MODULE 3: Classroom Management Tools and

Techniques: Strategies for Organizing and Managing

Large Classes

Table of Contents
MODULE 3: Classroom Management Tools and Techniques: Strategies for Organizing
and Managing Large Classes ...................................................................................................1
Module 3 Task 1: Module 3 Overview and Teacher Support Circle Video ............................3
Module 3 Task 2: Module 3 Vocabulary ...................................................................................5
Module 3 Task 3: Challenges of Managing Large Classes Discussion (Optional) ............... 6
Module 3 Task 4: Organizing the Class for Effective Learning ..............................................9
Module 3 Task 5: Building Management into Lesson Planning ........................................... 30
Module 3 Task 6: Giving Instructions Effectively .................................................................40
Module 3 Task 7: Class Management Quiz ...........................................................................46
Module 3 Task 8: Teacher Tote Discussion (Optional) .........................................................46
Module 3 Task 9: Module Checklist .......................................................................................49

© 2023 by Azusa Pacific University. TELC Module 3 Downloadable Packet for the Online 1
Professional English Network (OPEN), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding
provided by the U.S. government and administered by FHI 360. This work is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit
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Module 3 Task 1: Module 3 Overview and Teacher
Support Circle Video

This work, "TELC Banner," is adapted from "Untitled," by 12019 licensed under the Pixabay License; "Portrait of Students" by studiosea licensed
under the Canva License; "Untitled" Photo by Betsy Arce licensed under the Unsplash License; "Indian Children" by Church of the King licensed
under the Unsplash License; "Thai School Girls Studying Together" by Ron Lach licensed under the Pexels License. This adaptation is licensed
under CC BY 4.0 by Azusa Pacific University.

Welcome to Module 3
We hope you enjoyed the focus on multi-level classes, needs analysis, neurodiversity, and differentiation in
Module 2 and that your Teacher Tote has new activities added to it.

Module 3 covers management issues that are important in all classes, but especially in large ones. You will explore
ways to increase student interaction and talk time with a variety of grouping strategies, including some specific to
younger or older learners and some for less or more crowded rooms.

You’ll also examine ways to build management into your lesson planning (for example by alternating activities that
stir students up with activities that settle them down), ways to give clear instructions, and ways to get students’
attention.

Module 3 Objectives
By this end of this module, you will be able to:

● Organize your class into groups for effective learning

● Build classroom management into your lesson planning
● Give instructions effectively

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 Module 3 Teacher Support Circle Video
A Teacher Support Circle is a group where educators come together to share experiences, ideas, and challenges to
help each other in their teaching journey. In this video, join three teachers as they discuss management of large
and multi-level classes.

As you watch, consider what issues you would have shared with the group if you had been there.

Using Groups to Manage Large Classes Teacher Support Video Transcript

Theme music and animation: 5 seconds

Location: Teachers' lounge. Mike and Mary are sitting around a table with beverages.

Action: Madeline joins them at the table with her beverage.

MARY and MIKE: Oh, hi, Madeline. Hi, Madeline.

MADELINE: Hello.

MARY: Oh, we're so glad you could be here. You know, Frances was asked to advise an after school club, so she
can't be here anymore. So, we're so glad that you could join us.

MADELINE: Well, thank you for letting me join the group. I need help with classroom strategies for organizing and
managing large classes, and I look forward to hearing your ideas.

MIKE: Yeah, I've been thinking about the use of groups and the benefits, and I remember in the university, we
were in houses, and students would support each other and get to know each other throughout the year. And I
also remember in after school programs, we were divided into teams. And the teams would do a lot of activities
together, and they would compete with other teams. And in the process, they would build community.

MADELINE: Yes, I think having class teams would give students a sense of belonging.

MIKE: Yeah, and I think it could help with classroom management too.

MADELINE: Right, there could be team leaders that help with tasks like taking attendance and making sure the
students are on task and paying attention.

MARY: Yeah, and I also, I've been thinking about, you know, who puts, who gets into groups. For example, you
know, sometimes our grouping is just random. If we have a quick, easy task, we just group students who are
seated close to each other. But other times you want to be more purposeful about your grouping, maybe to have
students at the same level all grouped together.

MIKE: Yeah, I think it's important to think about why we're grouping the students the way we do and for what
purpose. For example, if we have a lower level group, we want to give them an easier task. And then if we have a
higher level group, then we want to give them a more challenging task. And if we have a project that requires
students from different levels, then we want to have multiple levels of English speakers in the class.

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MADELINE: That's a good point. In addition, we need to think about how we break into groups, especially in large
classes. We don't want it to get too chaotic or take too much time.

MIKE: Yeah, I think this is where clear instructions are helpful. Uh, we can't just tell students to get in groups of six.
Uh, we actually have to be very specific, uh, very clear. Uh, we need to break down the instructions into steps. Uh,
we need to read them out loud. We need to write them on the board. And maybe we need to ask a student
volunteer to rephrase them.

MARY: Yeah, and I suggest that we avoid the question, "Does everybody understand?" That almost never helps.
Instead, I like to ask specific questions about the instructions, such as, "How many questions are you supposed to
write?" Or, "Who is going to report back to the large class about the results of the small group?"

