Attention, Please!

One of the first things with WBT is getting student's attention. From using chimes to hand clapping to flashing the lights, I think I've tried it all! Most of the class responds beautifully. There are always one or two students that continue working or playing instead of stopping. Enter the WBT strategy for getting student's attention: Class-Yes!

How does it work?
Class-Yes is a fun and engaging way to get student's attention. The teacher simply says "Class" and the students respond, "Yes!" There are many varieties of this attention grabber to keep it interesting and keep students listening. For example, if the teacher whispers, the students whisper back. If the teacher says "Classity-Class," the students respond "Yessity-Yes!" What a fun and interactive way to get student's attention and keep them engaged! The possibilities seem endless.

What does the research say?
According to the research for Class-Yes, it acts as a switch to get students ready for instruction. It essentially activates the prefrontal cortex that has the main functions of decision making, planning and focus of attention. (Score!) Now, students are focused and ready to learn.

What does this means for first grade?
First graders love interaction. The more you can turn things into games for students, the more they will enjoy them. By switching the way Class-Yes is said each time, it becomes a listening game for students. Expectations are the same each time it is used and it does not require extras (like a bell or being near a light switch) to be effective.

I also love the Class-Yes because it encourages and gets students in the habit of saying "yes" instead of the dreaded "yeah." I know, I sound old fashioned, but students saying "yeah" or "huh" are on top of my list of pet peeves. I am very curious to see how quickly this transfers to student interaction in general.

What are your favorite ways to say Class-Yes?