Classroom Language: The beginning of the lesson

1. Good morning 2. How are you?

 Good morning, everybody.  How are you today, 미경?

 Good afternoon, everybody.
 How are you getting on?
 Hello, everyone.
 How's life?
 Hello there, James.
 How are things with you, 은주?
 Are you feeling better today, Bill?

3. Introductions 4. Time to begin

 My name is Mr/Mrs/Ms Kim. I'm your new English teacher.  Let's begin our lesson now.
 I'll be teaching you English this year.  Is everybody ready to start?
 I've got five lessons with you each week.  I hope you are all ready for your English lesson.
 I think we can start now.
 Now we can get down to work.

5. Waiting to start 6. Put your things away

 I'm waiting for you to be quiet.  Close your books.

 We won't start until everyone is quiet.  Put your books away.
 Stop talking and be quiet.  Pack your things away.
 Settle down now so we can start.

7. Register 8. Late

 Who is absent today?.  Where have you been?

  Who isn't here today?  We started ten minutes ago. What have you been doing?.
 What's the matter with 은미 today?  Did you miss your bus?
 Did you oversleep?
 What's wrong with Jim today?
 Don't let it happen again.
 Why were you absent last Friday, 인혜?

This page was updated on February 18, 2009.

Classroom Language: Simple instructions

Here are some common instructions which the class can easily understand:
 Come in.  Stand by your desks.
 Go out.  Put your hands up.
 Stand up.  Put your hands down.
 Sit down.  Hold your books/pens up.
 Come to the front of the class.  Show me your pencil.

A number of instructions can be used at the beginning of a session, and as the semester continues:
 Pay attention, everybody.  Listen to this tape.
 You need pencils/rulers.  Repeat after me.
 We'll learn how to ...  Again, please.
 Are you ready?  Everybody ...
 Open your books at page ...  you have five minutes to do this.
 Turn to page ...  Who's next?
 Look at acitivity five.  Like this, not like that.

A number of instructions can be used at the end of a session, and as the semester continues:
  It's time to finish.  Any questions?
 Have you finsihed?  Collect your work please.
 Let's stop now.  Pack up your books.
 Stop now.  Are your desks tidy?
 Let's check the answers.  Don't forget to bring your ... tomorrow.

Instructions can also be sequenced:

 First  Then
 Next  Finally
 After that

Comprehension language:
 Are you ready?  What did you say?
 Are you with me?  One more time, please.
 Are you OK?  Say it again, please.
 OK so far?  I don't understand.
 Do you get it?  I don't get it.
 Do you understand?  Like this?
 Do you follow me?  Is this OK?

This page was updated on February 18, 2009.

Classroom Language: The end of the lesson

1. Time to stop 2. Not time to stop.

 It's almost time to stop.  The bell hasn't gone yet.

 I'm afraid it's time to finish now.  There are still two minutes to go.
 We'll have to stop here.  We still have a couple ofminutes left.
 There's the bell. It's time to stop.  The lesson doesn't finish till five past.
 That's all for today. You can go now.  Your watch must be fast.
 We seem to have finished early.
 We have an extra five minutes.
 Sit quietly until the bell goes.

3. Wait a minute 4. Next time

 Hang on a moment.  We'll do the rest of this chapter next time.

 Just hold on a moment.  We'll finish this exercise next lesson.
 Stay where you are for a moment.  We've run out of time, so we'll continue next lesson.
 Just a moment, please.  We'll continue this chapter next Monday.
 One more thing before you go.
 Back to your places.

5. Homework 6. Goodbye

 This is your homework for tonight.  Goodbye, everyone.

 Do exercise 10 on page 23 for your homework.  See you again next Wednesday.
 Prepare the next chapter for Monday.  See you tomorrow afternoon.
 There is no homework tonight.  See you in room 7 after the break.
 Remember your homework.  Have a good holiday.
 Take a worksheet as you leave.  Enjoy your vacation..
7. Leaving the room

 Get into a queue.

 Form a queue and wait for the bell.
 Everybody outside!
 All of you, get outside now!
 Hurry up and get out!
 try not to make any noise as you leave.
 Be quiet as you leave. Other classes are still working.

This page was updated on February 18, 2009.

Classroom Language: Simple instructions

Here are some common instructions which the class can easily understand:
 Come in.  Stand by your desks.
 Go out.  Put your hands up.
 Stand up.  Put your hands down.
 Sit down.  Hold your books/pens up.
 Come to the front of the class.  Show me your pencil.

A number of instructions can be used at the beginning of a session, and as the semester continues:
  Pay attention, everybody.  Listen to this tape.
 You need pencils/rulers.  Repeat after me.
 We'll learn how to ...  Again, please.
 Are you ready?  Everybody ...
 Open your books at page ...  you have five minutes to do this.
 Turn to page ...  Who's next?
 Look at acitivity five.  Like this, not like that.

A number of instructions can be used at the end of a session, and as the semester continues:
 It's time to finish.  Any questions?
 Have you finsihed?  Collect your work please.
 Let's stop now.  Pack up your books.
 Stop now.  Are your desks tidy?
 Let's check the answers.  Don't forget to bring your ... tomorrow.

