Common Classroom Behaviors that Detract from Learning And Corresponding Strategies

The Teacher’s Guide to Inclusive Education 750 Strategies for Success! By Peggy A. Hammeken (2007)

Behavior and Attention Difficulties On occasion, any student can demonstrate impulsive, inattentiveness or over active behavior. The following strategies are meant for students for whom this behavior is more the rule rather than the exception. These students may have consistent trouble focusing and maintaining attention. They may frequently be distracted, blurt out, spend more time out of their seat than in it, and act before thinking.

Stop and Assess The reasons for the behavior could be many. Don’t assume the student is rude or disruptive. The student may not know what is expected of him/her at the moment. The student may be entering into a developmental stage that is different from his/her peers. Often times, ignoring the behavior is the best strategy.

Suggestions Think and respond rather than react Remain calm, positive, and upbeat-you appear in control of the situation No matter what-do not debate or argue Watch body language, tone, cadence and volume-they speak louder than words Keep words short and simple

Teach Help the student realize he/she has a choice Providing specific examples and role-playing situations helps some students realize the type of choices they have Keep a list of consequences for misbehavior and always administer the consequences consistently and immediately. Praise the student immediately for good behavior and try to “catch” the student doing something right.

Be Effective The most effect system concentrates on only a few behavior goals at one time and adds additional goals as the student is able to master the first ones. Young children will need more immediate rewards whereas older students should be encouraged to work towards a long term goal.

Strategies  Seat students in the front row or near the teacher’s desk.  Maintain frequent eye contact with the student  Provide a work area for the student where there are minimal distractions  Provide clear and consistent transition times between subjects. Allow the student time to get up and move around.

Strategies continued…  Provide a structured environment with a specific place for materials and books  Ask the student to use prearranged signals or words, such as one finger raised means “I need help” and two fingers means “I need permission to get up and walk around.””  Make sure you have the student’s attention when talking to him or her. Eye contact is important. Use private visual cues. Touching your eye means “Look at me,” your ear, “time to listen” and the side of your mouth, “no talking.”

Strategies continued…  Provide small group instruction as much as possible. A small group provides more opportunity for participation, thus increasing the students chance to be actively involved and stay on task.  Allow ample time for hands-on instruction. This will help actively engage the student in the learning process. Active participation is extremely important for a special education student. It will assist the student in remaining focused.

Strategies continued…  Provide only one-and two-step directions. Check for understanding of each direction. Ask the student to repeat what he/she has just heard.  Give one assignment at a time. Be sure the student writes it down. Keep a daily list of assignments with due dates on the board. Ask students to copy the assignments into their assignment books. Check the student’s assignment book at the end of the day.

Strategies continued…  Modify daily assignments to alleviate frustration  Use computer programs for academic reinforcement when appropriate. This allows the student to receive immediate feedback. It also allows the student to self-pace the instruction and may help to increase motivation.  Allow time during the day for the student to get up, walk around and stretch. Provide a list of appropriate times.

Strategies continued…  Use a timer to help the student stay focused. Set the timer to coincide with the amount of time you perceive the student is able to remain on task. Tell the student what you expect to be completed during the allotted time. Once the student has adjusted to using a timer, play “Beat the Clock!” Gradually increase the time and the length of the task. Challenge the student to complete the assignment before the timer rings.

Strategies continued…  Use random strategies when calling on students during large-and small group activities. Place the students’ names in a basket and randomly draw a name, or use a deck of index cards and randomly select one. Since the students do not know who will be called on next, their attention increases. Cathy

Strategies continued…  Provide forms of immediate feedback for the student. Self-correctors are appropriate for daily assignments. Many students benefit from the immediate feedback.

Impulsivity and Distractibility  Stand by the student when giving directions.  Use simple, clear words to explain a concept.  Place creative artwork in the back of the classroom to avoid cluttering walls with excessive amounts of materials that may distract the student.  Check seating arrangements. Students who are easily distracted should not be seated near doors, windows or high traffic areas. The student should be seated near the front or near the teacher.

Strategies continued…  The easily distracted student may need additional time to complete assignments. Even if the assignments have been modified. For some students, earplugs help block out background noise. For others, listening to soft music with earphones will block out some of the distracting stimuli.  Avoid timed activities and tests. Some students become frustrated when they notice others have finished an assignment that they have barely started. The student often will guess or simply quit working. When giving group assessments, ask all students to remain in their seats and read quietly until; everyone has finished. Collect the tests at the end of the session.

Strategies continued….  Ask the student to stop and think before responding. Create a visual signal between the adult and student. An example of a visual signal would be to place your finger aside your nose. When the student observes this, he/she will know it is time to slow down and think about the action.  Ask the student to whisper the directions and quietly read assignments to him/herself. This helps the student focus, as he/she not only sees the material but also hears it. This also is helpful when completing assignments with multiple steps. By verbalizing the steps, students often become more conscious of the procedure. Some students are able to stay on task longer if they verbalize the entre assignment while working.

Strategies continued…  Create seating charts. Seat the student near students who are both quiet and independent workers. Provide good role models. Do not seat disruptive students or students that are easily distracted together.  Allow the student to keep only the necessary materials for the current assignment on top of the desk. Toys and play objects should remain at home.