UAC ELEARNING

Chapter 1

Specific  Objectives

01 : Definition of  terms

02 : Explain rules and procedures in the classroom

TITLE OF THE COURSE  CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

Classroom management is an important term used by teachers to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly despite disruptive behavior by students. The term also implies the prevention of disruptive behavior.

The notion of classroom management is an essential precondition for motivating students Brophy (1987: 208). Additional research has identified well-managed classrooms as one of the characteristics of an effective school

Morover, classroom management can be simply viewed as the orchestration of the learning environment of a group of individuals within a classroom setting.

In 1981 the US National Educational Association reported that 36% of teachers said they would probably not go into teaching if they had to decide again. A major reason was "negative student attitudes and discipline"

According to Moskowitz & Hayman (1976), once a teacher loses control of their classroom, it becomes increasingly more difficult for them to regain that control.^[2]It is then important for all teachers to learn and to be trained on how to manage their classroom.

CHAPTER I : RULES AND PROCEDURES

ACTIVITY 1 : Essential Question: ‘How best can I manage my classroom?’

Beginning teachers and indeed experienced teachers have as a major concern:

‘How best can I manage my classroom?’

I-                   Rules and Procedures

 Sequence 1 : Why are rules and procedures important in the classroom?

Definition of terms :

A Rule :

A rule is a statement about what to do, or not to do, in a specific situation.

A rule is such that it is a doctrine to observe by one and all. Rules can be made from to time in consonance with the circumstances prevailing in the society and modern trends of business activities to suit to the needs of the people, employees, firms etc.

A procedure :

A procedure  is a series of steps to be followed to accomplish an end result.

A procedure is also a systamatic direction through which one can follow the things to do in a right path. Procedures are nothing but right paths. Any body will get fruitful result if he follows the prescribed procedure.

Common procedures that teachers need to plan and teach to students include one for entering the classroom, leaving the classroom, working independently, working in groups, going to the restroom, and sharpening pencils.

Rules and procedures convey the message that “I'm here to teach and you're here to learn.” They give students the structure they need and also help them feel that the classroom is a safe and predictable place. ... Both refer to stated expectations about students' behavior, but the terms differ in important ways.

When routines and procedures are carefully taught, modeled, and established in the classroom, children know what's expected of them and how to do certain things on their own. Having these predictable patterns in place allows teachers to spend more time in meaningful instruction.

Classroom management :

Classroom management in EFL classes is the main concern of Everstone and Weinstein (2006) state classroom management is one of the most serious challenges that students and novice teacher’s face. When foreign language classroom management is added to the issue, the situation becomes even more uncertain (Fowler and Sarapli, 2010).

classroom management is also “the actions teachers take to create an environment that supports and facilitates both academic and social emotional learning” (Everstone & Weinstein, 2006).

Classroom management is also a term used by teachers to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly despite disruptivebehavior by students. The term also implies the prevention of disruptive behavior.

 Classroom management is the term educators use to describe methods of preventing misbehavior and dealing with it if it arises. In other words, it is the techniques teachers use to maintain control in the classroom. classroom management can also be simply viewed as the orchestration of the learning environment of a group of individuals within a classroom setting.

Sequence 2  Planning for effective classroom management

In some classrooms, the management system is nearly invisible. The atmosphere is calm but not rigid, movement and interaction are comfortable, and students work quietly. Teachers give few directions that focus on behavior, they reprimand students infrequently, and the reprimands they do give rarely intrude to learning.  Are these  ideal situations ? Of course NO.

Obviously, some classes are tougher to manage than others, and in a few cases, it may be difficult to reach the ideals just described.

The cornerstone of an effective classroom management system is a well-conceived and well-administrated set of rules and procedures.  Then in planning rules and procedures,  teachers must consider both the characteristics of their students and the physical environment of their classrooms.

a- Student characteristics

In planning rules and procedures teachers must consider both the characteristics of their students. Each student is an individual and their characteristics will vary. During the high school years, students begin to behave like young adults and respond well to being treated as such. Learners of all ages, however, need the emotional  security of knowing that their teachers are interested in them as people and sincerely care about their learning.

b-The physical Environment

"I can’t see the board"

"Fred tripped me."

