Three tricks to get students' attention in the classroom and make their learning more meaningful.
One of the biggest concerns that teachers have is to find strategies to get the attention of our students and reduce disruption in the classroom when we teach some content to our students.
And I say we teach, because those who read me assiduously know that I establish a distinction between what is meant by explaining and what is meant by teaching. Many teachers who focus their classes more on explaining than on teaching are those who often have greater difficulties when it comes to capturing the attention of their students.
Moreover, they blame them for not being attentive to their explanations when in many cases what we explain or how we explain it is of no interest to the student, either because it seems boring, or because it does not find any use.
But there are times when not even teaching as best we know we get our students to pay attention to us. That is why in this article I want to give you three tremendously effective tips to capture the attention of your students and thereby reduce disruptivity in the classroom.
1. Displacement and rotation: On many occasions, when we teach our students, we stand in front of them in the central part and with their backs to the blackboard.
Well, what is involved is to perform the following action: without stopping to talk, we will move towards the center of the classroom and we will go around very slowly on our body as we go forward.
Little by little we will move towards the opposite side of the wall where the slate is and from there we will continue to teach our contents. What do we get with it? Very easy. The students will soon realize that we have disappeared from their field of vision. This will cause surprise and curiosity.
And there is the key. His center of interest that until that moment was the conversation with another partner, will move towards us, because we will have done something out of the ordinary, but with total normality and without interrupting our teaching session.
When the students turn around, what we have achieved is not only to capture their attention, but, having to turn around to be able to locate us, they will stop talking automatically with their partner because from that moment on we will be the center of interest and Attention.
When the student turns to look at us and listen to us, he will stop being interested in what he is telling his partner. In addition it will be in an unnatural position that will favor that it pays us more attention.
2. Approach and contact: Another very effective resource to capture the attention of certain students in a classroom, is to approach the student who at that time is talking or distorting the class for some reason.
Like the first trick it is very important that we approach that student while we are teaching the group, that is, without interrupting the teaching session. We must maintain the same tone of voice and move in a natural and calm way. As we speak and walk towards that particular student, at no time will we fix our eyes on him.
What it is about is not to draw attention or interrupt the rhythm of what we are teaching. When we are next to the student in question, what we will do is continue talking normally to the rest of the class, we will not talk to him or say anything to the student that until that moment was distorting. We will stand by his side and, while we continue talking, we will lightly touch his shoulder or wrist for a few seconds without speaking or looking at him. At that precise moment the student in question will grasp the meaning of the message we are transmitting to him and we will not have the need to interrupt what we are teaching.
3. Subtle invasion of space: Another resource to capture the attention of a student with disruptive behavior is to approach him again. As in the other two occasions, it is about approaching in a natural way and without stopping talking.
We will get closer until we are at his side and in that moment we will do something totally unforeseen: we will sit on his desk. It is an invasive action, but it is also very effective to capture the attention of our students and reduce disruptive behavior.
It is very important that we remain on the student's desk for a few minutes and continue talking and giving the class in the most natural way possible. What is involved again is not to interrupt the teaching session.
No need to say anything to the student, there is no need to speak to him. Simply the student will understand that his behavior is not adequate, we will have caused him some surprise and will understand the non-verbal message that we are sending him and the rest of the class.
• Do not interrupt under any circumstances what we are explaining at that moment.
• Divert the attention of our students by placing us in unusual positions when we teach something.
• Modify the initial position of the students, that is, make them turn towards us. This means that, in general, they stop talking with their classmates because there is something that interests them more and it is to see what we are doing at that precise moment.
• Prevent the group or certain students from becoming the focus of attention. If they succeed, at that moment the lecture session is interrupted and all the protagonism falls on them.
• Use the surprise factor by changing our usual teaching position.
• Never stop talking about what we are teaching and do it in the most natural way possible.
• Do not enter into any kind of confrontation with the group or certain students.
At the time, they are small performances, but I assure you that in most cases they give excellent results. The key is not to interrupt our teachings. I confess that it requires a certain amount of practice, but I assure you that when you take it easy, these tricks to capture the attention of your students will be very useful
Thanks for your educational post. I will try to do more of these things in my classes. For a class to be interesting you have to realize that the students are by human nature curious in what are you teaching and you have to transmit the same passion you have towards the subject to your students
Hi, great post. I would like to add that looking directy into somebody's eyes or making a simple gesture often helps to. Although for the tougher casses, where even your methods do not work, it is hard to decide, wether I interrupt my lesson to correct the student or ignore it to keep up the flow.
Keep up the great work.