Structure of this module

The module is divided into several sections, each of which will help you understand an
aspect of classroom management. There is a short summary at the end of each section
and there are some references at the end of the module if you would like to investigate
further.
Aims of this module
1. 1

Raise awareness of what classroom management is and how it can help you.

2. 2

Give practical suggestions of classroom management techniques.

3. 3
Encourage you to try techniques which might be new to you and develop your
existing classroom management skills.
Next step
Now that you have been introduced to the course structure and aims, click 'Continue'
below to begin the next section, 'What is classroom management?'.

What is Classroom Management?

Classroom Management can be defined as creating the conditions which facilitate
learning (paraphrased from Jim Scrivener, 1994). The teacher is the person who is
ultimately in charge of everything which happens in the classroom and it is the teacher
who creates the conditions for learning by manipulating different aspects of the
classroom environment.
Managing the classroom environment does not mean that you have to micro-manage

every aspect of the class. Some teachers like to control almost everything, while others

give a lot of control, freedom and choice to their students. There is no single, correct

way to manage the learning environment.

If you want to improve as a teacher, then you should constantly try out different
techniques to see what works best in your classrooms. Remember, you can often learn a
lot from things which don't work as you planned, so don't be afraid to try new things.
Lesson summary
1. 1

The goal of Classroom Management is to create the best possible conditions for
learning.

2. 2

All teachers have different teaching styles and there is no one correct way to
teach.
3. 3
Teachers can improve by constantly trying out different techniques and seeing
what works and what does not.
The Teacher's Words

Introduction

The choice of words that you use in your classes and how you choose to say them have a huge impact on your students.
The teacher typically says a lot of things in the course of a single class. The teacher will greet and chat with their
students, give instructions, explain, model language, praise and give feedback, among others. How each of these is done
can make the difference between a student liking the class or disliking the class. In this section we will look at:

 Giving instructions

 Correcting and giving feedback

 Classroom rules

Giving Instructions

Being able to give clear and effective instructions is a very important skill for any teacher. Unfortunately, so many
activities in the classroom fail because of poor instructions.

START

Step 1

Plan your instructions

Planning your instructions is a great way to improve your instruction giving skills.

No teacher has enough time to plan in detail every set of instructions for every class. However, from time to time you
should choose an activity you are going to use and write out the exact words you are going to say/write to give the
instructions. When you read what you have written, it is almost a guarantee that you will identify a way to improve your
instructions.

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5.

Step 2

Give the instructions

Whenever possible you should write the instructions on the board, screen or handout, so that students can read and
reread at their own speed. Giving instructions orally is fine, but we should not be surprised if some students have
difficulty processing instructions in this way. This might seem time consuming, but it can save you time in the long run.

When giving spoken instructions, you should face your students, speak clearly and check that they are paying attention.

If the activity is complicated or has many stages, consider:

 breaking the instructions into smaller sections;

 using mime to help illustrate meaning;

 demonstrating the activity with a student or students.

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3. 3

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5.

Step 3

Check your instructions

Never assume that students completely understood the instructions and will do what they are supposed to do. Try some
of the following to check your instructions:

 Never ask, 'Do you understand?'. Less confident students will typically say, 'Yes', so that they do not expose
themselves, whether they have understood or not.

 Ask 'yes/no' questions, or 'option a/option b' questions. For example: Do you need to work in pairs?', 'Do you
have 10 minutes to do the activity?', 'Do you need to work individually or with a classmate?'. 'Do you need to
speak or write?'.

 Ask students to tell you what they need to do. This would ideally be done in English, but if the activity is
complicated, you could give them permission to explain in their first language.

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5.

Step 4

Monitor
Even after all the previous steps we still cannot be sure that all students have understood and will be on task. We need
to check the room and see who might have a question, who is taking a long time to get started, or who is doing
something completely different.

Stand back and check all your students. The fact that they know that you are watching them will help them concentrate
and start working.

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5.