"What ? I can’t hear."

Few classrooms are ideal. Classes are too large, storage space is limited, the board is unvisible. For many teachers, arranging desks and furnishings is a compromise between what they would like and what is possible. Three main aspects of the physical environment should be considered when teachers plan Everston, 1987

- Visibility : The room must be arranged so that all students can see the chalkboard.

-  Accessibility : The room should be designed so that access to high-traffic areas, such as the pencil sharpener and places students put papers, are kept clear and separated from each other.

-  Distractibility : Desks should be arranged so that potential distractions, such as movement visible through doors and windows, are minimized.

But research indicates that no single arrangement works for all situations.  One study found that behavior improved and quantity of work increased when learners were seated in rows N . Bennett & Blundel (1983), but another found that a semicircle was most effective for discussions Rosenfield, Lambert, & Black (1985). Teachers should think about the desk arrangement when they plan and then experiment to see what works best for them.

Quick Check Test Chapitre 1

I-Answer the following questions by Right or Wrong

1- Classroom Management is one of the most feared parts of  teaching for new teachers.                 

2 - Classroom Management can cause unhappiness and stress and eventually lead

       to individuals leaving the teaching profession.

3-The first thing a teacher should do with a new class is to give a lesson.

4– A code of conduct involves only the students.

5- While establishing rules and procedures, teachers should consider students’ characteristics.

II -Words Definition and Questions

1- Classroom management

2- Rule

3-Procedure

4- What are the elements of the physical environment?

III- Reflective question

   - When and how do you set up rules and procedures in the classroom ?

    - Who are the main participants ?

Chapter 2 

Specific  Objectives :

1.      Recognize the different  roles of the teacher in the classroom

2.       

Apply the roles in a classroom context

Title : The roles of the teacher in the classroom

The role of the teacher depends to a large extent on the function he/she performs in different activities. The different roles of the teacher are described in the following sections.

Sequence 1 : Description of the roles

1- Controller

In the English classroom a teacher fulfills many roles with different aims. The most common thought of a role might be the fully organized classroom in which everything is controlled by the teacher (Controller). Harmer (1991 : 236). The role as a controller, standing in front of the class, talking to the students and giving instructions, might be the most common role of a teacher. Harmer (1991 :236) points out that teachers, fulfilling this role, “[...] control not only what the students do, but also when they speak and what language they use.” Everything what happens in the class is controlled by the teacher and is in his/her responsibility. He/She educates the students by introducing the target language, giving tasks, using repetitive drilling techniques and leading them through the content. Furthermore, the teacher has complete control when it comes to the pace of a lesson, which means that everyone in the class is taught on the same level.

The way of leading a class depends on the character of the teacher. Every person has his/her own style of teaching. Some teachers are very open minded and do not hesitate being the centre of the lesson, whereas others prefer to let the students interact by themselves. (Harmer 1991, 236) Very authoritative persons will not have many problems with discipline but also a shy personality does not automatically mean chaos in class. Teachers who are popular among the pupils have less problems to keep them motivated and pass on knowledge. Wright (60) quotes that “[...] even a person who is not a born teacher can improve a lot by learning to smile, to be enthusiastic and patient, and to be constantly looking for new ways of getting his message across to the pupils.” (Wright 60)

2- Assessor

Also teachers are expected to assess their students by correcting them and giving feedback to their development and performance (Assessor). Harmer (1991 : 237). The teacher as an assessor is teacher who assesses the activity of students during the teaching and learning process.The teacher assumes this role to see how well students are performing or how well they performed. Feedback and correction are organized and carried out.There are a variety of ways we can grade learners, the role of an assessor gives teachers an opportunity to correct learners. However, if it is not communicated with sensitivity and support it could prove counter-productive to a student’s self-esteem and confidence in learning the target language.

