Learning is Meaning Making

"...that unless and until the mind of a learner is engaged, no meaning will be made, no knowledge can be won." (330) This is so simply put into words, but at times difficult to make reality. When I was an undergrad writing lesson plans I always had to have a set induction for each lesson. This was simply the way I was going to get my students attention so that they would be actively involved in the lesson. I have also heard it called an anticipatory set and for all those LFS schools (Learning Focus Strategies) out there it is the activating strategy. No matter which way you refer to it, it is a key component to having your students actively engaged in the learning process. If they are not tuned in to what you are teaching learning is nonexistent.