Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

Classroom Management
Objectives
At the end of this topic students will:
be aware of the skills which a teacher needs in order to manage a
classroom
be aware of the need to build a repertoire of classroom management
strategies to meet the needs of a range of learner profiles
have considered the role of the teacher in the classroom
have considered the role of the learner in the classroom
have thought about how the teacher's theory about the nature of
learning influences the classroom management strategies they use
What is classroom management?
Classroom management refers to the ways in
which student behaviour, movement and
interaction during a lesson are organised and
controlled during a lesson to enable teaching to
take place most effectively (Richards 1990: 10).

Activity 1
Discuss the following questions with other students, or colleagues, friends or
family.
What does a teacher need to 'manage' in a classroom?
What repertoire of skills and strategies does a teacher need?
Recall your own experience as a student in a classroom at different stages of
your education.
Do you remember the management strategies used by teachers you have
had in the past?
What do you remember about these strategies?
What affect did they have on you and on your classmates?
Did the strategies used support your learning? If yes, how? If not, why
not?
Note down key issues which emerged during your reflection.

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

The role of the teacher in the classroom

Harmer (2001:58-62) identifies eight roles that the teacher can play in the
classroom:
1. controller
2. assessor
3. tutor
4. prompter
5. participant
6. observer
7. resource
8. organiser
These roles are not mutually exclusive. At anyone time the teacher could be
involved in playing one or two or more of these roles. These roles are
explained in more detail below.
1. The teacher as controller
The teacher takes on this role when s/he is totally in charge of the class. S/he
controls
what students do
when they speak/do something
who they speak to
how they speak/do what they do
This might be the role a teacher takes in the presentation/introduction stage of
a lesson or when accurate reproduction of language is desired. At other
stages it might be more effective for the teacher to take on roles which allow
learners more autonomy.
2. The teacher as assessor
A very important role played by the teacher is that of monitoring learner
progress. This might include:
observing learners
collecting work samples
assessing learners' learning against objectives and/or outcomes
providing feedback
When and how feedback is provided is important.
Full correction is necessary when accuracy is important, for example,
when the teacher plays role of controller at the introductory stage or at
an accurate reproduction stage.
More relaxed feedback occurs when learners are involved in activities
which focus on fluency, for example, in group work, pair work or when
trying out language or ideas.

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

3. The teacher as organiser of classroom activities

This is the teacher's most difficult role. The success (or lack of it) of many
activities in the classroom depends on:
a) good organisation
b) the learners understanding exactly what they have to do.
Often a lot of time is wasted (and a lot of 'disciplinary problems' arise) when
the teacher fails to explain clearly what is expected or gives confusing
instructions.
Explain to learners what exactly they are going to do and, wherever
possible, demonstrate the activity or do a dummy run with one or two
learners who you know have understood while the rest of the class
watches.
Give clear instructions about what exactly the task is and check that
the instructions are understood. Never assume that learners have
understood hasty instructions.
Begin the activity as smoothly as possible.
Give feedback when the activity is over and draw the activity to a
satisfying conclusion.
Plan instructions so you can deliver them in a clear sequence rather
than a jumbled one.
Don't hand out materials before learners have understood the general
instructions. The materials are likely to be distracting.
Organise the planned activity as smoothly as possible, continually
monitoring that learners are involved.
Once the activity has started, do not interfere - especially in group/pair
work - unless a gentle prompt or correction is needed.
4. The teacher as prompter
As an interactive activity proceeds, the teacher may need to encourage
learners to participate, especially the less confident ones. S/he may also need
to make suggestions at points when there is silence or confusion. The teacher
should take care, however, not to take all the responsibility for learning;
neither should s/he silence the learners by being too intrusive.
5. The teacher as participant
The teacher can participate as an equal partner in classroom activities, for
example, in simulation activities. If the teacher does take part in such
activities, it is important they s/he does not become an unequal partner and
dominate the activity.
6. The teacher as resource
The teacher, being the one 'who knows', can be a 'walking resource' when a
lesson is on. In other words the teacher should be always available to offer
help when needed. However, the teacher should not interfere where s/he is
not needed.

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

7. The teacher as tutor

When learners are involved in individual study and project work, the teacher
acts as coach, giving advice and guidance. For example the teacher might:
help clarify ideas
set the limits of a task
conference students with first drafts
suggest what to do next
take on a counselling role
8. The teacher as observer
An effective teacher is always reflecting on their own teaching, keeping up
with new developments in the field and looking out for new ideas. This might
involve:
observing, reflecting on and evaluating their own classroom practice
and the classroom practice of colleagues
exploring new approaches
exploiting professional development opportunities

Activity 2
Review the list of teacher roles outlined above.
Draw a pie graph to show the percentage of class time you think a teacher
will spend in each role.
Do you think a teacher takes on any of these roles simultaneously?
Map out some sequences in which a teacher might take on a series of
these roles.
Which of these roles do you think you will find the easiest to take on?
Which of these roles do you think you will find difficult?
How can you ensure that you do not avoid the roles you find difficult or
overuse the roles you find easy?