3- Organizer/Manager

Another very important role is the one of the classroom manager. Good organization is a key factor in planning a syllabus, a lesson or just a particular task and helps to discipline the students (Manager). (Müller-Hartmann 32). Perhaps the most difficult and important role the

teacher has to play. The success of many activities depends on good organization and on the

students knowing exactly what they are to do next. Giving instructions is vital in this role as well as setting up activities. The organizer can also serve as a demonstrator, this role also allows a teacher to get involved and engaged with learners. The teacher also serves to open and neatly close activities and also give content feedback. Thus, the  teacher  as an organizer/manager  is the teacher  who manages  all  the  elements that involved in  teaching and learning activity. 

4-Resource

Furthermore, the teacher acts as a resource by helping the students if necessary. He/She provides additional information or simply talks to them providing the resource of spoken language (Resource). Harmer (1991: 242).The  teacher  as  resource/informer  is  a  teacher  who  becomes  the  resource  of information  relate  to the  development of  knowledge  and technology.  Furthermore, the teacher also should be ready in helping the students when he or she is needed.The teacher is a kind of walking resource center ready to offer help if needed, or provide learners with whatever language they lack when performing communicative activities. The teacher must make her/himself available so that learners can consult her/him when (and only when) it is absolutely necessary. As a resource the teacher can guide learners to use available resources such as the internet, for themselves, it certainly isn’t necessary to spoon-feed learners, as this might have the downside of making learners reliant on the teacher.

5-Participant

To increase the effectiveness of learning it is sometimes necessary to act with the students on the same level as a participant. Not only will the teacher gain an insight about the way students develop, but also give them the chance to interact with someone who has a much higher comprehension of the target language (Participant). Harmer (1991 : 241).

6- Investigator

A role not directly related to the behavior of the teacher is the investigator. The teacher analyzes the way of teaching, observes what is going on in the classroom and investigates the ways students learn, with the aim to develop his/her methods of teaching (Investigator). Harmer (1991 : 242).

7- Role Model

The last role is the role model which goes beyond the classroom influencing children throughout their whole life. Honesty, affection or fairness for example, are not only learned from parents but also from teachers at school. Therefore a teacher must be fully aware that his behavior in general has a huge impact on the personal development of his/her students. (Role Model) (Mathew).

8- Facilitator

The teacher as facilitator means that the teacher gives good services to the students such as giving the chance for each student in doing activities and also prepares facilities to support the teaching and learning activity. In other words, the teacher can ease the students to study.

9- Guide and Tutor

The teacher as a guide means that the teacher directs and keeps the students to the good  things  and  directions. The teacher  as a tutor acts as a coach when students are involved in project work or self-study. The teacher provides advice and guidance and helps students clarify ideas and limit tasks. This role can be a great way to pay individual attention to a student. It can also allow a teacher to tailor make a course to fit specific student needs. However, it can also lead to a student becoming too dependent or even too comfortable with one teacher and one method or style of teaching.

 Conclusion

What we notice here is that the roles are often interchangeable. The teacher’s role is never static. One activity could see an experienced teacher smoothly transition from one role to another.

Quick Check  test Chapitre 2

I-                    Match the description on the left with the teacher roles on the right.

a-       Students make appointments to talk to the teacher about their progress                              i – assessor

b-       The teacher is explaining something to the class.                                                                 II – controller

c-        The teacher is telling students how correct or incorrect their language use is.                      iii- prompter

d-       The teacher makes herself available to answer any questions/supply information

While students are working on a task in groups.                                                                   iv – resource

e-       The teacher wants to help the students along during a fluency activity

(where their conversation is faltering a bit).                                                                           v- tutor

 – Topic : Comment the role of the teacher as a resource provider. What is the dimension of teaching that focuses on that role of the teacher ?

Chapitre 3

1.      Appreciate the notion of discipline.

2.      Distinguish the difference between CM and CD.

3.      Identify the causes of discipline problems

4.      Resolve discipline problems in the classroom

Title : Classroom management and Discipline Problems

Discipline problems challenge most new teachers and even some veteran educators.Good classroom management combined with an effective discipline plan helps keep bad behavior to a minimum so the entire class can focus on learning.

