First, make sure that you are giving appropriate consequences for inappropriate behavior. Next, try to find a reward system that works for the talkative students. Find out what motivates them, rewards, candy, approval, etc., and make sure to make an effort to catch them doing what they are supposed to be doing and reward them for it. Using rewards along with consequences may be what they need.

The best way to stop negative behavior is to reward good behavior. When the class should be quiet and students are talking, acknowledge the kids that are not talking. Say something like, "I like how Katie is working quietly." The younger students will want to conform and it will be a gentle reminder for the older students.

I had a class like this and I had to become the "mean teacher" and enforce consequences. They did not like me for about a week but after that it became better. I had quite a few tears because students felt that I was being unfair, but talking is talking and I had told them the rules from the get-go. It is hard to reel them back in.

I teach kindergarten and I had also have a talkative class. They have recently begun talking more. Several months ago I began using a behavior chain. I write the numbers one, two and three on the board. If the students keep at least one of the numbers on the board they get a link added to their chain. We are almost to the floor now and when they reach the floor I have promised them a snack party. This really helps when I can't pin point which student is misbehaving the most or if it is a majority of the students who causing a disturbance.

I would recommend playing classical music as they enter the classroom and have a quiet warm-up on the board or projector screen for them to start everyday as they enter your classroom. Practice this procedure and have it written on a poster on the wall as they come in everyday. This procedure should help them have a transition to your lesson and re-focus their energy by calming down. Having procedures and establishing daily routines is very important with noisy classrooms, because once they follow the procedures, routines, and rules, having group activities, peer activities, competition where the students can socialize as they learn, will assist them with using their communications skills in an constructive manner, and help you with being able to teach a class that enjoys communicating. Group work has helped me over the years with my talkative classes. I use their talkative skills to manage class discussions, and group work in a positive manner that is enjoyable for the students and for me.

In my classroom, I create agendas for each child at the beginning of the year and write in them daily regarding their behavior. Parents see the agenda each night and sign it. This is one way I am able to cut back on behavior such as talking or not following directions. While it does take some time to create the agendas each year, this has worked great for my room and I have had very few issues because students do not want me to write in their agenda about behavior.

In the class I observe, the teacher has a reward system that if you have so many points you can participate in fun Friday. This could be a way to have them behave. Reward students not talking during instruction and deduct points for the chatty Kathy's. The first fun Friday they sit out of, will be the last and they won't talk during instruction.

I had the same issues going on in my class. I use a point system in my classroom for both positive and negative behavior and parents are able to log on and see what kind of day their child had. I also started making it a competition between my two classes to see who could be the quietest during certain lessons/activities; they are a very competitive group so this works pretty well. I also started having them write reflection forms if they had to be reminded about the "chattyness", I would give them two warnings for them to correct the behavior and if they still chose to talk then they will write a reflection form. They also have to get the reflection form signed by their parent(s) and return it back to me.

The teacher may need to enforce the consequences more so that students listen. Or the teacher may have to change the consequences so that students are affected more.

There are many classroom management strategies that you should be able to use. But most importantly, make sure that the repercussions that you are dishing out are fair and just.

If I were you, I would figure out the main students who are causing the issues and have a conference with their parents. You said you tried enforcing consequences, but students do not care. Maybe think about Making participation points and give them a zero if they talk too loudly and too much that day. Also, try rewarding good behaviors that students display. Set in place a rewards system promising something like a trip to the treasure box or a pizza party with you on Friday.