MADELINE: Yes, and we can use our team leaders to help with that. We can say, "Team leaders, help get students
into groups of six and then look over your next tasks quietly."

MARY: Yeah, I like the idea about thinking how we group students, right? We can even put that in our lesson
plans, why we're doing it and how we're doing it, and then after the class we can come back to our lesson plans
and add notes about how it went so that next time we can improve when we use those lesson plans.

MIKE: Yeah, and when we use groups, I think is also very important. My students get restless after about 15
minutes of sitting and listening. And so, what I try to do after a quiet activity is to do something more lively and
interactive.

MADELINE: Yeah. So, let me ask you both how you use signals to get students to quiet down when you're trying to
end an activity. What do you think works the best for you?

MARY: Hmm. I know some teachers, they use a bell, or they have a special clap like.

MIKE: And I use my phone, and this is the signal that I use: [demos with last 15 seconds of Beethoven’s 9th
symphony]

Prepare for the Module

Read the questions below and think about your answers as you prepare for Module 3.

1. Do I feel confident about putting my class into long-term groups in order to improve student learning,
make classroom management more effective, and build community?
2. Do I feel confident about putting my class into temporary groups for certain activities to increase English
use and allow for differentiation?
3. Do I have ideas for managing a very crowded classroom where I can interact only with the front row?
4. Do I have ideas for managing noise in a large class?
5. Do I think about classroom management while doing my lesson planning?
6. Do I know how to alternate stirring and settling activities?
7. Do I plan instructions so that each step is clear?
8. Do I make it easier for students to understand instructions by giving them in multiple ways?
9. Do I have several ways to check that students have understood instructions?

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 10. Do I know how to effectively call the class together after a group activity?

To-Do List
In order to successfully complete Module 3, please do the following:

1.Read an introduction to the module and view the teacher support circle video. (20 minutes)
2.Complete a self-check. (20 minutes)
3.Join your colleagues in an optional group discussion about your classroom management
challenges and successes.
4. View videos, presentations, and articles on organizing the class into groups for effective learning,
including long-term groups and temporary groups. (60 minutes)
5. View videos, presentations, and articles on building management into your lesson planning. (30
minutes)
6. View videos, presentations, and articles on giving instructions effectively. (30 minutes)
7. Check your learning: Take a quiz about the content to check your understanding.* (15 minutes)
8. Select at least three items from Module 3 to place in your Teacher Tote. (30 minutes)
9. Share the selected items in an optional Teacher Tote discussion.
10. Complete the module checklist. (5 minutes)
● You must score at least a 70% on all graded quizzes to receive your digital badge and certificate.

"TSC Video," "Packet Download," "Self-Check," and "To-Do" by Azusa Pacific University are licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 2: Module 3 Vocabulary

Module 3 Vocabulary
Module 3 will feature the following key vocabulary words. You can return to this page to review as needed. These
words may appear in quizzes throughout the course.

Agency (noun)
Definition: the sense that you are in control

Brainstorm (verb)
Definition: to meet with other people to suggest a lot of ideas

Class Monitor (noun)

Definition: a student who has been chosen to help the teacher

Cue (verb)
Definition: to signal what a person should do or say

Gesture (noun)

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Definition: a movement of your head or hands to show meaning or feeling

Multiple (adjective)
Definition: many

Pod (noun)
Definition: a small group, usually of animals like dolphins; part of a space vehicle; recently used to describe a
closed group of people

Random (adjective)
Definition: chosen without a plan or pattern

Rapport (noun)
Definition: friendly agreement or relationship between people

Rotate (verb)
Definition: to change the places of people or things, especially in a circular direction

Squad (noun)
Definition: a small group of people, often in sports, the police, or the military

"Vocabulary" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 3: Challenges of Managing Large

Classes Discussion (Optional)

Challenges of Managing Large Classes Discussion

During this course, you can participate in optional discussions with teachers from around the world.

What makes managing a large class challenging?

Here are some photos of large classes around the world and comments about what might make it hard to manage
the class. What is your class like? What classroom management challenges do you face? Is it similar to one of the
photos below? Summarize your challenges related to managing students in your post.

#1: Class can be very noisy. Students are at many different levels of abilities; in addition, some work hard and
others do not.

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This work is an adaptation of “Children sitting” by Tony Nojman SK licensed under the Pexels license.

#2: There is no room to move. Resources are limited.

“Students with hands raised” by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu is licensed under the Pexels license.

#3: Students are used to lecture classes and are reluctant to speak English. They do not ask questions, even if
they don’t understand.

This work is an adaptation of “Photo” by Yogendra Singh licensed under the Unsplash license.

#4: Students don’t always sit quietly when they should. The teacher can’t always give personal feedback.

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“A school class” by Mario Heller is licensed under the Unsplash license.

#5: Grading as well as personal feedback and interaction with students is very difficult.

“lecture, student, university” by felixioncool is licensed under the Pixabay license.

Discussion Board Instructions (Optional)

Respond in the discussion below. You may use the template below.

My name is name . I teach in (country) . My classes have about (number) students.

I am commenting on Photo # __.

Write about what is similar or different between the photo and your class.

OR

Explain a challenge you face in managing your large class.

Share an idea for how you tried to address it.

