Changing to a different activity can help. Having students work in pairs or groups may help.
Hi Alyson:
These are definitely good tactics. Also, just by walking around and putting yourself in closer proximity to the student may help too.
Regards, Barry
I will ask my students to brainstorm, especially in earlier classes, what professional and academic goals they are meeting or acquiring by being in the class. It reminds them why they are there.
I usually teach in a lab with Internet access, which can be a huge distraction. If I see students are off on a tangent, I will direct them to a purposeful site and ask direct questions about the site. If that doesn't work, I may utilize a program we have installed that takes over all the computers in the room and use it to demonstrate a particular skill or task. In the end, it depends on how many students are disengaged, and content of the material.
First, I watch for repetitious patterns of them demonstrating off-task behaviors.
Then, I try to draw them back in to the group using tactful question and answer sessions along with the rest of the class.
Other times during lectures, I might draw on examples using an off-task student’s name in a scenario and ask this student politely “What would you do?†If they choose not to participate, move onto the next topic while observing them to see if more off-task behavior occurs. If so, then privately request a meeting with the student after class. If the student becomes defiant of this meeting, then request mediation with the director of education to help remedy this situation.
Hi Sarah:
Another technique that might work is having the instructor walk around and put themself in a closer proximity to the student.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jill:
Great idea! Additionally, another technique that might work is having the instructor walk around and put themselves in closer proximity to the student.
Regards, Barry
Reengaging off task students is something im all to familiar with and i try to compare most of the skills to everyday life.
Humor is a great way to get everyone's attention. If you can apply a funny story from a personal work situation, students tend to re-engage in class! This really works!
I agree changing the task works well and you do have to consider class by class what works better for each group. With changes in the student dynamics the lecture and labs might have to be adjusted.
This is so true I have to tell the student that sometime there is book learning but the real world application could be different or slightly varied from the textbook. That is what I hope I give the student is the real world experience. Some students do not want to have the discussion of the real life experience. They find it to be "too many personal stories" they are not personal stories as much as personal experience that they can hopefully gain knowledge from.
This can be a real challenge because some of my students continue to do this. I try and redirect the student and then if that does not work I have been known to stop lecturing and ask if i should wait until everybody is ready. Sometime taking a break and allowing the students to get up and move around can help.
I use a few methonds to reengage my students; case work, hands-on activities, ccoperative learning groups and games. Being an Early Childhood Instructor, the hands-on activities seems to work work best. Once a concept is taught my students will develop lessons and activities around that concept and then present them to the class.
I use several ways to get off-task students reengaged in class. Open discussions, group projects, triva quiz (on subject matter), and active learning exercises for the entire class usually work pretty well. Sometimes...I will ask a question and when nobody chooses to answer, I mention this is an "all skate" and everybody will generally jump into the exercise.
RE: need to present it in a entertaining way
I find that bringing current event, or historical ones for that matter, that illustrate the concept helps, especially if it is a humorous example. This takes quite alot of time to discover ones that really work.
I try to seek those students out individually and see if there are things causing them to disengage. This specific attention is often enough to bring them back.
Stopping momentarily and then by asking for their response on the subject.
Hi Tracey:
Great idea! Another method might be to walk around the classroom if time allows. Sometimes, just the presence of the instructor in closer proximity to the student can help re-engage their attention.
Regards, Barry
I am not a fan of having students read the text aloud in class. However, during the class time, I try to remind students where the topics of the day are located in the book--I give them the actual page numbers and have them open their books to that page. I often ask them a question related to something on the page--particularly if there is a table or chart that is relevant. I hope this helps them to see where they can get the info for themselves and where they can find it when we have open book quizzes. Also, I hope that using the text in the class in this way helps tie their reading to the in-class material.
An example that I have used in a medical terminology class that I teach, which can be pretty dry at times, is that I will have them start pronouncing the words outloud together. I have also had students stand up and do some type of exercise or manipulation of their body depending upon the content or class I am teaching to get their blood flowing & to regain attention. It has seemed to work every time.