Summary

Giving good instructions is an important part of having a successful class. Less experienced teachers should concentrate
on developing this skill.

START AGAIN

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5.

Correcting and giving feedback

Correcting students is a common activity in all English language classrooms. How and when you correct (or decide not to
correct) and the words you use to do this, can have a profound effect on how students progress with English, how
confident they are to speak, and the overall atmosphere of your classroom.

Click on each of the cards below for suggestions for giving feedback.

1. Front of card

Deciding to correct or not correct

Click to flip

Back of card

We often work on accuracy focused activities, in which case we will typically give immediate correction. Remember that
students also need lots of opportunities to practice and develop fluency. In these cases we will not normally correct
immediately. Correcting during fluency activities can lead to students preferring not to speak at all.

Click to flip

2. Front of card

Use a variety of correction techniques

Click to flip

Back of card

There are many correction techniques When you watch an experienced teacher you will see that they use a variety of
techniques. The techniques used will depend on whether the students can self correct or not, if the activity is accuracy
based or fluency based, and which techniques the teacher has previously established with that group of students. Some
common techniques are:

 'Echo correction', where the teacher repeats what the student has said up to and including the
incorrect part. The teacher will say the incorrect part with rising intonation. This only works if the
student knows how to self correct.

 Using gesture to indicate the time/tense of a sentence. The teacher can point behind them to indicate
the past, or make the opposite gesture to indicate the future.

Click to flip

3. Front of card

Get students to see mistakes as a positive thing

Click to flip

Back of card

This can be quite difficult, but at the same time one of the best things you can do in a language classroom. If students
see that making mistakes is a natural part of the process of learning a language (or any skill), and that there are no
negative consequences of making mistakes, they will lose inhibitions to speak and develop fluency more quickly.

Click to flip

4. Front of card

Do not over praise

Click to flip

Back of card
Some teachers say things such as, 'excellent', 'that's great', or 'fantastic'. Be careful about using such emphatic words of
praise all the time. Try giving praise with facial expressions and simpler expression, such as 'good', 'right', and 'yes'. If
you exaggerate your praise, the praise can lose its impact.

Click to flip

5. Front of card

Catch students being good

Click to flip

Back of card

We typically give praise to 'good' students, but the 'bad' students almost never get praise. Keep an eye on the more
problematic students and catch them being good. Praise them with phrases such as: 'You worked well today Juan.', or
'Thank you for your help today.'.

Click to flip

Classroom rules

Having classroom rules can help everyone know what they should and shouldn't do. It can also help establish a good
working environment and reduce behaviour problems. Below are some suggestions for creating classroom rules.

 •

Make sure all your rules are fair. If a student feels that a rule is unfair, you can lose their respect and this can lead to
behaviour problems. You need to apply all rules equally to all students.

 •

Follow your own rules. For example, if you tell students they cannot eat or drink in the classroom, but you drink coffee
in the classroom, you can easily lose their respect.

 •

Phrase the rules in affirmative language. Instead of saying 'don't be late', and 'don't shout', it is better to say 'be on time',
and 'speak at a normal volume'. In this way you are focusing students attention on what you want them to do.

 •

Make sure your rules are really rules. Statements such as 'always do your best' and 'work hard and have fun' are not
really rules. A student who is unwell or tired will technically have broken these 'rules'.

 •

Get your students involved in creating the rules. If you can negotiate the classroom rules with your students, they are
more likely to agree with the rules and they will be more effective. This does not mean they they tell you what they
want, but that you guide and have a little bit of flexibility in the rules you already have in mind.

 •

Don't be afraid to adapt your rules if necessary. If you realise that one of your rules is not good or the context has
changed, be honest with your students and explain the change.

Lesson summary

1. 1

Giving good instructions is essential for being able to get your students to work effectively and efficiently.

2. 2
Teachers should build up a wide range of techniques for correcting and giving feedback and know which technique is
the best in each instance.

3. 3

Having good quality classroom rules can help you establish a positive classroom environment which is more productive
and in which students are happy.