Read other participants' introductions and respond to at least one of their posts. When you respond, try to
comment on what your peer(s) said, add additional information, and/or ask a question. If you have time, reply to
the responses on your own post.

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Netiquette

Netiquette reminds us how to politely interact in online forums, like this discussion. You can read about netiquette
in the Syllabus and Lesson 5c: Discussion Tips for MOOCs.

How to Post

Click the Reply button and then type your reply in the box. When you finish typing your post, click Post Reply.

>>>> Please note that this discussion can only be completed in Canvas <<<<

"Discussion" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 4: Organizing the Class for Effective

Learning
Classroom management is an important skill for teachers, especially when they teach large classes. This module
has three parts: organizing the class (especially by using groups), building management into lesson planning, and
giving instructions effectively.

In general, we need to find a balance between two principles. The first is giving students the support they need. In
a large class this is especially important when doing group work and when giving instructions. The second principle
is giving students responsibility for tasks they are able to do. The more students can do, the less work teachers
have and the more agency students will have.

Organizing the Class for Effective Learning Groups

A key strategy when teaching large classes is to break the class into smaller groups. This allows students to feel
more connected to each other. It allows the teacher to interact personally with more students. It makes it easier to
manage the class. Finally, it increases the amount of English students are using and improves student learning. We
will discuss two kinds of groups: groups that last the whole semester or term (teams) and temporary groups for
one activity, assignment, or project.

Long-Term Groups
Putting students into teams for an extended period of time can be a great way to manage large classes. Watch the
video below to learn more.

Long-Term Groups Video

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Long-Term Groups Transcript

Slide 1
One way to organize the class for effective learning is to divide the class into long- term groups.

Slide 2

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These groups stay the same for the whole quarter, semester, or term. They might be called a team, a
squad, a house, or a pod. Choose a name that's easy for your students to understand. The number and
size of groups depends on how big your class is. A class of 60 could be divided into 6 groups of 10, for
example. Students are usually randomly assigned to a long- term group. In other words, they are multi-
level.

Slide 3
Depending on their age, students might choose a color or mascot for their group. Students can choose a
name for their group, like Eagles, Tigers, Dolphins, or Lightning, Thunder, Typhoon. They might design a
flag. Or maybe they simply sit together during class.

Slide 4
Each team has a student leader. This is the person who will interact the most with the teacher. For the
teacher, at times, it's almost like having a class of 6, instead of a class of 60.

Slide 5
There are lots of management tasks that can be done within teams. For example, each team leader
takes attendance and checks homework for the students within their team. The leader can turn in a
report or summary. The teacher isn't having to call out 60 names or look at 60 pieces of paper. Team
leaders can also distribute materials. In a crowded room where the teacher cannot move to the middle
or back, the team leaders are the ones to make sure everyone in the team is paying attention and
staying on task.

Slide 6
Team competitions with a system of points and rewards can help students stay motivated. For example,
a team with everyone present and on time might get 10 points. If each member of the team has
completed their homework, the whole team might get 25 points.

Slide 7
Sometimes, teachers worry about individual responsibility. What would prevent the strongest student in
a team from doing the work for everyone? One way to make sure all students are participating is to
randomly call on individuals. "Eagles # 6! Blue team # 2!" A teacher can also ask the team leader to turn
in written work for individuals. For example, "Team leaders, today I'm collecting homework for the # 4
student in your team."

Slide 8
Long- term teams accomplish several goals. One is reducing the teacher's workload, and making it easier
to manage a number of teaching tasks. But they also create community for the students and give them a
sense of belonging. This makes long- term teams very worthwhile.

Temporary Groups
There are many activities that can use group work. Putting students in groups for discussions and tasks allows for
much more English use. Another reason to have students work in groups is for differentiation (see Module 2). For
example, you may want your beginning students to do an easier version of the project while advanced students
get a more challenging version. Or you might want to group students by their strengths and interests for a project.
For example, a book report can be divided between students who will report in four ways: write about the book,
give an oral presentation, draw something, or make a movie. This helps us meet individual needs and highlights the
different interests and strengths of all our students. Details are in the handouts below.

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Putting Students into Groups
When students work with different classmates, it gives them new energy and makes language practice
more interesting. They may be more likely to do the work and use English. Here are some ways to do
that in a large class.

If there is no room to move in the classroom

● “Get in groups of three or four.”
● “Front row, turn around to talk to a classmate behind you. Row three, turn around. Row five,
turn around….”

If your class is divided into long-term teams

● “Within your team, work in pairs/groups of three, etc”
● “Send half of your team to the next team in the room.” [draw a map on the board so “next
team” is clear]
● “Red team, line up against the window wall. Green team, find a partner by standing in front of
someone from the red team”

If there is space in the classroom (or outside) for students to walk around and
gather
● Pairs with matching cards. Each student has a card. They all walk around and talk to find their
partner
o Vocabulary word + picture
o Famous people + what they are known for
o Famous landmarks + their location in the world
o Question + answer
o Beginning of proverb + ending
- In a very big class, you will need several color-coded sets, e.g., 20 green, 20 yellow, 20 blue.
- If you want groups of three, some of these can be expanded, e.g., word + picture + definition.
● Groups:
o Playing cards: Students meet in numbered groups, e.g., Threes: heart, club, diamond,
spade
o Birthday splits: everyone with the same birthday month(s) meets in a certain spot in the
room
Draw a map on the board so students know where in the room to go. You can include where the
board, screen, door, or windows are along with numbered locations for students to move to. For
example, groups 1 and 2 know they should go near the board, groups 6 and 7 by the door, and so
on.

