Companies Advanced TEFL

Classroom ManagementClassroom management style will vary for each teacher depending on class size, age and experience of the teacher. The teacher should develop a routine and establish a set of procedures as well as consistent attention getting signals so that the students will know exactly what is expected of them. Teachers will need to maintain discipline and order, especially in larger classes, and learn how to deal with those individual students that act out on a regular basis. Factors which will allow teachers to manage a class will be the use gestures, eye contact and classroom organization among others. Managing a classroom can be a difficult experience, especially for new teachers, but if techniques are used correctly a great deal can be accomplished even amongst the most unruly students. A clear established routine can be a critical factor to a teacher in regards to classroom management. students should know exactly what is expected of them from the moment of walking through the door and the teacher should be prepared to lead the class without excessive disruption. For example, in well-managed classroom students would know there will be a warm up at the start of the lesson followed by a review of the previous day?s topic and then an overview of the next lesson. The teacher would then lecture, a worksheet or handout may be done by the students and then activities would begin. The key here is consistency; the students know what to expect. Similar to establishing a routine among students is the attention getting signal. A teacher may count down from 5 or use a number of other gestures and the students should automatically know to stop what they are doing and look up at the teacher. Simply yelling ?Hey, look up here!? every time the class gets out of hand will not be quite as effective. In regards to larger classes the teacher may have a more difficult time ensuring that the class in constantly in order. One strategy may be to walk amongst the students or up and down the rows as the students participate, listen to lectures or do exercises. This would allow the teacher to monitor everyone in the classroom from a closer angle and deal with students who misbehave on an individual level. Teachers may need to institute certain gestures for problem students in the case where a particular child is constantly misbehaving. For example, a young girl becomes distracted often and talks to her neighbor. The teacher would make eye contact with the girl and tap her nose to indicate the student needs to pay attention. This is a more secretive type of signal on the individual level and can be effective without embarrassing the student. Organization in a classroom and pair work/group work can also allow a teacher to keep a class in order. When a teacher re-organizes classes from orderly rows, to horseshoe patterns or group tables it quickly changes the dynamic. The teacher would need to assess in his/her own classroom which setup works best for him/her as well as the students. When a teacher allows students to work in groups and pairs the teacher can quickly move from one group to the next without dealing with students one on one. This also allows students to work with one another and will reduce personal problems which result while the teacher is talking or lecturing. There are many other methods a teacher can use to maintain control in a classroom such as tone of voice, keeping students engaged and motivated, and planning. A teacher who is prepared and consistent will usually be able to manage a classroom more effectively than one who is not. There will be exceptions to this rule, however, and the teacher will have to adapt and learn from classroom experience. But, through practice the teacher will develop skills necessary to keep the classroom in order and teaching will become a more enjoyable experience.