TEFL Online Courses for 3rd-Year Students

Lesson 2: Classroom Management (Practice)

1. Preparing for a Lesson

1.1 Objectives and Content

Preparation should include decision about what you are going to teach and for what purpose.

Long-term preparation in the use of a textbook means reading and understanding the teachers’ guide and the

textbook before starting the course. Most textbooks re-cycle grammar and vocabulary, i.e. present the same

language item from different points of view , structurally and functionally, in different units . So, it is essential

that teachers know when presenting a point that this point recurs in later units. It is recommended that the teacher

: adapts , for example change the order of the material presented in the textbook , supplements the textbook by

providing additional practice , or omits items from the textbook for a particular class . A particular feature of the

textbook may be inappropriate to the situation in which it is being used . So, you may decide not to cover it . In

this situation , you should inform the students about it so that they understand why you are doing it .The best

lesson is usually the one in which the teacher uses the textbook as a support for a course which is centred on the

students’ needs . In preparing the textbook material , you need to check the order of presentation of the points to

be presented , and the examples in the different exercises , to decide on the words in the text which will need

explanation , a special focus , like pronunciation , grammar , and use .

1.2 The Lesson Plan / Content

A lesson plan should be a general framework which helps in the presentation of the data and in receiving it

. It should take into account what and how the students are going to be involved in the lesson .In the lesson

plan , specify :an introduction , reminding students of what happened last time and saying what they are

going to study this time , and a brief summary of what has been learned and perhaps what will happen next

time . A lesson plan should be prepared in such a way that the teacher will not have to be pre-occupied with

it , more busy looking at it than at the students. So , you should avoid over-preparing , ie writing

unnecessary notes . In class , the notes should be put somewhere you can see them without inconvenience .

1.3 Media

Media – flashcards , tapes , slides , pictures , wall-charts , video recordings are there to help the teacher . They

are not intended to replace the teacher . Neither are they intended to be used for the sake of using them . For

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 example , there is no point in drawing a picture if the students already know what the word being represented

means ;

Aids used for the sake of using them tend to confuse the students .Audio-visual aids make a lesson more

interesting only when they are integrated into the teacher’s overall plan . So , the teacher should use the ones

which will contribute to increase interest , variety in the class and which will contribute to enhance learning .

2. The Teacher

The Teacher’s Body Language

For most activities in the language classroom , it is important that the students can see you , this is much easier if

you are standing . Standing , it is easy for you to dominate the students . Standing also means you can see all

the students and can use your eyes and hands effectively.Once you have started the activity , it is usually better to

sit either at , or on , your desk . There is no more certain way to lose the attention of your students than to take

your eyes off them for long periods. This is because normal human contact frequently depends on , and is

reinforced by , eye contact .If you are standing , and your eyes are constantly moving over the class, everyone

feels involved . Your eyes help your students’ concentration and feeling of confidence .You can use your hands

to avoid unnecessary language which can distract students. A simple gesture can indicate for example who is

going to answer a question or take part in an activity .

2.1 The Teacher’s Voice

Punctuation makes a piece of writing easier to read . One of the main ways to provide this “spoken

punctuation” is to make very short pauses before each change in the use of language. It will be easier to follow

what the teacher says when he varies his voice by using pauses , stress and change of pitch as when he is

changing , for example, from a comment to an instruction . The teacher’s voice has to be clear and audible so

that the students keep concentrated all the time. The teacher has to vary the pace and tone of his voice in relation

to the activity, the situation in the class .

2.2 The Teacher’s Language

Constant language is not necessary because students need time to think , to take notes .So , teacher’s

silence is desirable when : students are doing something individually ; a student is hesitating during an exercise ,

or looking for a word . The effort to understand or recall is a natural part of language learning ; the student

needs time to formulate a thought . If the teacher is constantly “feeding in” ideas , it will make the students in a

position of expecting the teacher to do the work and consequently develop a certain laziness .When you do not

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have an answer to a question – no teacher can know everything – the best way is to say that you do not know

and that you will look for the answer and tell them in the next session – there is no harm in recognising it . In

such a situation , the worst thing to do is to give an ad hoc explanation which later turns out to be untrue .

Teachers should avoid asking students: “Do you understand ?”. This general question is usually something

teachers say to fill up a space . The other reason why such a question has to be avoided is that it is very rare for

students to admit that they do not understand. This is a natural desire to avoid appearing slow , and if they say

they do not understand , they may be asked what they do not understand , which they often cannot explain .To

find out about whether the students understand , as we have already said , keep regular eye contact with the

students while explaining to see when students do not understand , are lost or confused . If it is necessary to ask

“Do you understand?” , this should be done by asking specific questions about the information or explanation

you have just given . The question should require short , and linguistically simple answers. If students cannot

answer the questions , they do not understand .

