What to do about chatty students

Well, we’re ending the fourth week of classes already and it seems that while most things are now running smoothly, there are always things we can tighten up a little bit… How about the subject of chatty students in class? In this instance, I’m not talking about a lively classroom, I’m talking about times when you or other students have the floor legitimately and others are talking out of turn.

This pops up every semester and I think it can be an issue even for the most seasoned faculty – as students change and overall decorum changes in the world. So what to do if this issue has reared its head in your classroom?

1) Talk about it! With colleagues… with your students… with the offenders.  Sometimes it can feel embarrassing to think you’ve “lost control” of your class… but there are VERY few people who have NOT experienced this at some time…so don’t feel badly, but also don’t put up with it!

2) You and other students have the right to have a respectful classroom environment. What started as a respect issue for me, really became a justice issue when I thought about the money being spent by students to be in a college course. This thought gave me the courage to nip it in the bud!

3) Handling it with grace and savvy – don’t escalate – find out what’s behind it… One thing that’s worked really well most of the time is simply to talk more softly (hyperbole can work great and can lighten the mood!) I simply talk more softly and then just stop talking altogether and wait…awkward silences are awesome! I generally make some sort of statement about my expectations for classroom behavior… and that if people need to talk to step out of the room to do so…

4) Still talking? At the end of class as I’m wrapping up, I ask to speak with the offenders… What’s behind it? Sometimes there’s a legitimate reason – someone didn’t understand the lecture… that opens the door for suggestions to students: tape record the lecture (great for ESL students!), get a tutor if it’s too complicated, be better prepped for lecture  by looking at PowerPoints, the text, etc… but it gives you time to talk to the student about how the behavior is impacting you and other students…

5) If it just comes down to bad behavior that is ongoing then I ask to see them one on one at a formal appointment and let them know what the next steps are if the behavior continues… I haven’t yet had it come to that – I’ve once told students in the first week, that there was still time to drop the class if it wasn’t working for them, and I’d help them find a new class, but status quo wasn’t an option… their choice… stay or go.

I found an article in the Chronicle that has some ideas too… http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/disruptive-student-behavior/22792 but usually our own experienced faculty have the best ideas – so what say you? Your ideas here can help all of us – if it isn’t happening in your classroom this year, it might be next… so be a friend and help a colleague… What productive and effective strategies do you use to stop disruptive talking in class?

Leave a reply below or e-mail me if you’d like to post anonymously, and I’ll add it to the posts under my name.

 

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5 Responses to What to do about chatty students

  1. scs15 says:

    posted for another…

    Good question! I typically require that students raise their hands to enter a class discussion—that helps some. If the “chatty” student keeps wanting to enter discussion, I’ll say something like, “thanks Fred for offering to respond but I’d like to make sure others have a chance as well. What do others think about……..?”

    When discussion commences and raising a hand is not applicable (everyone feels free to jump in), then I have to interrupt a long diatribe with an abrupt “thank you, Fred, now let’s hear from someone else….I want to hear from everyone.”
    …I have to be highly sensitive as I try not to silence him at the same time that I can’t let him dominate discussions either!!

    This is a difficult—sensitive issue!

  2. scs15 says:

    posted for another…

    Steps up (or down) the ladder…

    *civil request to cease

    *earn a “0” for classroom participation

    *a 1-2-1 conversation

    * time to ask the student to leave the classroom

  3. scs15 says:

    Posted for another

    If I am facing the board with my back to the students, I will stop, turn quickly, and look at the students as if they have created a big disturbance, then I’ll continue writing on the board without saying a word. My gaze will have strong silent message: we’re here to learn. If I am facing the students and they start some disruptive behavior, I will stop talking for a few seconds- and once I get the attention of those talking, I’ll ask them whether they have questions they would like me to answer. This time I’ll have an inquisitive look, but smiling. Those two approaches have worked well for me in the lower division large classes.

  4. scs15 says:

    and one more 🙂 thanks all!

    I think “chatty students” might include two separate groups and issues:

    1) The first group: Students who genuinely want to answer questions, make observations, ask questions, etc. For these folks, if there is a pattern of “too much participation”, I might make a comment such as “I’d like to hear from everyone” or, “Can anyone else add to the discussion”?

    2) The second group: Those who routinely engage in ongoing, unrelated, even disruptive talking, commenting, etc among themselves and are not engaged in the class. They continue to whisper or talk, even when asked to stop. They disturb students sitting nearby. I generally simply stop my lecture or the class discussion and wait until they cease. If they continue to talk, I might say, “I will resume teaching when the chatter stops.” Even 20 seconds of my silence becomes very uncomfortable for them. As a result, I seldom have issues in the classroom. I remain respectful, and they do stop their chatter.

  5. scs15 says:

    From another colleague:

    I repeatedly call on those students until they realize there is a problem, or I might talk to them about it, or I stand right next to them and teach for part of lesson. It has so far worked well this year.

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