Unwanted
chatting is near the top of the list of my frustrations as a teacher. Although I don’t consider it a severe
misbehavior, it does still disrupt learning.
It’s tricky, because it’s hard to figure out why it’s happening and why
none of the strategies you try seem to work.
(Even strategies that worked with a previous class may not work with
your new group of students.) Sometimes,
it seems so out of control that it can make you question whether stopping the
constant chatter is even possible.
The
truth is, you can fix excessive chatting and
expect silence whenever you need it. But you need a game plan.
Here’s
what you do:
#
1 Define silence
I know
it sounds RIDICULOUS, but many students just don’t know what it means. They
don’t know what it looks, feels, and sounds like. It’s a foreign concept to
them. Therefore, you must define silence
for them—what it is and, more important, what it isn’t—and let them experience
it. Model what they should look like while working independently or listening
to lessons. You will need to model this Every.
Single. Day. until your class can be silent when you give a signal. Be consistent. Eventually, they will follow through with
what you expect. But some groups of
students do need more practice than others.
Make them prove they get it.
There
must be complete understanding of what silence is according to your definition
before you can ask them to replicate it.
#2
Explain why
Your
students need to know the why of your decisions and then this will cause
them to be more accepting and supportive of your wishes. Make sure that you EXPLAIN how silence
benefits them and why it is a good thing!
They need to know that the ability to concentrate for long periods of
time is a critical skill that is key to their learning.
#3 Teach a signal
This is
an incredibly powerful strategy. For the times when you require silence, like
while you’re teaching a lesson or they’re working independently, teach your
students a hand signal—a thumbs down sign or anything you like—they can use if
a neighbor turns to talk to them.
Students using the sign are not allowed to speak to the other student,
look at them, or make any other gesture. They just hold up their signal and
continue working.
When
the student who was talking sees the signal from his/her classmate gets back to
work immediately, then you will not need to step in and give a consequence. This is one of those strategies that I have
found to work extremely well in the moment.
#4 Enforce immediately
Your
students need to understand that no talking really means no talking. If your class does get uncontrollably chatty,
and everyone is talking while you’re trying to teach or they’re trying to work,
then stop the lesson in its tracks. Wait
for silence, go back to the previous transition, and state your expectations
again. Review your definition of silence. Don’t show any frustration. Don’t
lecture, plead, or complain.
Just
prove you’re a person of your word.
Now there will usually be one or two children who don't talk to others when they are not supposed to. For these children, you also want to reinforce the positive. I like to give "Caught Doing the Right Thing" tickets for students who follow through with the expectations. You can do several things with these tickets, and I have used all of these strategies with my students over the years:
1) Have students keep track of their tickets and allow students to redeem for prizes.
2) Reward students - for each ticket at the end of the day, students can earn stickers, pieces of candy, smiley notes home. Whatever works for your particular group of students.
3) Students put their names on their tickets and place into a basket for a weekly drawing to the prize box. I will pull anywhere from 2-5 tickets at the end of the week, and students understand that the more tickets are entered into the drawing, the higher a chance they have at winning a prize.
Click on this link and you will be able to get a FREE resource to help you start rewarding your students when you catch them doing the right thing! Catch them being good! Catch them being silent when you ask for silence! Catch them not chatting with their neighbors when they are supposed to be working!
I hope you find it useful!
Have a wonderful school year,
-Sandra @ The Happy Learning Den
