CLASSROOM

MANAGEMENT

− DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS −

Nora Alejos Azkona

 DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS
• Order is needed to facilitate learning.

• Discipline problems diminish:

 being skilful in lesson management
 establishing authority

• Nevertheless, misbehaviour occur even in the

lessons of the most skilful teachers.
TYPES OF MISBEHAVIOUR
• Excessive talk or talking out of turn
• Being noisy (verbal, shouting, and non-verbal,
playing drums with pencils)
• Not paying attention to the teacher
• Not getting on with the work
• Being out of their seat without good cause
• Bothering other pupils
• Arriving late for lessons
CAUSES OF MISBEHAVIOUR
• Children come to our lessons in a certain
state of mind, in a good or bad mood
• Compulsory activity
--
• Inability to do the work
• Boredom
• Prolonged mental effort
• Low academic self-esteem
• Emotional difficulties
• Lack of negative consequences
Two key aspects
that diminish
discipline problems are:
• being skilful in lesson management

• establishing authority
1. LESSON MANAGEMENT

• key task: to elicit and sustain pupils’

productive involvement throughout the
lesson.

• Beginnings, transitions and endings are

key areas of lesson management.
Beginings
• PUNCTUALITY
• MENTAL SET
• voice of curiosity and excitement: to elicit and
maintain pupils’ interest
• Involve kids targeting them
• A successful introduction to a lesson makes it
easier to sustain learning as the lesson goes on.
Transitions

• Smoothly. Be sensitive.

• Individual or group iInstructions ?

Endings

• Can be useful for:

 including a few words of praise about the work
they have done
 review, conclusions and summary about what it
was achieved
 setting homework
• Time
• Exit
- Maintaining pupil’s
involvement
• NOT just keeping them busy.
• Involvement is closely related to motivation, interest
and adequateness of the tasks’ level. Therefore, we
have to:
o set up educationally effective activities (purpose).
o stimulate intellectual curiosity and communicate enthusiasm.
o structure information well (lesson plan); signal and smooth
transitions.
o give clear instructions (using flash cards, pictures, real
material…), well paced and with examples.
o provide opportunities for pupils to talk; listen to what they have
to say.
o …
- Pace and flow of the lesson

• Not too fast

• Not to slow

• Avoid interruptions; postpone if possible

• When giving individual help to a pupil,

periodically scan the classroom
- Managing pupil movement
and noise
• Movement: set up rules
• Noise:
 Speak always with at our normal level of voice
 When pupils keep talking and don’t pay attention, stop
and wait.
 Allow children to express themselves (raise hand)
 Realize good noise.
 Be reasonably consistent. It’s better to say “you can
talk to your neighbour, but not to other pupils” or “try
to ensure that only one person in each group is
speaking at a time!, than “the noise level is too high!”
− Positive reinforcement
• Praise them for their efforts, positive behaviours
and contributions in class.
• Be sympathetic and supportive.
• Locate the problem in the task or activity rather
than in the pupil.
• Check and correct their assignments, and use
smilies or positive comments.
• This kind of feedback gives security
2. ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY

• Authority to manage their learning

• Convey your status
• Appear relaxed, self-assured and
confident: indicated by the tone of voice,
posture, facial expression and use of eye-
contact.
• Be competent at teaching
• Establish rules
Establishing rules:
– There must be no talking when the teacher is
talking.
– There must be no disruptive noises.
– Rules for entering, leaving and moving in
classrooms (going to the toilet).
– Pupils must raise hand to answer or make
questions, not shout out.
– Respect must be shown for equipment.
– Respect for classmates and teachers.
– Pupils must ask if they don’t understand.
− Dealing with pupil
misbehaviour effectively
• Prevention strategies
• Be friendly but firm.
• Establish rules and stick to them.
• Plan motivating lessons (abilities and interests).
• Involve students.
• Praise good behaviours and contributions.
• Don’t stay too long doing an activity.
• Scan and circulate around the classroom.
• Non-verbal language: eye-contact, moving towards them.
– Give help to kids when they are having
difficulties.
– Change activities and pace.
– If a kid is misbehaving or showing disrespect,
indicate it (non-verbal language).
– Move pupils if necessary
Managing pupil misbehaviour

• Investigating and counselling

• Reprimands

• Punishments
− Positive teaching

• Pupil behaviours that are rewarded are

more likely to occur in the future, and
behaviours that are not rewarded or are
punished are less likely to occur.
• Identify desirable behaviours to be
promoted
 Praising programmes