The classroom is a place where students should feel engaged, motivated, and eager to learn. However, it can be challenging to keep students focused and interested in the material being presented. The following are some of the best ways to engage students in the classroom.

First, it is essential to create a positive learning environment. Trainers should develop a welcoming and supportive atmosphere that encourages students to feel comfortable and confident. This can be achieved by showing interest in students' personal lives, providing positive feedback, and being approachable.  The notion of the icebreaker is the best way to achieve this.  By engaging in an activity that allows students to reveal things about themselves, the trainer should show interest in learning new information when given through these activities.  An example would be “Two Truths and a Lie” where students give three statements about themselves, two are true and one is a lie.  The rest of the class has to guess the lie.

Secondly, the use of interactive teaching methods can help to engage students in the classroom. Interactive teaching methods include activities such as group discussions, role-plays, debates, and games. These methods encourage students to participate actively in the learning process, which makes the classroom experience more engaging and enjoyable.  Adults learn in three ways: By seeing, by hearing, and by practice.  A large number of adults identify with practice, though there is research to show that they may be selling themselves short by immediately preferring this method.  Many can learn just by reading material (seeing) or hearing the information (previous recording, such as a podcast).

Speaking of podcasts, trainers should incorporate technology into their teaching methods. Technology can help to enhance the learning experience by providing students with a wide variety of resources and opportunities for engagement. For example, trainers can use educational apps, online quizzes, and interactive whiteboards to make the learning process more engaging.

Finally, trainers should provide students with real-world examples and applications of the material being presented. This helps to make the material more relevant and interesting to students. For example, a leadership trainer might incorporate lessons from their corporate career of times where they were a good leader, but especially in times where they were not the best leader.

In conclusion, there are various ways to engage students in the classroom, including creating a positive learning environment, using interactive teaching methods, incorporating technology, and using real-world examples. By implementing these strategies, trainers can help to make the classroom experience more engaging and enjoyable, which can lead to better retention of information for students.