Helping them to follow along?
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
Helping them to follow along?
I have a student that is not only ESL but he is the baby of his family. Mom helps all she can, but he has problems staying focused on the lesson. How do I keep him active throughout the lesson? I teach the 3rd grade.
Last edited by rdmoore on Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
When you say baby, do you mean infant? How old is the child? Age makes a big difference when it comes to attention span and ways to keep the students on task. An infant will not be on task... pretty much ever. A two-year old may pay attention at times, if you make the lesson all about his/her interests.
If you want to get a more helpful answer from this forum, you might try including more info about the students' ages, needs, interests, and current activities that aren't working as you'd like.
Good luck,
-EH
If you want to get a more helpful answer from this forum, you might try including more info about the students' ages, needs, interests, and current activities that aren't working as you'd like.
Good luck,
-EH
-
Senorita Daniels
- Posts: 202
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:11 pm
Ah! Thank you for editing your post. Now I understand your situation better.
As Senorita Daniels said, a third grader should be able to stay on task pretty well. But many can't, due to comprehension difficulties, ADHD, or just plain lack of motivation.
If you suspect the problem is ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) then you need help from special education experts, and quite possibly medical intervention as well.
If the problem is more likely one of comprehension, then make the tasks easier and make sure the listening environment is ideal (seat him away from AC units/heaters/open windows/open doors, face him whenever you speak to him, add area rugs if possible, etc.). Also, if you suspect hearing loss, even a little, then refer him to the school nurse for a routine hearing screening. A lot of immigrant kids in the US (I'm assuming that's where you are?) don't get the same routine hearing screenings that native-born kids do, and mild to moderate hearing problems can really slip through the cracks.
If motivation is a problem, then set up a reward system and divide tasks into smaller chunks which are possible to measure for success/reward eligibility. Include more movement, more teamwork with peers, and more opportunities to speak. See what the child seems to focus on when not focusing on the task at hand. Is there any way you could include those interests in your lessons?
These are just general suggestions. If you have any more specific questions, please ask away.
Best of luck,
-EH
As Senorita Daniels said, a third grader should be able to stay on task pretty well. But many can't, due to comprehension difficulties, ADHD, or just plain lack of motivation.
If you suspect the problem is ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) then you need help from special education experts, and quite possibly medical intervention as well.
If the problem is more likely one of comprehension, then make the tasks easier and make sure the listening environment is ideal (seat him away from AC units/heaters/open windows/open doors, face him whenever you speak to him, add area rugs if possible, etc.). Also, if you suspect hearing loss, even a little, then refer him to the school nurse for a routine hearing screening. A lot of immigrant kids in the US (I'm assuming that's where you are?) don't get the same routine hearing screenings that native-born kids do, and mild to moderate hearing problems can really slip through the cracks.
If motivation is a problem, then set up a reward system and divide tasks into smaller chunks which are possible to measure for success/reward eligibility. Include more movement, more teamwork with peers, and more opportunities to speak. See what the child seems to focus on when not focusing on the task at hand. Is there any way you could include those interests in your lessons?
These are just general suggestions. If you have any more specific questions, please ask away.
Best of luck,
-EH
-
Sally Olsen
- Posts: 1322
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Canada,France, Brazil, Japan, Mongolia, Greenland, Canada, Mongolia, Ethiopia next
If he doesn't have any of the problems mentioned by EH or even if he does you can do a lot to keep him moving legitimately. Put his books and pencils in a special place on the other side of the room so that he has to get up to get something to work with. Give him a note to take the office once or twice a day and notify the office that you are doing this so they can give him encouragement of doing it quickly without straggling along the way. Give hima blank notebook to doodle in while you talk - he probably can do two things better than he does one. Use as many visual aids as possible when showing him how to do something or when trying to get him to understand. His Mom obvioiusly knows that there is something wrong and so you can question her as to what she does at home to keep him occupied and in control. Make sure he goes out and plays at recess and lunch and get older children to encourage him to run, jump, climb or play active games safely and with good sportsmanship. Get older children in to volunteer to help him with his assignments or some older adult volunteers. He doesn't have to learn in the regular way. He can hang upside down while reading or stand up to the board to do his Math or write in sand to do his spelling. I used to have a small rocking chair in my classroom and put it at the last desk in the row. Students often found that they needed to rock while thinking about the assignment and the rocking chair didn't bother others as much as figiting in their desks. His Mom can try giving him fish oil and soil based organisms instead of Ritalin. You could also make a little space for him out of a fridge or stove cardboard box so that he could go in there to do his work if he is still bothered by the stimulation of the classroom. Don't use it as a punishment though. I am sure others in the classroom will ask for these helps as well if you tell them that not everyone learns in the same way.
Learning to use the computer will be the best way to focus him and he can learn to type at this age. There are so many games that he can use to learn the things that you are teaching including learning to type. You might want his mother to come and take pictures of him during the day as he is now and as another student behaves the way you would like them to behave. These children are often unaware of what they are doing or what we really want in the classroom. She might notice things that you do that bother him as well or are not conducive to his learning.
Learning to use the computer will be the best way to focus him and he can learn to type at this age. There are so many games that he can use to learn the things that you are teaching including learning to type. You might want his mother to come and take pictures of him during the day as he is now and as another student behaves the way you would like them to behave. These children are often unaware of what they are doing or what we really want in the classroom. She might notice things that you do that bother him as well or are not conducive to his learning.