Managing a young learner classroom

1. .managing
a young learner classroom

2. .content
.learner differences
.dealing with discipline
.routines + responsibility
.variation
.praise

3. .learner differences
>consider
- what ages do you teach (or have you taught)? what differences are there?
-which ages are you most comfortable with?
-what considerations have to be made for very young learners?
-how can we deal with differences in learning abilities?
>expert’s view
Your creativity as a teacher will develop through small steps, combined with noticing closely what
happens for the children you teach.
Cameron & McKay, Creative Teaching

4. .learner differences
>very young learners
>older learners
- shorter activities
- move more
c
- teacher led activities
- intensely curious
- learner led talk probably be in L1
- use the senses
- a bit longer
- still moving, but less
c
- may get embarrassed
- can work in pairs or groups more
- learner led talk probably a mix of English and L1
>expert’s view
It is important that children can listen and watch without fear of having to speak until they feel ready
Cameron & McKay, Creative Teaching

5. .learner differences
>try this
Try an activity with older learners that you’d usually do with younger learners (or vice versa). Make
some notes about how the children responded.

6. .dealing with discipline
>video
‘Punishing learners only works for a short while’

7. .dealing with discipline
>expert view
Strategies for dealing with discipline problems should be directly related to the learner’s behaviour.
Nelson, Lott and Glenn
>scenario
A student has written on the table in the classroom. Look at the strategies below for dealing with
it and evaluate them.
a) ignore it
b) take 2% off the students marks in the next exam
c) make the student clean all the tables
d) make the student write ‘I must not write on the table’ 10 times in their notebook
e) make all the students stay an extra 5 minutes
f) ask the student if he would like to clean the table now or after the class

8. .dealing with discipline
>summary
a) ignore it – NO, always deal with discipline. Otherwise it becomes acceptable behaviour.*
b) take 2% off – NO, this is unfair and confusing. It is not addressing the problem.
c) clean all tables - NO, this is disproportionate and disrespectful. It is likely to make the learner
feel ashamed.
d) write lines – NO, it is unrelated to the problem like b. It could make the learner feel stupid and
maybe even dislike writing.
e) all students stay – NO, the other students are not responsible with the behaviour of one.
f) clean now or later– YES, it is reasonable and directly related to the problem. It also gives the
learner a choice.

9. .dealing with discipline
> tip
encourage learners to take responsibility for their own behaviour
- What kinds of problems do you have with discipline in your class?
- How do you usually deal with them?
- Do you think you always ‘deal with the problem’?
- Do you find it easy to be fair and consistent?
- Based on what you’ve seen in the video, is there anything you would change about
the way you handle certain problems?

10. .dealing with discipline
>scenario
Do you think this situation was handled well? Why? Would you have done anything differently?
(Lourdes throws a heavy folder across the table which unsettles another student, Paula, and makes a loud
noise).
Teacher – Lourdes?
Lourdes – Sorry.
Teacher – Why are you sorry?
Lourdes – Por tirar la carpeta.
Teacher – Throwing a folder is not a good idea, is it?
Lourdes – No.
Teacher – Why not?
Lourdes – Puede hacer daño o molestar a alguien.
Teacher – Good. Thank you, Lourdes. It can hurt someone. Can you say sorry to Paula?
Lourdes – Sorry.

11. .dealing with
discipline
>notes
- a problem was dealt with
- Lourdes was asked to think about her actions and takes responsibility
- other students see that throwing folder is not appropriate in the classroom
- lots of language was produced in a clearly defined context
> expert view
Having a choice helps children to be motivated and to take responsibility for what they
do, and this leads to learning.
Cameron, Creative Teaching

12. .dealing with discipline
>summary
- you are the authority
- it’s normal for kids to challenge that
- deal with the problem
- decide on fair consequences
- give learners choice
- provide and praise good models of behaviour
- don’t take it personally

13. .routines + responsibility
>consider
- What classroom routines have you got?
- How do your routines help preserve order in the classroom?
- Can you think of a time when a child got upset or distressed in your class? What
do you think caused it?
- Why might children want to watch the same film over and over again?
>expert view
Children benefit from predictable teacher behaviour. If you tell the class that you will
do an activity, it is important that you do it. If you make promises, keep them.
Cameron & McKay, Creative Teaching

14. .routines + responsibility
>Here are some examples of jobs that students could do instead of the teacher:
- giving out books
- collecting in homework
- taking the register
- writing the points in a game
- operating the CD player
- reading the questions in a quiz
What other examples can you think of?
Do you use responsibilities in your classroom? How effective do you think they can be for
managing behaviour?
Would you introduce any of these ideas into your classes?

15. .routines + responsibility
>consider
Is this effective teaching?
Teacher: Álvaro, can you write the points on the board?
Álvaro: Que guay. Si.
Teacher: Thank you, Álvaro. Write the team names. Team ‘have to’ and Team ‘don’t have to’.
Now, Sergio, come here. Can you read this question?
Sergio: ‘Who has to clean the dishes?’
Teacher: You choose somebody, Sergio.
Sergio: Clara.
Clara: Is Michael.
Teacher: Good. It’s Michael. Well done. Álvaro, have you given team ‘have to’ a point?
Álvaro: Yes
Teacher: OK, now it’s your turn Clara. Can you come here?

16. .routines + responsibility
>summary
- students active
- students active in classroom management and content
- they enjoy it
- forms part of routine and is familiar
- it creates opportunities for language use
- students see what it’s like for the teacher and build other skills
- learner speech is limited and correction comes in the response
>tip
Being the teacher, expert or having a feeling of control will help children feel
motivated

17. .routines + responsibility
>try this
Try out 3 or 4 roles in a class and observe how the students respond.
Were they happy to do it?
Did they understand any English?
Did they use any English in the task?
How did the other students respond?
Do any students not want to be given a role? Why not?

18. .variation
>consider
- How varied would you say your classes are? Is there any type of activities that you tend not to do? Why?
- Do you think you cater for multiple intelligences? Is there anything you might change in the future?
- There’s a fine line between variation and routine. Where do we draw this line as teachers?
> tip
A short burst of TPR (activities involving movement) can enliven a class when it is seeming to drag.
Try a game of ‘Simon says Please’ if you want to be really clever.

19. .variation
> summary
- quiet and noisy activities
- different skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
- individual, pair, group, whole class
- teacher-student, student-student
- varied learning styles (e.g.
visual, musical, kinaesthetic, academic)
- books, games, quizzes, projects, story time
- moving and sitting down
>expert’s view
Make small changes to keep learners engaged. Too many changes may make your
learners feel insecure.
Cameron & McKay, Creative Teaching

20. .variation
>try this!
If students are chatting away and not listening to your instructions, try speaking more
quietly! Variations in volume can have interesting affects on student behaviour.

21. .praise
>consider:
Do you think you give enough praise in class? When do you usually give it?
How do you give praise? How do students respond to it?
Could you give more?
How do you deal with attention seekers?
> expert view
All children benefit from praise, and especially from seeing models of what teachers
expect from them.
Cameron, Creative Teaching

22. .praise
>summary
- You are all fantastic teachers, capable of managing and classroom or young learners!

23. .notes
>thanks to
- Bringing Creative Teaching into the Young Learner Classroom (Cameron & McKay)
- Nadia for her ideas and support
> what now?
- try some new ideas
- make notes
- talk to your colleagues about your findings
- go on aula virtual on in Further Reading look for articles on ‘Classroom Management’
- join us on the 7th February for our next session on Classroom Management for Young Learners
and Teens!