9. Don't complain about the homework: You have to be the adult here; so, you can't complain about the amount of work the school gives your child during the holidays. Don't show the school or the teacher in a bad light as it will send out a wrong message to your child - that you don't take his school or teachers seriously.

10. Don't hover: How would you like it, if your boss hovered over your shoulder while you finished your presentation? Give your child the space and the independence to finish her work and make sure she does so on time.

It's important for parents to get involved in their child's learning process but not get over-involved. Some parents have the habit of going through each stage of their children's homework, and sometimes, even finishing the assignment for them. This way, the whole purpose of homework is defeated, and the child learns nothing. Parents should allow their children to come to them with doubts. Also, if parents are not sure about the answers or solutions to a problem, they should not give the wrong answer just for the sake of 'giving an answer'. If you don't know how to address a homework-related problem, tell your child that you don't know the answer and that you'd get back to him later. - Sutapa Ghosh, Former Principal, Dalimss Sunbeam School, Varanasi

Do not nag your child about the homework and spoil his holiday fun. Support him, motivate him and help him meet his goals on time. And, be rest assured that you can all continue to enjoy the rest of the holidays.

Hope you liked this article. To get expert tips and read interesting articles on a wide variety of parenting topics, subscribe now to our magazine.

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13 Entertaining ESL Homework Ideas to Keep Your Students Engaged

Homework may not be many students’ favorite thing, but research says it’s truly an effective learning tool that teachers should use .

The trick is assigning great homework.

To help you do this with ease, we’ve compiled an awesome list of 13 homework assignments that will have your ESL students begging for more.

1. Read a Short Story

2. share a passion, 3. start a chat group, 4. listen to a podcast, 5. write a letter, 6. write an amazon review, 7. do a wikipedia edit, 8. write a short story or poem, 9. share their culture, 10. catch a movie, 11. meet new people, 12. analyze a song, 13. go on a photo scavenger hunt, what makes homework effective.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Have students read a short story for homework and then ask them to tell the class about the story in the next session.

I would recommend giving students some suggestions on what short stories to read, depending on the level of your students.

Here are some suggestions of short story collections for each level of ESL learner:

• “The Very First Americans” by Cara Ashrose: This collection of short stories features Native American culture and history, written in simple language.
• “Oxford Bookworms Library: Starter Level” This series offers simplified versions of classic stories, such as fairy tales, adventure stories and more.
• “Classic Tales for ESL Students” by L.A. Hill: This collection of classic stories from literature is retold with easier vocabulary and sentence structure.

Intermediate

• “The Best American Short Stories” This series features contemporary short stories from a wide range of American writers, so there’s something for everyone here.
• “Short Stories in English for Intermediate Learners” by Olly Richards: This collection of engaging stories is designed specifically for intermediate ESL students.
• “Roald Dahl: The Collected Short Stories” This delightful collection of quirky and imaginative tales has become a favorite of many of my students.
• “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri: This Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories explores the immigrant experience, something which many ESL students can relate to.
• “Dubliners” by James Joyce: This classic collection of interconnected stories captures the essence of Dublin in 1914. But it still feels modern to many students.
• “Nine Stories” by J.D. Salinger: This classic collection of short stories is a class favorite when I’ve used it.

What do your students really care about? Give them a chance to talk about it in front of the class. 

Have each person choose something they’re passionate about, something they might consider themselves an expert on.

Challenge students to think of a creative way to present five must-know facts about that subject. They might make a movie, create a poster or brochure, write a song or even put on a skit.

Have each person present their creative project to the class, and then give the class five minutes to ask questions of the presenter.

Set certain parameters like students must speak in complete sentences or require that every student ask at least two questions at some point during the presentations.

Students will love sharing about their passions, and they’ll get some great speaking, listening and discourse information in the process, as well as teach the rest of the class some interesting vocabulary.

Ask for class for a volunteer to start a class WhatsApp chat group. They can also decide to use another messaging app like Telegram, Viber, Voxer or any other app that has a group chat function. 

Encourage them to send at least one message and to respond to a couple others for their homework. 

This text group has the added advantage of students being able to make friends with one another, and a place to ask about missed homework assignments on days when they can’t make it to class.

Note that if a student doesn’t want to be included in the chat group, you should have a back up assignment prepared for them.

Listening is one of the ESL student’s most difficult skills to acquire, so listening to a short podcast episode is ideal homework.

You can ask students to write a little about the podcast to turn in to you, or you can ask them to briefly summarize what they heard for the class in the next session.

Here are some suggestions for well done podcasts:

The English We Speak : Produced by the BBC, this podcast focuses on teaching commonly used phrases and idioms in conversational English.

The Moth : A storytelling podcast where real people share their personal experiences and anecdotes in English.

Stuff You Should Know : Though not specifically designed for ESL students, this podcast covers a vast array of interesting topics, providing exposure to diverse vocabulary and subject matters.

Ask your students to write a letter . The letter can be written to a friend or family member (which they could then actually mail or email), or it could be a fan letter to a favorite musician or actor. They could even write a letter to Santa Claus or a historical figure. 

