I attempt to get them to reflect how the information presented relates to any thing they have experienced or encountered in the past, or how they think they might be able to use this information in a specific future setting.
Hi David:
I like that approach because the students are moving and do not want to look bad in front of their peers. How often to you stop the lecture to do something like this?
Hi Deborah:
I like the idea of an extra break or a treat to encourage active learning for night students.
Hi Patricia:
Do you ask students to go to the board as volunteers, or do you call on people specifically to get them moving? Confident students in my classes are not usually afraid of going to the board, but less confident ones dislike it.
Hi Jacqueline!
That sounds like a great technique if not overdone! I will definitely try that soon in one of my accounting classes.
That is an approach I have used - "what do you think of ____________" and get them talking without judgement.
Would you give a specific example of this for me? When I query an inattentive student, often I get a response of "I don't know", which likely embarrasses the student and does not encourage them to pay more attention. Would this be a leading question or series of questions, such as "What kinds of products do you buy often, Bill or Jawan, and do you comparison shop?"
I like to use my own experiences in relation to the topic. I will also walk around the room and they hear me coming so they become more attentive. I ask the class questions.
Caompare life stories and ask students about their own experiences works well for me
Hi Kimberly,
This is definitely an attention getter. Students immediately become more attentive.
Patricia
One of the methods I use is to call on students and ask them questions, especially if they are not paying attention. We have a "discussion type" atmosphere in my classroom.
Hello Amy,
Seeing is believing. I like how you give additional resources to refer to.
Patricia
Hi Gina,
Rapport building is very important. Students do tend to become more engaged if a relationship has been established.
Patricia
i have a small class size, so i can often use subtle techniques like proximity and eye contact. once you develop rapport, it becomes easier to engage students.
Hello,
I also like to mix it up a bit. While lecturing, I like to give examples of websites or other media that will benefit the students. I find that it helps to hold the students' attention if they can "see" what is being taught, instead of just "hearing" it.
Capturing the student's attention who is inattentive can be a challenge. A valuable and meaningful one-on-one session would be the first approach that would include assessment of his learning needs, including whether the student has any visual or auditory impairement. Specifics to this approach are the follwoing.
1. Assess what type of learner the student is---visual, auditory, kinestretics, etc.
2. Identify if the student has all the course materials focusing on the weekly contents, activities, and assignments.
3. Identify with the students his strenghts and areas for improvement.
4. Provide the students pointers on how he can be assigned as the note-taker who will summarize the class discussion after each specific content per my lesson plan.
5. Encouraging the student that all his peers are as enthusiastic as he/she is when it comes to learner. Therefore, his contributions are very valuable and meaningful to the class discussion.
Hi Gerald,
What type of explanation do you give to capture your students attention?
Patricia
Hi Lin,
This is a great way to generate class discussion. I am sure you have discovered that some students participate very little or not at all because of not doing the reading.
Patricia
I always assign student the reading assignment, and ask them ask me any questions they have at beginning of the lecture time second day. Most time, some students will ask a lot of interesting questions that other students are interested either somehow, so this method really help to get some student’s attention; meanwhile, it will be easier for further lectures and create some topic for class discussion.
On the first day I ask them what kind of work they are doing now, what their career goals are and what they feel how this couse will help them achieve their goals.
