Class-management

Introduction
Effective teaching requires considerable skill in managing tasks and situations that
occur in the classroom each day. The skills associated with effective classroom management
are only acquired with practice, feedback, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. But if
learners have become accustomed to certain patterns of behaviour, classes will run more
smoothly.

1. Definitions of Class-management
Teacher’s role in the classroom is to engage learners in academic activity. To do that,
Fenstermacher&Soltis (2004) explain thatteachers have to determine what they are to be
taught (curriculum guides might help here). Then they must figure out whether the students in
their classroom are able (ready) to learn what is prescribed for them?What motivational
devices might be used to interest the students and keep them engaged? Whatclassroom
structure best contributes to successful learning—small groups, large groups, whole-class
instruction, or independent learning?
For Harmer (2007), class-management include how the classroom space is organized,
whether the students are working on their own or in groups, how teachers organize classroom
time, the way they talk to students, and who talks most in the lesson. Successful classroom
management also involves being able to deal with difficult situations. Kyriacou (2007) adds
that classroom climate- warm, supportive and relaxed- is an important ingredient in effective
class-management.
Davies &Pearse (2000) see that class-management is based on getting learners’
attention and participation, giving and checking instruction, managing learners’ grouping,
teacher and learner roles, and discipline. Harmer (2001) adds the importance of dealing with
troublesome situations.

2. Rules, Routines and Procedures

class-management includes rules, routines and procedures. Rules are fixed instructions
about the way of interaction; whereas, routines and procedures are more flexible than rules.
They are specific ways of doing things that vary little during the course of the day or the year.
There are four criteria that a rule needs to meet to stay on the list (Stronge, Tucker
&Hindman, 2004 p. 71):
1. Clearly statedso students know what is expected of them.
2. Reasonableso students can realistically follow it.
3. Enforceable: it will take the time and effort to address any violations. If he is not willing
to invest the effort, then the item may be too trivial or there may be a better solution.
4. General so that the rule addresses several behaviors as opposed to one specific misdeed.
The rule should be written as a positive statement so that students know what the desired
behavior is.

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 Routines commonly include how to enter and leave the classroom, take attendance,
secure materials, turn in assignments, make a transition during or between instructional
activities, get to safety during drills and actual emergencies, and change from one activity or
location to another. In essence, routines shape the classroom climate (Idem, p. 67). Procedures
refer to all the steps involved in the lesson.

3. Getting Attention and Participation

According to Davies &Pearse (2000, p. 20), teachers should be able to get their attention
fairly quickly when needed. The teacher needs to train the learners to respond to a range of
non-verbal signals, for example:
 Stand with the hand raised until you have total silence and everybody’s attention.
 Train learners to raise their hands.
 Point at your watch to indicate that you are about to end an activity.

Interest is the best way to attract and hold attention, and to get voluntary participation.
Classroom atmosphere is also very important (Harmer, 2001).The learning experience should
fulfill the three psychological conditions necessary for learning to occur (Kyriacou, 2009, p.
86):
-Attentiveness: the learning experience must elicit and sustain pupils’ attention.
-Receptiveness: the learning experience must elicit and sustain pupils’ motivation and
mental effort.
-Appropriateness: the learning experience must be appropriate for the educational
outcomes desired.

4. Giving and Checking Instruction

Effective instructions are vital if activities are to go well, especially activities involving
changes of interaction. Teachers should think about what they are going to say, and how they
are going to say it. Instructions should be simple and clear. It is preferable to always use the
same type of instructions and language for the same type of routine activities.

5. Managing Learners’ grouping

There is various students’ grouping: whole class, pair, group, and individual
work.Whole classis where all students are working together with the teacher at the same time
as one group. All the students are locked at the same activity. This grouping reinforces a sense
of belonging among the group members and a feeling of security when the whole class is
working under the direct authority of the teacher.

