Improving Behavior in the Classroom

It was one of my first solo therapy sessions. Four boys, ages six and seven, sat across from me at my little kidney-shaped table in the speech room. I was about to pass out game cards, but before starting, I told the boys, "I'm going to give everyone three, but I need to see your cards." No sooner had I begun passing them out, than the students picked them up and began studying them. So I repeated, "I need to see your cards." When this didn't work, I said again, "I need to see your cards." By this time, I'm baffled and a little frustrated. Why wouldn't they just put the cards down so that I could see them? My supervisor, sitting at the computer nearby, swiveled around in her chair and calmly said, "Put your cards down on the table and do not touch them." And you know what happened? The boys put the cards down on the table and did not touch them.

While both of us were trying to communicate the same thing, only one of our requests was met. Later, my supervisor explained the difference between the two requests. My request was indirect; hers was direct. The kids didn't understand what I was asking them to do. In fact, I'm not sure they were aware I was asking them to do anything in the first place.

Here's another example of a teacher using an indirect request:

The class is lined up in the hall waiting to go out for recess. All but the last five kids are standing quietly. The teacher notices the noise and says, "The back of the line is awfully loud." When this doesn't work, the teacher tries something different. She says, "We are not going outside until the volume goes down." Two of the kids get the picture, but the other three are still talking and laughing. By this time, the teacher is angry. She raises her voice and points at the offending students saying, "You, you, and you -- get back in the classroom, now!" They immediately comply.

In that scenario, you have an angry teacher and three very upset kids who may not even know what they did wrong. Look at the same situation again, but this time, the teacher uses direct language.

The class is lined up in the hall waiting to go out for recess. All but the last five kids are standing quietly. The teacher notices the noise and says, "Do not talk, please." Three of the kids get the picture, but the other two are still talking and laughing. The teacher calmly walks up to the last two students and tells them, "Sam and Glen, do not talk, please." The students look up at the teacher and immediately stop talking.

Granted, every situation is different. Some students are defiant with or without direct language. But for young students or language disordered students especially, direct language will enable them to understand what is being asked of them. Here are a few common phrases heard in the classroom that direct language can make clearer:

"It's getting loud in here." -- "Sarah, do not talk, please."

"This is not how we line up." -- "Sam and Briana, stand in a straight line, please."

"We can't start until everyone's desk is clean." -- "Jada, put everything away, please."

"Keep your hands to yourself." -- "Glen, do not touch Daniel, please."

"We will not start the test until everyone has one." -- "Do not touch your test until I tell you to, please."

"I don't see much work being done over there." -- "Sam, work on your paper, please."

These kinds of requests can also make it more difficult for a child to disobey. When you speak directly to a student using her name, there's less room for her to claim, "I didn't know!"

In general, students want to please their teachers. Making your expectations clear can help them to do that. When speaking to students, remember these guidelines:

• Use clear, concise commands. Tell him what you want, don't ask him what you wish he would do.
• Say exactly what you mean, even if it seems obvious.
• Keep your tone of voice calm, level, and polite.
• Do not get angry. Your student will pay more attention to your anger than to your request.
• Use specific names when possible.
• Keep your vocabulary simple and easy to understand.

What methods have worked for you? Have you experienced similar situations?