While Silent Light works best when used with the whole class, it still has multiple uses within the classroom. For example, while working with one group of students, you may opt to use it to keep another group of students on task. It may also work for keeping the classroom quiet during independent work time or during an exam. Even when students are working in cooperative learning groups and the classroom is a little louder, it works to remind students to not go crazy with the noise and refocus those who are not on task.
Continue readingOn the screen, students see a traffic light, a timer, and a description of the task or skill they should be working on. Behind the scenes, you set the timer and appropriate noise levels. As long as students are on task and keeping their voices at the appropriate levels, the light stays green. If the noise level ramps up, the light changes color until they bring it back down.
It's easy for students to get off task and to let their voices get louder without even realizing that it happens. Silent Light helps make students more aware of what being on task looks and sounds like. With the objective on the screen, students will have a visual reminder of what they should be working on. By tying on-task behaviors to points and incentives, you can also reinforce those positive behaviors. If students get too loud or off task and see their points start to disappear, they will immediately connect the behavior with a negative consequence. When Silent Light is used with the whole class, on-task students will also encourage their off-task peers to get back on task and earn the class points.