As new teachers, most of us are a little bit overwhelmed at the thought of planning and implementing our lessons. Even if we have the perfect plan, it’s hard to execute it if we don’t have the attention of our students. Following are a list of suggestions that may be helpful in your classroom. Remember, as a teacher the students look to you for guidance. Be consistent, fair and fun with your students from the very beginning and they will respect you. Here are some ground rules to help you keep things in line:
- Lay down the rules. -These rules need to be clear and simple (Ex: 1. Raise your hand to ask a question 2. Only speak English in the classroom 3. Listen when the teacher is speaking) Post them in your classroom and review them at the beginning of every class. Read them and have your students rehearse them with you. Before you know it, they will be policing each other.
- Give consequences consistently – Any seasoned teacher knows that if there are no consequences for negative behaviors, the students will not follow your rules. The same disciplinary action should be taken for all students and every time a rule is broken (e.g. If a child speaks in their native language, they have to stand beside their desk for 2 minutes).
- Use a token system – Whether you put checkmarks beside the students names on the board, give them coupons for a job well done, or give the best behaved student a reward at the end of class; extrinsic motivators work extremely well in the ESL classroom.
- Use student teachers or teacher helpers – This works very well for the students who always want the teacher’s attention and are constantly distracting the others. By asking those students to help you with the lesson and focusing constructive attention on them, you will be reinforcing positive behavior.
- Implement Body Breaks – It may seem silly but this is especially helpful for your sanity if you have an extra-squirmy group of kids. Be sure to explain the rules thoroughly before trying and failing. These things will need to be practiced
- Have fun - Each class should begin with a short warm up and end with a cool down. This is a great time to get to know your students and be silly with them while singing a song with actions or playing a game. A very useful tool during the game is a “freeze signal”. You can say the word “freeze” or use a nonverbal cue such as flicking the lights or putting your hand in the air and waiting for all of the children to follow you.
Successful teachers are likely to use one or more of these tactics in some variation in their classroom. Think outside the box and be creative when you are trying new behavioral strategies. Share and brainstorm ideas with other teachers and try to implement similar strategies in order to establish the expectations of your students.
If you have a strategy that has worked well for you, let us know so that we can share it with other teachers.
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