Start Strong, Finish Stronger: Classroom Warm-Ups as a Bridge to Student’s Learning
Corresponding Author(s) : Ahmad Zahir Wali
Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities,
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025): April
Abstract
Warm-up activities are considered to be an effective way of engaging students in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes for enhanced and quality learning. If the class begins with a warm-up activity, the rest of the class time could be utilized to the best of the students’ learning. This paper intends to explore students' perceptions towards the use of warm-up activities in EFL classes and to assess the extent to which warm-up activities are used in the EFL classes of Kandahar University. A quantitative survey design was used to collect data from a randomly selected sample of 136 EFL students at Kandahar University. A questionnaire was used as the primary tool for data collection. The findings revealed that the students perceive warm-up activities as beneficial in the class. It was also found that the lecturers in the EFL classes of Kandahar University do not implement warm-up activities sufficiently. This study contributes to filling the identified research gap and offering specific implications based on the study's findings for educators, lecturers, and curriculum designers regarding integrating warm-up activities as part of the teaching and learning process.
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- Abata Checa, F. M., Jiménez Atiaja, J. F., & Guanoluisa Mise, M. F. (2024). Students' Perceptions on the Use of Warm-up Activities in English Language Teaching. Revista Scientific, 9(32), 18-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29394/Scientific.issn.2542-2987.2024.9.32.1.18-40
- Akther, A. (2014). Role of warm-up activity in the language classroom: A tertiary scenario (Doctoral dissertation, BRAC University).
- http://hdl.handle.net/10361/3553
- Aniuranti, A. (2021). The use of ice breakers in online English grammar classes. Surakarta English and Literature Journal, 4(2), 85–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.52429/selju.v4i2.670 DOI: https://doi.org/10.52429/selju.v4i2.670
- Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip your classroom: Reach every student in every class every day. International Society for Technology in Education.
- Claxton, G. (2008). What’s the point of school?: Rediscovering the heart of education. Oneworld Publications.
- Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
- Diril, A. (2015). The importance of icebreakers and warm-up activities in language teaching. ACC Journal, 21 (3), 143-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.15240/tul/004/2015-3-014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15240/tul/004/2015-3-014
- Estalkhbijari, Z. P., & Khodareza, M. (2012). The effects of warm-up tasks on the Iranian EFL students' writing ability. International Education Studies, 5(2), 190–203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n2p190
- Farmer, J. A. (2010). Warm downs: Effectively ending ESL/EFL lessons. The Internet TESL Journal, 16(1). http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Farmer-WarmDowns.html
- Fitria, T. N. (2023). Breaking the ice in the classroom: Using ice breaking in the teaching and learning process. Borneo Journal of English Language Education, 5(1), 1–10. (Add page numbers if available from the source) DOI: https://doi.org/10.35334/bjele.v5i1.4210
- Gozcu, E., & Caganaga, C. K. (2016). The importance of using games in EFL classrooms. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 11(3), 126–135. http://dx.doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v11i3.625 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v11i3.625
- Karpushyna, M., Bloshchynskyi, I., Zheliaskov, V., Chymshyr, V., Kolmykova, O., & Tymofieieva, O. (2019). Warm-up as a means of fostering target-language performance in a particular English class. Romanian Journal for Multidimensional Education, 11(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/122 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/122
- Kasimova, G. (2022). Importance of ice breaking activities in teaching English. Science and Innovation, 1(B7), 117–120. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7223440
- Khoirunnisaa, T. A., Asnas, S. A. M., & Heriyawati, D. F. (2024). Teaching English using ice breaking to Taiwanese students: EFL teacher’s experiences. English Review: Journal of English Education, 12(1), 149–156. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v12i1.9285
- Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308
- Mingguang, Y. (1999). Warm-up activities. Forum, 37(3), Article n3. http://e.usia.gov/forum/
- Le, T. (2022). Perceptions and practices of warm-up activities by English teachers in Thai Nguyen. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 12(3), 5–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.12.05.2022.p12557
- Lengari, Y. G., & Pavita, M. D. (2023). The students’ perception toward warming-up activities in increasing the motivation in learning Maritime English II. Saintara: Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu-Ilmu Maritim, 7(2), 57–62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52475/saintara.v7i2.234
- Savaş, H. (2016). Maintaining the efficacy of warm-up activities in EFL classrooms: An exploratory action research. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 4(2), 120–134. http://dx.doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.1.4c2s4m DOI: https://doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.1.4c2s4m
- Seçer, Ş. Y., Şahin, M., & Alcı, B. (2015). Investigating the effect of audiovisual materials as warm-up activity in aviation English courses on students’ motivation and participation at high school level. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 120–128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.495 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.495
- Tosun, M., & Yildiz, Y. (2015). Extracurricular activities as warm-ups in language teaching. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 2(1). https://ijsses.tiu.edu.iq/index.php/volume-2-issue-1-article-10/
- Tuliakova, N., O Kuznetsova, E., & V Meniailo, V. (2020). Warm-Up Activities In Teaching Foreign Languages At University: Expectations And Reality. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2020.12.02.48
- Velandia, R. (2008). The role of warming up activities in adolescent students' involvement during the English class. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 10, 9–26. http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?pid=S1657-07902008000200002&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en
- Wali, A. Z., & Saad, M. N. (2018). Exploring teaching practices that are helpful in addressing at-risk students in classroom. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 8(9), 235–240. http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.8.9.2018.p8139 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.8.9.2018.p8139
- Zakaria, R. (2021). Games as warming up activities in the classroom for Indonesian EFL students. KnE Social Sciences, 2021, 266–276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v5i3.8549
- Zhang, Y. J. (2000). Warm-up exercises in listening classes. The Internet TESL Journal, 6(10), 1–3. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Zhang-ListeningWarm-up.html
References
Abata Checa, F. M., Jiménez Atiaja, J. F., & Guanoluisa Mise, M. F. (2024). Students' Perceptions on the Use of Warm-up Activities in English Language Teaching. Revista Scientific, 9(32), 18-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29394/Scientific.issn.2542-2987.2024.9.32.1.18-40
Akther, A. (2014). Role of warm-up activity in the language classroom: A tertiary scenario (Doctoral dissertation, BRAC University).
