Ability to Control and Inspire a Class

Seating Arrangement

 Spoken language is about people talking to

each other not talking to their friend’s back.

 Be prepared to re-arrange chairs to make it

easier and more natural for students to see
and talk to each other.
Seating Arrangement and
Student Grouping

 Orderly rows
 Circles and horseshoe

 Whole class Teaching

 Individualized Learning
 Pair work
 Group work
Stand up when you’re directing

 Sit down in a language class is only when the students are

doing something which for the moment does not involve
you.

 Once you have introduced and started the activity, it is

usually better to sit down.

 It is important that the students can see you and in

particular your mouth and eyes.

 Standing also means you can see all the students clearly
and can use your eyes and hands effectively.
Look at the students
 If you are standing and your eyes are constantly
moving over the class, everyone feels involved.

 Your eyes can be used instead of your hands to

indicate who should answer a question, whether
something is right or wrong, to encourage, etc.

 It is particularly important to remember that the

easiest way to check whether your students understand
what you have said or what they have read or heard is
for your eyes to look at theirs.
Use Your Hands to Encourage and
Direct Students
A simple gesture can indicate:

 who is going to answer a question

 which pair of students should read a dialogue
 something is wrong
 that a students should repeat something.

CAUTION:
Do not overuse the gestures.
Creating pairs and groups

Friendship
Streaming
By Chance

Pairing and Grouping decisions based on a variety of

factors:
 Concerned about the atmosphere of the whole class and
some of the tensions in it?
Creating pairs and groups

 Activity is based on Fun?

 Dealing with a non-homogenous class in

terms of level?
Class Management
 Proximity:
how close should a teacher work with the students.
 Movement:
move to some extent
 Eye-contact:
students feel involved
 Clothing

 Stand when directing activity

Class Management
 Voice:

Audibility & Variety

Listen to this example was she there yes she was listen
again was she there yes she was but now listen to this
does she know him yes she does notice in the first was
she yes she was and in the second example does she yes
she does if there’s was in the question there’s was in the
answer if there’s does in the question there’s does in the
answer listen again.
Class Management

 Use the back of your hand to point

 Classroom instructions : simple, precise and

explicit

Can you work in pairs now please?

Work in pairs with the person next to you.
Class Management

 Admit your ignorance

 Divide the whiteboard:

three parts – two smaller side panels and a
large central area

 Demonstrate rather than explain new

activities
Class Management
Horror of horrors:
Run out of Material
Solution:

take piles of material with you ?

NO!

Expand, don’t clutter!

A small amount of material which provides the basis of the lesson, and
a range of techniques to develop the material in interesting, varied
and effective ways