1. Encouraging attention and focus
Questioning
Encouraging attention and focus

2. What does good questioning require?
By bouncing the questions around the class, it increases the level of inclusivity, whilst also potentially increasing engagement and listening skills, as students know they may be asked to response to the answers given by other students. I think this has an attendant benefit for student behaviour too.
Alex Quigley; Hunting English
‘There is an intensity to it: solid classroom management is securing complete attention from everyone….eyes front, listening intently…’
Tom Huntingdon; Headguruteacher

3. Active note taking What? Why?
Students take notes during a class discussion,
They can list down whether students A, B or C, as well as student names
Afterwards, students review the discussion and write a final statement.
Why?
Forces students to pay close attention to each other,
Provides a ‘task’ for students to be getting on with during questioning,
Allows students to retain all the information shared during discussion,
Good training for independent learning of later life.
Active note taking

4. What?
Use a ball of wool / string. Each student takes the string, and then passes the ball on to the next person when a new point is made.
Why?
Students have an intrinsic motivation to add to discussions
Immediately obvious who is not contributing
Students can begin to see the complexity of an issue
Focused kinaesthetic task to aid attention span / stop fiddling
The Web
© Joy Connell

5. What?
Students use the A,B,C,D cards during the discussion to ‘publish’ their opinion on what is being said,
They flash up either whether they Agree, want to Build or Challenge the previous point,
Teacher can use this information to direct the discussion
Why?
Students are forced to listen because they need to have an opinion about what is being said,
Focused kinaesthetic task to aid attention span / stop fiddling
Students are ‘taking a stand’ about discussions, ensuring that they are thinking
A,B,C,D cards