board screen
s
window

1 2 3 4

5 6 Door 7 8

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If you want students to move into different groups during the same class period
● Rotating groups with letter-number-shape cards1. For example, one card can have an A, a 1,
and a circle. Another card can have a B, a 1, and a Circle. Another card can have an A, a 2, and a
Heart, and so on. The cards should be set up so there are multiple ways (letter, number, shape)
to group students. (In a large class, make multiple sets of the same cards on different colored
paper.) For round 1, students get in groups of four people who have the same letter. For round
2, the groups have the same number. For round 3, the groups have the same shape.

Example instructions: “If you have a blue card, you will be in the front of the room. If you have a
yellow card, you will be in the back of the room. Get together with three classmates who have
the same letter. Look at the board/screen to see whether you will be near the west wall, the
middle, or the east wall. When you have found your group, begin the task.”

If you want to quickly put students in same-level or mixed-level groups

Make a plan for each student to be in a “color” group where everyone is at the same level of English
(blue, red, green, yellow, purple, etc.) and a “shape” group where students from all levels of proficiency
are mixed together (square, circle, triangle, rectangle, diamond, etc.). If you have different versions of a
handout for different levels, you can say, “Meet in your color groups for this activity.” If you want
students to be working across proficiency levels, say, “Meet in your shape groups for this project.”

If you want specific students in certain groups for a given activity

If you want to control the groups based on criteria such as whether students:
o have prepared something in advance or not
o are familiar with the task or not
o are at a higher level of proficiency or not
o know how to do X on their phone or not
o want to work on a poster, video, or presentation
● Prepare colored cards for students to pick up as they enter the room (or get leaders to distribute
them within teams). For example, “If you have completed the homework—which we’ll use in an
activity today—pick up a blue card. If you haven’t, pick up a white card.” Later in the class when
you put students into groups using any of the above methods, you can say, “Is there at least one
person in the group who has a blue card? Raise your hand, if not. Who has more than two
people with blue cards? Team leaders, please help move people around…”
Getting students used to the techniques
All of these techniques will take some practice. Decide on one or two that you think are best for your
class. Train your students so they know what you expect, e.g., how to look at the map on the board, how

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to move quietly and quickly, etc. You might time students to see if they get into groups efficiently. After
three or four tries, students will understand your instructions, and everything will go more smoothly.

Adapted from
1

(This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of this
course. It is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use.)

Bournhonesque, P. 2008. Group formation with cards: Using set theory for classroom management. In
Farrell, T. (Ed.) Classroom management. TESOL.

More ideas:

Getting students into impromptu groups and pairs for collaborative learning – Part 1, Part 2
https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/teachers-corner-classroom-management#child-1906

Reconceptualizing interactional groups: Grouping schemes for maximizing language learning

https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/10-48-1-d_1.pdf

AE Live 9:1 Random or intentional: Putting learners in groups that work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpioQwRp70E&list=PL7BlTIDdOgZK4qDu5WL8u3VvMwqguO_f1&in
dex=4

Student Roles and Responsibilities in Small Groups

Watch a video on student roles and responsibilities in small groups.

Student Roles and Responsibilities Video

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Responsibilities and Roles for Students Transcript

Slide 1
To make small groups work in the large class, we need to give more responsibilities to the students. This
helps students feel valued and capable. It also frees the teacher up to concentrate on instruction.

Slide 2
First, we’ll talk about general responsibilities that a class monitor or team leader can take on, letting the
teacher focus more on teaching. Secondly, we’ll talk about roles students can play within their small
groups while doing activities. This makes small groups more successful in terms of student learning.

Slide 3
Whether you have one student leader who is the monitor for the whole class or leaders within long-
term teams, they can help with organizational tasks. Let them take attendance, distribute materials,
collect homework, and so on.

Slide 4
Responsible and capable students can also help remind students of instructions. "What should we do
first? What are we supposed to say? Is there something we need to turn in?" Let the team leaders
answer such questions.

Slide 5
These leaders can also help when students are moving around. If you have used cards to put students
into new groups, and there’s a lost student looking around, a team leader can be the one to say to a lost
student, “your card is # 4…you are in that corner.”

Slide 6

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Finally, these leaders can help track noise level, pointing to a noise meter reminder so classmates will
speak more quietly. They can also pay attention to the time. This lets the teacher concentrate more on
the students and the language they are using.

Slide 7
Teacher complaints about small group activities might include, “The best student does everything and
no one else participates” or “Everyone just sits around and no one does the task.” One way to avoid
such problems is to give every student in each small group a role. This is especially important during
activities that will last ten minutes or more.

Slide 8
There are lots of possible roles, including leader, time-keeper, and reporter. The roles you choose will
depend on the age of the students and the goals of the class.

Slide 9
The roles students need to take will also depend on the activity.

