The key to managing attention-seeking behaviours is to use careful strategies applied consistently. Quietly and briefly redirecting students to task in a neutral, calm voice is preferable. Depending on the behaviour and its frequency, tactical ignorance can be effective as can praising or encouraging any positive behaviour.
Ensure lesson materials include variety and are stimulating.
Include self-marking sections to enable instant gratification.
Enable student to accumulate points for completed sections to increase engagement.
Include jigsaw activities so that student has some responsibility and chance of being ‘in the spotlight’.
Small group instruction.
Provide opportunities for responsibility and leadership.
Make time to talk with student.
Use proximity monitoring.
Teach student hand signals and use to tell student when and when not to talk.
Make sure student is called when it is appropriate and reinforce listening.
Break tasks into small sections to enable movement or talking breaks.
Allow active discussion and activities to allow student to talk appropriately.
Conduct an informal analysis - to determine causes of problematic behaviours.
Daily feedback to student.
Increase immediacy of rewards or consequences.
Cue expected behaviour.
Positive attention for appropriate behaviour.
Preferential seating.
Give activity as a reward.
Show student (model) how to gain other’s attention appropriately.
Reward compliant groups of students so that student is sometimes rewarded.
Allocate clear roles for group work – choose another student to lead discussion.
Considered preferential seating near teacher or peer role models?
Established a reward system and method for students to self-monitor progress?
Rearranged lessons to include periods of high engagement?
Arranged for special provisions in assessment tasks – separate supervision?
Matched cognitive demands to ability?