Ever find yourself having to stop frequently throughout a lesson because a student has their hand up? Maybe they have a question, which is great, but it could also be that they need a tissue, they need water, a restroom break, or perhaps to borrow a pencil. Now, if a student raises their hand because they have a question, you should probably answer it. However, do you really want to take 15 seconds from your lesson for a student to raise their hand, you ask what they need, they tell you, you respond when you could spend much less time for such instances? This is where hand signals come in hand (no pun intended). Students are taught to raise a certain number of fingers depending on what it is they need. For example, 5 fingers means they have a question, but maybe 2 fingers means they need water. If they have two fingers up, just signal for them to get water (or not get it) rather than have a 15 second back and forth. It takes up a lot less time, especially when you think about how many students you have in your classroom. You should have a sign or poster posted so your students are aware of the signals, and introduce and rehearse them with the students. Students do actually follow this.
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