Controlling Classroom Noise

Talkative students and loud classrooms challenge all teachers at some point, especially when disruptive or clowning behaviors are present. Over the years, we’ve gathered numerous tips from expert teachers on how they keep classrooms quiet and productive. Read on for some of our favorites. 

 Dealing with Chatter and Clowning 

What’s behind all the chatter and clowning around in your classroom? You need to find out. When you know what’s behind the misbehavior, you can take steps to address it and to provide opportunities for teaching appropriate ways of talking and using humor. Here are some ways you can help students rein in inappropriate behavior and focus on schoolwork: 

• At the beginning of the year, make sure one of your classroom rules about respect is: When someone is speaking, show respect by listening. 

• At the beginning of class, let students know if they will have time to work and talk with others. 

• Structure learning activities that give students opportunities to talk—and listen—to their peers. 

• While students are doing a group activity, walk around and give feedback or attention to those who need it. 

• Give each student time in front of the class—giving a speech or demonstration of a hobby, for instance, or solving a problem or reciting a favorite poem or comedy routine. 

• Set up times to listen to individual students. 

• Discuss the chatter and clowning around with them as a group. Be prepared to guide the discussion, but listen to their concerns about disruptions in the classroom and solicit their solutions. 

• Talk with individual students who continue to have difficulty with inappropriate talking. Make contracts with them, if needed. 

Explain Your Plan and Establish Consequences

If the class as a whole talks too much, I have had good results with talking to them as a group and explaining that other class sections are able to accomplish more in the same amount of time and that the talking is interfering with their learning. I create a plan with them. It is helpful if they know at the beginning of class what needs to be accomplished during that period. I post it on the board and try to always include time in which they work with others on a task. 

Then when they talk and I have to wait for their attention, I mark a tally on the board. I don’t say anything because they are aware of the plan and know what the tallies mean. I watch the clock and mark another tally every 30 seconds that I have to wait. Each tally equals a minute that is subtracted from their partner time, meaning they will work alone or not have class time to do the task at all if they continue talking and use up the task time. 

Students generally begin to remind each other, especially if they end up having homework or missing fun activities because of the time lost. I also make a point of complimenting their progress at the end of the class period or the beginning of the next class. They will usually need several experiences with this before progress is seen, so don’t give up! 

—Kate Ortiz, Iowa mentor teacher

Grab their Attention from the Start of Class 

Using vocabulary from the week’s lesson, I bar the door with my body. No one may enter before the tardy bell unless she/he can define, explain or give an example of what I am asking. If a student gives a correct answer, in they go. Others must wait. Soon there is a group at the door, so if two or three give correct answers at the same time, I let them in. I use this once every 7 to 10 days. 

At first there are unbelieving looks – “you have to know something to get in?” Always there is someone who responds: “Forget it. I’ll just leave.” They have always come back. After a few times blocking the door, it is fun to see the happy complaining faces and hear the words, “Oh no. Here we go again.” When the bell rings, all enter. 

However, I shout into the room. “Everybody in here stand up if you want a chance for an extra credit point.” The standing students watch and make sure all the others (who came in at the bell without answering correctly) sit. Next, we decide heads or tails. I flip a coin. If it comes up correct, all the standing students rush to the board and write their names. (I make sure there is plenty of chalk.) I have one of them copy all the names for me. On the next test, all on the list get an extra point. 

I am always amazed how the chance to get one extra point motivates. 

—George and Fran Beyer, retired teachers in Montana 

Use Clapping and Echo Games to Get Their Attention 

When it gets extremely loud in class, I make up clapping patterns to get my students’ attention. I clap some rhythms which the students repeat. When I clap a certain rhythm, however, they respond by clapping a different rhythm I have taught them. I always get their full attention using this method. 

—Titus O. Peck, Wisconsin music and band teacher 

Echo Me, Please is a very useful tool for directing everyone’s attention to you. You teach the students that whenever you say “Echo me, please” they are to say it right back to you the same way you said it (mix it up by whispering, making it rhythmic, or singing it, etc). Then, make up something for them to repeat back to you. It can be from any subject, but it’s best to keep it short. Even in cases where you have over 100 students, this can work. Once you say it, some students will echo you. Repeat the process until all of the students are echoing you and are looking at you. Have them echo a couple of things, then give whatever instructions you need to give them. 