For example, a student might choose to write a letter to Marie Antoinette, asking her what it was like to be the queen of France at such a young age. 

You can also choose to have students write letters to one another. Then the next homework can be writing that letter writer back.

Ask you students to review a product on Amazon (or any other shopping website that has reviews). Ask them to select a product they have really used, so they have a genuine opinion on the quality of the product and whether it lived up to their expectations.

Then, in the next session, show the reviews on the overhead projector to the class and ask a student to read the review.

You can then go over any errors in vocabulary, grammar or sentence structure and revise the review together as a class.

Since anyone can edit a Wikipedia article, it’s a great place for ESL students to hone their writing and editing skills, and they’ll have a built-in readership, too!

Ask students to select a person that they know a lot about—a well-known figure from history, pop culture, music or film would all work. Then ask them to read the Wikipedia entry to see if they can add anything else to the article.

Perhaps the article on Ryan Gosling is missing a key detail about his recent Ken performance. If so, the student will revise and edit the article. They should take notes on what they changed, so they can explain it to you or the class the next day.

Ask your students to get creative. Have them write a short story or a poem . This can get them to use descriptive language that they don’t always have a chance to use.

One good activity to do before you assign this homework is an adjective bubble chart. For this, you start with one adjective. For example, write “moist” on the board, circle it and then draw 4-5 lines coming off of the”moist” bubble.

Ask your students to come up with other adjectives that are related to “moist” and so on. They may come up with “wet,” “watery,” “soaked” or “damp.” Then draw lines from each of those. This can lead to words that you never expected to come up.

Have your students select 3-4 adjectives from this introduction activity that they’ll use in their story or poem.

Ask your students to prepare a short presentation on an aspect of their home culture to tell the class about in the next session. 

For example, a student from China may explain the Lunar New Year, a student from Vietnam may explain Tet or a student from El Salvador may tell the class about their quinceañera .

They can use photos, art, a PowerPoint presentation or they can just explain in their own words.

Then open the class up for questions.

Can you legitimately send students to the movies for homework? You can when you’re teaching ESL.

Your students don’t have to commit to a full-length movie. Instead, you can use the videos on FluentU to screen mini-lessons using clips from TV shows and movies, movie trailers, news segments, vlogs or music videos.

Use these videos in the classroom or assign homework to watch a few and complete the subsequent quizzes. You can also ask students to complete flashcard quizzes based on vocabulary words you want them to pay special attention to. These quizzes are adaptable so every student will have a unique experience catered to his learning level.

There are plenty of ways to use a movie for language development. And whether students watch a new release or catch an old Elvis flick on TV, they can do any of the following activities as homework:

• Summarize the plot.
• Describe a main character.
• Note new or interesting vocabulary (particularly slang) they hear while watching.
• Write an interview with one of the characters in the movie.

I’m sure you also have your favorite movie-related language activities and many work as homework assignments. So get creative with how you have students share about what they watched.

For the most part, people are willing to help someone in need, and that is doubly true for someone who needs to complete an assignment for school.

That’s why sending students out to interview native speakers on campus is such a fun homework assignment.

Start by helping your students write a list of questions they’ll use for their interviews. Students can choose a topic or you can assign one, like leisure activities or celebrity news.

Tell students to list five to ten questions they might ask on that topic that will elicit specific answers. 

As a class, discuss how students might introduce themselves to a potential interviewee. 

Then send students out to their interviews after class. They can share the answers they got in the next session.

Music is great for English learners since it stresses many aspects of language that can otherwise be hard to isolate, like the emotion of language, intonation and stress.

Have students choose their favorite English language song to listen to for homework and then ask them to do the following:

• Practice the lyrics to learn intonation and rhythm.
• Note slang and cultural references in the songs.
• Summarize the theme of the song, or just what it’s about.
• Have students share their favorite lyrics and what a particular song means to them.

Give individual students or groups of up to three students a list of items to find on their homework scavenger hunt. But instead of being specific in your list (for example, including items such as cat), be descriptive in your list.

You might include items such as something frightening, something beautiful, something quiet, something cool.

Students find items they think fit the description. For example, someone who is claustrophobic might choose an elevator for something frightening. They then take a picture of it.

The next day, have each person get with a partner and show them the pictures they took for each item on the list.

If the connection is not obvious, students should ask their partner to explain why they chose a particular item, such as the elevator.

Assigning homework that works isn’t as hard as you might think, especially if you focus on the following points.

