Techniques for Learning Student Names

  • Greet students by name as they enter class.
  • ​Have students create an index card with their name, picture, and some interesting facts about them. They can also make a trading card online.
  • Have students say their name before asking you a question.
  • Say the students’ names out loud as you take attendance.​
  • ​Use a roll call sheet with pictures, flash card apps with their name and photo, and/or take a short video of them holding a name tag.
  • Use temporary student name tag stickers for the first few weeks of school.​
  • Use your rosters to become familiar with students' names before you meet them.
  • When doing a lesson with stations, have one of them be an interview station.

Activities for Learning Student Names​

  • Have students interview each other and then give a short presentation to the class.​​
  • Have students write down 2 truths and 1 lie. Then see if the class can guess which is which.
  • ​​Play a scavenger hunt where the students must find a student with a trait from the list. They are finished once they have a name for each trait.​
  • Play the adjective game where students say their name along with an adjective that starts with the same letter (ie. Basketball Brian).
  • Play the handshake game where they must find a partner, introduce themselves, and create a new handshake. Repeat the process with new partners.
  • Quiz the students on each other’s names after using some of the above techniques.
Example Scavenger Hunt​
Name Games Playlist​ and Directions on PDF