3. Using Media

3.1 The Board

The board is a visual aid . It provides a focal point during the whole class session .Boards should be divided into

three parts : two smaller side pannels , and a larger central area . We use boards for different purposes, including :

- Note pad : The teacher writes words as these come up during the lesson , for example words that he wants

the students to remember .

- Explanation aid : The teacher can use the board to explain for example the relationship between an

affirmative sentence and a question by drawing connecting arrows .

- Picture frame : The teacher can draw pictures or stick them whenever required to help students

understand concepts and words .

- Students’ workbook : The teacher can have students come to the board and write an exercise . That way,

the whole class can see the correct version .

- Notice board : The teacher and the students can stick pictures , posters , charts on the board .

Handwriting on the board should be clear and easy to decipher ; it should also be organised so that it does not

just get covered in a random and distracting way .Teachers should not turn their back to the class while writing

on the board , especially if this goes on for some time . This could be demotivating and may cause the class to

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become restless . It is recommended to involve the students in the writing by either getting them to tell you what

to write , or do the writing themselves .

3.2 Technology in Class

The overhead projector (OHP) is often under-used by teachers because they are not sure of its advantages .Its

major advantages are : It is easier to write on a transparency than on the board .The transparencies can be

prepared in advance . Transparencies can be re-used , with different classes , or from day-to-day with the same

class . As for the OHP , videos and computers are important language teaching aids .Good use of these machines

depends on the teacher being aware of their full potential .

3.3 Technology outside Class : The Computer / Internet

Good use of the computer depends not only on the hardware , but on good software and on being aware of the full

potential of the machinery . Using internet brings :variety of resources ,large amounts of language data

,exploratory learning ,the fun factor .

In Computer-Assisted Language Learning ( CALL ) , the following applications can be used :

- E-mail : It gives students the possibility for actual communication with individuals around the world .

Certain chat programs offer students the possibility of real-time communication.

- Reinforcement of classroom material : With ready availability of a wide range of software programs ,

course objectives can be reinforced , and added material can be made available . A number of textbooks

now come with an accompanying CD-ROM disk with practice exercises , self-check tests , and extra

reading material .

- Games and simulations : Many computer games and simulations , involving verbal language , present

students with stimulating problem-solving tasks that get them to use functional language following the game’s

goals .

4. Organising Pair/Group Work

4.1 Objectives of Group / Pair Work

Many activities in the language classroom can be performed by the students working in groups of usually four

students or in pairs . In a group / pair work , students are assigned a task that involves collaboration and self-

initiated language . Working in a group means :more students are directly involved ;more students are talking ,

while the teacher talks less ; students can help each other ; and the atmosphere is more relaxed and conducive to

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good language learning .Group / pair work must always be followed by a general class activity where the results

of the different groups / pairs are reported to the whole class , and commented on by the teacher .

4.2 The Teacher’s Role

Group / pair work is not an excuse for the teacher to sit back .

In a group / pair work , the teacher should :divide the class into pairs or groups ;make sure that the students are

clear about what they are meant to do ; go round , listen , and check that they are doing the expected work ;if it

is not well done , correct and provide help and then ask students to do the same practice again .stop the activity

when it is clear that everyone has finished . Often , it i s a good idea to appoint one student in each group as

“secretary” – writing out the answers , or taking notes to report back to the whole group .If you want to

encourage your students to use language , it means that once you have introduced an activity and made clear what

is wanted , you must be prepared to keep quiet . Usually , Do not interrupt students unnecessarily while they are

doing an activity. Do not tell students what they want to say . Do not use more language than is necessary to

direct and control classroom activity .

As far as possible , the teacher should be conscious of every student as an individual and should make sure that

all the students know exactly what is expected of them .

4.3 The Students’ Role

Before the activity : Students need to understand what they are to do ,when they will have finished the

task . During the activity : Students should jot down their answers , in a coherent way , for final classroom

discussion. They interact with each other .They respect each other’s ideas and opinions .They should use the

target language since it is the main objective of the activity , but some use of the native language is accepted in

the exchange of ideas .They must respect the time allocated to them for the completion of the task .

After the activity : Students present their work to the other groups . They discuss each other’s ideas and explore

different ways of answering.

Corrective feedback on the content of the students’ work can greatly enhance students’ future motivation .