Classroom rules must be easy to understand and manageable. Make sure that you don't have such a large number of rules that your students can't consistently follow them.

1-What is the difference between classroom management and classroom discipline ?

 Jacob Kounin (1970)  concluded that the key to orderly classrooms is the teacher’s ability to prevent behavior problems from occuring in the first place, rather than handling misbehavior once it happens. Jacob Kounin ‘s research encouraged educators to separate the concepts of classroom management and discipline. By management we may understand teachers’ strategies that create and maintain an orderly learning environment.

Discipline is the fact to maintain order and to keep the group on task and moving ahead, not to spot and punish those students who are misbehaving (Greenwood and Parkay, 1989). Discipline also  involves teacher responses to student misbehavior. Management attempts to prevent problems ; while discipline deals with these problems when they occur.

Set an Example

Discipline starts with you. Begin each class period with a positive attitude and high expectations. It'll help create a positive learning environment. If you expect your students to misbehave, they probably will. Come to class prepared with lessons for the day. Reduce downtime for students to help maintain order.

Work on making transitions between lessons smooth. For example, as you move from whole-group discussion to independent work, try to minimize the disruption to the class. Have your papers ready to go or your assignment was written on the board so you can move quickly through the process. Many disruptions occur in transitional times during lessons.

Be Proactive With Discipline Problems

Watch your students as they come into class and look for signs of discord. For example, if you notice a heated discussion before class starts, deal with it then. Give the students a few moments to work things out before you start your lesson. Separate them if necessary and try to gain agreement that during your class period at least,

they will drop the issue.

Post a discipline plan that you follow consistently to govern student conduct. Depending on the severity of an offense, this should provide a warning or two before formal punishment. Your plan should be easy to follow and cause minimal disruption to your class. For example, first offense: verbal warning; second offense: detention with the teacher; third offense: referral.

Use humor when appropriate to diffuse touchy situations. For example, if you tell your students to open their books to page 51, but three students are so busy talking with each other that they do not hear you, resist the urge to yell. Smile, say their names and ask them calmly to please wait until later to finish their conversation because you would really like to hear how it ends but you have to get this class finished. This should get a few laughs but also get your point across.

Be Firm But Fair

Consistency and fairness are essential for effective classroom management. If you ignore disruptions one day and come down hard on them the next, your students won't take you seriously. You will lose respect and disruptions will probably increase. If you appear unfair in how you enforce the rules, the students will resent you.

Address disruptions with in-kind responses. In other words, don't elevate disruptions above their current significance. For example, if two students keep talking in class, don't disrupt your lesson to yell at them. Instead, simply say the students' names and issue a verbal warning. You can also try asking one of them a question to bring their focus back to the lesson.

If a student becomes verbally confrontational, remain calm and remove them from the situation as quickly as possible. Do not get into yelling matches with your students. And do not bring the rest of the class into the situation by involving them in the disciplinary process.

·         Prioritize Safety

When a student becomes visibly agitated, you must maintain a safe environment for the other students. Remain as calm as possible; your demeanor can sometimes diffuse the situation. You should have a plan for dealing with violence that you discussed with students early in the year. You should use the call button for assistance or have a designated student get help from another teacher. Send the other students from the room if it appears they could get hurt. If a fight breaks out in the classroom, follow your school's rules concerning teacher involvement as many administrators want teachers to stay out of fights until help arrives.

Keep an anecdotal record of major issues that arise in your class. This might be necessary if you are asked for a history of classroom disruptions or other documentation.

Most importantly, let it go at the end of the day. Classroom management and

disruption issues should be left at school so you have time to recharge before coming back to another day of teaching.

2- What Are the Causes of Classroom Discipline Problems?

Handling discipline issues is one of the most taxing parts of a teaching job. Unfortunately, each discipline problem, like every student, is individual, stemming from a set of circumstances directly related to the child causing the problem. The best way to respond to a discipline problem in your classroom is to understand the root of the issue.