Slide 10
For example, in an activity where students in groups of six are giving advice to characters they read
about on a handout, there are six different roles, including a teaching point monitor who listens to see if
students are using the phrases “it’s a good idea to” or “they could try.”

Assuming that each student in a group has a number, either because it’s their regular number in their
long-term group, or because they formed groups by numbering off, that is a way the teacher can assign
six roles to the group.

Make a plan for what to do if a student is absent.

Slide 11
Another example is students in a small group using cue cards to practice the past tense. There are four
key roles: materials person, leader, English monitor, and teaching point monitor. Not everyone needs a
role, so groups can be four, five, or six students.

Slide 12
Taking on a role and doing it in English isn’t something students can automatically do. You have to train
them.

Slide 13
If you want leaders to make sure everyone participates, include that in your training.

Slide 14
Students also need to know the English phrases to carry out their roles. A time-keeper might need
phrases like, “It’s time to do the next question” or “There are five minutes left.” for example.

Slide 15
Which students should take which roles? In a large class, the easiest way is to do it randomly. For
example, in one activity the #2 students are all the leaders. In another activity, the #6 students might be
the leaders, and so on.

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Slide 16
However, if you think it’s important that certain students take on certain roles, for example, that the
higher-level students in each group be the reporters, you can assign them.

Slide 17
The more the students themselves can do, the more the teacher will have time for teaching, feedback,
and interaction with students. The students will also grow in their ability to use English and their overall
responsibility.

● Read the handout on the language students need for those roles.

Language for Group Roles

In order for students to succeed in small group tasks, they need to know how to do their various roles
and they need to know how to do it in English.

Here is a starting point for teaching students the language for these roles. (How many and which roles
you assign will depend on the task.)

Leader
Let’s begin.
Our task is to _______.
Does anyone have an idea?
NAME, can you please read/write/tell, etc.
NAME, we haven’t heard from you. What do you think?
NAME, thank you for your ideas. Let’s hear from other students.
Reader
I’m going to start reading.
Here is the first/second/third question/paragraph, etc.
Let me read it again.
Secretary
I need to write it down.
Please spell it for me.
Can you repeat that, please?
Is this correct?
Reporter
During group work:
What should I tell the class?
When reporting:
One of our ideas was that ______
Our group decided that _____
We agreed that _____
Time-keeper
We have ___ minutes to finish each question/this task, etc.
It’s time to go to the next question/move on/finish up, etc.
Time is running out.
We have more time, so we can go more slowly/talk more/play one more time, etc.
Monitor

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Depending on the task and the teacher’s instructions:
We should be using English now.
Good job, NAME. You used past tense/conditional,etc.
Materials person
At the beginning:
Here are our materials.
Everyone gets _____ [three cards, a different picture, etc.]
At the end:
Please give me all the cards/pencils/papers, etc.

A Few More Points

1. Rotate Seating
In some crowded classrooms, the front is the best place for a teacher to hear and interact with individual students.
In this case, it’s good to rotate who gets to sit in the front. You might have a different team sit in the front every
week. You could also use the class list. For example, students with last names A through C sit in the front one
week, the next week it will be students D through F, and so on. Eventually, all students will be able to sit in front.
This is especially important if you’re doing in-class assessment (See Module 5.)

2. Noise
Some teachers don’t like to use pair or small group work because the class may become noisy. This is something to
train your class in. Model the volume level that works for your room. If students start speaking more loudly, signal
that they need to get quieter. A signal that is quiet is especially effective, like waving a red flag or holding up a
yellow or red card like those from soccer (football) games, instead of shouting “Be quiet!”

3. Time
Student-centered and communicative activities can take time. If students are slow in moving to a group or getting
started on the task, valuable minutes can be lost. Again, train students to move quickly. You might give them a
challenge, for example, “Today, I think you can move to your corner in two minutes.” Or “Partners, you have five
minutes to write down ten ideas. I know you can do it! Your time starts now!”

"Video" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 5: Building Management into Lesson

Planning

Building Management into Lesson Planning

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One of the reasons classroom management in a large class is hard is that we have to pay attention to student
behavior and make many decisions very quickly at the same time we’re trying to teach the lesson. It can be helpful
if we try to imagine in advance how the lesson will take place and what problems might happen. We can solve a lot
of management problems during the lesson planning stage.

Watch the video below to learn more about:

● Using routines
● Using template activities
● Stirring versus settling activities
● Dealing with students who finish fast
● Differentiation and student support

Build Management into Lesson Planning Video

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Build Management into Lesson Plans Transcript

Slide 1
In this video you’ll learn how to think about classroom management before class begins.

Slide 2
Classroom management can feel hard when we have to make lots of on-the-spot decisions. Students
finish too fast--now what? Students are falling asleep—oh no! Instead, we can try to anticipate what
will happen during class while we are planning our lessons.

Slide 3
First, having routines and procedures that are done every day or every week is a way to reduce
classroom management challenges. When students learn how to do these routine activities, everything
goes smoothly. For example, primary students may know that first they do an opening song. When they
hear the first couple of notes, they immediately start singing. It can take some time to teach students
the regular routines of the day or week, but it’s worth it.

Slide 4
Some activities can be used again and again with different content. They are like templates—a basic
shape that can be filled with different teaching points.