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

The learner
Most educational institutions try to group learners who have something in
common, for example, similar language levels, similar goals or similar
interests. Teaching groups of students with common levels and goals makes
for much smoother programming. It can be very difficult, however, to put
together a truly homogenous group.
In a sense every class is a heterogeneous grouping because every student is
an individual. The idea of a homogeneous class is a myth. It is important to
treat everyone as an individual in a classroom while managing the overall
harmony of the whole group.
Remember that each student has:
personal (idiosyncratic) characteristics in terms of likes and dislikes,
preferences, inclinations, habits, talkativeness, etc
different rates of progress
different learning styles and strategies
their own rights and interests
different backgrounds and experience
Motivation occurs when learners feel safe, respected and valued, and that
they have a reasonable chance of success. Motivation can be intrinsic,
extrinsic or instrumental.
Classroom management strategies need to cater for a range of individual
learning styles and combinations of these. Some contrasting learning styles
include:
aural, visual or kinaesthetic
field-dependent or field-independent
holistic or serialist
Classroom management strategies should account for the different
personality traits of their learners, for example, extrovert and introvert
personalities. The cognitive, social and affective maturity of learners will also
influence how the classroom is managed.
An aspect of classroom management is to provide learners with appropriate
feedback about their progress. Ensure that learners understand and feel
comfortable with the types of feedback used and that they know on what
criteria their performance is being judged.
Learners learn best when they are provided with opportunities to manage their
own learning. Such opportunities involve choice, negotiation and
responsibility.

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

Groupings for classroom learning activities

There are four possible groupings that a teacher can adopt for various
activities:
1. lockstep
2. pair work
3. group work
4. individual work
Each grouping provides opportunities for different activity types. Varying the
groupings in a lesson provides variety in pace, intensity and control.
1. Lockstep groupings
This is a term borrowed from the use of the language laboratory. Here the
whole class is working with the teacher as one group. The students are all
'locked into' the same rhythm and pace in the same activity. Lockstep is the
traditional teaching situation where a teacher-controlled session is in
progress.
Advantages
Many teachers feel comfortable with this because they feel that they
are in control of the entire class.
Many learners also feel comfortable with this because they think the
teacher is in control.
Disadvantages
Lockstep often involves too much teaching (teacher-talk) and can
restrict learning.
Individually (especially in a language class) learners get very little
opportunity to talk or practise. Neither is there is enough opportunity for
learners to test their understanding.
Lockstep treats all learners in the same way, as if the class is made up
of identical human beings. The lesson will often be 'too fast' for some
and 'too slow' for others.
2. Pair work groupings
Students can be paired for many different kinds of activities.
Advantages
Learners learn from the classmates in different ways depending on
how they are paired, e.g. strong with weaker students, stronger
students together, weaker students together.
Pairwork simulates the way language is used in real life.
Learners have an opportunity to practise what they have learned.
Disadvantages
If the purpose of the activity is not clear and the situation is not
monitored, then learners may not understand and may not carry out the
work effectively.

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

3. Group work
Group work tends to be the most dynamic form of classroom organisation.
Advantages
Working in groups is less 'threatening' than working in pairs or as an
individual.
One member of the group at least is likely to have a solution to any
problem which arises.
Learners have the opportunity to develop social skills in the target
language.
Disadvantages
Some students may be mere 'passengers' while others contribute more
substantially.
There may be more noise.
If the teacher rotates the roles among group members e.g. scribe, reporter,
observer, leader, active participant - then learners will develop different group
participation strategies. Vary the groups so that learners have the chance to
work with as many of their classmates as possible.
How to form groups
Use sociograms to guide group membership and role allocation within
groups.
Group students according to different criteria such as age, first
language, ability or experience, gender. Choose different variations for
different outcomes.
A sociogram is a technique for mapping the characteristics of interaction
within particular groups, that is, who communicates with whom, when, how
often and in what way. You can work out your own graphic techniques for
doing this or you can research the techniques used by sociologists.
4. Individual work
Individual work allows learners to think and work independently. Many
teachers prefer this mode because it seems to make the class easier to
control. However, individual work, like pair and group work, should be
encouraged only where appropriate.
Summary
The key to effective classroom management relates to the conditions for
effective lesson design. These are:
having a clear purpose
being prepared
being organised
having a repertoire of teaching strategies

