TEYL - Classroom Management Tips

TEYL Channel

3 Oct 201707:39

Summary

TLDRThe video discusses classroom management for English teachers, especially when working with young learners. It highlights how teachers manage various classroom elements like student behavior, class activities, and transitions. The video offers practical tips such as allowing students wait time to process answers, using 'brain breaks' to shift the class atmosphere, and creating an English-speaking environment. Engaging activities like quick games or songs can help maintain students' energy and focus. The key message is that teachers are not just instructors, but also managers of the overall classroom experience.

Takeaways

😀 Classroom management requires energy, patience, and understanding of young learners' behaviors.
🎯 Misbehavior can stem from short attention spans or the need for physical movement.
📝 Teachers are managers of time, activities, transitions, student behavior, and classroom atmosphere.
⏳ Wait time (3-5 seconds) is important after asking questions to give students enough time to process and respond.
🎉 Brain breaks are useful to reset the classroom atmosphere and refresh students' focus.
🎶 Simple activities like shaking hands or a one-minute dance party can change the class mood while keeping students engaged.
💬 Managing language is crucial; English should be the primary language used in class, with native language as a last resort for complex explanations.
🔮 Fun tools, like a magic stone, can encourage students to speak in English during activities.
🎯 The key to classroom management is finding methods and activities that suit the specific learning environment and context.
🧑‍🏫 Teachers must balance maintaining an English-speaking environment with ensuring students understand key concepts.

Q & A

What are some reasons why children misbehave in the classroom?
-Children may misbehave because they are playful, have short attention spans, or have been sitting for too long and need to move around.
What aspects of the classroom should teachers manage?
-Teachers should manage time, activities, transitions, student behavior, conflicts, atmosphere, students' feelings and emotions, and the use of native language.
What is 'wait time' and why is it important?
-'Wait time' is the period a teacher waits after asking a question before students respond, typically 3 to 5 seconds. It is important because young learners need time to process their answers in English.
How can teachers improve classroom climate during lessons?
-Teachers can use 'brain breaks,' short transition activities like dancing, playing games, or shaking hands, to help students relax and refresh their focus.
What is a 'brain break' and how does it benefit students?
-A 'brain break' is a transition activity that allows students to relax or change the class mood. It benefits students by energizing them for the next activity.
How can teachers manage the use of native language in the classroom?
-Teachers should aim to create an English-speaking environment, using native language only when necessary, such as to explain difficult expressions or instructions.
What is a classroom management tip related to speaking English in class?
-Teachers can use tools like a 'magic stone' to encourage students to speak English. For example, the teacher gives a student the stone and asks them to answer a question in English before passing the stone to another student.
Why is it important for teachers to manage the pace of the class?
-Managing the pace of the class helps maintain student focus, gives them adequate time to think, and ensures that the lesson flows smoothly.
When is it appropriate for teachers to use the native language in class?
-It is appropriate to use the native language when explaining complex idiomatic expressions or giving instructions for games that may be too difficult to understand in English.
How can teachers manage student behavior effectively?
-Teachers can manage student behavior with routines and rules, creating a structured environment that promotes focus and good conduct.

Outlines

00:00

🧑‍🏫 Classroom Management: The Teacher as a Manager

This section introduces the concept of classroom management, emphasizing the multiple roles teachers play in managing young learners. It highlights the energy and patience required, as children often misbehave due to short attention spans or restlessness. Teachers must balance various aspects, including behavior, transitions, and student emotions, to maintain focus on learning. The audience is asked to reflect on the different ways teachers manage their classrooms, such as managing time, activities, behavior, and the classroom environment. Key management skills include setting routines, handling class pace, and fostering a positive classroom atmosphere.

05:03

⏳ Managing the Pace of the Class with Wait Time

This part focuses on managing the pace of the class by using appropriate 'wait time,' which involves giving students three to five seconds to process and respond to questions. Teachers are encouraged to plan for this pause during lessons, allowing students, particularly young English learners, enough time to formulate answers without pressure. The text explains that while the wait may feel long for teachers, it's necessary for student comprehension and participation. The section concludes with an interactive example of asking students a question and counting the wait time silently.

