If the student is unfocused and inattentive in class:
Teach using Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic methods.
Design engaging lessons.
Keep whole group lessons to less than 20 minutes.
Seat the student near you in your teaching 'action zone', the section of the room that you tend to face most often when addressing the class.
When giving individual instructions to--or making a request of--the student, first make eye contact, call the student's name, and be sure that he or she is clearly attending to you.
Post a daily agenda on the board describing the main activities planned for the class. Include the approximate amount of time that each activity will require.
Preview this agenda with the class before beginning instruction. Keep the agenda on the board through the entire class period.
Break longer assignments down into smaller 'chunks' or sections. Allow the student the option of taking a short break after successfully completing each section.
Before the student begins an independent assignment, have the student describe his or her work plan out loud for you. Tell the student that you plan to check in with him or her at the end of class to see what progress the student has made toward accomplishing his or her work goals.
Teach at a brisk pace that is more likely to hold students' attention.
Provide a quiet, less-distracting corner study space in a less-frequented section of the classroom where the student can go when he or she needs to concentrate on independent work.
Seat the student next to an accepting classmate with good work habits. Teach the student how quietly to ask the classmate for help whenever the student becomes confused or unsure about a class activity.