—Anonymous 

Stop and Listen 

You can use this only a few times during the school year, but it’s well worth doing. When the class is loud or out of control, or when you simply need the direct attention of your students, ask them to ’listen and tell me what you hear.’ 

One by one the students stop and listen to environmental sounds, and raise their hands to report what was heard. Ask them to use whisper voices when they respond. Some of the things they generally hear are: voices in the hallway or playground, someone tapping his foot, squeaks from people moving their chairs slightly, birds outside, cars going by, and so on. Let them listen for several minutes before asking for responses. You can even list them on the board and praise them for being such astute listeners. Then, continue on with your lesson. 

—Bruce England, New Jersey teacher 

Take Off Quietly with Themes 

Elementary teachers can reduce noise by creating a theme in their classroom, like an airport. The “fasten your seatbelt” announcement is used to get children back to their seats and the dinging just before the captain speaks is used to gather the children’s attention. 

—Anonymous 

Choose a Secret Behavior Representative 

A trick I use to ensure good class behavior when walking in the halls, at assemblies, etc. is to tell the class beforehand that I will be watching a certain student without saying which student. If that student behaves well, the entire class receives a privilege. The reward might be an extra 10 minutes of free computer or reading time. Since none of the students know who was being watched, everyone behaves so as to not let down the class. 

—Irene Hughes 

Praise Students Silently 

I encourage positive praise without a lot of noise. When someone does something great, we do ‘The Aaycock Seal of Approval.’ Everyone puts their hands together and claps silently three times, holding their thumbs up after each clap, and quietly says ‘Great Job.’ Children, parents and fellow teachers love this wonderful way of praising children without a lot of noise. 

—Miranda Aaycock, North Carolina first-grade teacher 

Develop Empathy in Disruptive Students 

A good way to instill empathy for the teacher is to have the rowdy or bored student teach a lesson for 20-30 minutes. The student becomes the teacher and I become the student that sits in their seat. The results are amazing! The student learns to understand the frustrations and rewards of teaching a lesson. Sometimes I pick the lessons and give the students materials. Other times, I let them teach something that is of interest to them. Try it, it works! 

—Karen Helm, Arizona special education teacher 

Use Visual Cues for Quiet Lines 

A technique I have found effective for reducing the amount of time it takes for the class to form a quiet line-up is to hold up signs. I have four face signs on different colored cardstock: a grinning face, one with a small smile, one with a small frown, and a face that is crying. I stand there silently holding up one face up at a time. The students have to get the grinning face before the line moves. 

— Marcia Williamson, second-grade teacher 

Use Rewards to Encourage Quiet 

My students have a hard time staying quiet so I came up with a point system. Each period is worth 20 points. If a student disobeys the quiet rule, points are subtracted in increments. First they are left with 10 points and then 5 points. After the final infraction, they have 0 points left. At the end of the period, I record a running total of points on a section of the board. They like to see how many they can collect. They can spend them on extra computer time, stickers and treats, but I set the prices high enough to ensure that I don’t go bankrupt. 

—Janie Allan, elementary teacher 

Use Music in the Cafeteria 

To control the noise level in your cafeteria, try music. It really works! Musical pieces without words, usually classical, soft jazz or soft blues are the best. Some yoga pieces work too. Kids will lower their voices to hear the music and can be told that their voices can be no louder than the music (set at a reasonable level of course). 

—Maria Panelli, Washington third-grade teacher 

Reward Students for Ignoring Distractions 

I have certain students in my class who love to instigate and distract each other so I made “Distraction Tickets.” I give students a DT Ticket when they ignore the negative behavior of another and do not let that student distract them from their schoolwork. At the end of the day, we have a lottery drawing with the daily distraction tickets and the winner gets a special prize from the teacher. It really works! 

—Linda Mariano, New York special education teacher