8 Proven Ways to Grab Your Pupils’ Attention

One of the greatest challenges teachers face in their classroom work is that of grabbing the pupils' attention. This is because, except a child's attention is captured, every other effort made in teaching that child would be tantamount to wasting a precious time. Hence, great teachers think and take this area seriously.

The following are some of the proven ways to do it according to Ms Jacinta Chidozie, who is a professional in the field:

Move Around

One of the simplest ways to grab your pupils’ attention is to simply walk around the classroom. All the time, stand next to pupils if you see them reach for objects to cause distractions. Move to the back of the classroom. Pupils need to feel that there is no place for them to hide and slack off while you teach.

Loose the Structure

Too many pupils are accustomed to a specific classroom setup. The best students sit in the front. The shier ones sit in the back where they “hide”. Do away with these physical constraints! Have them all sit in a circle on the floor. Or arrange their desks in a circle. Shake them out of their accustomed structure, and they will pay attention. For they won’t know what comes next.

Eliminate Routines

And speaking of not knowing what comes next… Pupils may wander more easily when they know what to expect and what will happen next. They come in and sit down. You ask them if they did their homework. You tell them to open their books. But what if instead of beginning the class the way you usually do, you do something completely unexpected? What if you show them a video first? They’ll certainly be intrigued!

Make them More Active

Have them do what you would ordinarily do. Have a pupil write on the board, have another hand out worksheets, and yet another help a classmate with something they don’t understand.

Divide and Conquer

Pupils are forced to focus when they can’t hide within a larger group. Divide the class into pairs or small groups for some activities. Walk around and assist as needed.

Play with Your Voice

Change your tone of voice as often as you can. Whisper something, then SAY IT LOUD. (Ever see students jump out of their seats?) Use different accents if you can, I highly recommend it. Pupils get a real kick out of it, and it really makes them listen up.

Use Props

Grab a small, soft ball. Ask a question and toss the ball to a pupil. Prompt him/her to answer your question. Have them throw the ball back to you and choose your next target. Who will be next? They won’t know! Use balls, hats, toys, anything and everything that will make a drilling session more interesting and dynamic.

Surprise Them!

Have a box with the word “Box of Randomness” written on the side. Inside the box have pieces of paper with a variety of actions and things your class will have to do. At any given time during the class, whip out the box and have a student take out a piece of paper that will state something that he/she or the entire class will have to do. You may want to save this box for when you see someone not paying attention. Here are some ideas for your Box of Randomness:

“Pop quiz!” – the entire class has to take a graded pop quiz on a recent topic.

“Random dancing” – play a tune from your phone and have the entire class stand up and dance.

“Your turn to teach” – the student who takes this slip of paper has to stand up in front of the class and teach something/ask the others questions/lead a discussion.

You can have lots of fun with your Box of Randomness, and it’s a great “penalty” for not paying attention.

It may be a hard truth to swallow but when you see your pupils’ minds wandering, there’s something you are neglecting to do.

By Ms Jacinta Chidozie

She is a seasoned and professional educationist with a proficiency on teacher-pupils engagement. A highly celebrated queen in her chosen career with a quest for personal and professional development. You can contact her through her personal email: jacintachidozie@yahoo.com