TEFL Miluo

Discipline in the classroom is a vital part of efl teaching. Discipline problems will occur at some point, so it is good to be prepared for when they do. If a teacher can successfully manage and discipline a class, the course will go so much smoother and the students will be able to spend more time learning. The teacher should work on preventing discipline issues in the first place, then knowing how to handle them if or when they occur. Younger efl students are typically in efl classes because their parents put them there, not because they want to be. Also, usually these children have already been through a full day of school before they come to english class and they are ready to be home. Because of these reasons (and because children aren’t perfect angels), discipline issues will arise. However, the best handling method is to prevent them from happening if possible. The easiest way to prevent discipline issues is to keep class fun and exciting. Engaged students don’t normally cause problems. The teacher, then, should always have activities on hand in case the lesson finishes quickly. Also, it is good to have worksheets available, like word searches, or something to give certain students who finish an exercise quicker than others. It’s the “pause” moments in a class that are potentially dangerous. But as long as the teacher can fill the pauses, students shouldn’t cause a problem. A second way to prevent discipline issues is to be consistent with rules and expectations from day one. If the students are younger and don’t speak english, teachers should ask their native co-teachers to translate the rules and expectations because it’s important for the students to know from the start. teachers should tell the students what the consequences are for certain actions like disruptive behavior, talking when the teacher is talking, etc. A third way to prevent problems is to be smart about the classroom arrangement. If the teacher knows who the problem students are, make a seating arrangement for the class and place these students close to the front and separate from one another. Instead of arranging the desks in clusters where some students aren’t facing the front, put the desks in a semicircle or U-shape. Aside from prevention, teachers should be ready to handle problems when they occur. Often children act out because they want attention, but instead of addressing the problem student, teachers should reward students who are following the rules. This way, children will learn that in order to get the attention they want, they have to follow the rules. It should be noted, however, that if the teacher isn’t consistent about the rewards system, it will backfire. For students who thrive on attention, it can also be helpful to let them be “class helpers.” Have these students pass out papers or erase the white board. Although discipline problems happen more frequently with younger students, if teachers have problems with adult students talking too much, often the silent treatment will work. When the teacher stops talking, usually students soon realize they are disrupting the lesson. Sometimes the silent treatment works well with middle school and high school students, too. Discipline issues will always occur in tefl classes, but by taking steps to prevent them and by preparing for when problems do arise, the teacher can stay in control. By following the tips and methods above, the teacher will help even the “good” students, because their learning isn’t interrupted by bad behavior. Sources: 1. ITTT course units 2. http://www.eslhq.com/forums/esl-forums/teaching-esl/classroom-management-discipline-100/ 3. http://teflbootcamp.com/tefl-skills/student-discipline-efl-classroom/