Practicum Week : 8

Date: 27th August 2021

Journal Topic : Young students are easily distracted during lesson

1. Isu Yang Difokuskan :

Some students especially young-learners tend to get easily distracted with other
unimportant things during the process of learning. Their inclination towards this off-task
behaviour will hinder the flow of the lesson as they might involve other students as well
in that activity. They are still not able to distinguish between what is important and what
is not. For example, playing with toys during lesson is one of the unimportant things that
may wait after the class but the students will still try to squeeze the activity during the
lesson because it is more fun that what is explained by the teacher. This behaviour does
not only affect the perpetrator, but also affect the students around them who wish to
learn but indirectly involved in the unhealthy activity. They will feel curious to know what
their peers are doing, hence join in the activity. Based on what I had encountered in the
classroom, there were a few students that had the inclination to get distracted during
their lesson. In the middle of the lesson, they would start doing other things and talking to
each other and sometimes ignored my instructions. Sometimes, they would be too
engrossed in whatever they were doing and did not even hear when I called their names.
There were also times when they got distracted to look around them as they heard
something and tend to divert their attention of the lesson towards the noises made
outside of the classroom. This had become more like a habit, which was to alarm
themselves each time they heard noises outside of the classroom. Therefore, it can be
concluded that there are two parts of this problem as the factors that keep distracting the
students are different.

2. Analisis Isu Yang Difokuskan (Punca dan Kesan Isu) :

Primary school students spend as much as 29 percent of their time “off-task” during the
school day, according to new research published in Cognitive Science. The researchers
found that the amount of time varies depending on the type of instructional activity in
which students are engaged. Researchers Karrie E. Godwin, Megan Petroccia and Anna
V. Fisher from Carnegie Mellon University and Victoria Almeda and Ryan S. Baker from
Teachers College of Columbia University (2013) observed 500 students in 22
classrooms at five elementary schools to determine what factors influence children’s off-
task behaviour in the classroom. Children were considered off-task if they were not
directing their eyes at the instructor or the activity. The children were observed during
individual work, small-group work and whole-group instruction when they were seated at
their desks or on the floor surrounding the teacher.

The researchers found a strong correlation between the type of instructional format the
teacher used and whether or not the student stayed on task. Individual work as well as
whole-group instruction when children were seated at their desks were more likely to
lead to off-task behaviour, while doing small-group work or whole-group instruction when
students sit on the floor around the teacher were the instructional formats least likely to
produce off-task behaviour.

Meanwhile, peer distractions, in which the child interacted with or looked at another
student, accounted for 45 percent of all off-task behaviour in primary school students.
Self-distractions, such as playing with a personal possession, accounted for 18 percent
of all off-task behaviour. Environmental distractions, including looking at objects in the
classroom not related to the instructional activity, accounted for 16 percent. And 11
percent of off-task behaviour involved the children making inappropriate use of an object
that was part of the instructional activity.

3. Kajian Lampau (Literature Reiview) Terhadap Isu (Pengalaman atau Kajian

Lepas) :

According to University of South Carolina (2016), “Occasionally, teachers may find

themselves faced with a student whose behaviour threatens to side-track or disrupt the
course. It may be behaviour which is distracting, such as doing something not class-
related, or it may be behaviour that is interruptive and intentionally disruptive.”

The above statement shows that there are two minor issues in this distracting behaviour
problem. One might be because of the external factors such as noises, overloading
decorations in the classroom or other activities that amuse the students thus divert their
attention. Apart from that, it might be because of the behaviour of the students
themselves who love to talk during a lesson. However, both of the behaviours surely
disrupt the course of the lesson in classroom. According to Concordia University (2013),

“There is nothing quite so distracting for a teacher than a student disrupting the
classroom. Classroom disruptions waste valuable instruction time and can also lead to
ongoing behavioural problems for students. Some teachers choose a reactive approach
to classroom disruptions; however, the most effective approach is to be proactive and
take steps toward preventing disruptions before they occur.”

Therefore, teacher could reduce the disruptive behaviours in classroom by preventing it

before it occurs. However, this might need thorough considerations and implementations
in order to ensure the disruptive behaviours could be prevented. The actions taken have
to give great impact to the students in order for it to be successful. Teachers can be very
effective classroom managers if they know how to be proactive (Lannie & McCurdy,
2007). Therefore, these behaviours are being addressed as off-tasks behaviours, where
the students do works that are not related to the lesson being taught in the classroom.

