I have used many of the ideas suggested by others; while also finding great success with catching students outside of class and engaging them there. Finding out more about them and what they think of the content. By doing so, I have been able to find ways to pull the personal interests of many difficult to engage students into the class regularly.
I would usually use a personal life reference at this point, i also break them up into small groups and have each group do a part of the lesson and have each group present what they have found or discovered regarding that subject. Then at the end we would play a game of some sort of what we just learned.
I like having a student explain a topic to the class after I felt they were not engaged, and found them to be on top of it.
Usually when I have a student off task in class, they are bored with the material. Some have a deeper understanding of or more experience with the topic. When that happens, I ask the student to contribute some personal experience or elaborate on the topic. That way they feel they are contributing valuable insight into the class, which helps them to remain focussed.
Hi Linda,
I agree completely, if you include the students in your lecture they are more apt to pay attention and stay focused.
Leslie
Hi Roger:
Well, I think your frequent break period alone is a terrific reengement activity!
Also, although not always possible in all classes, anytime we can get the students active, participating, even if that includes thinking, they'll stay more focused and engaged.
I've found students lose focus when their tired, bored, unprepared, don't understand, or are preoccupied with other matters.
The trick then, is to get them involved with someting that they perceive as impotant to them, often related to their work or career area. That helps keep their interest becasue they see benefit for them in what's being discussed.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jennifer:
Good. Sometimes just asking a simple question sort of "jolts" the student(s) back into focus. And sometimes, students willbe willing to join in, be engaged, participative (active), and contribute hepful material or information to the lesson.
Regards, Barry
Hi Linda:
Yeah, this is a subtle thing, simple to o, but effective in keeping attention and students focused (at least, most of the time).
Regards, Barry
Hi Lynn:
Good ideas. And I think there are diffrent types of loss of attention.
One level just require students to quickly get refocused. Asking a student a question gets the attention of the class as they feel they asked a question also. Circulating around the room creates an active delivery. Looking directly at students (but not staring!) keeps their attention.
Other times, more aggressive action is needed. This where we might transition from lecture to discussion, or doing worksheets to something in lab, etc. The key is to keep students active, in their minds and with their bodies. Even just taking a moment to stand or stand and bend over to touct the toes, then sitting down ad continuing.
These methods break the artificial sense of apathy. Keeping them active will always help.
Regards, Barry
Yes, it also keeps the students focused because they never know when they may be called on to participate a technique.
Hi Adelaida:
Anything that will keep the students attention and focused on the topic at hand is a valuabe resource. As teachers, we are experts at finding and using every bit of everything to use as a resource, even the students themselves.
Regards, Barry
I find this helpful as well, asking students to demonstrate or show their technique helps in class participation.
I try to plan the lesson so that I can give breaks every 45 minutes. I also limit my lecture time and engage students with questions and discussion points.
The best way I have found to reengage students is through hands on projects, Many times students who did not pay attention during the lecture quickly realize they didn't get what they needed from the lecture. They begin to ask questions as the project progresses and they tend to pay more attention during the next lecture period.
Hi Linda:
Ice breakers can be effective.
Other times, just a quick Q&A sumarrizin the past few minutes by calling on students and asking the class to evaluate the accuracy of the students answer. They'll begin to pay attention as who knows who will be picked on next.
Other tme more aggressive means are needed, such as switching from lecture to lab, or writing to discussion, etc. This breaks the apathy of paying attention, and creates an more active learning environment.
Regards, Barry
Hi Meron:
It's hard not to be involved, engaged, and an active participant in a class when the presenter is enthusiastic, interesting, passionate about their topic, informative. It draws students into your web of catching their interest.
Students listen when they feel there is something beneficial in the topic for them. Keeping an optimistic, high level of energy can create almost any topic into one they cries out "I want to be a part of that".
Better classes create that environment. And it's so simple. Just attitude and approach by the teacher.
Regards, Barry
Add real life examples, ask the students opinion. If they have had similar experiences in the office.
Engage them in activities to reinforce the material, break them into study groups, have the students work on a task applicable to their fields.
Sometimes it is fun to do a fun ice-breaker activity with the students. They get to find other students who have things in common with them. It breaks up the class and gets blood flowing.
Enthusiasm is the best friend. Chapters that I enjoy give me much more natural enthusiasm than chapters I am not really passionate about. So, to make sure I have more enthusiasm, I bring new information in regards to those chapters and when I present it to my students, it is a lot more alive and lovely.
Hi Heather:
Small breaks work well. Even simpler methods can be effective. For instance, just stop for a moment and ask a silly question like, "who were Lucy and Ricky's landlords (last name)?" Then get back to your topic.
More aggressive might be changing the way your delivering your topic. If PPT, change to overhead or white board or computer.
When you really need attention of the students, changing activities. So if lecturing, switch to class discussion or in class worsheet. Keep students busy and active.
Regards, Barry
