
School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton
Quick-fire strategies: Eliminating Dead Time in the Classroom
Jul 30, 2023
Learn how to eliminate 'dead time' in the classroom and improve student behavior. Discover the negative impact of dead time and strategies to keep students engaged. Explore alternative methods for giving out tasks and the importance of relevant extension tasks.
09:40
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Quick takeaways
- Dead time in the classroom leads to low-level behavior and wasted time, and should be eliminated by providing clear tasks and meaningful extension activities.
- Teachers can address dead time by using alternative methods, such as manual task writing or communication strategies, and by planning purposeful extension tasks to avoid filler activities.
Deep dives
The Danger of Dead Time in the Classroom
Dead time refers to any period in the classroom when students don't have a specific task, don't know what to do, or are waiting for something to happen. Dead time is dangerous because it leads to low-level classroom behavior and wasted time. Examples include students waiting for technology to work, queuing for lunch, or finishing work quickly without additional meaningful tasks. Pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs find dead time especially challenging. Teachers should audit their lessons to identify and eliminate dead time by providing clear tasks, using alternative methods when technology fails, finding ways to reduce waiting times, and planning meaningful extension activities to engage students.
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