Instructions can also be sequenced:

 First  Then
 Next  Finally
 After that

Comprehension language:
 Are you ready?  What did you say?
 Are you with me?  One more time, please.
 Are you OK?  Say it again, please.
 OK so far?  I don't understand.
 Do you get it?  I don't get it.
 Do you understand?  Like this?
 Do you follow me?  Is this OK?
This page was updated on February 18, 2009.

Classroom Language: Classroom management

Here are some common situations in which classroom menagement is needed:
 Make groups of four.
 Move your desks into groups of four people.
 Turn your desks around.
 Make a horseshoe shape with your desks.
 Make a circle with your desks.
 Make a line of desks facing each other.
 Make groups of four desks facing each other.
 Sit back to back.

 Work together with your friend  There are too many in this group.
 Find a partner  Can you join the other group?
 Work in pairs/threes/fours/fives.  Only three people in each group.
 Work in groups of two/three/four.  I asked for four people to a group.
 I want you to form groups.
 Form groups of three
 Here are some tasks for you to work on in groups of four.

 Everybody work individually  Ask other people in the group

 Work by yourselves.  Ask others in the class.
 Work independently.  Interview someone else.
 Ask your neighbor for help.  Ask everyone in the class.
  Work on the task together.  Stand up and find another partner.

 Have you finished?

 Do the next activity.
 Move on to the next activity.


This page was updated on February 18, 2009.

Classroom Language: Classroom management

Here are some phrases that can be used for classroom management:

Organization
Giving instructions Sequencing

 Open your books at page 52  First of all, today, ...

 Come out and write it on the board  Right. Now we will go on to the next exercise.
 Listen to the tape, please  Have you finished?
 Get into groups of four  For the last thing today, let's ...
 Finish off this song at home  Whose turn is it to read?
 Let's sing a song.  Which question are you on?
 Everybody, please.  Next one, please.
 All together now.  Who hasn't answered yet?
 The whole class, please.  Let me explain what I want you to do next.
 I want you all to join in  The idea of this exercise is for you to ...
  Could you try the next one?  You have ten minutes to do this.
 I would like you to write this down.  Your time is up.
 Would you mind switching the lights on?  Finish this by twenty to eleven.
 It might be an idea to leave this till next time.  Can you all see the board?
 Who would like to read?  Have you found the place?
 Which topic will your group report on?  Are you all ready?
 Do you want to answer question 3?

Supervision

 Look this way.

 Stop talking.
 Listen to what ... is saying.
 Leave that alone now.
 Be careful.

Interrogation
Asking questions Responding to questions

 Where's Min-su?  Yes, that's right

 Is Min-su in the kitchen?  Fine.
 Tell me where Min-su is.  Almost. Try again.
 What was the house like?  What about this word?
 What do you think?
 How can you tell?

Explanation
Metalanguage Reference

 What's the Korean for "doll"?  After they left the USA, the Beatles ...
 Explain it in your own words.  The church was started in the last century.
 It's spelt with a capital "J".  This is a picture of a typically English castle.
 Can anybody correct this sentence?  In the background you can see ...
 Fill in the missing words.  While we're on the subject, ...
 Mark the right alternative.  As I said earlier, ...
 Let me sum up.

Interaction
Affective attitudes Social ritual

 That's interesting!  Good morning.

 That really is very kind of you.  Cheerio now.
 Don't worry about it.  God bless!
 I was a bit disappointed with your efforts.  Have a nice weekend.
 Thanks for your help
 Happy birthday!
 Merry Christmas!

This page was updated on February 18, 2009.

Classroom Language: Error correction

Here are some phrases that can be used when giving feedback to students:
 Very good  You did a great job.  Right
 That's very good  Magnificent  Yes
 Well done  Terrific  Fine
 Very fine  Wow!  Quite right
 That's nice  Jolly good  That's right.
 I like that  Great stuff  That's it.
 Marvellous  Fantastic  That's correct
 That's quite right.
 Yes, you've got it.
 You've got the idea.

 It depends  Not really  You were almost right.

 It might be, I suppose  Unfortunately not  That's almost it
 In a way, perhaps  I'm afraid that's not quite right  You're halfway there
 Sort of , yes.  You can't say that, I'm afraid  You've almost got it
 you can't use that word here  You're on the right lines
 That's more like it  Good try, but not quite right  There's no need to rush
 That's much better  Have another try  There's no hurry
 That's a lot better  Not quite right. Try again.  We have plenty of time
 You've improved a lot  Not exactly  Go on. Have a try
 Have a go
 Have a guess

 There's nothing wrong with your answer.  Don't worry about your pronunciation.
 What you said was perfectly all right.  Don't worry about your spelling.
 You didn't make a single mistake.  Don't worry, it'll improve
 That's exactly the point.  Maybe this will help you
 That's just what I was looking for.  Do you want a clue (hint)?

 You have good pronunciation.  You still have some trouble with
 Your pronunciation is very good. pronuncation.
 You are communicating well.  You need more practice with these words.
  You speak very fluently.  You'll have to spend some time practising
 You have made a lot of progress. this.
 You're getting better at it all the time.
 You've improved no end.

This page was updated on February 18, 2009.