I usually begin my lecture for about the fist 15-30 minutes, and then I have everyone write down a comment, question or suggestion about the ongoing topic. This gives everyone the opportunity to be involved in the discussion. I have never had anyone not participate (I believe to peer pressure). What are your thoughts?
Dianna
For me it is all about an interesting fact, news story/current event, or opening activity and illustration. I use a lot of energy.
Make your presence as an instructor known, occasionally walk toward their area, or call on them for a reponse. Also you can create groups, a smaller setting, making them an important part of the dicussion. You can also have a discussion or paper then summarizes the topics of the class.
I find by involving the student in my lecture by asking him/her direct questions keeps them focused on the topic. If I'm demoing a project for the class I will ask for their help to keep them invovled and on track.
you should keep them attentive by bringing different teaching and learning styles to the classroom. use some visual material with audio; make them role-play; put them in small groups for discussion etc. it keeps them guessing and interested as what going to happen next.
Hi Ramah,
It sounds like you know when to have fun and when to get serious. Everyone needs laughter, it really lightens the tone.
Patricia Scales
Some ways that I capture student attention is by being a little bit of a performer. What I mean by this is that I do silly voices, I make jokes, and I have a bit of a hyper streak. I get serious when time calls, however, so that students know when the lecture requires that extra attention.
I think giving hands on activities are really important way to capture inattentive students.
Hi Kevin,
Students involvement is a must. Students tend to stay more focused when they are involved.
Patricia Scales
This is a good opportunity to break the class into smaller groups to give students a chance to be actively engaged in an appropriate activity related to the lecture material. If the lecturing needs to continue, the instructor can use the "I" technique to verbally remind the student of the importance of participating in the class.
I move around the room so that I am standing next to them at different points throughout the class. Sometimes I split the class up into groups to perform a specific activity (e.g. quiz each other on pointing out bones and bony landmarks on skeletons). Other times I start a role-playing exercise where everyone is asked to comment on the interaction or participate in some way. I have the class do a quick game of charades with competing teams using flash cards with kinesiology body movements to review or have the class follow me in stretching exercises, so that they get up and move around to get their blood flowing.
Getting the student involved in the discussion helps in capturing their attention.
student sometimes disengage because they are tired, bored, disinterested in the material. It is my job as an instructor to make them interested. I sometimes have the student come up to the front of the classroom and teach me what they are learning. By doing this the students feel like they have something to uphold, and therefore remain engaged throughout the lecture.
I agree jagrup i like to keep my class lively, upbeat. In the middle of my lecture i like to mix it up and tell on the job stories that will keep them interested.
According to my program dean, i have a very loud presence. I am a person who talks in a loud voice that carries far. And i could see how some people could even go so far as to say that I may be intimidating. I use this to my advantage in several ways. First, my "presence" commands attention from the students. But as they become more comfortable with me, and learn that I am actually a big softy, When a student begins to lose focus, I simply begin talking very softly. This allows the students who are paying attention to continue in their learning, while the inattentive students realizes that some major dynamic has changed. Causing them to believe that something very important is being said about material.
Also, i have been known to check the attention of the entire class, by spouting facts that would be so unbelieveably untrue, that only the youngest of children would believe them.
i found that if you make what ever subject yiu cover make it come a live to them so what they can see,how they can use wht thy learn apply in there feild.
To engage an inattentive student, I will often put a problem/situation on the board, break the class into pairs, and have the pairs solve the problem. After an appropriate length of time, I will then select a pair to present the solution. I have seen great success with this strategy, especially when the problem/situation is based upon the lecture for the day.
I love role-playing in the classroom. It allows real life situations to be demonstrated so therefore the students can have an idea of what they could possibly face on their career paths.
LT
Hi Richard,
Your post is interesting because oftentimes, students have gone through so much, and they want to do better, but sometimes we as instructors have to peel back some of the layers and allow them to to express themselves so therefore we in return can have a better understanding regarding their behavior. Once they see that we realy do care about them and their success, then they are a little more eager to become more attentive in class.
LT
As mentioned in the unit, one of the contributing factors of inattentiveness is a perceived lack of relevancy. Demonstrating applicability of course content can certainly help increase student attentiveness!