Pair work (in two) and group work (more than two). There are difficulties associated
with pair and group work such as: confusion, noise, no concentration, error making and losing
control. However, teachers can usually avoid these potential problems by careful preparation
and organization, and by progressively training the learners to participate fully and actively.
As result, the advantages of pair and group work far outweigh the drawbacks. They provide

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variety ad dynamism, increase in individual practice, low stress private practice, interaction
with peers and develop learner autonomy.

Individual work refers to the idea of students working on their own. Such
individualised learning is a vital step in the development of learner autonomy and promotes
the skills of self-reliance. It can be a way of restoring peace and tranquillity to a noisy and
chaotic situation.. It is beneficial especially in reading and writing.

6. Teacher and Learner’s Roles

Both teachers and learners need to play varying roles (Harmer, 2001). Teachers should
consciously be aware that they need to:
 Present new information, control accuracy practice, and make sure that as many
learners as possible participate in the class.
 Organize and facilitate lockstep fluency and skills’ activities, encouraging voluntary
participation
 Monitor individual, pair, or group activities, moving among the learners and helping
and encouraging them.
 Inform learners about their progress.
These different roles require skill, confidence and sensitivity. At different times the learners
need to:
 Attend to information given by the teacher.
 Volunteer original ideas and ask relevant questions.
 Work with other learners, solving problems co-operatively.
 Work independently in class, and taking full responsibility for their own performance
and learning.

7. Discipline

Harmer (2001) sees that good order, co-operation, and respect in the classroom are
seldom accidental. They are usually the result of the way you teach and the way you relate to
the learners. It is wise to begin some courses with a fairly formal strict way and relax little by
little as you gain the cooperation of the group. These are the basic recommendations:
 Plan lessons and include varied activities and interaction that keep the learners busy.
 Use topics and activities that you think will be interesting and enjoyable for learners.
 Motivate the learners on what they do satisfactory or well.
 Try to create a sense of community in the group.
 Be fair to all the learners, never favouring some over others.
 Show that you respect and are interested in all the learners as persons, irrespective of
how good they are at English.

8. Modifying Problem Behaviour

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Despite teacher’s efforts to create successful learning environments, things sometimes get out
of hand and students start to behave in inappropriate ways. Here are some behaviour conducts
that teachers should bear in mind to achieve their goals (Harmer, 2001, p.129-130):
 Act Immediately: The longer a type of behaviour is left unchecked, the more difficult
it is to deal with. This can include stop talking, pause and look at the student in
question.
 Keep Calm: In many students’ eyes, teachers who have to shout to asserts their
authority appear to be losing control. When we are trying to modify sts behaviour,
look in their eyes, approach them, keep looking at them and speak in a measured tone.
This will often be enough to defuse the situation.
 Focus on the behaviour not the student: Not to humiliate an uncooperative student.
 Talk in private: Disciplining a student in front of his/her classmates will not help that
student’s self-esteem.
 Use clearly agreed sanctions: Establish “equity rules’, the need for fairness to all
students. Students need to know what the penalties are for bad behaviour in a gradual
scale of action.
 Use colleagues and institutions for guidance

References
Davies, P. &Pearse, E. 2000.Success in English Teaching.Oxford University Press.
Harmer, J. 2001.The Practice of English Language Teaching.Longman.
Stronge, H. J., Tucker, P. A. &Hindman, J. L. 2004. Handbook for the Quality of Effective
Teachers.The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).
Fenstermacher, G. &Soltis, J. F. 2004.Approaches to Teaching.Teachers College Press
Harmer, J. 200 7.How to Teach English . Pearson Education Limited
Kyriacou, C. 2007. Essential teaching Skills.Nelson Thornes Ltd
Kyriacou, C. 2009. Effective Teaching in Schools: Theory and Practice.Stanley Thornes
(Publishers) Ltd.
Further Reading
Bender, Y. 2003. The New Teacher’s Handbook: Practical Strategies & Techniques.Nomad
Press.