• Put your homework in writing. It can be tempting to just announce homework assignments to students at the end of class, but language learners benefit when you reinforce what you say with what they can see. So take a minute to write any homework assignment on the board so students can read it as well as listen to it.
• Let students know what goals you have for a particular assignment. Is it practicing a certain grammar point ? Improving their listening skills ? Pronunciation practice ? When students know why they’re doing something, they’ll be able to tell on their own when they’ve successfully completed their homework assignment.
• Keep your homework practical . Your students may not find themselves planning out a menu for Thanksgiving when they leave your ESL classroom, but odds are they’ll have to order food at a restaurant at some point. Think about realistic ways students will have to use English in the real world and try to make your homework practical.
• Let your students be creative . Give your students choices on how they express themselves or present information. It’s okay for students to make a home movie, put on a one-man play or paint a picture to present to the class. Just because you prefer a particular type of creative expression doesn’t mean your students do, so give them choices and let them express themselves.
• Make homework fun! Every class has its own personality, so what’s fun for one might not be fun for another. Tailor your assignments to the personality of your class. Think about what they would think is fun, and go with that.

No matter what you believed in your student days, homework doesn’t have to be boring. With a little creativity when assigning homework, you might find that the activities you assign for outside of class become the highlights of your students’ days.

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Holiday Homework — It’s Essential!

Amongst many teachers and parents, homework is a pretty hot conversational topic. While some believe that homework is an essential part of the school experience, others think it's a waste of our children’s time.

It’s not always easy to know what’s best for your child when it comes to schooling, but at William Clarence Education, we’re big supporters of homework – particularly when it comes to the holiday season. Here’s why.

The Summer Break Lasts A Long Time…

The long summer break is a great opportunity to spend quality time together as a family, but it can also lead to your child being intellectually understimulated. In an age of social media and Netflix, it’s easier than ever for our youngsters to spend their downtime frying their brains in front of screens. While every child should be allowed their own time to relax and recover from the stresses of school, it’s important not to let that behaviour dictate their entire summer break. Holiday homework provides the perfect opportunity to keep their "school brain" ticking over, and keeps them challenged and stimulated.

Preparing For University Life

As our children grow up, homework becomes a more important part of their schooling, allowing them to develop vital skills such as independent research. It also helps them to prepare for the demands of a university career. Many undergraduate degrees will involve a lot of directed learning, but others will rely upon the students going away and spending their own time reading, researching and writing. One way to begin learning these skills is through holiday homework assignments while your child is still in school.

Learning Outside the School Environment

When a child struggles at school, it often has less to do with their academic potential than with social distractions – and the manner in which they are taught. Put plainly, the school environment is not always conducive to learning. For this reason, homework over the holidays can be the perfect opportunity for your child to catch up on work they have missed or found too challenging. If your child is really struggling, you might even consider private tuition – educational consultancy services around the London and the UK, such as William Clarence Education, can supply excellent private tutors who will specialise in home schooling and exam preparation.

The key thing to remember when it comes to holiday homework is balance. Your child deserves a break during which they can enjoy themselves and have some freedom, so opt for a fair working schedule that is flexible around their needs.

_________________________________________________________________

William Clarence Education is the leading education advisory and consultancy service in the UK. With an unrivalled reach into the UK Schooling and University network, we help and advise families from around the world to reach their maximum potential and gain access to the very best of British education.  

William Clarence put the student’s needs and welfare at the centre of every programme of study we deliver with a focus on integrity and discretion.  Services include UK School and University Placement, Residential Tutoring, Oxbridge Application, US College Admission and Homeschooling. 

For more information   please contact :

+44(0)2074128988 [email protected] williamclarence.com

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The Case For And Against Holiday Homework

The holidays: A time for eating, travel, fun with family, relaxation and, potentially, homework.

It’s a debate that’s been going on for years: Does study time have any place during school vacations?

The Case For Homework Over The Holidays

The pro-homework contingent has done their research (unsurprisingly). Two meta-analyses by Cooper et al (Cooper, 1989a; Cooper, Robinson, & Patall, 2006) examined the causal relationship between homework and student achievement.

They concluded that the amount of homework a student completes coincides directly with their success rates. Their research further found that students that were assigned homework scored 23 percentile points higher on tests than learners in a class where homework wasn’t assigned.

It turns out learning is a lot like exercise – it’s good to rest, but not to live on the couch for a month. The less you use the skills you have and the learning you’ve gained, the worse shape it’s going to be in when students come back to class.

The Case Against Homework Over The Holidays

So what’s the other side saying?

Let’s start with family time. It’d be crazy to argue that family time isn’t important, and the holidays provide a special opportunity for everyone to get together without the usual distractions. In an odd twist, studies show that uninterrupted family time can also have learning benefits.

Family studies at the University of Michigan found that family time correlates closely to achievement and behaviour. Studies on family meals suggest that students who have dinner with their family have better academic scores and behavioural outcomes.

There’s another thing to consider: learning can happen without homework. With access to learning software and educational programs and websites, our schools and classes no longer have to be the beginning and end of learning for students.

The Verdict

Find a good balance.

Create small, relevant and purposeful assignments as homework over the holidays. Ultimately, you want to keep your students’ minds fit while they’re on break – but remember this is your break too!

You might like...

