What is a best practice for signaling the start of a lesson or activity?

Using hand signals for silence and thinking time is an effective practice for signaling the start of a lesson or activity because it promotes a calm and focused classroom environment. Hand signals can facilitate communication with students who might have hearing impairments or those who are more sensitive to auditory stimuli. This method allows the teacher to gain the attention of the class without raising their voice, which can create a more positive atmosphere and make it easier for students to transition into the lesson.

In addition, using hand signals encourages students to become more aware of their peers and their own behavior, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility for the learning process. It can also help manage classroom noise levels and allows for a quicker and more efficient way to signal that it's time to start without causing disruption or anxiety among students.

In contrast, yelling instructions may create a stressful environment, while playing loud music could be distracting rather than engaging. Simply writing on the board does not provide a clear auditory or visual signal to indicate the start of an activity and may leave some students unprepared for the transition.