I try and use as many models and video sources as possible since I teach A&P which can be quite boring in the eyes of some students.
I usually have them do a group activity
Usually I will walk up by them to get their attention. I wanted to use a bean bag to throw at them, but was told I couldn't. Since this tends to be a problem with the younger crowd we attract. I set my demo's to be integrated into the lecturs. This helps tremendously.
Hi Ron,
Great way to grab students attention is to show them something that they are totally unfamiliar with.
Patricia Scales
Hi Julia,
Students get it when we get close to or near them. They know that we have realized that they are not paying attention.
Patricia Scales
I like to ask questions of the class as a whole and hear their responses and ask the "inattentive" students if they agree or disagree with the class and why.
Where I work the students really want to know what I'm goping to teach them. So, when they aren't paying attention I usually demo a procedure they haven't seen before. This way they have to focus.
Mary, I do the same thing! I have found that moving around the room, jumping up and actually kind of over exaggerating my facial and body movements work as well. Sometimes a whisper to a louder voice works too. If I see a student sleeping or way out in la la land I will ask a direct question or the real life experiences fantastic. Sometimes they just want to feel apart of.
By walking all around the classroom and standing near students who are not paying attention, and asking questions about the lecture.
Hi Darlene,
Everyone likes to make a contribution. This is a good tactic to get uninvolved students involved.
Patricia Scales
Hi Jennifer,
Sometimes you do have to give your students little icebreakers to real them back in.
Patricia Scales
Hi Jennifer,
I agree! Students love a mixture, such as lecture, role playing, case studies, mock learning, games, simulations, hands-on activities, etc.
Patricia Scales
I like to have my students read out loud and during my lecture ask question from time to time. This will keep the students engaged in the entire lecture.
Begin to give the student more attention without calling the student out to be funny, allow the student a chance to take lead in a couple group projects and to begin to assign presentation assignments.
I walk around the class and make physical proximity work for me. I can tell who is following along by the heads that turn. If I have a group of students who are not following me, I know that is a good place for me to lead the discussion. I also break students into groups and I let them know that they can't always pick who will be in their group. (Just like in the real world.)
I allow my students to bring in a new hairstyle that they may have seen that they would like to learn. It may not be in the plans but we make exceptions for these students.
I think one good way to capture student attention is to ask them a question, then write the students' responses on the board. This gets them ii a spirit of contributing. It can also make for some friendly competition as the students try to answer faster than their peers.
I agree asking random questions may divert what the real problem may be, but centralizing what may be the real problem would be to change the topic of discussion. Try to pin point what may intrest the student. Usually if the class is a requirement, preconcieve perceptions can dampen the level of intrest. I believe an instructor can make a class interesting by knowing a little about the background of students. Another approach would be to have a pop quiz to evaluate progress of the class. Anounnce to the class that remedial class time is available by contacting the instructor, if there are some who scored low.
Sometimes when I am lecturing and see that some of the students arent paying attention, i switch gears a little and go completely off the topic and talk abouyt something that might be interesting to them. Or maybe even a subject about food or current social topics. This brings them out of what they were doing, then i go back to the lecture and ask them certain questions about the lecture.
I also like to ask questions during my lecture/demonstration as mentioned by another. I have found that by asking frequent questions randomly of my students . First, they help to check for retention of the information. Secondly, it forces students to focus on the information since they are not sure if they will be asked a question or not.
