10 Proven Ways to Get Middle Schoolers to Listen

There are many ways to get students to listen to you. Here are 10 proven strategies that will help you get your students to listen better. Try these strategies: Reach out to students, use Post-it notes, and make time limits. These strategies will help you get students to stop talking and focus on what you have to say. These strategies will help your students listen better to you, and will make your job as a teacher much easier.

10 strategies to improve students’ listening skills

In order to increase student listening engagement, teachers should incorporate a variety of strategies. Some of these strategies are based on listening skills, while others are not. Breakout rooms and guided notes are examples of ways to incorporate listening strategies. Guided notes are a favorite among teachers and students alike, but they are only effective if they are gradually eliminated from classroom activities. Students should also be encouraged to use headphones when listening to class assignments.

Teachers must remember that the benefits of listening extend far beyond the classroom, where 60% of all misunderstandings are a result of poor listening. The importance of listening skills cannot be overstated: the benefits of active listening extend far beyond the classroom. For one, it fosters social capital. The other benefit is that students will be more likely to participate in conversations and group activities that promote collaboration. This is why listening skills should be a central part of the social development of students in all subject areas, from art to science.

Reaching out to students

When it comes to getting your middle school students to listen, the most important gestures are often the simplest. By making yourself available, you can do virtual check-ins, read alouds, and start your day with a virtual greeting. By showing them that you care about them, you can help them feel that you are genuinely interested in their needs and concerns. Remind them to get some fresh air and to be kind. Even if you do not know how to speak to a middle schooler face-to-face, these gestures will ensure that they remember you in the long run.

Educators should collaborate with families on their struggling students. The first call should not be with bad news, such as the fact that a student is not listening. Instead, communicate your concern that your student is struggling. If your student is defiant and refuses to complete work, try to understand why they are doing so. Consider how these actions affect outside factors that may be influencing the student’s behavior.

Post-it notes

A simple game to encourage listening involves using sticky note flags on a classroom world map. In groups of four to five students, write five fun facts about themselves and ask the other students to guess who is on each note. The person who can make the most correct guesses wins. Then, students take turns reading a post-it and trying to figure out who is on it. Then, the game is on!

One way to engage students is to use post-its as crutches or security blankers. Using these little sticky notes can make the reading process much more pleasant. It’s easy to pass them around to read a different piece of paper while the other student does the reading. In addition to that, you can make them more engaging by adding fun characters to the Post-it notes. Then, the next time they’re having a hard time, they can read their note on one.

Time limits

There are several strategies to help parents and teachers get middle schoolers to listen. Students who sit quietly in desks during class are not listening to you. Positive peer pressure may help prevent misbehavior and get them to listen to you. For example, put headphones on students who talk too much. Alternatively, sit in a circle and talk about recess. Make sure that you are consistent in your limits.

Using rap

If you’re looking for new ways to teach, one popular method is using rap. Using hip-hop as a form of instruction can help kids engage with subjects they may otherwise find boring. For instance, a teacher can use examples of rap music in a lesson on citation, incentivizing students to learn how to properly credit sources. But rap music can be effective for other purposes as well.

A recent article in School Library Journal described creative ways teachers have been using hip-hop to engage students. In one example, librarian Andy Spinks set up a recording studio in his library, enabling students to create music and collaborate. Hip-hop also provides students with an excellent opportunity to learn about the history of music and how to record digitally. By using hip-hop to teach kids about a range of topics, hip-hop can address problems in schools such as chronic absences.

Making instructions attention-grabbing

One way to make instructions more attention-grabbing for middle schoolers is to use non-verbal cues. These methods can be nonverbal movements, gestures, or images on an interactive whiteboard. Incorporating these methods into your instruction will ensure quiet listening. In addition, you’ll be modeling appropriate behavior for your students. Here are a few examples of non-verbal attention-getters: