TASK 3 - REFLECTION As future teacher, one must know how to make a decision at a certain time.

Styles or ways in managing the classroom have to be in the right way in order to ensure the pupils to behave and learn in a conducive environment. Having said that, Managing the Primary ESL Classroom course has introduced me many concepts, theories as well as the roles of teacher and learners in having an effective primary ESL classroom. Throughout the course, I learned that there are many theories that can be used to manage a primary classroom. For example, I discovered that in order to motivate the pupils into the teaching and learning process, a teacher has to practice democratic leadership and uses a lot of positive reinforcement such as giving rewards or praising them. These kinds of theories will actually evoke their feelings in participating in the lesson. Other than that, I also learned that assertiveness is also essential in controlling a classroom. The practise of assertiveness in the classroom, as stated by Canter (1976), will ensure a teacher to control the classroom better. Rules and directions must be set up at the beginning of the class. This action enables pupils to have good discipline. Rather than being an authoritarian, the teacher must first discuss and have an agreement with the students regarding the rules set up in the class. Furthermore, this course has also introduced me the important roles of teacher and learners in the primary classroom. For me, a teacher has to be attentive to all aspects of the classroom. Keeping pupils to actively involved in each activity and is able to attend to two activities at the same time will make the lesson a success. A teacher must play their role by being responsible for the entire lesson conducted, as well as striving for the objectives that she or he had planned earlier in the lesson. In addition, associating the roles of both parties in the classroom will help to establish a good relationship between teacher and pupils. Besides, I also learned that communication skill is very essential in creating an effective classroom management. Teacher must use both verbal and non-verbal communication to make the pupils understand and are able to communicate in the classroom. Using words that are appropriate and non-threatening will make the pupils to feel accepted and safe. Hence, good communication skill will increase the tendency of the pupils in participating in the classroom. However, if I had the opportunity to make changes for this course, I suggest that we should apply these concepts of classroom management in real situation. Having said that, I think it is better to has more practicality than theory. Hence, trainees will be more prepared before going to school for their practicum or for the future. For instance, trainees can go for a 13

one-day school trip nearby and enter the classroom. By doing so, they will be able to communicate as well as handling the real situation among the primary pupils. For this reason, trainees will be able to put into practice all the topics that they had learnt throughout the course. Therefore, trainees will gain direct experiences, rather than just reading books and knowing the theories per se. Besides, I also think that the course should introduce techniques and principles in language teaching. Techniques and principles in language teaching such as the direct method, grammar-translation method or communicative language teaching can also help a teacher in managing the classroom well. As the course is for ESL primary pupils, pupils in Malaysia especially in rural areas do not favour this second language subject. As the language is different, it is very hard to them to understand and participate in the lesson. Hence, they are tend to have short attention span in this subject and thus misbehave to seek attention or even power. Thus, by introducing techniques and principles in language teaching, I think teachers will have more ways and method in managing the classroom. In conclusion, this course helps me a lot in managing classroom for the future. It provides me a lot of new input that are very useful. As future English primary teacher, I think this course is very essential as it gives new knowledge that can be used and practiced in the real classroom so that it can develop the potential of individual in a holistic and integrated manner so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious.

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