 Problems  at home

Issues and stresses at home are a major reason for students to act out in class. If students are abused or neglected at home, their anger can boil over and lead them to disrupt your classroom. Students who come from homes where the parents are divorcing are also under duress and can act out in class as a way to deal with their fear and frustration.

Acting out in class is a way students who feel helpless about their home situations feel like they still have some control.

Peers
Students who are bullied by their peers are also prone to discipline issues in the classroom. Although many students who are bullied become withdrawn in the classroom to prevent calling attention to themselves, others act out. Often students who bully are abused at home, leading them to lash out at their classmates. In rare cases, students lash out and attack their classmates in class or even their teacher.

Perception
If your student feels you don't like him, you're not protecting him or supportive of him, he could become a discipline problem in the classroom. Feelings of abandonment, lack of voice and depression affect students who feel like you don't care about them. Some students could have issues adjusting to your teaching style. Many teachers now differentiate lesson plans to include all types of learners. If you are not reaching a student, he could shut down and act out in class.

Disabilities
Children with learning disabilities can also sometimes be disruptive in class. These disabilities can be classified anywhere from attention deficit disorder (ADD) to autism and dyslexia. In most cases, students with learning issues require a specialized education plan to teach to their needs. Many students with learning disabilities are on medication that helps them focus. Occasionally, students forget their medicine and act out in class on those days.

Quick Check Test/Chapitre 3

Reflective question

      Discuss on the following statement:

 “In 1981 the US National Educational Association reported that 36% of teachers

they would probably not go into teaching if they had to decide again. A major reason was "negative student attitudes and discipline”.

I-Read the following statements and answer by true or false

1- Corporal punishment is the best way today to keep learners more discipline.

2- There are two possible reasons for discipline problems : the students and the institutions.

3- Teachers should always assume that the student have understood  the instructions.

4 - Gentle correction involves showing that incorrectness has occured and making a big fuss about it.

II – Topics :

1-       Discuss the role of the teacher as an Asessor.

2-       Comment on the role of the teacher as a role model.

Miscellaneous

The notion of Groups.

Students grouping

The concept of Lockstep

-Individual work/study

-Pair work

-Group work

-Emergency Package

Lockstep is the class grouping where all the students are working with the teacher, where all the students are “locked into” the same rtythm  and pace, the same activity (the term is borrowed from the language laboratory). Lockstep is the traditional teaching situation, in other words, where a teacher controlled session is taking place. Lockstep has  certain advantages. It usually means that all the class are usually be sure that everyone can hear what is being said. The students are usually getting a good language model from the teacher, and lockstep can often be very dynamic. Many students find the lockstep stage (where choral repetition, etc takes place) very comforting. There are, in other words, a number of reasons why lockstep is a good idea.

There are are also reasons reasons, though, why the use of lockstep alone is less than satisfactory. In the first place, students working in lockstep get little chance to  practise or to talk at all. Lockstep always goes at the wrong speed ! Either the  teacher is too slow for the good students (and therefore there is a danger that they will get bored) or he is too fast for the weak studen with pair work, howts (in which case they may panic and not learn what is being

taught). Shy and nervous students also find lockstep work extremely bad for the nerves since they are likely to be exposed in front of the whole class. Most seriously, though lockstep, where the teacher acts as a controller, cannot be the ideal grouping for communicative work. If students are going to use the language they are learning they will not be able to do so locked into a teacher-controlled drill. And if they are to gain student autonomy they must be able to do so by using the language on their own. Lockstep in other words involves too much teaching and too little learning !

Individual Work

Students should work on their own and at their own speed at some stage during the class. They can do this of course, even where they are all doing the same task. Individual study is a good idea precisely because students can relax from outside pressure (provided that there is no time limit or competitive element and because they can rely on themselves rather than on other people. Both Reading and Writing activities can be the focus for individual study.

Pair work

Pair work is learners working together in pairs. One of the main motivations to encourage pair work in the English language classroom is to icrease the opportunities for learners to use English in the class. The learnerd are answering comprehension questions in pairs after reading a text.  Certain problems occur with pair work, however teachers are often worried about the use of the students’ native language in monolingual groups. Usually, however, students will use English if they are motivated to do so and the teacher explains what the reason for the activity is. Incorrectness is another worry, but as we have repeatedly said accuracy is not the only standard to judge learning  by : communicative efficiency is also vitally important and pair work encourages such efficiency.

