Ziplet has been designed to be a simple, easy to use tool. As is the case with any new tool however, we know that the challenge is finding the right way to test it out, tweak your habits, and build it into your routine with minimal disruption to your students and classroom. 

Because Ziplet is something that can be used for many different purposes, teaching contexts, age groups and subjects, there’s no right way to start, but based on many conversations with Ziplet teachers, we have a few suggested steps to make integration smooth:‍

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Start small - decide on the one thing you’d like to start with

Get your Ziplet GO class setup, put the pin on the whiteboard, and schedule a question for the end of that lesson. Try starting with a low-stakes question, such as ‘Who do you admire’. We have a question bank category of icebreaker questions that suit this scenario well. 

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Engage students

Let students know you’ll be testing out a new tool, that you plan on using it to provide them with a safe space to give feedback, and help you understand how they are going. 

Here’s a video about introducing Ziplet to students that you may find helpful. 

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Test it out 

Once your question is live, ask students to respond. 

Leave 5-10 minutes at the end for students to respond while still in class. This way you ensure all students respond, and you can troubleshoot if necessary. 

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Reflect 

Take some time to review responses and consider displaying the word cloud for students to view next time, to prompt engagement. 

You can also decide if using a GO or Connect class is the right option for your context and students. Connect classes allow you to reply or react to students responses, and track responses over time. Students can use SSO to avoid entering a GO pin each time to respond. Your class type depends on what suits you. 

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Bake it into planning 

When working through planning, consider when student check-ins will benefit you and your students. We suggest building a habit by either scheduling or planning questions for the week into your class(es). 

Running a bellringer at the start of the day:

• What is one thing you remember about x from last lesson?

Scheduling an exit ticket for the end of the day/lesson:

• What is one question you still have about x?
• What is something you are struggling to understand?

Trying a weekly SEL check-in:

• What helps you lift your mood when you are feeling down?
• What is one way you helped someone this week?

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These steps will help you start small, test it with your students, reflect, and build into your practice. If you’d like further help getting started, you can always contact us at help@ziplet.com, or visit our help centre for detailed articles. 

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