Holiday Homework Solutions

Holiday Homework Solutions for class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 (During Summer Vacations) facility for the academic session 2022–2023 is being maintained to help the students and parents to do the holiday homework comfortably in Summer 2024-25. You are requested to upload your holiday homework in PDF format based on Latest CBSE Curriculum 2024-25 and get the solutions with in a week. You can also ask your Maths or science problems through Discussion Forum. If the problems are related to NCERT or NCERT Exemplar Problems please refer to NCERT Solutions page to get this. The solutions of holiday homework should be uploaded along with the school name at the end of this page. Notification of completion of homework will not be given by the website, you have to check yourself after a week for the solutions.

Download NCERT Solutions for all classes. Students of the upper primary level (Class 6, 7 and 8) are already well informed and are keen to find and learn more. According to CBSE, while assigning and preparing homework for the students, it is important to note they are able to develop the skills like relating, thinking, concluding, inferring. Homework should be such that the student neither feel it burdensome nor they lose interest in the subject matter. Moreover it is useful in providing them a happy experience. Homework therefore needs to be thought about and worked upon differently. Emphasis should be given on Vedic mathematics, designing quality homework rather than its quantity. Download NCERT Books and apps based on latest CBSE Syllabus.

Encompassing the aforesaid ideas, the CBSE has brought forth a Manual, “Alternatives to Holiday Homework” for classes VI to VIII. It is collection of ideas transformed into suggestive activities that are creative, interesting, meaningful and interactive, enhancing various skills, directly or indirectly related to subject matter providing students to enhance their learning and gaining knowledge based on NCERT Books following the latest CBSE Syllabus.

Suggestive Holiday Homework for Class 6

• Holiday Homework for Class 6 Hindi
• Holiday Homework for Class 6 English
• Holiday Homework for Class 6 Mathemaitcs
• Holiday Homework for Class 6 Science
• Holiday Homework for Class 6 Social Science

Suggestive Holiday Homework for Class 7

• Holiday Homework for Class 7 Hindi
• Holiday Homework for Class 7 English
• Holiday Homework for Class 7 Mathematics
• Holiday Homework for Class 7 Science
• Holiday Homework for Class 7 Social Science

Suggestive Holiday Homework for Class 8

• Holiday Homework for Class 8 Hindi
• Holiday Homework for Class 8 English
• Holiday Homework for Class 8 Mathematics
• Holiday Homework for Class 8 Science
• Holiday Homework for Class 8 Social Science

A well rounded development of individual knowledge happens not only from textbooks and formal education but more from the learner’s personal experiences, individual inquisitive nature and social surroundings. Homework is an area of importance and to make it more relevant for the NCERT Books classes 6th, 7th and 8th, appropriate strategies and meaningful activities may be suggested to the schools that give more time to child to explore the environment to develop creative thinking.

These activities (like OTBA for class 9 & 11 ) would be so framed that they keep the child interested in subjects and therefore would also help in enhancing the learning power. Homework is one of the areas that need urgent attention. As the students of class VI, VII and VIII develop a certain learning style and want to know and find more and more. Efforts should be made to make homework more creative and interesting so that the students do not feel burdensome while doing the same and the ultimate purpose of providing homework is served.

A survey was conducted through questionnaire prepared by CBSE to collect feedback from parents, teachers, students and other educationists on “Alternatives to Homework at Upper Primary Level” for Class Sixth, Seventh and Eighth so that appropriate strategies and meaningful activities can be designed and suggested to schools. The questions were directed to know the ideal quantity and purpose of the homework, whether homework should be assigned in all the subjects, internet usage should be a part of the homework or not, how homework helps in teaching.

Keeping in view emerging issues, there is a need to think about giving quality homework emphasizing on acquiring applied learning skills. Few points can be kept in mind while designing a quality homework by teachers: 1, Provide students capacity building activities which are followed up and acknowledged like drawing, creative writing, making puzzles, stories, plays, online games, reading online books and craft.

2. Provide them assignment sheets which improve their reading & writing abilities. Homework must enable the student to practice a skill independently. 3. A possible discussion can be held with different children on what they would like to do at home to improve in which ever area they deem necessary. Homework must be designed in a way that maximizes the chances of its completion by the students.

4. Parents should be able to understand the child’s needs and schools suggestions on how to learn mathematics, logical reasoning, etc. by doing puzzles, writing letters, reading to elders from the newspapers, making household lists, recipe making and cooking. 5. Learners who have dyslexia or number difficulty should have practice assignments overcoming their problems.

The child in middle school have a keenness to discover more and prepare for the examination. Learning is about developing new faculties, which become useful as an adult. The years 12 to 15 are years when rules become important, and doing well, excelling are given importance both at home and in the class. As the child grows chronically his/her emotional maturity also grows and there are interests which are beyond just what lessons can give.

The homework assigned should: 1. enhance study habits and practice skills (which learners are able to perform independently) 2. reinforce necessary skills both scholastic and co-scholastic among the learners. 3. enable learners to become independent learners and thinkers and develop among them 21st century skills so that they can participate in Make in India in future. 4. lead to the improvement in the academic achievement of the learner.

