What is an Attention Grabber?

An attention grabber is a signal you use to get students to focus their eyes and ears on you so you can teach or give directions. It is one of the very first things you should teach each school year. Attention getters are also used when the class has become loud or off task and you need to redirect them. The level of noise, your location at the time and the specific situation will determine the type of attention getter you will want to use.

Why are Attention Grabbers Important?

Attention grabbers are important to have because they help you get your students’ attention in the case of an emergency. In addition, they help you manage your classroom more easily.

Effective Attention Getters

1. The Clap-In (or Snap-In): The clap-in is a classic attention-getter for good reason! While many teachers resort to raising their voices when the classroom gets too loud, clapping provides an equally noticeable but far more positive way to get students’ attention. To use a clap-in, simply pick a pattern to clap and have students repeat it back. As more students join in, the clap gets spread across the room until all students are participating in the clap and ending their conversations.

2. Give Me Five: This is a great option that not only helps bring students’ attention back to you but also provides an opportunity for them to work together to get everyone back on track. For this attention-getter, raise your hand high so that students can see you. As each student sees the signal, they will also raise their hand. This will continue to spread until all students are silently raising their hands and looking to you for further directions.

3. Class-Wide Countdown: This strategy is similar to Give Me Five, as it has a cascade effect across the classroom when students join in to bring their attention back to the teacher.

4. Timer/Song: This strategy uses other sounds rather than a teacher’s voice to get attention and relies on a specific timed activity.

5. Sound Effects: This strategy can be a more fun way to get student attention but one that must be explicitly taught so that students can be mature and meet expectations when it’s used.

How do you currently greet your students?

What do you do to get their attention?