It happens to all of us- we get a class that is SO chatty that we can’t get a word in, never mind a whole lesson! Sometimes it’s not even the whole class, but just a few students who make it feel like the whole class is always talking. The voice level gets loud, you get frustrated, and it’s not a good time for anyone. The good news is, there are a few simple things you can do to encourage your students to actively listen.
1. Effectively use an attention getter
This may sound self-explanatory, but there’s a difference between using an attention getter and using it well. You can’t just ring a bell or say a catchy call-and-repeat phrase and expect all of your students to suddenly get quiet. To make an attention-getter successful, you need to model and practice using it more than once with your students. (Check out this list of routines and procedures to teach.) My best tip is to practice using it before you need it. I like to make it a game and have my kids play or talk and then ring the bell (my attention-getter of choice). We practice A LOT until I feel like my kids have it, and then I use it consistently. I don’t introduce new attention getters because it just gets confusing! Find one that you like and stick with it!
2. Don’t start talking until everyone is quiet
We all have a lot to get to, but this one is really important. Once you start talking over your kids, you teach them that they don’t have to listen to you when you talk. It’s really important that you don’t start talking until everyone is quiet (they don’t have to be perfectly doing your attention-getter or looking at you, but they can’t be talking). This takes a lot of practice and patience, but it gets quicker every time. If you have kids who struggle to follow directions, make sure you are following this. They may not even be hearing the directions if they’re talking over you.
3. Teach what listening is
Don’t assume that your kids know what it means to actively listen. Especially in kindergarten, we have to approach things as if it’s their first time. Teach your kids what you want them to look like and sound like when they are listening. I like to teach my kids to be whole body listeners and we talk a lot about what it means to listen with our whole bodies (look at the person, no noises, hands and feet to self). Model and practice this with your students and use specific positive praise when students are meeting your expectations.
4. Use a visual
Have a visual of what it means to be actively listening hanging for your students to see near where you gather as a class. You can use clip art, or take a picture of a student showing their best listening. Use this visual to reference before you start a lesson, or if students are struggling with the expectations. Just pointing to the image can help a student make a better choice.
5. Explicitly teach students what to do if they want to share an idea
I hear teachers say all the time that their kids are raising their hands, but talking at the same time. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t just tell your kids that they need to raise their hand if they want to say something, you need to teach it! Raising your hand is actually three steps: raising your hand quietly, waiting, and then talking when you’re called on. Use a visual and explicitly teach and practice these steps with your kids before you expect them to raise their hands.
Next Steps
Ready to help your students actively listen? Click here to grab the visuals and more!
