For ESL/EFL teachers, managing their classrooms can be difficult because of a variety of factors. However, one important aspect of class management remains constant: the desire to communicate in English. This article discusses the class management issues that arise in most ESL/EFL settings in some form or another. A number of recommendations are also made to address these concerns. Teachers can also learn from one another by sharing their own experiences with Bring in class management as well as tips for effective class management.
Most ESL/EFL classrooms face management challenges.Classroom Management Difficulties: Students are reluctant to participate because they do not want to make a mistake.
Class management advice: Provide examples in (at least one) of the students’ native languages. You will undoubtedly make some mistakes, so use this as an example of your willingness to make mistakes. This class management technique should be used with caution, as some students may be concerned about your own language learning abilities.
Instead of having large group discussions, divide students into smaller groups. When classes are large, this approach can cause more problems in managing the classroom – use with caution!Students insist on translating every word in the classroom.
Take a text that contains a few nonsensical words as an example. Use this text to demonstrate how to recognise general meaning without knowing every single word.
Increase awareness of the significance of context in language learning. You can also talk about how babies learn to speak over time.
Classroom Management Difficulty: Students insist on being corrected for every error.
Class management advice: Create a policy that only corrects errors that are relevant to the current lesson. In other words, if you study the present perfect in this lesson, you will only correct mistakes in present perfect usage.
Establish a policy for specific activities that are exempt from corrections. This should be a class rule to prevent students from correcting each other. In this case, you have a different issue with class management.
Class management challenge: Students have varying levels of commitment.
Class management advice: Discuss the course objectives, expectations, and homework guidelines at the start of each new class. Adult learners who find this too demanding may express their concerns during this discussion.
Individuals should not be asked to repeat information from previous lessons. If you must perform a check, ensure that it is done as a class activity to benefit the entire class.
Adult English classes – students who speak the same language
Classroom Management Difficulty: During class, students speak in their native language.
Class management advice: Use a donation jar as a class management tool. Every time a student speaks a sentence in their native language, they make a contribution to the fund. Later, the class can go out on a date with the money.
Give students some of their own medicine and begin teaching in another language as soon as possible. Make a point of how this distracts students in class.
Difficulty with classroom management: Students insist on translating each phrase into their native language.
Class management advice: Remind students that a third “person” gets in the way of translation. Instead of communicating directly, you must go to a third party in your head every time you translate into your own language. You will never be able to have a longer conversation using this technique.
Consider a text that contains a few nonsensical words. Use this text to demonstrate how to recognise general meaning without knowing every single word.
Increase awareness of the significance of context in language learning. You can also talk about how babies learn to speak over time.
You may be interested to read:
Leave a Reply