5. expand on the existing knowledge of the learners and be a part of the already acquired competencies in the classroom. 6. not put unneeded pressure or stress by including new learning material or difficult material to be worked upon by learners themselves. 7. be CBSE Syllabus based and as per developmental needs of the learners. 8. not require specific resources or technology which is not accessible to all learners. 9. have clearly defined, purposeful, creative and engaging activities.

It is also advised that teachers can refer to Life Skills Manuals, Health Manuals and Environmental Education Manuals which contain age appropriate and interesting activities which can be taken up by the learners individually. These activities can be assigned to learners so as to enhance their life skills, values and make them health conscious.

Homework is needed, and necessary for a teacher to be able to follow up with each child. The correction and feedback on homework is an important input that helps both parents and children to follow up and improve in areas which are needed. The recourse extra classes, can be reduced if the homework is used for learning improvement and acquisition of diverse skills. We are providing a handful help to solve or helping in solving the holiday homework.

What are concepts of the Holiday Homework for Class 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5?

The Holiday Homework 2024-25 for class 1 and Class 2 should be totally creative work only. We should prepare the homework in such a way that student enjoy the work like play. The holiday assignment for class 3, 4 and Class 5 should be totally creative work.

What are the Holiday Homework suggestions for Class 6, 7 and 8?

The ideas for Holiday Homework 2024-25 for class 6, 7 and 8 Maths, Science, English, Hindi and Social Science are given on Tiwari Academy. We should also include the interesting facts related to daily life with the topic of NCERT Books.

How to prepare the Holiday Homework 2024-25 for class 9 and 10?

The collection of Important Questions from NCERT Textbook, From board Papers, CBSE Sample papers and NCERT Exemplar Books may be the good holiday homework practice material for High School students.

What would be good the Holiday Homework for class 11 and 12?

The Holiday Homework for class 11 and 12 are generally selected as the NCERT Textbook topics. The NCERT Books back exercises and related questions which are asked in CBSE Board Examination may be a good assignment for intermediate students.

Copyright 2024 by Tiwari Academy | A step towards Free Education

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6 Creative Assignment Ideas to Make Your Holiday Homework Fun

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The term ‘holiday homework’ raises a collective groan when you mention it in class. The last thing your students want to do during their holidays is spending more time with their noses buried in textbooks. But who said homework had to be a dull and dreary activity? There’s plenty of time and then some to learn concepts at school; holiday homework can focus on skill-building and be a lot more fun! Here’s a list of top creative assignment or homework ideas to help students take the ‘work’ out of homework, and replace it with a whole lot of fun! 

“Assignment 1: For the Filmy Fans”

As a life coach who holds film therapy workshops in Bengaluru, Rohit Sasvehalli believes that movies can have a deep impact on the psyche when approached consciously. “Pick a specific concept the child wants to learn about, say Apartheid. Ask them to watch a movie like Invictus to understand the tensions in South Africa. It will invoke an explorative mindset,” says Sasvehalli. Give your students a choice of topics and movies to watch, review and write an essay or make a presentation on what it got them thinking about. Surely your students aren’t about to complain about watching a movie or two!

Do you see any budding filmmakers in your class? Mentoria’s holistic  career assessment test  could help them discover their calling by uniquely combining their interests and abilities! Find out more about the test here:

“Assignment 2: For the Wanderlusters”

Families often set out on trips during the holiday season. A trip is often a great platform to learn about new places and new cultures. Ask your students to document every bit of their travel, discover fascinating aspects about the place they’re visiting and turn their findings into a fantastic travel presentation for the class! It could cover a long vacation or even a day trip to the museum, beach or a nearby park.

“Assignment 3: For the Bookworms”

This creative assignment may not appeal to all your students, but the voracious readers in your class will surely welcome some binge-reading over the holidays! For this set of students, assign a list of books they can review over the holidays. Encourage them to get a library membership or even a Kindle, if they’re more accustomed to reading digitally. Give them a mix of fiction and non-fiction titles that will broaden their knowledge and urge them to think. It doesn’t have to strictly follow the curriculum; books on current events will also help them get a better perspective of what’s going on in the world.

Assignment 4: For the Crafty Ones

Do you see your students stumbling over certain difficult topics in class? Ask them to bring out their ‘crafty’ sides over the holidays and turn those concepts into flashcards!  Flashcards make learning easier , and making them will help your students hone their artistic skills!

Budding artists need guidance, and that’s exactly what we provide here at  Mentoria !  Speak to our expert career counsellors  about your future career path, or listen to the experiences of industry professionals in your field. Here Commercial Artist Mrs Krupa Patil shares what a day in her life looks like:

Assignment 5: For the Volunteer Wonders

A school in New Zealand recently got its students involved in building an outdoor classroom and won an award for creativity! Volunteering as a homework idea will help them understand the kind of problems the world is facing, put things in perspective and also help them learn how to work in a team! You could give them a list of places they could visit over the holidays or plan a class trip yourself. Let them volunteer at an animal shelter, old-age home or orphanage, where they can perform different activities like maintaining the gardens, teaching other children, reading to the elderly, or even organising a performance for the underprivileged.

