Signal, Pause, insist

Introduce the 3,2,1 signal to each class soon after meeting them.

Practise the process of stopping and starting an activity using the signal.

Make it clear what the signal is and what you want them to do on hearing it.

When you want to move from student activity to teacher input, stop what you are doing and give the agreed signal.

Stand facing the class, scanning the room to make eye contact with everyone.

Give the  signal, then pause for a count of 5-7 seconds, remaining silent and waiting for all to comply.

The pause is key. You need to give take-up time; to allow time for discussions, tasks etc to come to a suitable stop.

Also the pause is time to scan and regain eye contact.

Insist is ideally non-verbal: You just wait, making eye contact. You mean everyone and you will not proceed until everyone is listening. 

It might also involve a reinforcement. James…, Buchra… you should be looking and listening now, thanks -insisting everyone is with you but also managing expectations so that, next time, James and Buchra don’t require that extra prompt.