A student refuses to

listen/respond to the teacher and

is completely defiant.

Offer the student a choice of

behavior by telling him/her that
he/she can either do the work now
or he/she can complete the work
during free time. This gives the
student a choice about his/her
behavior which puts the
responsibility in him/her rather
than a direct command from the
teacher.
Don't give the student a chance to
put you in a power struggle with a
response to the correction or
command. Instead, immediately
direct attention to another student
to give the student time to save
face while obeying the teacher.
After a defiant student obeys,
reassure the student with smile
or words of affirmation to show
that you forgive him/her and that
you will not hold a grudge.
Ask the student to deliver a note
for you to another teacher. In this
note write something about
needing a certain book or some
pre-established code between
teachers. This should be preplanned so the teacher
understands that you just need
this student out of the room for a
few minutes. This teacher can
stall the student for a bit before
sending him/her back to class.
When he student returns, thank
him/her for helping to make
him/her feel good for helping you.
This gives the class and you a
break, and also allows the student
to get up and walk around for a bit
giving him/her a break as well. By
thanking him/her, this also
establishes a good relationship
between you and the student.

A student has a very hard time

with the English Language.

If student continues to refuse to

listen, let the student put his/her
head down or sit there until the
class works on independent or
group work, as long as he/she is
not disrupting others in the class.
When students are working on
individual or group assignments,
try to talk to the student one-onone in order to build a relationship
with the student and find out
about his/her interests that might
motivate him/her to finish the
assignment.

Some lessons can be adapted in

which these students might draw
pictures that go along with the
lesson and label while other
students are working n
comprehension questions.
Students could have the story or
passage read to them or could
listen to an audio tape that he/she
can pause and rewind.
Offer books at different reading
levels when learning content.
Allow students to use computers
to watch videos on the topic to
provide visuals incase the
language barrier is too difficult to
overcome.
During individual or group work,
get with small group of students
struggling with English and help
them learn sight words or
whatever other parts of the
language that they might need
help/practice with.

A student learns better with

visuals and manipulatives.

Play videos along with lectures or

during station work.
Draw pictures, charts, tables, or
concept maps on the board during

A student often talks while the

teacher is talking.

lectures to help the student(s) to

organize information.
Have the student(s) fill out a
graphic organizer, maybe even
with an area to draw a picture to
make a connection to the content
being taught.
If possible, find ways to
incorporate manipulatives into a
lesson. In a math class, this could
be through the use of tangrams or
blocks for example.
Incorporate videos as well as
hands-on activities in a lesson,
possibly through stations in order
to appeal to more than one type
of learner.
Practice the method of "I do, we
do, you do" with some type of
hands-on activity during which the
students can practice what they
learn.
Give a positive reminder followed
by a "thanks". This way you can
focus on the expected behavior in
a positive way rather than telling
the student to stop talking which
focuses on the negative. "Sarah
eyes on me, thank you." "Billy,
listen, listen, thanks."
Pause strategically in order to get
the particular student's, and even
the entire class', focus on you.
This can also be used before
giving a positive direction to a
student after calling his/her name.
If a student argues with you over
a positive redirection and
attempts to explain his/her
reasoning for talking try to briefly
acknowledge the feeling of the
student while redirecting him/her
back to the lesson. "That might be
true, but right now I need

A student has low self-esteem.

A student struggles to keep

organized and frequently loses

everyone to listen to this

important information".
Stand near the student who is
talking while you are teaching.
The close proximity might cause
the student to cease the talking at
that moment.
If a student tends to talk
frequently with a specific student,
try changing seats either after
class or if needed, during that
class. If the student tends to talk
to anyone sitting around him/her
then move his/her seat to a desk
away from the other students or
next to your desk.
Frequently give the student
positive reinforcement and
feedback.
Form a positive relationship with
the student by greeting him/her in
the morning and talking to
him/her about activities and
interests outside of school to show
that you care about him/her.
Call on the student to answer
when you know for sure the
student will answer correctly. This
might be after you have talked to
the student during individual or
group work by asking him/her
questions.
Frequently express to the entire
class how you believe in their
success and that you will do all
that you can to help them along
the way.
Give the student one-on-one time
with you to help him/her with any
difficulties he/she might be facing
in order to give the proper support
needed to feel confident.
Model appropriate organization
techniques. Explicitly show

papers and assignments.