Assignment 6. For the Budding Philosophers

If your students are at a stage in life where they have critical future decisions to make, ask them to ‘introspect’ over the holidays. What makes them happiest? Which activities do they most look forward to? What piques their interest and what fails to grab their attention? Give them a homework idea and ask them to write a detailed summary of their interests and how they could translate into a career option a few years down the line. If they’re confused, ask them to opt for professional guidance that will help them discover who they really are and what they should pursue in the future. We can help with that.  Students with clarity on their future are likely to be less stressed in class and focus better on their academics!

Holidays are perhaps the only time when students can study at their own pace without the looming burden of a jam-packed schedule. The holidays give students enough time to explore their interests and  use them to enhance their studying technique . Don’t overburden them with lesson plans and tough projects; instead, let them focus on building skills, exploring interests and making the most of the holiday season both in terms of education and entertainment!

We at  Mentoria  know that holidays can be crucial during high school, and students are busy figuring out what stream they want to enter. We try to make it easier for you. Our 4-step career guidance solution, helps us find the right career fit for you from 3 streams, 850+ courses & 12,000+ careers. Discover yourself during the holidays with Mentoria.

Choose your ideal path from 12,000+ career options.

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10 entertaining homework ideas for online English Language Learners

Did hearing the words, “do your homework,” when you were a child excite you? 

For most of us, the word homework doesn’t conjure up exciting or fun memories. 

Homework was likely one of the last things you wanted to do as a student!

However, what if you could make homework fun for students? What if homework was entertaining? 

In this article, we share some entertaining homework ideas for English language learners to help them improve their English while having fun!

You might be familiar with lots of ESL games and activities for your students , but assigning the right homework can feel overwhelming. 

This is particularly true if you don’t want to burden your students with a tremendous amount of information. 

Have you ever thought about combining games with homework? 

There are many alternative ways to create memorable lessons, such as incorporating karaoke songs to learn English. 

Here are 10 fun and entertaining homework ideas for your ESL students:

• Cafe hopper
• Tiktok star
• Let’s go to the movies
• Hello Mr. Teacher
• Interview a stranger
• Shine like a Karaoke star
• Expert on the loose
• 24 hour challenge
• It’s a wrap!
• Masterchef in the making

1. Cafe hopper

Most people love checking out cafes and this is an easy homework task to assign to your students.  

Have your students visit a variety of cafes as part of their homework. 

Then, consider what they could do for homework in a cafe of their choice.

Here are some fun ideas for turning cafe-hopping into homework:

• Practice ordering in English off of the menu.
• Take a photo of the cafe’s and share the differences and similarities with you in class.
• Speak to a stranger in each cafe in English and ask them some interesting questions about their life.
• Interview the barista about their favorite kind of coffee or beverage.

This is a stress-free homework idea that your students will love, especially if they are coffee or tea lovers!

2. TikTok star

Tiktok is a fun social media application where you can watch videos and songs from creators. You can also watch creators lip-synching to catchy tunes.

Show some fun examples in your class of some famous TikTok songs being lip-synched to by others and practice doing one together.

• For homework, have them choose their favorite song on TikTok.
• They can lip-synch to the song and download the song to their camera album without having to actually post it to TikTok.
• Have them share their creation with you in the next class!

Depending on the age and location of your student, TikTok might not be an option for them. If you are teaching older students or adults , then it might be easier for them to use social media for this homework assignment rather than young children.

If they are too young to use the app, have them find an online video of their favorite song and ask a parent to record them singing!

3. Let’s go to the movies

Going to the movies doesn’t sound like homework, does it? Well, as you might already be discovering, homework doesn’t have to be conventional!

Find some interesting movies that are playing in your students’ area or ask them to watch a movie of their choice in English. 

Tell them that their homework is going to be based on the movie they watch.

Here are some ideas for making going to the movies part of their homework:

• Have them write a summary of the movie or their favorite part.
• Tell them that they have to give you a movie review in your next class.
• Have them act out their favorite part of the movie with a sibling or family member and record it (in English of course!).
• Ask them to make a poster advertising the movie with captions, titles and text to accompany any drawings.

If you are struggling to find movies they can go and watch in the cinema, you can always use these ESL movies and TV shows as a resource. 

Students can also watch movies from the comforts of their homes. 

4. Hello Mr. Teacher!

Students love playing the role of the teacher! 

This can work for in-person or online ESL classes.  

Tell them that as part of the next classroom activity, the first 5 – 10 minutes will be their time to shine as the teacher!

For homework, ask them to:

• Think of one topic that they know a lot about (This could be a sport, musical instrument, game, topic, etc…).
• Have them prepare 5 important things that someone needs to know about their topic.
• Tell them that in their next class they will be the teacher and share their knowledge! (They can even give you homework!).

Have fun with this homework idea and role-play the student where you ask them questions after they finish. 

Your students will love this one!

