Teaching Strategies for Gen Z Students

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As a teacher belonging to the older generations, Generation X, my personal style growing up featured Doc Martens boots, flannel shirts, and leather jackets. I have a deep fondness for classic arcade games such as Pac-Man and Space Invaders. 

During high school, I placed great importance on learning independently and striving for personal satisfaction. 

As a teacher today, standing before over 120 high school English kids, I see a different version of the student I once was. Though my learners are well-intentioned and keen on achieving success, they need more active engagement in learning. 

Recognizing that my kids learn differently than I did in high school has made teaching a more manageable task for me. In fact, understanding their needs and priorities has allowed me to connect better with them as a teacher and, in the long run, improved my own work-life balance.

Who Are the Students In Our Rooms?

According to recent statistics, there are approximately 15.5 million high school-age kids in the United States today, with the majority of them belonging to Generation Z (the age range born between 1997 and 2012).

In contrast, about 78% of educators in the workforce are between the ages of 25 and 56. Placing them squaring in the Millennials and Generation X categories. Given the vast differences in the learning styles of the new generation of learners compared to previous generations, including Millennials and Gen X, educators must adapt their teaching methods to meet the unique needs of their learners. 

This does not mean that the educators are doing anything wrong or that they are bad teachers. Instead, it highlights the importance of adjusting teaching practices to meet the unique needs of Gen Z kids. 

As teachers, it’s our responsibility to continuously adapt our teaching methods to serve our learners better, regardless of their age or background. 

Making these necessary adjustments helps ensure that every student in our classroom receives the best possible education and achieves their full potential.

Also, by making these adjustments, educators can maximize and improve their work-life balance and save themselves from undeserved anxiety.

What Does the Research Tell Us?

Teaching Gen Z presents a unique challenge as they are highly immersed in electronics, often discovering the world through it. This poses a gap for educators as most teachers grew up in a world without the internet and social media. 

However, this is not to say that teachers cannot bridge this gap and provide meaningful learning experiences for their learners. 

Rather, it calls for a shift in teaching methods to align with the learning styles of Gen Z students. Research published in the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence notes that studies have shown that they prefer learning through videos and images as opposed to traditional text-heavy resources. 

Additionally, they may need help with more conventional teaching methods, such as long lectures or extended silent reading assignments. 

Extending reading passages is another challenge in teaching the younger generation because of their attention span. Suzanna Azmy points out that while the average attention span for a Generation X or Millennial person is around 12 seconds, the attention span for a Gen Z student averages around 8 seconds due to the influence of digital technology and the abundance of information available to them at all times. 

This is due to what Darla Rothman refers to as “task switch,” which is “changes to the brain that are seen where Generation Z uses technology…constant bombardment of small bits of

information from Twitter, Facebook, or TV with its six-second patterns of imaging is rewiring the brain to expect information to be delivered in short, rapid bursts.”

One study by Marc Prensky suggests this is because that generation of learners is used to receiving information in short bursts, with apps such as YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat as their preferred methods for learning about the world. 

Prensky even refers to Gen Z students as Digital Natives. He notes, “Our students today are all “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games, and the internet.” and continues, “Unfortunately, no matter how much the [teachers] may wish it, it is highly unlikely the Digital Natives will go backwards [in learning the way the teachers did]. In the first place, it may be impossible – their brains may already be different.”

What Can We Do?

Even though Generation Z learns differently from our generations, that does not mean we cannot reach them. 

Based on the research I have gathered and my personal experiences with Gen Z students in my classroom, I have found that there are some easy adjustments that Millennial and Generation X teachers can make to add to their teaching toolbox that can accommodate the myriad of ways kids today learn in the classroom.

Incorporate Technology

Using tools such as digital textbooks, online resources, educational apps, and social media to enhance learning experiences is a simple and easy adaptation. There are many options to digitalize worksheets, gamify classrooms, or add electronic components to projects.

One great example of technology to incorporate is using interactive whiteboards. Interactive whiteboards allow teachers to integrate multimedia elements like videos, images, and animations into their lessons, holding our Gen Z students’ attention and making the learning process more engaging.

In my English class, I use an interactive whiteboard to play videos when working with short stories or novels instead of just playing the videos on a TV. The interactive whiteboard allows me to show the particular scene bringing it to life and helping students better understand the characters and their motivations. 

It also allows me to pause to ask questions and facilitate student discussion at critical moments. Since I can “write” on the whiteboard, I can much more easily make visual connections, encouraging my students to analyze and engage in a digital format.

Encourage Collaboration

Encouraging group work, peer-to-peer learning, and opportunities for students to work together to solve problems or complete assignments is also another easy way to engage Gen Z.

This approach helps them build important communication and teamwork skills and engages them in the learning process while building a strong sense of community in the classroom.

A fun and interesting activity to use to encourage collaboration is a “speed date.” Speed dating activities are structured activities in which students engage in short, focused conversations with their classmates. 

I saw a government teacher use a speed dating lesson in conjunction with teaching a unit about the founding fathers, and it was fantastic.

Students had a set amount of time to introduce their assigned founding father to their partners. After the time was up, the pairs rotated and met with a new partner and founding father. 

The teacher provided prompts and questions to guide the conversation and encourage deeper analysis and critical thinking. The students were engaged and active throughout the lesson. 

The speed dating activity is an effective strategy for Gen Z not only because it provides quick, focused conversations that allow each student to collaborate with peers. It also taps into their short attention spans and desire for instant gratification.

Personalize learning experiences 

Incorporating personalized learning approaches is another way educators can reach their Gen Z students. They can use adaptive learning software, self-directed learning opportunities, and project-based learning activities to allow them to explore topics that are of personal interest. 

This allows Gen Z to learn at their own pace and allows them to own their own learning experience, which is a trait research says they deeply value.

A podcast creation is one activity I have seen put successfully into action regarding personalized learning. 

An AP Biology teacher I work with asked her students to research and create a podcast episode on a specific genetic disorder, such as sickle cell anemia. 

The students could work in small groups to write a script for their podcast episode, incorporating scientific concepts related to the disorder and its inheritance patterns. 

They could also include interviews with experts or individuals affected by the disorder to provide a real-world perspective. 

Not only did this allow students to put ownership into their learning, but it also incorporated peer collaboration and technology.

Can the Old Gens Teach the New Gen Z?

Of course, they can, and they can do it better than any other generation. Our kids in our classroom will continue to change. The way students learn will continue to change too. 

If our mission as educators is to inspire and guide our students to reach their full potential by providing them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to succeed in their personal and professional lives, then we are obligated to constantly evaluate and adjust our teaching styles to best serve the learners in our rooms.

It’s not a matter of fault but rather a need to adapt our teaching methods to serve our students better. By making the necessary adjustments to our teaching, we can better engage and support our Gen Z students in their learning journey.

About the Author:

My name is Jess Lyons. During my day, I wear several hats. I am a mother, above all,  a high school English teacher, a freelance writer, a copious elocutionist of sarcasm, and — according to my students — just a tad “extra.” My passion for language and storytelling has always been a driving force in my life, and my experience in the classroom gives me a unique perspective on how to communicate ideas effectively. As a writer, I draw on my background in education to create content that is not only engaging and informative but also accessible to a wide range of audiences. 

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