🧠 Brain Breaks: Changing the Classroom Climate

Here, the script suggests using 'brain breaks' to shift the classroom mood, especially when students have been engaged in intensive tasks like writing or drawing. Brain breaks are quick transition activities that refresh students' minds, such as stretching exercises or short games. One example provided is shaking out hands to reset after writing, followed by engaging in a vocabulary game. Other activities like a one-minute dance party, freeze-and-sit routines, or singing songs are suggested. These breaks serve to energize students while maintaining the use of English in a fun and interactive way.

🌍 Creating an English-Speaking Environment

This section encourages teachers to foster an English-speaking environment in the classroom. Teachers are advised to use their native language only when absolutely necessary, such as when explaining difficult idiomatic expressions or complex instructions that would otherwise take too long in English. The goal is to maximize student exposure to English at their proficiency level. A creative tool for encouraging English use, like passing a 'magic stone' where students share their favorite food, is demonstrated. The section ends with a reminder that teachers should find classroom management strategies suited to their unique teaching contexts.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Classroom Management

Classroom management refers to the techniques and strategies teachers use to keep students organized, focused, and productive during a lesson. In the video, it encompasses various aspects, such as maintaining student behavior, managing time, and controlling the classroom environment to ensure effective learning.

💡Young Learners

Young learners are children who are at the early stages of learning, typically in elementary school or younger. The video emphasizes that young learners may misbehave due to short attention spans and their need to move around, which impacts classroom management strategies.

💡Attention Span

Attention span is the length of time a student can maintain focus on a task without becoming distracted. The video highlights that young learners have shorter attention spans, which is why teachers need to incorporate activities that capture and retain their focus.

💡Wait Time

Wait time is the brief pause a teacher allows after asking a question to give students time to think and respond. The video suggests teachers wait 3-5 seconds after asking a question to give young learners sufficient time to process their answers in English, aiding their language development.

💡Brain Break

A brain break is a short activity that helps students relax and refresh their minds during a lesson. The video describes brain breaks as a way to change the mood of the class, like having a one-minute dance party or playing a quick vocabulary game, to re-energize students before continuing with academic tasks.

💡English Speaking Environment

An English-speaking environment is a classroom setting where English is the primary language used for communication. The video advises teachers to create an English-speaking environment to encourage students to practice English, using the native language sparingly and only when necessary.

💡Native Language

Native language refers to the first language spoken by students, which can be used as a resource for clarifying complex English expressions or instructions. In the video, teachers are encouraged to use native language only when necessary to ensure students spend most of their time engaging with English.

💡Routine

Routine involves consistent practices or activities that establish order and familiarity within the classroom. The video implies that routines help manage behavior by setting expectations and reducing uncertainty, allowing students to feel more comfortable and focused on learning tasks.

💡Transition

Transition is the process of moving from one activity to another within a lesson. The video describes transitions as important moments for teachers to manage, suggesting that effective transitions help maintain a smooth flow in the classroom and minimize disruptions or restlessness among students.

💡Conflict Management

Conflict management is the ability to handle disagreements or conflicts among students. In the video, managing conflicts is highlighted as one of the teacher's roles in classroom management, helping maintain a positive classroom atmosphere conducive to learning by addressing conflicts constructively.

Highlights

Classroom management requires a lot of energy and patience when teaching young learners.

Children misbehave sometimes because of short attention spans or the need to move after sitting too long.

Teachers are managers of time, activities, transitions, student behavior, and classroom atmosphere.

Teachers should manage conflict among students and emotions, along with the use of native language.

Wait time is essential; giving students 3-5 seconds to process their answers helps them engage better.

Teachers should avoid answering questions too quickly; instead, allow students time to think.

Managing classroom climate through brain breaks helps reset students' energy and focus.

A brain break can be a quick activity such as a vocabulary game or a one-minute dance party.

Incorporating fun, movement-based activities can re-energize students after long periods of writing or drawing.

Teachers should create an English-speaking environment and use the native language only as a last resort.

Using tools like a 'magic stone' can encourage students to speak English in a fun way.

Teachers should avoid spending too much time explaining difficult language; instead, use native language quickly and return to English.

Simple transitions, such as putting pencils down and shaking hands, can improve classroom energy and engagement.

Young learners benefit from activities that combine movement with English practice.

Classroom management strategies should be tailored to the teacher's specific teaching environment.