Classroom�Management��Ongoing Teacher Training����

Education  &  Workforce   Development

Organize & Implement Instruction

Rules

• Students need expectations to be clear.
• Write class rules on the board and review that first.
• Review rules with students during the first few classes.
• Anticipate things like cell phone use, not speaking in English with classmates, &c.
• Not every situation can be covered. Start with basics and add to the rules as needed.

Organize & Implement Instruction

Rules (cont’d)

• Rule #1: Speak only English in class; especially amongst themselves.
• Come prepared (book, notebook, pen/pencil)
• Phones on silent/vibrate. Take calls outside.
• Raise your hand to speak.
• &c.

Organize & Implement Instruction

Priorities

• By tracking class time, you can figure out priorities.
• What do you spend time on? Are activities focused on speaking? Reading? Who talks most? You? How often do students speak and with whom?
• Lack of engagement leads to distracted students. If not engaged, they’ll turn to peers for help, to discuss something off-topic, or simply from boredom.
• Best remedy is increased student talk time. Building on this priority, lessons are more helpful, the classroom more interactive, and students more engaged.

Manage Groups

Authority

• Keeping your authority is about earning the trust of your students and presenting yourself with confidence.
• As teacher, you are the English expert, which students come to learn from.
• Don’t be afraid to be firm with students if they overstep.
• If a student continues to disrupt, ask them to leave. Staff are always available if you need help.

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Manage Groups

Role

• As teacher, facilitate learning and discussion, but not forcefully.
• Adult students bring a lot of experience and capability to the classroom; they want to be helped to learn, so an authoritative teaching style may not work.

Seating

• Classroom arrangement can affect engagement. Rearranging desks or moving chairs for an activity can contribute to more student talking time, more engagement, and more communicative activities.

Manage Groups

Discussions

• Structure the class so everyone practices their speaking.
• Some students talk over others; some are shy and don’t speak up. Remember this when assigning group work.
• Make sure even the quietest student speaks. Don’t let 1 or 2 students dominate discussions and answer questions before anyone else has a chance.
• A class rule for raising hands to speak is useful here.
• Manage discussions and group work by setting time limits.

Manage Groups

Interpersonal Relationships

• Rarely, one student may offend another, or different backgrounds may cause tension.
• These conflicts can be subtle, so be alert and sensitive to them. The opposite may also happen; students forming cliques to the exclusion of others.
• You needn’t split up groups of friends or force students to work together but pay attention to these relationships to manage them effectively.

Develop Student Relationships

Building Trust and Respect

• Trust and respect make a difference in the classroom. When students feel safe, heard, and respected, they’re likely to respect you and one another.
• Encourage students to ask questions by incorporating it into each lesson. Students likely won’t feel comfortable asking questions until you’ve built a base layer of respect.
• We all fear looking dumb; stress to students that they are never penalized for not knowing an answer. Even in quizzes and tests, the score is a tool to help you continue teaching and them continue learning.

Develop Student Relationships

Building Trust and Respect (cont’d)

• English language learners need more time to think. Before an activity or after asking a question, give your students time to think of their answer. If you ask students something, wait for them to begin answering or writing it down before sharing.
• Use student names to build rapport and encourage participation. Use name cards if needed.

Develop Student Relationships

Student/Teacher Relationship

• When teaching other adults, it may feel like they are peers. Students will naturally enjoy your company and see it as an opportunity to practice what they’ve learned, and will want to share their culture, &c. with you.
• This can get complicated: friendships with students can lead to unconsciously playing favorites or going easy on those students.
• Keep things cordial but maintain the student/teacher relationship.

Promote Student Development

Manage Student Expectations

• Students have high expectations, which can be dashed when their progress is not as quick as they imagined.
• Clearly outlining each day’s lesson content (writing what will be taught that day on the board) and showing how later concepts build on earlier ones, helps students realize their progress.

Promote Student Development

Show, Don’t Tell

• Instead of giving students an answer, guide them to it. Use pictures or other methods to convey a concept. This strategy is more engaging and more likely to be remembered because they arrived at the answer themselves.
• Encourage students to look something up if they don’t know. Show them how to use the indexes in the book; how to use their phones to access a dictionary.

Promote Student Development

Involvement through Questions

• Asking questions is an incredible learning and classroom management tool. When students know they’ll be an integral part of the learning process and will be asked questions, they’re more likely to pay attention.
• If students are distracted, asking a question gets them back on track. Don’t trick students or embarrass them.
• If teaching a lesson on laundry, ask students where they wash clothes. If teaching about finding a job, ask students what information is needed to apply for a job. Involve students at every step.

Resources for Teachers

Teachers Portal

• Digital textbooks and resource center.
• Class logs. Fill after class!
• Additional resources and more!

Manassas

• Teaching aids, worksheets, &c.

Parish Sites & Online

• Ask and thou shalt receive.

THANK YOU!