Slide 5
For example, model sentences. The model is written on the board, along with several options to help
students write their own sentences. Model sentences can be used with all kinds of grammar patterns.
Variations can be to write silly sentences instead of true ones, or sentences about a classmate or a
favorite celebrity.

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Slide 6
Another example of a template is pair work where the interaction is cued by cards. Once the teacher has
introduced this several times, students will quickly get to work creating their cards and practicing
speaking with each other based on the card they draw from their pile.

Slide 7
Sometimes classroom management problems happen because students have been sitting too long and
are getting sleepy or restless. Sometimes the opposite is true—students have been doing a lively activity
and are slow to get quiet. We can prevent such problems during the planning stage by alternating
activities that stir students up or stimulate them, with activities that settle students down or calm them.

Slide 8
Some examples of settling activities that will quiet the students down are listening or individual reading.

Slide 9
Some stirring activities that will wake students up and enliven the class are pair speaking activities or
group games.

Slide 10
Activities with movement are stirring, and even in a large class, students can move with activities like
“stand when you hear,” or “TPR with hands."

Slide 11
Planning in advance can also take care of another management issue—timing. There will always be
students who finish activities before their classmates. It’s good if we can plan ahead to give them more
opportunities to improve their English.

Slide 12
For example, after reading the chapter about Tom Sawyer getting the other boys to paint the fence for
him, all students can answer the first three questions. But students who are better at English, can
answer a fourth question that requires more synthesis and critical thinking.
See: https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/tom-sawyer-mark-twain_0.pdf

Slide 13
It’s also important not to wait until every student has finished before stopping the activity. Walk around
to see that most students have done most of the work and then call time. You can say something like,
“Your group might have discussed only the first two problems. That’s OK.”

Slide 14
Sometimes students get into a task right away, but sometimes they have difficulty getting started. In a
large class, it’s hard to walk around giving help to all the students who are just sitting there instead of
working. Teachers can build help for students who need it into their lesson plan.

Slide 15
For example, if we want them to do a role play, maybe lower level students need the first and last
sentences. If we want them to talk about a picture, maybe they’ll do better if we give them three words
to start with. The form this extra help takes might be a handout that you only give to students who
really need it. In places where handouts are not practical, put the help on a piece of paper that you stick
to the wall. Students who need it can walk over and look.

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Slide 16
Each of these ideas can be thought about before you get into the classroom and written into your lesson
plans…and they will each make management once you are actually teaching much easier.

"Video" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 6: Giving Instructions Effectively

Giving Instructions Effectively

When students understand what to do, they will spend less time wondering and asking, and more time on the
learning task. It’s a good idea to plan instructions in advance and write them into our lesson plans.

1. Think through Every Step of an Activity

It helps to imagine the activity happening in your mind, as if you’re watching a movie. What happens first? second?
third? For example, in an activity with cards to cue what students say, students first learn vocabulary words from
the textbook, then brainstorm as a whole class additional words, then choose some of the words to write on a set
of cards, then get into groups, and then do an activity with the cards. Effective instructions will begin with an
overview (giving students the big picture). But at each stage, there will be more clear instructions, for example:

● We have learned ten words about food from our book. What are some words about food that are
important for us here in ___ that we can add? Talk to a classmate for one minute. Then I’ll call on you.
[One minute.] Please raise your hand. I will write your responses on the board.
● We have 20 words about food, 10 in the book and 10 on the board. Choose five from each place. You will
write one word on each of your cards. Like this. [Draw an example on board.] Leaders, you have the cards.
Give ten to each student on your team.
● Now it’s time for our activity. First, just listen. Quiet please. Work in pairs or threes. Put all your cards in a
pile on a desk in front of you. Take turns picking a card. Use the card to ask a question of your classmate.
During this round, we are using the pattern: Do you like ______? (Then show the class what this looks
like.) Look at the board for patterns you’ll use in the next rounds. OK, now you can begin.

2. Give Instructions in Multiple Ways

It’s usually not enough for the teacher to simply tell students what to do. Using multiple or several different
modes or forms is helpful. If students miss one, they will understand the other(s).

● The teacher tells the class what to do

● Key points are written on the board or projected
● There is visual information (e.g., diagram of what parts of the room groups should go to)
● Occasionally some translation can be helpful, but overall our goal is to use English as much as possible.
● The teacher models the activity with one or more students up front.

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Modeling an Activity Video

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Modeling an Activity Transcript

Board: sample card, Where/live Where do you live? ____ do you _____

Kitty: Okay, today we're going to be practicing simple present tense questions like, "Where do you live?"
We'll be using cue cards. Remember the ones that you made last week like this? Let's have Suji and Jia
come up and show us what to do. Take the cards out and put them on your desk face down in a pile.
Now pick a card. Show the class. Can you make a question?
Ask your partner.

Ja: How do you get to school?

Suji: I take the metro.

Kitty: Okay, now it's your turn. Ask.

Suji: Who do you admire?

Ja: I admire my mother.

Kitty: Okay, that's wonderful. Do you get the idea? Every pair will have an envelope. So, Ja and Suji, can
you give these to the pairs in the class? Thank you.