http://hdl.handle.net/10361/3553
Aniuranti, A. (2021). The use of ice breakers in online English grammar classes. Surakarta English and Literature Journal, 4(2), 85–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.52429/selju.v4i2.670 DOI: https://doi.org/10.52429/selju.v4i2.670
Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip your classroom: Reach every student in every class every day. International Society for Technology in Education.
Claxton, G. (2008). What’s the point of school?: Rediscovering the heart of education. Oneworld Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Diril, A. (2015). The importance of icebreakers and warm-up activities in language teaching. ACC Journal, 21 (3), 143-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.15240/tul/004/2015-3-014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15240/tul/004/2015-3-014
Estalkhbijari, Z. P., & Khodareza, M. (2012). The effects of warm-up tasks on the Iranian EFL students' writing ability. International Education Studies, 5(2), 190–203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n2p190
Farmer, J. A. (2010). Warm downs: Effectively ending ESL/EFL lessons. The Internet TESL Journal, 16(1). http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Farmer-WarmDowns.html
Fitria, T. N. (2023). Breaking the ice in the classroom: Using ice breaking in the teaching and learning process. Borneo Journal of English Language Education, 5(1), 1–10. (Add page numbers if available from the source) DOI: https://doi.org/10.35334/bjele.v5i1.4210
Gozcu, E., & Caganaga, C. K. (2016). The importance of using games in EFL classrooms. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 11(3), 126–135. http://dx.doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v11i3.625 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v11i3.625
Karpushyna, M., Bloshchynskyi, I., Zheliaskov, V., Chymshyr, V., Kolmykova, O., & Tymofieieva, O. (2019). Warm-up as a means of fostering target-language performance in a particular English class. Romanian Journal for Multidimensional Education, 11(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/122 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/122
Kasimova, G. (2022). Importance of ice breaking activities in teaching English. Science and Innovation, 1(B7), 117–120. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7223440
Khoirunnisaa, T. A., Asnas, S. A. M., & Heriyawati, D. F. (2024). Teaching English using ice breaking to Taiwanese students: EFL teacher’s experiences. English Review: Journal of English Education, 12(1), 149–156. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v12i1.9285
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308
Mingguang, Y. (1999). Warm-up activities. Forum, 37(3), Article n3. http://e.usia.gov/forum/
Le, T. (2022). Perceptions and practices of warm-up activities by English teachers in Thai Nguyen. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 12(3), 5–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.12.05.2022.p12557
Lengari, Y. G., & Pavita, M. D. (2023). The students’ perception toward warming-up activities in increasing the motivation in learning Maritime English II. Saintara: Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu-Ilmu Maritim, 7(2), 57–62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52475/saintara.v7i2.234
Savaş, H. (2016). Maintaining the efficacy of warm-up activities in EFL classrooms: An exploratory action research. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 4(2), 120–134. http://dx.doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.1.4c2s4m DOI: https://doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.1.4c2s4m
Seçer, Ş. Y., Şahin, M., & Alcı, B. (2015). Investigating the effect of audiovisual materials as warm-up activity in aviation English courses on students’ motivation and participation at high school level. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 120–128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.495 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.495
Tosun, M., & Yildiz, Y. (2015). Extracurricular activities as warm-ups in language teaching. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 2(1). https://ijsses.tiu.edu.iq/index.php/volume-2-issue-1-article-10/
Tuliakova, N., O Kuznetsova, E., & V Meniailo, V. (2020). Warm-Up Activities In Teaching Foreign Languages At University: Expectations And Reality. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2020.12.02.48
Velandia, R. (2008). The role of warming up activities in adolescent students' involvement during the English class. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 10, 9–26. http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?pid=S1657-07902008000200002&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en
Wali, A. Z., & Saad, M. N. (2018). Exploring teaching practices that are helpful in addressing at-risk students in classroom. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 8(9), 235–240. http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.8.9.2018.p8139 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.8.9.2018.p8139
Zakaria, R. (2021). Games as warming up activities in the classroom for Indonesian EFL students. KnE Social Sciences, 2021, 266–276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v5i3.8549
Zhang, Y. J. (2000). Warm-up exercises in listening classes. The Internet TESL Journal, 6(10), 1–3. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Zhang-ListeningWarm-up.html