Class Management Problems and How to So1ve Them page 1

'What
is class management?

Ckss management is about meating the best possiblz conditions for learning to
take place

Different teachers have differenr beliefs about

what the best possible conditions are
how to create these conditions

If they want to learn, they need

to do as I tell them. ,
That's why I am the
teacher:Iteach-they
learn!

I love my students!And
I am always there fbr .".
them: I guide them,I
help them, I see to it that
they learn in a pleasant,
protected environment.

My job is to make sure rhat

the learners are having1,,
a good time. \7e sing,
we play games, we laugh,
we enjoy our time together.

@ George Vassilakis 2010

Class Ma,nagement Problems a,nd How to Solve Them pa,ge 2

I don't see myself as their

teacher, but as their
friend: we are trying to
achieve something togethefr
we are learning together.

Teaching is an art - some of

us are born teachers. w€
have an uncanny ability
to just make learning
happen. Regardless of any
adverse conditions.

A good class manager

.G.
\!t Is clear

"{\
\t' Manages materials, resources and e quipment

s Manages student talk

(t
-r, Manages her/his own talk and voice
5.
\tt Monitors what's happening in the classroom
A.
€t Has good rapport with the students

@ George Vassilakis 2010

Class Management Problems and How to So1ve Them page 5

Some Management Problems

\I /,/
, noise, paper planes, talking and
laughing with other students,
beingrude to the teacher...

i- -

\l/ 4

F-
sulking not ,nswering questions,
not participating in pairwork,
not participatrng in goup discussion

\ t,t lost in space, sleeping stadng at the

ceiling, staring at the foor...

\\-

\f/ .4

shouting at the teacher, shouting at

other students, making loud noises... F'
\T /
uarrelling or ftghting with other students, being violent,
rudely disagreeing with other students or the teacher

@ George Vassilakis 2010

 Class Management Problems and How to Solve Them page 4

Vfhat does effective class management involve?

arrarrging furniture
grouping students

Iiciring
using language that students
can understand
giring clear irutructions
managing student talk

being clear
indicatingwho should speak vaMng lnteracuon Dancrru

using mime and gestuF

cheCking whether students
understand
limiting talk
not being afraid ofsilence

managing teacher talk

varying pitch
and voice
being audible.\
no snouilng making eye contact

r.al'ing elici tad o n parrems

checking everyone is doing
atlention spread

monltorrng including everyoni

ng for language

being unobtrusive being available

acknowledging learners

being polite and courteous

the compute iling

Prarsrng establishing rapport

sterung

managlng equlPme nt showing interest in

whatthe students say
criticising behaviouii, no t
ProJ ectof individuals
handouts

@ George Vassilakis 201-0

Cla,ss Management Problems and How to Solve Them pa€ie 5

Summary

Clarity
.*\ Demonstrate. ...-T. Don'r explain u'hat l'ou can
!U ry I
snow.

.* Don'r give long complicated

ut Break down instructions
into small chunks.
"*:
INStrUCUONS,

_fi, eq Don'r iust ask "do

qF Check whether learners ..*, ,vou
have understood. undersrand?"

_t" in Pq
Be direct: "please work ,. * Avoid indirect questions and
ut pairs" commands:@

Materials, resources and equipment

Know what materials you'11 ra Don'r wasre time looking for

.*
need before class; have handouts. CDs, the right page in
them ready and in order. rhe book during the lesson.

Plan your board and leave P<q Don't keep rvriting things on the
'*
an empty area somervhere board *-irhout having any clue
for rough or unexpected s-har might need to be put fiere
work. next.

If you're going to use a P--: Don't take dre computer out of

*r.
computer and proj ector, \-ou-r bag, turn lt on, connect rt to
have fie program you ne ed t}re projector, wait for dre
running and the computer compute r to start up and then for
and projector in standby the program to load during the
mode. lesson, while the students are
yawning.

Distribute handotts afie r .ffi Don't give the students handouts

you have given instructions
*"'#;* or ofier things they can read
and checked that the before they know what to do
students have understood with them or you'll lose their
them. attention.

O George Vassilakis 2010

Class Managemenb Problems and How to Solve Them page 6

Student Talk

Make sure you include "*- P:"', always y":5 in whole class
some pairwork and/or mode rI you want the
Prenary
groupwork in every lesson. students ro use their English
more than you do!

\7hen working in plenan' -** Don't let the more boisterous

ti
mode, make sure \/ou stuoents domlnate or tnterruPt
indicate who should speak otlers, who might then feel fiey
next. can'r have any rime to think!

Allow students dme to rq Don't keep repeating or

-T
think before the;' speak rephrasing your questions until
someone answers them.

