No Series: Attention-Getting Signals: Mix It Up

Attention-Getting Signals: Mix It Up

Lesson Objective: Get students' attention with a variety of different signals

Grades K-2 / All Subjects / Management

1 MIN

Discussion
Supporting Materials

Thought starters

How does Ms. Abdul-Wajid use attention getting signals as a way to practice content?
Why does Ms. Abdul-Wajid use different signals in different situations?
When introducing these signals to your class, what steps would you take to make them routine?

51 Comments

Carleen Warburton Mar 31, 2020 3:48pm

1. I like using the signal or song concept because it's a quick attention getter. Teaching this ahead of time saves time in the long run.

2. In changing the signals periodically keeps the boredom from creeping in and it makes it fun because they never what you will use. The end result is the same.

3. In using signals you need to make sure the students know and have used each signal for what it is ment. You could have one signal for cleaning up and another for attention getting.

Recommended (0)

Beth Tallman-McGlynn Dec 17, 2017 4:00pm

It is an interesting idea to change up the signals. Students wouldn't get bored. However, I think it is important for there to be consistency with procedures and routines. So if one were to change signals for students attention, my recommendation would not to do it to often in order not to confuse the students and giving them opportunities to get off task.

Recommended (1)

Heather Augustine Jul 19, 2017 2:08pm

I like the idea of several signals for different things. I don't believe these would necessarily would work for High School. Love the idea by Jonathan of kids to pick rap lyric. (appropriate)

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Flavia Huber Jul 14, 2017 6:18pm

I currently teach 6th grade at an all-girls school. I use a variety of signals for the entire class: ringing a bell; flicking the lights; sometimes I say, "let's pretend we're back in Lower School!" and learn a call-and-response they learned there: "One, two, three, eyes on me!" "One, Two, Eyes on you!" Other call-and-response that isn't so "elementary school" is also used, but they do like to occasionally use their old elementary school call.

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Jeremy Dixon Jun 26, 2017 2:45pm

This is a wonderful strategy for younger students. This teaches structure in the classroom and also helps with transitions to the next thing.

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Materials

Attention-Getting Signals: Mix It Up Program Transcript

Transcripts

[00:00]
Interviewer: I have many, many, many attention getting signals. A lot of the times I’ll do a da-da-da-da-da-na-na,

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[00:00]
Interviewer: I have many, many, many attention getting signals. A lot of the times I’ll do a da-da-da-da-da-na-na, and then they freeze and put their hands on top of their head. I made that sound. They freeze, and they know the next thing they’re supposed to do is put materials away.

Another attention getter, when we need it to be quiet or we need to get our self control back, we’ll sing a little song to remind us where our hands go.

Open, shut them, open, shut them, give a little clap, clap, clap. Open, shut them, open, shut them, put them in your lappity-lap-lap, because we’re also practicing rhyming, so the more you can get the better.

I also ring bells sometimes to get their attention. Again, everything goes on their head. They freeze, and they know the next step is to put their materials away.

We are sitting up straight, hands in our lap.

If you use the same signal all the time, they get kind of bored with it. So I think just to spice it up and keep it going, I like to change it. They seem to have fun with it too.

Give me a high five if you’re ready.

[End of Audio]

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