4. Cadangan dan Idea Penyelesaian Masalah :

In future, there are certain changes that I would like to make in the classroom. These
actions are taken in order to prevent any off-task behaviours done in the classroom
during my lesson. This is aimed for a greater impact, which is to ensure that the students
are learning optimally without any disruptions may it be externally or within the students
themselves. Below are the suggestions that I would propose to tackle this problem which
I have divided accordingly to the type of distractions faced by students in classroom:

i) Self-distractions (i.e talking, doing other things during lesson):

• Teacher will take the objects such as toys that distract the students and keep them until
the end of the lesson. Through this action, teacher can minimize the distraction caused
by the students to other students as well.

• Teacher will move around the classroom during the lesson and will not allow the
students to become distracted. Teacher will talk to them about their task and give them
deadlines (Seidman, 2005). For example say: "I'd love to see two more ideas by the time
I come back as your ideas are really interesting." Then teacher walks and visit another
student/pair but teacher will make sure she comes back to them.
• Teacher will use as few words as possible to convey the message and avoid lecturing
or scolding. Teacher will use positive words and body language that conveys a belief in
the student and in her ability to act appropriately. Then, teacher will leave the student to
let her make her own decision.

ii) Environmental distractions (i.e noise from outside of the classroom)

• Teacher will choose a more conducive room for the students to learn if it so happens
that the classroom is not conducive for the students’ learning for that day. Teacher can
use other rooms such as computer labs or media room to conduct the lesson.

• If teacher cannot find other rooms to conduct the lesson, teacher will ensure that her
voice is loud enough for the students to hear so that the focus will only be on teacher
and not the outside noises.

• Teacher will continuously seeking feedback from the students to ensure that they are
following the lesson and not get distracted by other things.

• Teacher will minimize the decorations in visual aids such as pictures to prevent
students focusing on other elements that would not assist them in their learning.

5. Tempoh Masa Penyelesaian : Ongoing effort

6. Tindakan Susulan :

As a teacher, I realize that discipline is the key to success and therefore should be
inculcated to all students. They should know that their actions will influence their learning
and eventually will influence their life in the future. The students who are still young might
not be able to grasp the whole concept yet, but with the teacher’s assistance and guide it
is not impossible. Teacher should be the one to guide the students so that they will learn
optimally and meaningfully. They have the right to be told when they do something
wrong and they should be praised when doing something right and good for them. The
relationship of teacher and students should be fostered so that both parties will benefit
from the interaction.

In a nutshell, dealing with off-task behaviours could be very challenging to the teacher as
teacher should be really prepared to face the problematic students. However, according
to an article by Svinicki and McKeachie (2014) that leaves readers with food for thought
when the authors write: “It is human nature to perceive the problem as the other person’s
fault; but before focusing on changing the student’s behaviour, take a few moments to
look at what you are doing that might be related to the student’s behaviour. Interpersonal
clashes involve at least two people.”

Therefore, teachers should also reflect on their practices as a teacher and improve
themselves gradually to cater to all problems in classroom. Creating an atmosphere that
is safe, friendly and inclusive will go a long way to building an effective classroom. It will
help teachers to be more effective instructor and will lead to the students being more
successful.
Rujukan :

Concordia University. (2013). How to prevent and address classroom disruptions.

Retrieved from http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/teaching-strategies/how-to-
prevent-and- address-classroom-disruptions/
Godwin, K. E., Almeda, M. V., Petroccia, M., Baker, R. S., & Fisher, A. V. (2013).
Classroom activities and off-task behavior in elementary school children. Cognitive
Science Society.
Lannie, A. L., & McCurdy, B. L. (2007). Preventing disruptive behavior in the urban
classroom: Effects of the good behavior game on student and teacher behavior.
Education and Treatment of Children, 30(1), 85-98.
Seidman, A. (2005). The learning killer: Disruptive student behavior in the classroom.
Reading improvement, 42(1), 40-47.
Svinicki, M. D., & McKeachie, W. J. (2014). McKeachie's teaching tips: Strategies,
research, and theory for college and university teachers. Wadsworth, Cengage
Learning.
University of South Carolina. (2016). Handling classroom distractions. Retrieved from
https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/cte/teaching_resources/goodteachin
g/ handling_classroom_distractions/index.php