Encourage the students "** Don't echo whatever thev sa\r or

I.Itt
listen to one anothe r. tneywlil learn t.rlat rt lsn t
necessary to listen to each other,
but only to you.

Elicit what the srudents {ai.

\i!*F:::-
Don't just tell the students what
know or can reasonably be youknow and whatTou can
expected to guess. guess.

Change the seating and fr {q Don't expect that students will

desk arrangements ";.Wfll
work in pairs or groups if they
according to the Wpe of are all facingthe boardl
interaction.

Teacher Talk and Voice

Remember that students Don't start talking whenever you

C
;
need time to process feel thar there has been more
information and to think. than five seconds of silence.
rf|Fl
r!# Project your voice. AT
.lEf Don't shout or the students will
.*-::;* I
snout too.
,*r
rlt Vary the tone ofyour voice
depending on the activity.
fj.
\&r
-;.'*
Don't speak in a monotone or
students will go ro sleep.

@ George Vassilakis 2010

Class Management Problems a,nd How to Solve Them
Make your transition
signals short and clear:
"OK nowwe're going to do
some reading"
Monitoring
When you've asked the
students to read or write
something, go around
checking that they are
doing what you asked fiem
and tlat they are doing t}re
right thing.
V4rile the students are
involved in a pairwork or
groupwork speaking
activity, circulate among
them discreedy, listening to
what they are saying
uithout making ey€ contact.
Even during whole-class
work, occasionally check
what the students are
writing down or which page
of the book they are looking
at.
Attention spread
Keep a record of how many
times each student speaks.
@ George Vassilakis 2010
page 7
,i# Don't give a running
--=' commentary of what you're
doing and why: :ltea+-tn6+lrye
fe#ftC-
Pq Don't disappear behind your
.*.
desk. in the back of the room or
e lseu'here immediately after
\-ou'\'e set an activity - some
srudents may need help or
guidance or may not have
understood u'hat to do.
o'1 Don't talk to, correct or even
ry look at individual students
during s tudent-ce ntred
interaction, unless a student asks
for vour help. Otherwise, they'll
either stop talking to each other
and start talking to you or stop
talking altogether.
,lfrai: Don't be so absorbed by your
w=
lesson plan or teacher's book (or
rules!) that you don't even notice
what the students are doing.
P""*. Don't allow the same students to
K' always answer your questions.
 E:;: :

-\sk s-herher fie other o*o Don't assurne that because one
srudents agree with what or fwo sruoents gave you an
I

one or two have answered. answer, everybody understood it.

Choose randomlywho ,FtR,

tr{lL*l{ Don't elicit in order, or the
should speak next. students will work out when their
turn is and will switch off until
then.

Make eye contact with all :*r'rq:l

\it*:."
Don't just concentrate on one
students. student or one part of the class
(e.g. those sitting in the back).

Rapport
-*. use polite forms and
t{ts ^r
Alrn'avs ::${q:
\wi
Don't just use imperatives with a
a rising intonation when falling intonation.
-
asking learners to do
something.

Praise learners when they Don'r assume you only need to

L* ' t , a !l I
ger somerhing right; a glve mem negatlve reedDacK.
simple " goot' ot " uell u'hen they make mistakes!
done" will do!

.{h\ rq
€t Smile! ,.*lF,
Never screw up your face!

\tt Listen to what the students

*l
Do1't iust listen to lt,ow the
say and respond: b: sruoenrs are savlng tnlngs:
S: I watch a goodfilrn l"eut S: I don't understanding uhat to
night do.
T: Really? What was it about? T' !Vo! f doft'- ftt?der

S: Ws, uhat to do?

T' Ne' Wat SHOULD { de.

@ George Vassilakis 2010

C1ass Management Problems and How to Solve Them page I

Ifyou ltaueto make a l{ryql

,,
Don't generalise any negative
negative comment, make comments and don't make it
sure you comment on sound like you're attacking
specific incidents and students: "h+Lh ,

behaviour s; " That u)Asn't

uery kind, George"

tW{hen a student hasn't ,1}n*, Don't blame the students if they

\:#'i
understood something, don't unde rs tan d: " +h#s+iJl4oit
present it as your own fault:
" f 'm sorry
- I didn't explttin
that uery uell, bt me try
again"

Ask for learners' feedback pe Don't be afraid to admit

rg|.
on fie lesson. mistake s that r.ou mav have
made.

r{
\!t
i{\
',ry

*
U rq
'.$-,

.rtr .J"{}
ur i#f,j

d\ :P*Q,
E ?u.ffi$s

.*. tl$--iq:
TU K.
.rah,
\# ff'qLi
\TWfi

/aFr
€t r**'{4i
'ims
*,
ttt :fl'4ri
iffi.s

O George Vassilakis 2010