5. Interview a stranger

This one might need some parent support and guidance if you are teaching children, but having them interview someone is an entertaining homework idea for English language learners.

• It encourages their own voice as they come up with ideas.
• It helps with writing skills as they write out their questions.
• Interviewing encourages conversation and role playing which is a fun way to learn English.

You could have your younger students interview a family member and ask questions related to that family member’s childhood. 

Here are some sample questions you could help your students form:

• What kind of things did you like to do when you were my age?
• What was your favorite thing about school?
• What types of sports did you play when you were young?
• Tell me about what life was like when you were a child.

Have them choose and write out 5-10 questions and come back to class to report on their findings!

6. Shine like a Karaoke star

Who doesn’t like a bit of karaoke? Imagine….singing your heart out to “I love rock n roll” in the privacy of your own home!

You don’t need to go to a karaoke place to actually sing karaoke songs. There are lots of great karaoke songs available online to learn English with your students.

YouTube is a great place to start, just by searching for your favorite song + “karaoke lyrics” in the search bar.

In class, help your student(s) choose a song and task them with finding the online karaoke lyrics to sing along.

Have them sing this for homework! You could even ask a parent to help them record it if they are comfortable with that.

Here are some fun and popular karaoke songs online to learn English:

• “I Will Survive” with Gloria Gaynor
• “Livin’ on a Prayer” with Bon Jovi
• “Summer Nights” with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John
• “Don’t Stop Believin’” with Journey

7. Expert on the loose

There is an expert in all of us, including your students!

In this fun and entertaining homework idea, have your student share their expertise on something!

To add a different dimension to the homework idea, “Hello Mr. Teacher,” task your students to dress up as the expert and make a short speech on their topic of choice.

Here are some examples:

• Harry Potter
• Michael Jordan (to talk about basketball)
• Favorite sports athlete
• Insect scientist
• Astronaut (if your student knows a lot about space)
• Presidential candidate
• Pilot (for students who know a lot about countries)

Even if they are not an expert on the topic, part of the homework assignment could be to do some research and learn more about their chosen field.

You could even ask them to dress up and come to class in the role, ready to share their knowledge with you! 

8. 24 hour English challenge

This one is self-explanatory and incredibly fun!

Set a challenge for your student to only speak in English for 24 hours. 

This means that you might need to get parents involved with the homework assignment, so that they can help out.

The idea is that they have to speak only in English (as much as is possible given their situation) when interacting with family, friends and at school.

Your students might already be immersed in English environments, but, oftentimes, they are speaking their native language at home with family and friends.

Having your students force themselves to only speak in English is challenging and a great way to encourage English outside the classroom.

9. It’s a wrap!

Lots of students love to rap! Rap music is poetic and encourages a lot of ESL language skills that we want to build in our students.

This is an activity that you can model with your students in class and assign it for homework for them to create their own rap.

Again, they can come back to class and rap their new song to you! It might, however, work better with older students who have a good base level of English, to begin with.

Here are some fun homework assignments incorporating rap:

• Create their own rap if they are the creative type
• Find a well known rap online and practice it to present in class
• Assign your students to find a rap online that they sing and record with their friends

10. Masterchef extraordinaire

For the food lovers, creating a homework assignment that includes cooking can be really fun.

Most kids love the idea of cooking, especially if it centers around cooking their favorite food!

When considering this as a homework idea, consider these possible assignments:

• Create and write out a recipe for a unique culinary dish.
• Make a video about the cooking experience.
• Record a tutorial of how to cook something.
• Turn it into a competition if you have multiple students.

Plus, this works with physical and online classrooms. 

Of course, if you have a physical classroom with multiple students, this could be a really fun in-class experience with some homework assignments to accompany it.

Who doesn’t love a food-related assignment? 

If you choose Masterchef extraordinaire, allow your students to share the food they make with the class and encourage lots of conversations in English.

Homework doesn’t have to be boring!

As you can see, homework doesn’t have to be boring! 

Most of your ESL students have a lot to do even outside class, and that’s why assigning homework that doesn’t feel like homework is ideal!

This is an opportunity to get creative, creating excitement for your students to learn English.

If you use some of the homework ideas mentioned here, make sure you document the experience and continue to discover new activities that bring laughter and joy to the classroom. 

And when you are applying to online teaching jobs , be sure to share how you plan to creatively incorporate class assignments and homework for your students!

Enjoy the process and make learning an enjoyable experience for everyone. 

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Summer homework may start as early as elementary school, but you don’t have to do it the way it’s always been done! Veteran educators like third-grade teacher Alycia Zimmerman have spent time thinking about how to make summer homework meaningful and interesting enough that students buy in—and even want to do it.  

Read on for Zimmerman’s summer homework game plan and ideas for how to make summer assignments more fun for everyone.

1. Try a New Student Meet and Greet

If possible, meet your incoming students before summer break (even if it’s virtual!) to instill the importance of summer learning.

At the end of the school year, coordinate with the teachers of your incoming students to swap classes for a period. Introduce yourselves to your future students and build excitement for the fun and challenging learning ahead and the very “grown-up” summer homework you will assign.

