Patna, Aug. 7: If your teacher gives you a crossword puzzle to solve in the middle of a lesson, try to crack it quick. For, it would help you understand lessons better.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in a move to make classes more interactive, has asked teachers at CBSE schools to create crossword puzzles based on the lessons for the students. This technique, CBSE officials believe, would make learning easy and help create students’ interest in a subject.

Although there is no fixed timeframe, the teachers are expected to create the crossword puzzles as soon as possible.

Most teachers and students of the CBSE schools in the state capital have welcomed the move.

Manjit Kumar, a computer teacher at Patna Central School, said: “Introducing crosswords in lessons will make teaching more interesting. The students will be curious to solve the crosswords on their own and it will be a good mental exercise. If students become good at solving crosswords, they would prosper as professionals.”

Rama Chakraborty, a senior science teacher at Delhi Public School, said: “Crosswords will make classes more interactive, as the children will be curious to know new things. This is not only an interesting way to teach but also to evaluate. At times, students feel lazy, especially during examinations, when they find the pattern monotonous. But if crosswords are introduced, students would have more interest. Last year, I had attended a seminar organised by a publication house, which laid stress on crosswords. The organisers explained to us how crosswords could be helpful in studies.”

Ankit Karan, a Class X student of Radiant International School, said: “Crosswords will help us concentrate on a particular topic better. Not only would our thinking capacity be enhanced but our vocabulary will also become strong. Studies won’t seem monotonous and everybody can pick up lessons easier. For example, biology has several difficult terms, especially the scientific names. If teachers simplify our lessons with crossword puzzles, studying will be more interesting. We will find it more interactive.”

Arun Kumar Jha, a senior physics teacher at DAV, BSEB, holds a different opinion, though. He said: “The introduction of new techniques won’t help create interest among students. It is more important to develop one-to-one interaction between the teacher and the student for easy understanding of lessons.”