What to Do when a Student Blurts Out in Class

When holding a classroom discussion or lecture during direct instruction many teachers will find that there are students who frequently blurt out comments without being called upon. When a student interrupts instruction or intrudes on another student's response time a number of negative consequences can occur. If a student feels that he or she has been interrupted, that student may become angry or refuse to participate in future discussions. A student who blurts out what is on his or her mind can also shift the focus of instruction which could result in other students becoming off-task. It is also frustrating for teachers to try to teach something when a student is calling out, whether it is related to the discussion or not. Often students who engage in this sort of behavior have problems with impulse control caused by a condition, such as ADHD. The teacher can either work with the student to help control the behavior or continue to have chaos in the classroom.

All students, whether they have a disability or not, need clearly established classroom procedures and they need to know the consequences for not following those expectations. Examples of structured expectations that could be part of a syllabus are asking students to raise their hands for attention or if they have something to say, remaining in their assigned seat unless they have permission to get up, and working on the task at hand. When giving directions, break them into simple steps so that the students are clear about what they are to do. It may help to write instructions on the board as well as deliver them verbally. A student who blurts out may need to be told what the consequences of interrupting people are, such as they may be hurting someone else's feelings or causing the discussion to become off-topic, thus impeding everyone's learning. A student with ADHD may try to use his or her condition as a crutch. It is important that the student knows that it's his or her responsibility to work on impulse control, and that later on in life in the workplace, ADHD is not going to always excuse behavior to a supervisor. It may be helpful to establish a visual cue to alert the student when he or she is blurting out. Pay attention to all students in the classroom during discussions and provide positive reinforcement for students who raise their hands to be called upon. Some students respond well to a self-monitoring chart or from learning how to become aware of when they are breaking classroom expectations. Being aware of the number of interruptions can help the student work towards reducing the frequency of negative behaviors.