Dealing With Disruptive Behavior

First:

Let your students know that you are aware of what is going on in the classroom, especially if it disruptive, but also if it is positive. Be aware and comment on students' behavior and work habits frequently.

Second:

Plan the transitions of your class. Make sure that students know how to end one task and begin another and move from group work to independent work. Confusion about how to change tasks can result in disruption.

Third:

Alter the composition of small groups as needed or at random. You may move students to prevent a bad situation from getting worse, or you may move students so that they develop skills in forming relationships and working with a variety of people.

Fourth:

Challenge students to good work habits and behavior. Acknowledge their strengths and then make a plan with rewards for improving weaknesses. For example, a student who struggles staying focused on reading silently could be rewarded with 5 more minutes of group reading time for every extra 5 minutes he spends reading silently and correctly answering questions.

Fifth:

Keep your assignments interesting and applicable to real-world situations. The more interested students are in an assignment, the less likely they are to be disruptive. If your student needs to work on reading skills and your student loves baseball, find an appropriate baseball book for her to read.

Source: Managing Disruptive Student Behavior in Adult Basic Education. Overview. ERIC Digest No. 54. ERIC Identifier: ED272700; Author: Harrison, Cheryl

Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult Career and Vocational Education Columbus OH. Found online at http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed272700.html