Re-Directing the Off-Task Student Using American Sign Language Signs



Posted: Monday, March 23, 2009

by Kim Taylor-DiLeva
http://www.kimssigningsolutions.com

It is frustrating when your students are off-task and not doing what you expect them to be doing. They could be talking with a classmate, fooling around, or just not paying attention. No matter what they are doing, the frustration comes from the fact that they are not listening while you are teaching and you struggle to get them back on task. You say the student's name aloud to try to get their attention, but probably repeat their name with little or no response. You are bothered with having to call their name and if the child is not embarrassed, they will be happy to have the attention on him/her, even if it is negative. In addition, your other students will now become distracted as well and will be trying to figure out what their classmate did in order to have their name called to begin with.

Fortunately, you do have other alternatives to get your students to focus when they are off-task. By using American Sign Language signs, you can re-direct the student who is off-task while still keeping your other students focused on what they are supposed to be doing. For example, you can repeat the signs for "pay attention" or "look at me" to the off-task student without distracting your other students. It is much less disruptive to your classroom than interrupting your lesson by calling attention to one child. By using signs, you can continue teaching but make a sign directed at the student who is off-task. The student will be less embarrassed because they are not having attention drawn to them and they can understand visually what they are supposed to be doing. For a student who is talking you can sign "quiet," or for a student who is fooling around you can sign "stop."

By only using signs, you can instruct the student to pay attention without having to yell. Rather than focusing on the negative, this method serves as a positive reminder for the student to focus on what they should be doing. With less interruptions, you will be less frustrated without having to nag your students as often and your students who are on-task won't be disrupted either.

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