“We’ve been far more successful in instilling the importance of our summer assignments when presenting about it face-to-face rather than just sending a packet of directions home cold,” says Zimmernan. “The students sit on the edges of their seats as we talk about the importance of summer reading and our certainty that they will do everything they can to 'keep their brains healthy, pink, and strong’ over the summer.”

2. Emphasize the Importance of Summer Reading

Talk about the best summer assignment of all: diving into books!

Reading should be a treat, not a menial assignment, so Zimmerman doesn’t feel guilty about making reading the bulk of her summer homework. Here are some of her most effective strategies for promoting summer reading:

Have students fill out a log  to keep track of the books and other texts they read over the summer. It isn’t necessary to require a certain number of books or specific titles. Simply ask that they find books they love and spend lots of time reading them.

Have your current students write book reviews of their favorite titles to send home with your rising students. Invite your current students to serve as reading ambassadors and speak to the younger students about the importance and joys of reading. When coming from slightly older peers, the message is very well received.

And of course: Sign your students up for the Scholastic Summer Reading Program ! From May 9 to August 19, your students can visit Scholastic Home Base to participate in the free, fun, and safe  summer reading program . As part of the program, kids can read e-books, attend author events, and keep Reading Streaks™ to help unlock a donation of 100K books from Scholastic – distributed to kids with limited or no access to books by Save the Children. 

3. Share Fun and Educational Activities

Direct your students to fun (and educational) activities.

When considering other homework, the best options are activities that students will be motivated to do because they’re entertaining. 

Give your incoming students the “everything is better in moderation” speech so they understand that they shouldn’t play hours of computer games every day this summer. If possible, send them home with printable and book-based packs to polish their skills for the year ahead (you can even pair these with your own assignments): 

4. Connect Through the Mail 

Stay connected with your students over the summer through cards.

Giving incoming students the opportunity to connect with you and with each other can motivate them to complete summer assignments. Here’s one plan for connecting via letters:

Have your incoming students mail you a letter of introduction. Explain that you want to hear about their summer activities, their hobbies, their families, and anything special they want you to know before the school year begins.

When you receive letters from your students, send a postcard back with a brief response. Tell them a bit about your summer plan, and let them know you can’t wait to see them in the fall. 

Encourage them to write again!

You can also pair up students and have them write to each other over the summer. In September, they can bring their pen pal letters to class to display on the bulletin board.

Take advantage of everyone’s increasing familiarity with virtual resources by connecting online, too! Post a short video, article, or question once a week on your classroom's online platform, and invite both incoming students and rising former students to write their thoughts in the comments section. Be sure to moderate their comments and enjoy their back-and-forth dialogues as they engage with each other.

Get started by shopping the best books for summer reading below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store .

Mental Health at Iowa

Release the Hamster: 8 tips for Embracing the Simplicity of Self-Care

     Today I sat in the waiting room with my tween daughter, hurrying from home to be on time. Normally, I pull out my phone and read endless work emails or scroll through another high-drama news story. 

Sound familiar? I feel like I am a hamster on a wheel, worried if I slow down, I may not be as put together as I hope to be.

I stepped off the “wheel” and looked at her ever growing, sweet face. I listened to her tell stories about her friends, teacher, and the next social dilemma she was pondering. Fifteen wonderful minutes without chores, homework, or email. We laughed and shared stories. When her name was called, she  held my hand,  and she wasn’t embarrassed as she walked toward the nurse. Smiling the whole way. My heart soared. 

“Self-care” sometimes feels like something I need to plan or clearly identify as time for myself. But it can be so simple. There are many precious moments when you can pause to fill your bucket or at least jump off the wheel.

• Give yourself  grace . We don’t have to do it all.
• Take a mental health day, don’t wait for the next holiday break or summer. You don’t need physical symptoms to justify taking care of yourself. A mental health day isn’t weakness or being “unwell.” It is a position of health and self-care.  Embrace it.
• Practice mindfulness:  Be present . Multi-tasking only allows us to be partially involved in several things.  
• Adjust  your expectations. Maybe for today, maybe for the next year. 
• Practice  self-care with someone  else. Step outside for a quick walk, shut off the computer, or walk to a colleague’s office or classroom to just say hello .
• Validate.  We don’t always need to teach or fix. Sometimes we just  need to listen .  This is my favorite teaching video . 
• Find your happy. Know  what brings you joy  and do more of it. What did you enjoy 10 years ago? 5 years ago? What have you always wanted to try? Do it. 
• Time is precious, take advantage of telehealth therapy and doctor’s appointments. Better yet, take the time away from the screen to see someone in person.  Connect .

The Employee Assistance Program is dedicated to supporting the well-being of our faculty, staff, postdocs, and medical residents with confidential, short-term counseling; consultation for supervisors; and referral to community resources. For more information, resources, or to schedule an appointment, visit the UI EAP web page .

Cover image by Oleg Illarionov.