Strategies for Inattention
Students with attention problems typically exhibit the following behaviors within the classroom:
�� Are easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds
�� Fail to pay attention to details and makes careless mistakes
�� Rarely follow instructions carefully and completely
�� Lose or forget classroom necessities such as homework, books, pencils or tools needed for a task.
Quick Tips:
1. Deliver consequences and rewards more immediately and frequently. Inattentive students do not respond as well as their classmates to delayed rewards or partial reinforcement schedules.
2. Reward the student for sitting still for short or long periods.
3. Praise students often for specific things they did during the day.
4. Use preferred activities as incentives.
5. Use signals for silence such as finger snaps, color-coded cards, or flipping on/off the lights.
6. Help the students feel comfortable asking for assistance.
7. Be very clear and specific in stating behavioral goals and consequences to inattentive students.
8. Give specific responses after reviewing a good behavior diary each day or week.
9. Be patient. These students need lots of extra attention and many things repeated.
10. Work with inattentive students one-on-one if possible. Enlist an older student to help in your classroom and work with students who need more guidance.
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