The document discusses the impact of digital technology on student attention spans, citing concerns from educators about creating easily distracted learners. It outlines various theories related to language acquisition, including hypotheses by Stephen Krashen, Richard Schmidt, Michael Long, and Merrill Swain. Additionally, it provides seven tips for re-engaging students, focusing on leadership, behavioral management, and interactive classroom activities.

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2. At t e n t i o n ! !
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4. Seven Tips and Tricks
For (Re-)Engaging Students

5. “For Better and for Worse, Technology Use Alters
Learning Styles, Teachers Say” (New York Times, 11/1/2012, p. A 18)
• Scholars who study the role of media in
society say no long-term studies have been
done that adequately show how and if
student attention span has changed because
of the use of digital technology.
• Teachers: digital technologies were creating
“an easily distracted generation with short
attention spans.”
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6. What Happens When Attention Wanders?
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7. Let’s
start
with a little history…
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8. Stephen Krashen
(1982, 1985, 1998)
Input hypothesis: Affective Filter Hypothesis:
Comprehensible input is Ability to acquire language is
the only necessary affected if the learner is
condition for language
learning if the learner is experiencing negative
predisposed to pay emotions such as fear or
attention (p. 159-160) embarrassment. 8

9. Richard Schmidt
Schmidt (2001) "noticing
requires . . . a conscious
apprehension and
awareness of input.” (p. 26).
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10. Michael Long
Interaction Hypothesis (1996)
More emphasis on the internal processing capacities of
the language learner. (input + output) p. 167
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11. Merrill Swain
Output hypothesis point 1:
the noticing/triggering function or
(1985, 1995)
conscious-raising relates closely to
learner output. p. 174
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12. 7 Tips and Tricks
I. Leadership
II. Behavioral
Problems
III. Use of Native
Language
VII. Interchange
V. Group Activities
IV. Bells and
Whistles
VI. Engaging Websites 12

13. The Joy of Teaching
• >
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14. Departmental Support
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15. The Syllabus
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16. What you cannot enforce--
do not command.
-Sophocles
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17. Leadership: Establish Authority 17

18. Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
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19. Discipline and Order
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20. Classroom Control
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21. Who’s the Teacher?
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23. Use of Native Language
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24. Pay for language use
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25. Teacher Uses a Foreign Language
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26. Teacher = Inspiration
A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold
them together.
--Goethe (1749 - 1832)
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27. Bells and Whistles
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28. Stopwatch
(Jennifer tells experience)
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29. Whole Brain Learning
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31. Team Formation and Task
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32. Competition is Important
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33. Each Group/Pair Records Answers
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34. • Real-english.com
• Owl.english.perdue.edu
• online-stopwatch.com
• Youtube.com
• Slideshare.net 34

35. Audience Contributions
• Websites:
– Flashenglish.com
– Freerice.com
– Wordlearner.com
• Techniques for changing the subject/regaining attention:
– Throw SOFT ball from student to student in a circle
– Silent game-one silent picks another student to be silent, etc.,
until everyone is silent
– Clapper to get attention (louder than bell)
– Give breaks!
– Have areas of the room for answer, e.g., multiple choice, “a” in
the front, “b,” at the back, “ the corner for “no opinion,” etc.
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36. Interchange
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37. Summary
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38. Is Your Day Like This?
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39. Or This?
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