If it’s your first time leading a class, or even if you’re well practiced, classroom management can be daunting. Navigating a class of students, keeping conversation on topic and everyone on task can be a challenge, but we’ve got a few tips that can help keep things focused…
Clear instructions:
Something that can cause students to drift off task almost instantly is unclear instructions. Keeping things simple and direct is key to maintaining focus.
Make sure you model: Think through how the stages of an activity will work, and try to demonstrate as much as possible using the students within the class.
Speak a lot less: When planning your lesson, practice writing the task instructions with as few words as possible, eliminating any unnecessary information. This keeps tasks simple, direct and clear. Students can then ask questions over any confusing points, this also allows for more chances to produce language rather than receive it.
Allow students to speak: Try to give students the opportunity to explain and discuss the task to each other, either as a class or in smaller groups, this helps keep students on topic and allows students to ask questions to each other without the pressure of the whole class listening.
Ask questions: Encouraging students to explain what they’re about to do will help them remember the key steps of the activity. Ask questions about the task, what they’ll be doing, how they’ll be doing it, what they’re focusing on in this task. Avoid asking students ‘Do you understand?’, they’re likely to reply ‘Yes’, even if they don’t understand at all! So ask specific questions make sure they have understood.
Here’s a helpful video guide to giving clear instructions:
Strategic student positioning:
Whether it be a seating plan or work groups, make sure your students are working with others that will help them make the most productive use of their time.
Make sure that quiet students who may be reluctant to speak out in class are paired with more confident students, who will encourage conversation. Try to keep students who are likely to get off topic together separated. Keeps levels in groups mixed, to avoid one group flying through a task before others have finished, and make sure that you have follow up activities prepared for any groups who do finish sooner than others, to keep all minds occupied.
Confidence:
It can be intimidating standing up in front a class for the first time, it’s totally natural to be nervous! But we know from experience it’s something that will gradually get easier. Confidence is key to classroom management, it will help you give clear instructions and direct your students back on task whenever you find them drifting. Remember you’re there to support your students’ learning, and they are in your class to learn! If you’re finding it difficult, or want to give your confidence a boost, here’s a quick video on 10 tips to build confidence:
Keep student speaking time high:
To put it bluntly, students steering off topic is often a reflection of boredom. When students are forced to listen to lecture style lessons, their minds will inevitably drift, and focus is lost. They’ll become restless and jump at the chance to think and talk about anything else. To avoid this, whenever you can, give students the chance to speak and practice their English, actively engaging in their learning. Talking on topic is exactly what we can to see, so keep conversation littered throughout classes wherever possible. This gives a nice respite for impatient minds, and gives students a chance to use their restless energy for learning purposes.
The most important thing to remember if you’re feeling nervous about classroom management during your CELTA course, is that this is completely normal! Many people who take the CELTA have not lead a class before, so the course is jam packed with advice to elevate your classroom management skills. The CELTA is a place to practice and develop your skills as you grow as a teacher, so we’ll be here to support you every step of the way.