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3. Use Gestures
Gestures and hand signals can help with instructions that you give often, for example, “work in pairs,” “think
quietly for a minute,” or “write in your notebook.” They can also help with specifics. For example, learners might
think that every question has one right answer, but you can use signals to ask for different types of answers.
Holding your hands like an open book means the answer is in the book. Pointing to your heart means the answer
should be personal. Tap the front of your head means that students should use their imagination.

Some US teachers teach their students some signs from American Sign Language. For example, the sign for “I’m
finished” is holding out both hands with their backs out and quickly turning them to fronts out. Your class will be
quieter if students can gesture that they’ve finished a task instead of shouting out “finished.”

Position 1

"ASL Finished a" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Position 2

"ASL Finished b" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

4. Check Understanding after Giving Instructions

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It’s probably not helpful to ask, “Do you understand?” or “Does anyone have any questions?” Instead:

● Ask questions, such as “How many words will you think of?” or “Are you going to read from the book or
use your own ideas?”
● If students are in teams, team leaders can make sure everyone knows what to do. You can also assign a
monitor to walk around the room and help students who are confused.
● Remember that it will take longer to give instructions the first time students have done an activity. For
example, the first several times you do “think-pair-share” you will have to explain each stage, but when
students are used to this pattern, your instructions can simply be “We’re doing a think-pair-share now.”
This is why routines and templates are so valuable in a large class.

5. Call the Class Together

This kind of work in a large class will be more manageable when the teacher can easily get the whole class to stop
what they’re doing and pay attention to the teacher again. Teachers use a variety of sounds and signals to do this.
View the video below to see a variety of ways to gather the class.

Using Signals Video

Using Signals Transcript

Kitty: If your class has been working independently, perhaps reading and writing, or working in small
groups, it's very important to be able to quickly get their attention. Just saying, "Okay class, listen to
me."
That's not going to work very well. This video shows some signals which you might use. The ones you
choose will depend on factors such as your culture, how old your students are, what type of class
you're teaching, what the activity is, and what resources you have. Take a look.

[Teacher rings a bell. Students stop talking.]

[Teacher shakes tambourine. Students stop talking.]

[Teacher plays a chime. Students stop talking.]

[Teacher plays a ringtone or music. Students stop talking.]

[Teacher touches nose. Students stop talking.]

[Teacher gives a 5-clap pattern. Students clap in response.]

Kitty: 5

All: 4, 3, 2, 1.

Kitty: Class. Class.

Students: Yes, yes.

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Kitty: Hands on top.

Class: Everybody stop.

[Students talking. Teacher holds up stop sign.]

[Bell rings]
Kitty: Okay. Class time's up.

Kitty: Students can be taught to use signals too, and that can also keep the class quiet and more
efficient. An internet search will give lots of examples. Here are just two.

A student needs help. [Student raises hand.]

A student is finished. [Student raises fist.]

Additional Resources I
AE Live 2.3: Strategies for Managing Large Classes

https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/strategies-managing-large-classes

AE Live 14.4: Planning for and Managing Small Group Instruction

https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/american-english-webinars#child-2776

Rhoades, G. (2013). Minimizing the chaos through cooperative classroom management. English Teaching Forum,
51(4). https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/english-teaching-forum-2013-volume-51-number-4#child-1620

Additional Resources II
(This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of this course. It is not
Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use.)

Scrivener, J. (2012). Classroom management techniques. Cambridge University Press.

"Video" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 7: Class Management Quiz

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 Quiz
>>>> Please note that this quiz can only be completed in Canvas <<<<

Take the Learner Differences Quiz for Module 3. You can take the quiz as many times as you need. It is set up to
keep the highest score. As you take the quiz, you may refer to your notes if necessary. Be sure to read the
feedback after you submit your answers. Please note that you must score at least 7 out of 10 points to move on to
the next module. Good Luck!

"Quiz" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 8: Teacher Tote Discussion (Optional)

Your Teacher Tote

Remember that the Teacher Tote is a portfolio that you add to each week. Try to choose at least three activities to
add to your Teacher Tote this week. Of course, you can always add more! At the end of the five weeks, you will
have at least fifteen activities that you can use with your students and share with others.

You can choose:

● Activities from the course. You may want to select activities from the following modules:
○ Module 3 Task 4: Organizing the Class for Effective Learning
○ Module 3 Task 5: Building Management into Lesson Planning
○ Module 3 Task 6: Giving Instructions Effectively
● Activities you have used in the past with your students, and
● Activities you find online. One place where you can find resources that are free to use with your students
is the American English Website.

To create your own Teacher Tote, you can write on your own paper or notebook or download the Teacher Tote
template.

TEACHER TOTE TEMPLATE

SHARING PLAN

Who? Which people can you share

with weekly and/or after the course
is complete?

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 How? How can you share the
information? (e.g., on social media, at
school, presenting to teachers)

TEACHER TOTE ACTIVITIES

Module 1

Name of Activity Explanation of Activity

Module 2

Name of Activity Explanation of Activity

Module 3

Name of Activity Explanation of Activity

Module 4

Name of Activity Explanation of Activity

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 Module 5

Name of Activity Explanation of Activity

Continue building your tote now by following the steps below.

1. Think about all the activities included in this module.

2. Select the three that you want to add to the Module 3 section in your Teacher Tote.
3. Fill in your Teacher Tote Template for Module 3.

