Teach English in Anxing Zhen - Heze Shi

Classroom management is vital to the role of teaching EFL learners of all ages and abilities. This essay discusses some of the reasons why classroom management is important and how effective class management can help optimize teaching and learning time. EFL learners often learn English outside the contexts and environments where it is used in everyday life, therefore the classroom is often their only opportunity to learn and to practice English (Krashen, 1976). An effective EFL teacher will not only create an environment where students have adequate opportunities to communicate, but one where they will feel safe in doing so, and enjoy participating (Littlewood, 1984). Getting to know their students and establishing a rapport with them is a strategy that can benefit teacher and students greatly, setting a positive tone in the classroom. In doing so, teachers are more likely to identify the communicative needs and interests of their students early on, and be able to provide materials of interest at an appropriate level of learning which will motivate them to participate (Yi, 2014). Creating a positive atmosphere can also help to alleviate fear and anxiety some students may have about their abilities to communicate in English, which may be mistakenly interpreted by the teacher as an unwillingness to participate. Understanding and having strategies to correct or prevent student behaviours not conducive to their learning, is another vital aspect of class management. A student’s behaviour in class can be influenced by many factors including their age, academic ability, confidence as a communicator, interests, and home life (Evertson, Emmer, and Worsham, 2003). Undesirable behaviour can be disruptive for both students and teacher, consume critical learning time and upset the atmosphere. But EFL teachers face even more complex sets of challenges in terms of class management (Linse & Nunan, 2005) as behaviour can also be influenced by other factors such as differing levels of English proficiency in the group; teachers who are new to students’ cultural idiosyncrasies; or students who insist on speaking in their native language (Soleimani & Razmjoo, 2016). EFL teachers must take particular care in addressing undesirable behavior not only to avoid causing cultural offense, but also because over-discipline can cause anxiety, which is particularly harmful in EFL learning (Yi, 2014). Choosing the right materials, and providing ample opportunities for students to speak, read and think aloud in class, promotes positive engagement and it is therefore less likely that students will become disruptive or distracted (Fantana, 1985). Co-constructing a set of basic rules and consequences with students, gives them ownership, accountability, and can motivate them to follow their own rules (Meier, 2019). Yi (2014) also suggests ground rules for teachers which include fostering caring relationships with their students, providing timely encouragement and positive reinforcement and placing themselves strategically in the room to provide feedback or support to individual students when needed. A teachers’ position in the room is an essential part of class management (International TEFL and TESOL training, 2011). Teacher position can not only be effective in garnering students’ full attention but also be a distraction if used incorrectly (Griffiths, n.d.). When giving instructions to the whole class, for example, it is beneficial for teachers to be standing in full view of all students, however when students are involved in independent or one on one interactions, having a teacher standing or roving between them would be a distraction. Total Physical Response is a method that can not only be used to support language learning, but also, manage a class (Arifin, 2017). Using TPR, a teachers’ physical position plays a role in the type of response/action they are modeling and will also depend on the age and communicative abilities of the students. Asher (1969) notes that his method was designed to support the link between the language and the desired action. So for example, with an instruction like “everyone stand up”, the teacher may choose to model this from a seated position or mimic this action from a standing position, by raising their forearms with their palms upturned. Teachers who use combinations of verbal and physical prompts interchangeably to transition students smoothly through stages of a lesson, are maximising teaching time, which is critical for student progress. ‘The end purpose of effective classroom management is to optimize the students’ learning experiences by creating and sustaining an environment conducive to providing the best learning experiences’ (Mac Donnchaidh, 2019, n.d) In an EFL classroom where verbal communication can be more challenging, difficulty with transitions can lead to confusion, distraction and loss of valuable teaching time. However other visual aids such as photos of students carrying out the desired behaviour and displayed where they can all see it, can also produce the desired behaviour when required. Projecting a visual countdown clock, or writing the finish time on the board can also be helpful, but is more helpful for language learners when supported with simple verbal instructions. Where positive prompts are used to transition students quickly to maintain their interest and engagement, students develop trust in their teachers’ ability to effectively manage the class. When these time management strategies are student-centred, they create a paradox, whereby the number of times in a lesson teachers use transition strategies can be minimized, optimizing teaching and learning time further (Butchart & McEwan, 1998). In conclusion, class management is important because it helps to build trust between teachers and students. Careful and thoughtful management optimises teaching and learning time. It helps throughout various stages of a lesson, helping the lesson to flow and keep students engaged. Class management that is student-centred provides students with ownership over their learning, gives them a sense of belonging can help to prevent problem behaviors occurring. In an EFL classroom, management is vitally important for reducing student anxiety and nervousness. EFL teachers who take the time to build positive relationships and to make expectations explicit are giving their students the best chance to progress their English language learning. Bibliography Arifin, Adnim. (2017). Classroom Management: Use of ESL Methods in an Elementary Level Course. BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Asher, James. J. (1969) The Total Physical Response Approach to Second Language Learning. The Modern Language Journal. Volume 53, Issue 1, Pages 3-17 Butchart, R. and McEwan, B. (1998). Contradiction, Paradox, and Irony: The World of Classroom Management. Classroom Discipline in American Schools: Problems and Possibilities for Democratic Education. Albany NY: SUNY Press Evertson, C.M., Emmer, E.T., & Worsham, M.E. (2003). Classroom management for elementary teachers (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Fantana,D. (1985). Psychology for teachers. London: The British Psychological Society and Macmillan. Griffiths, B. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/teacher-positioning-classroom International TEFL and TESOL Training. (2011). Unit 3: Managing classes. KRASHEN, S. (1976). Formal and informal linguistic environments in language learning and language acquisition. TESOL Quarterly 157-168. Linse, C.T. and Nunan, D. (2005) Practical English Language Teaching Young Learners. McGraw-Hill ESL/ELT, New York. Littlewood, William. T. (2019). Foreign and second language learning : Language Acquisition Research and its Implications for the Classroom. SERBIULA (sistema Librum 2.0). MacDonnchaidh, S. (n.d.) Get it Together, Teach! Crucial Elements of Superb ESL Classroom Management. Retrieved from https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-classroom-management/ Meier, Kelly.s. (2019). What Are the Duties of a Teacher in Classroom Management? Hearst Seattle Media, LLC. Soleimani, Neda & Razmjoo, Ayatollah. (2016). Classroom Management Challenges: An Account of EFL Teachers at Private Language Institutes. Yi, F. (2014). EFL classroom management: Creating a positive climate for learning. Foreign Language Teaching in the 21st Century, 13.