Are you looking for strategies to help students who do not pay attention to sounds in their environment? If so, keep reading.
1. Talk regularly with the learner to help them follow instructions for a learning experience .
2. Let the learner record information from lectures and make notes from these recordings.
3. Refrain from placing the learner in situations that require listening for an expanded duration of time such as lectures, seminars, etc. Give the information for the learner through a recording or lecture notes.
4. Refrain from seating the learner near people with whom they may be enticed to talk to during lectures, assemblies, seminars, projects, etc.
5. Be firm, fair, and consistent, expecting the learner to listen to and follow instructions. Do not Let the learner fail to follow instructions one time and expect instructions to be followed the next time.
6. Ensure the learner has heard what was said by having them give acknowledgment (e.g., by saying, “Okay!” “Will do!” etc.).
7. Use the learner’s name to gain their attention prior to delivering directions, explanations, or instructions.
8. Take into account the learner’s age and experience before expecting them to be successful in learning activities that require listening.
9. Provide oral questions and instructions that involve only one step. As the learner shows success, slowly increase the number of ideas or steps.
10. Ascertain if the learner heard a direction by having them repeat it.
11. Create an environment that is quiet and tidy (e.g., clean, well-lighted, fresh-smelling, and at a comfortable temperature).
12. Do not criticize when correcting the learner; be honest yet compassionate. Never cause the learner to feel negatively about themselves.
13. Do not give instructions to the learner from across the classroom. Go to the learner, get their full attention, and tell them what to do.
14. Urge the parents to take advantage of dinner and other family-gathering times for the learner to converse and practice keeping attention.
15. Urge the learner to ask for clarification of any directions, explanations, and instructions before starting a task to enable comprehension.
16. Train the learner to ask for clarification if they do not understand the information given orally.
17. Urge the learner to create an understanding of the consequences of their behavior by writing down or talking through problems that may happen due to their failure to keep attention (e.g., not focusing on instructions may cause misinterpretation of a task that could lead to a lower grade and losing a place on the soccer team).
18. Select various people (e.g., peer, paraprofessional, counselor, etc.) to help the learner improve their listening skills.
19. Create task rules (e.g., listen carefully, wait until all oral instructions have been given, ask questions about things that you do not understand, begin the task only when you are sure about what you are to do, make sure you have all the appropriate learning materials, etc.).
20. Provide a signal to gain the learner’s attention before delivering directions, explanations, or instructions (e.g., clap hands, turn lights off and on, etc.).