Teacher Tote Discussion (Optional)

In the optional Teacher Tote sharing discussions in each module of this course, you have the opportunity to share
your favorite activities with other teachers from around the world.

In the discussion below, share the three activities you added to your Teacher Tote this week and why you chose
them. If you have used the activities with your students, you can also share a few details about how they
responded to the activities.

In addition, ask a question for others to think about.

Below are two examples of how teachers may post to this discussion board.

Teacher 1:

(1) Organizing the class: long-term teams

Next semester, I will try to divide my third year class into four teams of 10-12 students each. The following
students might be good team leaders….. I’ll divide the class randomly, but make sure the groups are evenly mixed
in terms of abilities. I’m thinking of having them choose team names from authors they study, for example,
Steinbeck, Hurston, Twain, and Angelou, but they may have other ideas. The first week I’ll spend about 30 minutes
on some of the “learning lives” and “setting ground rules” activities that I learned in Module 1.

(2) Building management into lesson planning: dealing with students who finish fast.

I have about five students who always finish fast because their English is so much better than everyone else’s and a
couple of students who finish fast because they rush through their work, but do it badly. The units in our grammar

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book have six focused practice exercises. In the past we have only had time to do three of them. Next semester,
I’m going to try to cover them all but with instructions like this: Exercise #1, do questions 1-4. If you have time, do
5 and 6. Units have a theme and some exercises tell a story, so another possibility is to tell fast finishers to respond
to the story with a sentence or two, e.g., “Would you do the same thing?” or “What is your favorite sport to play or
watch?”

(3) Giving instructions: calling the class together

I like the idea of music to signal the end of group time. My students like Bruno Mars, so maybe a line from Talking
to the Moon (“I want you back”), and they like Taylor Swift, so maybe a bit of King of My Heart (“I’ve been waiting,
waiting”). I’ll need to edit those songs so I have just the little piece I want to play—maybe I can ask some students
to help me (less work for me, more capability for students, as I learned in the introduction to this module).

Question for the group: Do you have any advice about long-term teams?

Teacher 2:

(1) Building management into lesson planning – Stirring vs settling

My young learners always seem to be in the wrong mode for my activities—moving around when they should be
sitting still, tired when they should be active. I’m going to go through each lesson and see if I need to put the
activities in a different order. For example, I have one class early in the morning. The textbook has a song at the
end of each lesson, but I think if we do it first thing, it will wake up the students. I have another class that is
especially playful and even naughty. I will make sure that after each activity which involves reading or writing, I
plan to do something more active. Then I can tell them, for example, “If you finish your writing quietly, we will do a
chant afterwards.”

(2) Giving instructions: using gestures

I already use some gestures for “listen” and “be quiet.” But I’m going to think through all my activities and develop
some additional ones. Showing “louder please” by holding a cupped hand next to my ear is important for some shy
students in my class. If I want students to work together, I’ll link the fingers of my two hands. If they have
answered almost correctly but I want them to say more, I’ll do a rolling forward gesture. I like what I learned in the
module about signaling “use your imagination” by flicking my fingers (like sparks) near my head.

(3) Organizing the class: temporary teams

My class has a heavy load of vocabulary to learn. I think students would benefit from being in small groups that
will encourage each other to learn in a way that matches their preference (as I learned in Module 2). I’m going to
suggest flash cards, physical action, and role play, but maybe the students will have additional ideas. For 15
minutes each Monday, students will meet in their small vocabulary group and start work on their weekly word list.
I hope they will help each other during the week too, before the quiz on Friday. Halfway through the semester, I
want to have a time for groups to teach the whole class, using their preferred techniques. Maybe students will
realize that other ways of learning are also helpful.

Question for the group: Does a settling activity really work, or are your students still too active at times?

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 DISCUSSION POST CHECKLIST
● I shared the three activities I added to my Teacher Tote.
● I shared the reason I chose the three activities.
● I asked a question for others to answer.
● I followed the netiquette guidelines.

Netiquette

Netiquette reminds us how to politely interact in online forums, like this discussion. You can read about netiquette
in the Syllabus and Lesson 5c: Discussion Tips for MOOCs.

How to Post

Click the Reply button and then type your reply in the box. When you finish typing your post, click Post Reply.

>>>> Please note that this discussion can only be completed in Canvas <<<<

"Teacher Tote," "Discussion," and "Checklist" by Azusa Pacific University are licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 3 Task 9: Module Checklist

MODULE CHECKLIST
>>>> Please note that this quiz can only be completed in Canvas <<<<

Congratulations on reaching the end of Module 3! Let’s check to make sure you completed all of the tasks. Look at
the list below and see if you completed each of the items.

○ I read an introduction to the module and viewed the teacher support circle video.
○ I viewed videos and read about how to organize classes for effective learning, including long-term groups
and temporary groups.
○ I viewed videos and read about how to build management into my lesson planning.
○ I viewed a video and read about how to give instructions effectively.
○ I selected at least three items from Module 3 to place in my Teacher Tote.
○ I completed two quizzes with a score of 70% or higher.

If you completed all of the tasks, choose “yes” to move to the next module.

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"To Do List" by Azusa Pacific University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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