I try to make sure that they realize that I am passionate about my field and subject and they see me very much engaged with the lesson and interacting with each student whether they are working in groups or individually. I walk around the room or make eye contact with the student if the inattentiveness continues and I may ask them direct questions about the topic.
I usually tell a funny story and some how use the student in the story line.
Change things up! You want to 'switch' what you are doing and do something different that will hopefully bring them in! You want to keep them guessing!
I like to have different little games that can help in identifing the subject. I use in my meats class as many different animals that we might be will be working with. I put there pictures on cards and give each group a complete copy of then, Some time we play recognise the different animals or we make up different stories about the animals. This seem to really help them to learn many different types or aminals.
Hi Daniel,
I like your creativity! Our students do have a lot going on, and we are in such a technological advanced world today that we must make things interesting and captivating for our students.
Patricia
Attention span!! I realize that most of my younger students have grown up with video games and Cells. I work at creating exercises that can be introduced at any stage of my lecture. Everything from subject matter related crosswords to quizzes to role play. Even the "good" students who work before class can be inatentive due to fatique. These little breaks in the lecture recapture most and no time is lost for the content delivery.
Hi Kathleen,
I love your variation. Students really focus when you provide them with the "Why".
Patricia
Hi Lisa,
You have responded enough. You only have to respond to one forum.
Patricia
I try to bring the subject to real life. It seems that people seem to understand more quickly when you can relate it to a real life story
I try to teach each topic to answer the questions why is it important to the student, what the details of the information are, how to apply the information and then explore other ways it affects their world. I mix lecture and activities together.
I agree. I like calling on a particular student by name. This may give me an opportunity to review what we've been discussing and repeat the question. I do this in a way that makes it helpful to everyone. I also work hard so that every time a student does make a comment, they are left feeling that the comment furthered the discussion. This seems to make them more likely to contribute again.
I like to use an approach where my students never know quite what's going to happen next. I may stage an unexpected break-in as part of a discussion on legal terminology, or come into the classroom on a stick pony playing the lone ranger theme. I also use a wide variety of approaches -- discussions and hypotheticals that catch students' interest, then breaking into groups, then doing a worksheet using the internet, then a practice quiz. With much of the class involving activities and doing things, it's difficult for a student to remain inattentive for long. I also try to make every class so interesting and fun that even students who come in thinking about something else are soon engaged in the discussion.
Hi Patricia. I hope all is well. I have lost track of how many responses I made. Is there a point when this ends? I still trying to get an idea because I don't want to miss something and then find out in the end I did not participate enough. Thanks for letting me know and have a good day.
Lisa
Hi Kathleen,
What do you normally do to capture students attention?
Patricia
Hi George,
Excellent points made! I have found that my loud voice and energy level really help keep my students focused.
Patricia
Sometimes I just stop the lecture and remain silent. Inattentive students get used to there being a background noise, in this case Simon droning on and on. When that noise suddenly becomes absent, they often look up to see what's happened.
Another tactic I use is to ask an inattentive question, e.g. "Isn't that right, Simon?".
Suddenly changing the register of my voice can grab attention. Sometimes I'll talk deeply then soprano or talk in a French, German or regional English accent or even slip into German itself!
Another thing I do is to move to the back of the classroom and lecture from there for a minute or two.
Hi Margaret,
Great tactics! I like how you get everyone involved to capture their attention.
Patricia
Hi Kevin,
It is good to invovle students in discussion every day, that way they enter knowing they better pay attention.
Patricia
Hi Hoang,
What do you typically do to keep students attention?
Patricia
