Shauna King
In a world of increasing distractions and decreasing
attention spans, it can be difficult to keep a young person’s
attention. These simple tips can help you with how to talk so your students
listen.
Get Their Attention First
First, get the students attention. You can't expect a student
to snap to attention the moment you start speaking, especially if they are
absorbed in a book or digital device. For an individual student, place your
hand on their shoulder and make eye contact. If you are in a classroom, use
a universal quiet signal such as a hand raise or chimes to get
their attention. Give students a few minutes' warning to finish up what
they were working on or to end their conversations before you begin
the discussion or next task.
Focus on the Positive
As the old adage says, "You can catch more flies with
honey." If you use negative phrases such as "don't run" or
"stop talking to your neighbor," you only criticize the student
and fail to instruct what to do in place of the undesirable behavior. Use
more positive language such as "walk please" or "please finish
your assignment quietly" so the student knows what to do instead.
Repeat After Me
Lectures are
easily tuned out, especially when a student is used to hearing lectures
from you. Ask the student to repeat any directions you give before
working on a task. The student will soon learn to pay more attention if
they know you will ask them to repeat what you said.
Be Realistic
Be realistic about the developmental stage of your students. The brains of our students are growing, yet
still underdeveloped. The frontal lobe
of the brain is the area that operates planning, impulse control, goal
setting and time management. Surprisingly, this area of the brain is not
fully developed until the mid-twenties! Be patient. Students of all ages
need reminders and guidance to complete tasks. If you are a teacher, you
serve as a "surrogate frontal lobe" for your student.
If you treat your students
with respect, have patience and are mindful of their
developmental milestones, you will be able to talk so students listen.