A student has a hard time with

vocabulary words.

A student struggles with notetaking.

students how to organize folders

or a binder while having the
students follow along and
organize their things with you.
Provide students with checklists
for the day to check off as tasks
are accomplished.
Check that students have the
papers they need before leaving
the classroom.
Give the student a calendar to
write down when assignments are
due and when there will be tests
or quizzes.
Do binder checks throughout the
year to keep track of each
students organization.
Have a specific time every once in
a while for "desk clean-ups" and
specifically help students who are
messy and unorganized during
this time. You can show them the
proper way of cleaning out their
desks and what should be kept or
thrown away.
Have the student learn fewer,
more important vocabulary words.
Have student fill out a graphic
organizer where he/she can write
the word, definition, examples,
non-examples, and draw a picture.
Clearly define and discuss
vocabulary words at the beginning
of lessons.
Have student practice with note
cards.
Give frequent examples of the
vocabulary words, how they can
be used, how they are often used,
and what are the synonyms.
Play vocabulary games to help
students review the words.
Provide student(s) with guided
notes in order for them to follow

A student has a hard time getting

started

along during the lesson.

Model proper note-taking
strategies at the beginning of the
year. (Or go back over theses
strategies when needed).
Provide student with teacher
notes, or have a peer help
him/her.
Explicitly tell students what should
be included in their notes, and
highlight or repeat key ideas.
Outline your lecture, write the
order of tasks on the board so
students can follow along.
Challenge the students at points
during the lecture by asking them
to paraphrase what they have just
learned in their notes.
Keep and interactive journal and
guide students through the
process of keeping up with one.
Explain in depth all of the parts
and the assignments they can
choose to do on the left side.
Prompt student with questions
that will help him/her get started
or to help get the brainstorming to
begin.
Have student create a concept
map or some other tool to help
him/her organize his/her thought
before starting.
Talk to the student one-on-one
about time management skills and
how if he/she chooses not to start
during the time given, then he/she
will have to sacrifice his/her own
free time later to finish it.
Model for a student how to
properly begin a task. This can
start with brainstorming and
strategies to do that, then
outlining or making a list of tasks,
doing research through reading or

A student occasionally touches

himself/herself during class for
"pleasure".

A student has a hard time

explaining his/her answers and
frequently only gives the bare
minimum answer.

searching on the computer, and

answering questions or
completing another task.
Help all of the student begin by
brainstorming ideas as a class and
writing the ideas on the board.
Ask the student politely to go to
the bathroom and wash his/her
hands. This is a way to get the
student out of the room without
addressing the issue at hand
directly.
At a later time, talk to the parents
about this issue and discuss
having a talk with the student.
Have the entire class participate
in a brain break or do something
independently (or small group)
and ask the student to step out
into the hallway where you can
ask him/her to wash his/her
hands.
Ask the student to take a note to a
teacher (same as the tip
mentioned earlier with the student
who is defiant). This way the
student can get up and leave the
room, will hopefully wash his/her
hands during the break, and will
probably come back to the room
and refocus.
Have the students work on an
activity that is hands-on so that
the student does not have his/her
hands free to do anything. Or
even get a stress ball or
something for him/her to squeeze
to keep his/her hands busy.
Explain to students the
importance of answering all parts
of a question.
Model how to answer a question
thoroughly and have students
practice with you.

State the questions in a way that

addresses the need for
explanations upfront or state a
second question asking for a
"Why" to the question before it.
Ex. "Why does the moon change
phases?" or 1st question "What is
your favorite sport?" 2nd question
"Explain your reasoning for
question 1". This way the students
that do not like to leave and
answer completely break, is more
likely to answer this one as a
separate question.
Bold the first word of the second
question asking for the
explanation. Bold the "why" or
"how" or other Bloom's word such
as "predict", or "evaluate".
Teach students to restate the
questions in their answers to
begin answering the question in
depth.