The 10 Essential MicroSkills
The Department of Education, Training and Employment (2012) lists 10 essential microskills to use for behaviour management. These are listed below with a brief description and examples.
1. Establishing Expectations
clearly articulating and demonstrating the classroom rules and expectations
modelling the expectations
making the classroom rules visible
regularly referring to an discussing the classroom rules
2. Giving Instructions
giving clear directions of what you want the students to do
keep instructions short and concise
start instructions with a verb
use a verbal or non-verbal prompt to gain students attention prior to giving the instructions
phrasing the instruction as a direction
3. Waiting and Scanning
wait and look at your students for 5-10 seconds after you give an instruction
after giving an instruction, pause, remain quiet and look at your students before continuing
use assertive body language
4. Cueing with Parallel Acknowledgement
acknowledging students on-task behaviour to encourage others to copy that behaviour
when a student or group of students are off-task, choose to
acknowledge a student behaving appropriately in close proximity who is on-task
use a loud enough voice for others to hear
e.g. I love the way James is sitting there quietly
5. Body Language Encouraging
intentionally using your proximity, body gestures and facial expressions to encourage students to remain on-task
smile and make eye contact to acknowledge good behaviour
use nodding and finger symbols
6. Descriptive Encouraging
To encourage students to become more aware of their competence
by describing what you see or hear from them that you hope to see more frequently
use frequently
use a respectful and measured tone of voice
use sooner rather than later
e.g. Samantha, you sat in your seat as soon as I gave the instruction
7. Selective Attending
deliberately giving minimal attention to safe, off-task or inappropriate behaviours
keep the student in your peripheral vision
attend to the student only if they are on-task or if their behaviour becomes disrupting to others or unsafe
8. Redirecting to Learning
prompting a student who is off-task or disrupting others with a redirection to learning
this can be verbal or non-verbal
redirect learning in the form of a question e.g. Shane, what question are you up to?
allow some take-up time
9. Giving a Choice
respectfully confront the student who is disrupting others with the available choices and their consequences
give a choice when you cannot think of any less intrusive options
give a choice when it is clear that the students behaviour is escalating
e.g. James, your choices are...
Year three, you can choose to start now or later. The first two questions have to be finished before lunch today
or you will need to stay back to complete them. If anyone needs help, please let me know.”
10. Following Through
resolute, planned action in response to extended off-task behaviour or
ongoing disruptive behaviour that is disrupting the rest of the class
do what you said you would do
use it as a last resort, when all other skills have not been effective
1. Establishing Expectations
clearly articulating and demonstrating the classroom rules and expectations
modelling the expectations
making the classroom rules visible
regularly referring to an discussing the classroom rules
2. Giving Instructions
giving clear directions of what you want the students to do
keep instructions short and concise
start instructions with a verb
use a verbal or non-verbal prompt to gain students attention prior to giving the instructions
phrasing the instruction as a direction
3. Waiting and Scanning
wait and look at your students for 5-10 seconds after you give an instruction
after giving an instruction, pause, remain quiet and look at your students before continuing
use assertive body language
4. Cueing with Parallel Acknowledgement
acknowledging students on-task behaviour to encourage others to copy that behaviour
when a student or group of students are off-task, choose to
acknowledge a student behaving appropriately in close proximity who is on-task
use a loud enough voice for others to hear
e.g. I love the way James is sitting there quietly
5. Body Language Encouraging
intentionally using your proximity, body gestures and facial expressions to encourage students to remain on-task
smile and make eye contact to acknowledge good behaviour
use nodding and finger symbols
6. Descriptive Encouraging
To encourage students to become more aware of their competence
by describing what you see or hear from them that you hope to see more frequently
use frequently
use a respectful and measured tone of voice
use sooner rather than later
e.g. Samantha, you sat in your seat as soon as I gave the instruction
7. Selective Attending
deliberately giving minimal attention to safe, off-task or inappropriate behaviours
keep the student in your peripheral vision
attend to the student only if they are on-task or if their behaviour becomes disrupting to others or unsafe
8. Redirecting to Learning
prompting a student who is off-task or disrupting others with a redirection to learning
this can be verbal or non-verbal
redirect learning in the form of a question e.g. Shane, what question are you up to?
allow some take-up time
9. Giving a Choice
respectfully confront the student who is disrupting others with the available choices and their consequences
give a choice when you cannot think of any less intrusive options
give a choice when it is clear that the students behaviour is escalating
e.g. James, your choices are...
Year three, you can choose to start now or later. The first two questions have to be finished before lunch today
or you will need to stay back to complete them. If anyone needs help, please let me know.”
10. Following Through
resolute, planned action in response to extended off-task behaviour or
ongoing disruptive behaviour that is disrupting the rest of the class
do what you said you would do
use it as a last resort, when all other skills have not been effective
