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Staying on Task/Self-Talk SEL

materials

focustask

Vocab words

How can we use self-talk to help stay on task?

Essential Question:

Staying on Task/Self-TalkSocial Emotional Learning

Room Set up: Chairs, tables and desks pushed back to create an open space to move and interact.

• Coloringpages • Crayons • PaperTape • Scissors

• Paper • Glue • Stencils

Project and Purpose: Studentswillpracticeself-talktocompletesimpleart tasks.

Note: Beforeclass,setupatleastthreestations,preferablyartstationssuchas:coloringstation,cuttingstation,collagestation,stencilstation,etc.Analternativeistouseanyotherstationsyoutypicallyuseintheclassroomtocompletecertaintasksotherthansilentreading.Stationswithavisualartfocusarehighlyrecommendedastheyoffertheopportunitytopracticeanartskillaswellasapplythelessonslearnedtoother curricular areas.

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Staying on Task/Self-Talk SEL

Introduction1. Announcethatyourmaintasktodayistotalkaboutwhatitmeansto

stayontask.Definetaskasajobthatrequiresourcompleteattention-it’slikefocustofinishajob.Talkabouttasksandworkingevenwhenthereare distractions.

2. Commentonhowtotalktoyourselfsoyoucanstayontask:

a. Statethetaskinaquietvoiceorquietlyinyourhead.Locatetheinstructions.

b. Giveyourselfapeptalkinaquietvoice.Tellyourselfyoucandothis.

c. Quietlyaskfriendsortheteachertohelpyoustayontask–askfriendstoquiettheirvoicesabitorencouragethemtoworkwithyouorasktheteacherforsilencingheadphonesorextrainstructions.

d. Complimentyourselfwhenyoufinish.

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Notes:

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Staying on Task/Self-Talk SEL

Direct Instruction (I do)1. Tellstudentsyouwilldemonstratewhatstayingontasklookslike.

Chooseasimpleactivitysuchasreadingabookorcoloringapicture,andbeginthetaskbystatingwhatthetaskisandwhatyourgoalis(e.g.,tofinishuptopage4,tocoloralltheskyorange).Self-narratehowyouhelpyourselfstayontask.

a. Stateyourtaskinaquietvoice:Ineedtocolorthisentireskyorange.

b. Giveyourselfapeptalkinaquietvoice:ThatmeansIneedanorangecrayon.Hmm…Ihavetorememberwhatorangelookslike…IknowthefirstletterisO.Hereitis!Icandothis.Ijustneedtostayinthelines.Oops,Iwentoutofthelinesinthislittlecorer.That’sokay,though,it’sonlyalittlebit.Therestofitlooksgreat.

c. Quietlyaskfriendsortheteacherforsupportifyouneedit:Hey,(nameofchildnexttoyourdrawinghand),canyoumoveoveralittlebitsomycoloringhanddoesn’tbumpintoyou?Thankyou.

d. Complimentyourselfwhenyoufinish:Ididagoodjob!ImadeamistakebutIlikeitanyway!

2. Debrieftheexperiencewiththestudents.Giveattentiontothetimeyoucoloredoutsideofthelines.Askstudentsaboutyourreaction:didyougetupset?Didyouthrowawaythepicture?Howdidyouhandleit?Whatdidyousaytoyourselftokeepgoingandstayontask?

3. Collectotherthingsstudentscansaytothemselvestostayontaskorwhentheyfinishthetask.Especiallywhenthingsgoalittlewrong.Theseideasmightinclude:

a. IknowexactlywhatIhavetodo.b. Icandothis.c. Iamtryinghard.That’simportant.d. Ifinishedthewhole(task).e. IknowIcanimprove.Thisisjustthefirststep.f. I’mproudIdidnotgiveup.

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Staying on Task/Self-Talk SEL

Guided Exploration (We do) 1. Tellstudentsthattheclasswillhavechoicesofcentersintheroom

andtheywillusetheself-talkmethodtohelpthemselvesstayontask.Remember that some students do not like to talk to themselves in their minds,notwiththeirvoices.Thatisfine,too.

2. Visiteachstationandreviewthestepsforeachtask.

3. Askforvolunteerstodemonstrateusingself-talkforpositivesupportineach station.

Independent Practice (You do)1. Sendstudentstocentersaccordingtoyourclasspractice,andtellthem

topracticetheirself-talkwhileworking.

2. Encouragequietvoicesineachstationandrespectfortheirpeerswhowishtoself-talkintheirheads.

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Notes:

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Staying on Task/Self-Talk SEL

Conclusion/ReflectisonGather back as a group and Discussion:

1. Howdidyoudo?

2. Wasithardoreasytouseself-talktostayontask?

3. Whatelsedidyoudototrytostayontask?

Connect to the classroom:

1. Whyisstayingontaskdifficultsometimes?

2. Howcanweuseself-talktohelpourselvesstayontask?

3. Howcanwehelpeachotherstayontask?

4. Whatdostayingontaskandbeingfocusedhaveincommon?

5. Whyisitimportanttostayontask?

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Notes:

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Staying on Task/Self-Talk SEL

Vocab words

Vocabulary Definitions

task (n)

• Definition:Apieceofworktobedoneorundertaken.

• Context:Thestudentshadthetaskofcleaninguptheclassroomtogether.

focus (v)

• Definition:todirectone’sattentionorefforts.

• Context:Markwasreadytofocusonhisreadingandfinishthebook.