Are you looking for ways to encourage students not to talk during quiet time? If so, keep reading.
1. Make the appropriate adjustments in their surroundings to prevent the learner from experiencing stress, frustration, and anger.
2. Talk regularly with the learner to lessen the need for them to talk to other students.
3. Provide visibility to and from the learner to keep their attention when oral questions/instructions are being delivered. The teacher and the learner should be able to see each other at all times. Make eye contact possible at all times.
4. Assess the appropriateness of the social situation concerning the learner’s capacity and ability to function successfully.
5. Attempt several groupings to ascertain the situation in which the learner is most comfortable.
6. Praise the learner for raising their hand to be recognized.
7. Ask the learner a question when they are most likely to be able to respond correctly (e.g., when discussing something in which the learner is interested, when the teacher is sure they know the answer, etc.).
8. Teach the learner to recognize when to speak, to know how much to say, and to make appropriate remarks (e.g., brief remarks, remarks within the context of the situation, remarks that are a follow-up to what has just been said, etc.).
9. Get the learner to work in small groups in which they would have frequent chances to speak. As the learner learns to wait longer for their turn to speak, slowly increase the size of the group.
10. Make sure that the learner’s feelings are considered when it is appropriate to deal with their talking to other students (i.e., handle remarks in such a way as to not diminish the learner’s enthusiasm for participation).
11. Urge the learner to model the behavior of peers who are successful at not talking to others during quiet activity periods.
12. Assist the learner in improving concentration skills (e.g., listening to the speaker, taking notes, preparing remarks in advance, making remarks in an appropriate context, etc.).
13. Get the learner to question any directions, explanations, or instructions they do not understand prior to asking other students for information.
14. Provide directions, explanations, and instructions in a clear, concise manner to lessen the learner’s need to ask other students for information.
15. Provide a predetermined signal (e.g., hand signal, oral signal, etc.) if the learner talks to others during quiet activity periods.
16. After telling the learner why they should not be talking, explain the reason.
17. Do not provide too much free time for the learner.
18. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
19. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.
20. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.
21. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.
