I’ve observed many new teachers, and one really common mistake many make is that they don’t have a good way to get their students’ attention.
Unfortunately, they try all sorts of things to get their preschool and primary school students’ attention. First, they expect the attention to automatically be given. Then they ask for it. Later in the class they’re shouting, banging, flashing lights, or angrily waving their arms. This isn’t the way to build a positive, fun, safe, and productive learning environment.
Instead, what they need is an Attention Grabber. This is a standard, trained & practiced routine that is used consistently every lesson. The students know that when the teacher does the Attention Grabber then they need to be quiet and look at the teacher.
Related Post: Attention Routines – Save Your Voice & Sanity in ESL
In this video, you’ll get some key principles to keep in mind when choosing the best Attention Grabber for you.
You’ll also get my two favorite routines. I always use “Potato Counts” for preschool classes (thanks to Alistair Jones for the inspiration), and “Happy Claps” for primary school classes.
Finally, you’ll get some final tips to ensure that you keep getting your students’ attention right when you need it.
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