Being animated and showing that you genuinely love being an educator
I walk right up to them and start lecturing right in front of them. If it's a demonstration, I do the demo right in front of them. It works every time. Plus the other students catch on to what I'm doing.
Break the class up into smaller groups and then work with each group individually. I also like to tie the group activity into the class participation grade so the other members of an "inattentive student's" group will help refocus that student.
Hi Caren,
Interacting with students is definitely a way to capture attention. When students know that they may be called upon, they tend to be more attentive.
Patricia
I try to engage the students in the lecture, asking questions that they have to answer. I also move around the room, forcing them to pay attention.
I attempt to bring the individual into the discussion; ask the student to offer insight. Of course, I look at how I present the lesson to make it as relavent and interesting as possible.
A Couple of effective techniques I have used in the classroom that have work effectively:
1) ask students to provide examples --- engage them in a discussion. Try and encourage them to share a professional or personal experience.
2) Move about the classroom --- your physical presence can help an inattentive student focus on the discussion.
3) Provide variety --- use PowerPoint slides, case studies, role play, group work and videos and add variety to the delivery of the message.
Bring them in by asking their points of view and sharing their experiences.
I teach project management to game design students. I used to work in the video game industry, and I have lots of anecdotes about working on games that they have actually played. I try to include a lot of these real-life examples in my lectures - this always gets their attention.
To attract the attention of inattentive students is to make sure that they are actively informed in the lectures, by doing this it helps to stimulate their learning process.
Hi Erin,
As an instructor give 110%. The majority of your students appreciate the effort. Generally, a pop quiz is a sure attention getter.
Patricia
Give them special attention to show that you are noticing them and expect results.
To capture student attention will depend of the instructor behavior Teacher need to creat a positive learning environement and maintains a strong connection with every student and keep student on task
I always have a plan b for those days where it seems as though no one in the class is focussing on the lesson. I first try to get all students talking more: either through class discussion or group assignments. When the majority of the class is disengaged, I always have a pop quiz to give. This shows students that they need to pay attention and stay focused. Of course there is always that one student that does not care about the class because they do not see how it will help in the future. Thus they do not care what grade they receive as long as they pass. I deal with these students as the problems arise. If my discussions with them do not work, I will speak to their program director for assistance in explaining the importance of my class on their career. If all else fails, I focus on the positive aspects of doing your best with anything you try. This usually gives these students a spurt of pride to work hard for the rest of the class.
I find that by making the information relevant to the students, those who had been inattentive start to "sit up and listen." In teaching Information Literacy, I try to relate the information back to them, and to why they need to know this information, either for their classes, for when they are working in their field, or in their personal lives. They tend to take the information more seriously as a result.
Hi Sarah,
It instills a lot of confidence in students whenever their strength is played upon.
Patricia
When I realize their strength I generally steer them in that direction and along the way I incorperate the things that they are not so sure of and tie them together. Therfore, they are excited to perfect the skills they are intrested in while gaining confidence and more secure with the skills they were unsure of.
Hi Cheyney,
Very much related! I can definitely see how your students can really get engaged from this.
Patricia
Hi Yvonne,
This is a great way to determine who is paying attention, and if they are grasping the concepts are not.
Patricia
I tell real life experiences. The students love to hear all the crazy stories that you just cannot make up. In the working environment people are crazy and funny and sharing the experiences keeps their attention and makes them think of their own stories to share.