Teachers sometimes worry about noise and indiscipline when pair work is used particularly with children and adolescents. A lot depends here on the task the teacher has set and on his attitude during the activity. If a teacher goes and concentrates on one pair in the corner of the room to the exclusion of the others, then indeed the rest of the class may forget their task and start playing about. If there is a danger of this happening the teacher should  probably remain at the front of the class (where without interfering in any way he can get a general idea of what is going on) and then organize feedback when the pair work task is over to see how successful it was. He/She  should try  and  make sure that the pair work task is not carried out for too long. Students who are left in pairs for a long time often become bored and are then not only not learning, but also become restless and perhaps badly behaved. If the noise rises to excessive levels then the teacher can simply stop the activity, explain the problem ans ask the students to continue more quietly. If this does not work the activity may have to be discontinued.

Group Work

Group work seems to be an extremely attractive idea for a number off reasons. Just as in pair work, we can mention the increase in the amount of student talking time  and we can place emphasis on the opportunities  it gives students really to use language to communicate with each other. When all the students in a group are working together to produce, for example an  an advertisement, they will be communicating with each other and more importantly co-

operating among themselves. Student will be teaching and  learning in the group exhibiting a degree of self-reliance that simply is not possible when the teacher is acting as a controller.

In some ways group work is more dynamic than pair work : there are more people to react with and against in a group and therefore a greater possibility of discussion. There is a greater chance that at least one member of the group will be able to solve a problem when it arises, and working in  groups is potentially more relaxing than working in pairs, for the latter puts a greater demand on the student’s ability to co operate closely with only one other person. It is

also true to say that group work tasks can often be more exciting and dynamic than some pair work tasks.

Of course the worries that apply to pair work (like the use of the students’ native language,

noise and indiscipline)  are the same in group work.  Another issue is on the selection of group members.Some teachers may use what is called Sociogram where, for example, students are

asked to write down the name of the student of the student in the class.  They would most like to have with them if they were stranded on a desert island. This technique certainly tells the teacher who the popular and unpopular students are, but will not help to form groups of equal sizes since  popularity is not shared round a class in such a neat way. At the beginning of a course a sociogram will anyway not be appropriate since students will often not know each other.

Many teachers form groups where weak and strong students are mixed together. This is often a good thing for the weak students (although there is a danger that they will be overpowered by their stronger brothers and will thus not participate). And probably does not hinder the stronger students from getting the maximum benefit from the activity. Sometimes, however, it is probably a good idea to make groups of strong students and groups of weaker students.

Sociogram : It’s a visual representation of the social links and preferences that each person has – valuable data for leaders.

 Group size is also slightly problematical : in general it is probably safe to say that groups of more than seven students tend to be less than totally appropriate since the amount of student participation obviously falls and the case and lot depends on the activity. It is probably  a good idea to have  an odd number in each group since in that way a split decision is impossible.

Name: ___________________________________Period:________________Date:___________

Classroom Management Scenarios

Directions: Read each of the following scenarios and discuss your plans for how to effectively manage each situation.

1) Imagine that the bell has just rung. Students are still standing around the

classroom and you are having difficulties getting the students seated for roll call

and to begin the lesson.

____________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2) Selena’s mother recently passed away and she is beginning to act out in class by refusing to complete assignments and cause class disruptions.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3) Two girls, who are normally friends, begin arguing over a boy.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

4) Cody has been teasing John and making small snide comments about him for weeks. Today John is having a bad day and has had enough teasing from Cody. When Cody teases him one more time, John decides to bow up to Cody.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

5) The assignment you gave today took less time for students to complete than

expected and you have 15 minutes remaining. You do not have the next day’s

assignment ready to go.

_____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Creating an Effective Learning Environment

Adapted by Dr. HOUNHANOU