Off task/inattentive
Elementary students can often be off task or have difficulty paying attention during instruction. This can be caused by numerous reasons, so it is important to take the time to find out why your student is having a difficult time focusing. Your student might be distracted by something that happened at home before they arrived to school. This is when it is especially important to take the time to understand the situation because you will not always know the hardships your students must deal with at home. Students may be off task if they do not understand an assignment, or not pay attention if they do not understand instruction. They may also be off task because they do not enjoy the work. This is why it is important to provide various types of assignments that stimulate your students' interests.
- Take a minute: If you see a student is off-task, instead of ordering them to get back to work, take a minute to ask them why they are not completing the assignment. This will allow you to determine how you can best help your student.
- Differentiate, Differentiate, Differentiate: Differentiating instruction is an effective strategy that can be used to help a variety of situations. If you have a student who is continually off task or inattentive, trying differentiating their instruction to find the way they can best learn the material and stimulates their interests. If you have a student who has difficulty in math, allow them to use manipulatives when completing their work. If you have a student who has difficulty writing, allow them create a visual performance instead of a paper.
- Give Them The Choice/Power: If your student continues to be off task, take them aside and explain why you want them to complete the work. Try to give them a rationale that is relevant to their lives. State that the work MUST be completed, so they now have a choice; they can chose to complete the work now while their peers are completing it, or they can chose to come in during recess or after school. This will motivate them to complete their work during class time. It will also provides students who are having a hard time understanding the material one-on-one time with the teacher to work in the assignment. Finally, by giving them the choice you are making them responsible for their actions.