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

Teaching strategies related to classroom management:

attending to learners
motivating learners
managing the classroom, e.g. setting up and managing interactions,
pair and group setting up and managing a range of work activities,
maintaining learner attention and involvement, managing transitions
using body movements, gesture and facial expression, e.g. to
demonstrate tongue position when making an English sound, to draw
attention to rhythm, stress and intonation patterns or syllable breaks
using a central display area e.g. board, flipchart, overhead projector
giving instructions
managing lesson breakdown
managing technology
monitoring learner progress
evaluating lesson effectiveness
Effective teachers also need to be able to demonstrate and illustrate the
material (i.e. subject matter, concepts, ideas, skills) they are presenting.
Some classroom management issues
When the term 'classroom management' is used, many people immediately
think of the kinds of problems which can arise between teachers and learners,
especially what happens when the teacher perceives that a learner is being
uncooperative or disruptive.
Effective classroom management is really about preparation and organisation.
Preparation involves knowing who your learners are and what their learning
goals are and then planning a methodology which accommodates those
profiles and needs. Combined with effective organisation, preparation results
in a classroom which functions smoothly and effectively in which it does not
occur to learners to be disruptive.
Because teachers and learners are human, however, there will always be
times in which a teacher feels that a learner is not responding in a useful way
and that their behaviour needs to change for their own benefit and for the
benefit of others.
The key to effective classroom management is preventing any problems from
occurring. For example, if the learners are young or have attention problems,
select and sequence a variety of short activities, varying the interaction
patterns more than usual so that the learners are always curious to find out
what might be happening next.
Recognise that cultural differences might mean that learners have different
beliefs about how to behave in a classroom, for example, they may have
different beliefs about:

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

how to respond when a question is asked of the whole class

how to dress for class
when to arrive for class
how to behave when a learner is young and female or older and male
how to behave when a teacher is young and female or older and male
the appropriate posture and facial expression when speaking to
someone or when being spoken to
how to enter and leave a classroom
who talks when, how to take turns when talking and how loud to talk
how to ask to leave the room
where and when to eat or sleep
how to express amusement or anger
the roles of teachers and learners eg when a teacher should correct a
learner's language or behaviour

Some of these issues can be addressed quite easily. For example, young
Japanese learners traditionally are not expected to respond spontaneously to
a question asked of the whole class. If you use a learner's name, they will
respond.
Behaviour, like language, is learned and it might be necessary to teach
explicitly the kind of behaviours you feel are important for effective learning to
take place, while you ignore those behaviours which are not so significant. In
fact it is possible to teach quite a lot of language at the same time as you
teach appropriate classroom behaviour. Demonstration, imitation, problemsolving, group work and role-play are useful techniques for teaching about
behaviour. It might be necessary to teach one new behaviour at a time.
Train yourself to attend to all learners in the classroom according to need.
Avoid paying too much attention to the ones who are extroverted or noisy.
Sometimes the learner who needs your attention most is the one who is the
quietest and most timid. Try not to let the preferences, interests or problems
of the dominant learners take precedence.
Learner behaviour which is counter-productive is often a symptom of a more
general problem. The problem may lie in the preparation and organisation
skills of the teacher. The solution then lies with the teacher developing their
professional skills in this area. Ask yourself whether you are meeting the
learners' needs and whether the learners know why they are there and what is
expected of them. Alternatively the problem may lie with the learner and their
background. Such problems include:
physical disability such as sight or hearing impairment
family, employment or financial problems
settlement problems in the case of migrants
inability to manage cultural difference effectively
trauma as experienced by many refugees
illness

Classroom Management

Second Language Teaching Methodology

Dr. Granville Pillar

10

Try talking to learners informally, but not intrusively. If you are unable to
manage behaviour which you believe stems from these kinds of personal
problems or that the problems are serious enough to warrant intervention, you
will need to refer the learner to the appropriate professional help using the
channels provided by the educational institution, for example a counsellor, or
a relevant government department.
Some strategies for dealing with the immediate problem of a disruptive learner
in the classroom include:
dealing with it in passing in a light, perhaps humorous way, even
ignoring it, but giving positive attention to more constructive
contributions
moving closer to the learner involved
giving the disruptive learners some responsible role in the classroom
e.g. managing the video recorder
moving learners or rearranging the class or the groupings
negotiating an individual contract
Deal with problems as soon as they emerge, but initially with a light hand.
Never humiliate learners nor chastise the whole class for the misdemeanours
of one or two. Some disruptive behaviour is a one-off event. Such behaviour
might be best ignored if it is only minor. There are times when teachers
should turn a blind eye. In fact when you notice the timid learner who has
never spoken before being a little mischievous or noisy, you might
congratulate yourself that they feel safe enough in your classroom to try out
that kind of behaviour.
Remember that the way you manage learners whose behaviour is a problem
in the classroom depends a lot on the learner's age, background and
personality. You may need to do a little research into that particular learner
profile to find some clues on how to respond. Above all there are very few
people who do not respond positively in the end to someone who respects
and acknowledges them and their efforts and who takes the time to
understand and accommodate their concerns and needs. At the same time
your manner should show clearly that you expect learners in return to behave
in a way which is respectful to their classmates and their classmates' learning
goals, as well as to you, your expertise and your professional goals.

Classroom Management