Open books open minds

Teacher as manager developing rapport encouraging learners praising learners controlling the group dynamic deciding on interaction patterns motivating learners demonstrating tasks and activities giving instructions maintaining discipline responding to classroom problems as they happen

Write down your age (37). Write down an important year in your life (1995 entered university). Write down the number of years that have passed since that important year (19). Write down your year of birth (1977). Add the four numbers up. 4020

Guidelines on giving effective explanations and instructions Prepare Make sure you have the class's full attention Present the information more than once Be brief Illustrate with examples Get feedback

Compare In what ways did they follow or differ from the guidelines? Were they effective? How could they be improved?

Classroom groupings A. Students working in closed pairs: students work with a partner doing pairwork (not in front of the class). B. Students work with the teacher in open class or whole class: the teacher leads the class and all of the students are focusing on the teacher, rather than working alone or in groups. C. Students working individually: students work alone. D. Students working in groups: students work in small groups talking together (not in front of the class). 1 s s s s s s ↓ ↓ ↓ s s s ↓ ↓ ↓ ↑ ╥ 2 s ↔ s s ↔ s s ↔ s s ↔ s ╥ s ↔ s s ↔ s 3 s s s s ╥ s s s s 4 ╥ s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s

Classroom groupings 1s s s s s s ↓ ↓ ↓ s s s ↓ ↓ ↓ ↑ ╥ Students work with the teacher in open class or whole class: B. Students work with the teacher in open class or whole class: the teacher leads the class and all of the students are focusing on the teacher, rather than working alone or in groups.

Classroom groupings 2 s ↔ s s ↔ s s ↔ s s ↔ s ╥ s ↔ s s ↔ s Students working in closed pairs: A. Students working in closed pairs: students work with a partner doing pairwork (not in front of the class).

Classroom groupings 3 s s s s ╥ s s s s Students working individually C. Students working individually: students work alone.

Classroom groupings 4 ╥ s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s s⇆s ⇅ s⇆s Students working in groups D. Students working in groups: students work in small groups talking together (not in front of the class).

Classroom groupings

Student grouping AdvantagesDisadvantages Classroom activity/situation Whole- class Individual Pairwork Groupwork

Classroom groupings Student grouping AdvantagesDisadvantagesClassroom activity/situation Whole- class sense of belonging cost-efficient allows Ts to 'gauge the mood' and get a general understanding of S progress everyone is forced to work at same pace not much chance to speak transmission of knowledge not communicative taking the roll making announcements organising drills giving explanations and instructions

Classroom groupings Student grouping AdvantagesDisadvantagesClassroom activity/situation Individual allows individuals to progress at own pace less stressful for Ss can develop learner autonomy can restore peace and tranquility does not help promote sense of belonging or cooperation giving different tasks involves a lot more preparation brainstorming written activities listening tasks reading tasks

Classroom groupings Student grouping AdvantagesDisadvantagesClassroom activity/situation Pairwork dramatically increases Ss' speaking time promotes learner independence allows Ts to focus on 1,2 pairs promotes cooperation Ss share responsibility quick, easy to organise noisy class Ss can veer away from task or speak in L1 greater chances of misbehaviour not always popular with Ss choice of partner can be problematic speaking activities compare answers almost all kinds of tasks

Student grouping AdvantagesDisadvantagesClassroom activity/situation Groupwork dramatically increases Ss' speaking time greater chance of different opinions promotes cooperation promotes learner autonomy Ss can choose level of participation noisy not all Ss enjoy it some Ss may dominate can be time-consuming speaking activities games Classroom groupings

Student grouping AdvantagesDisadvantagesClassroom activity/situation Whole-class- sense of belonging - cost-efficient - allows Ts to 'gauge the mood' and get a general understanding of S progress - everyone is forced to work at same pace - not much chance to speak - transmission of knowledge - not communicative - taking the roll - making announcements - organising drills - giving explanations and instructions Individual- allows individuals to progress at own pace - less stressful for Ss - can develop learner autonomy - can restore peace and tranquility - does not help promote sense of belonging or cooperation - giving different tasks involves a lot more preparation - brainstorming - written activities - listening tasks - reading tasks Pairwork- dramatically increases Ss' speaking time - promotes learner independence - allows Ts to focus on 1,2 pairs - promotes cooperation - Ss share responsibility - quick, easy to organise - noisy class - Ss can veer away from task or speak in L1 - greater chances of misbehaviour - not always popular with Ss - choice of partner can be problematic - speaking activities - compare answers - almost all kinds of tasks Groupwork- dramatically increases Ss' speaking time - greater chance of different opinions - promotes cooperation - promotes learner autonomy - Ss can choose level of participation - noisy - not all Ss enjoy it - some Ss may dominate - can be time-consuming - speaking activities - games Classroom groupings

Procedures for pairwork and groupworkBeforeMotivate Ss (Ss need to feel enthusiastic about what they are going to do) Teach useful language (If Ss don't know the language, they'll feel frustrated) Give instructions (Check understanding) Demonstrate (Model with a good S, elicit more examples) Set time limit (Ss often work better with time limits, be flexible, but don't let it drag for too long) Divide Ss into pairs/groups (Vary techniques) While Monitor and intervene when appropriate (to help Ss, to make sure Ss are using English, to ask early finishers to do sth else, to stop the activity) AfterGet feedback (use variety of techniques, Ss demonstrate language used or work, open up discussion – give feedback)

Classroom discipline

Classroom discipline video

Practical hints regarding classroom discipline 1.Start by being firm with students: you can relax later. 2.Get silence before you start speaking to the class. 3.Know and use the students’ names. 4.Prepare lessons thoroughly and structure them firmly. 5.Be mobile: walk around the class. 6.Start the lesson with a ‘bang’ and sustain interest and curiosity. 7.Speak clearly. 8.Make sure your instructions are clear. 9.Have extra material prepared (e.g. to cope with slower/faster-working students.) 10.Look at the class when speaking and learn how to ‘scan’. 11.Make work appropriate (to pupils’ age, ability, cultural background). 12.Develop an effective questioning technique. 13.Develop the art of timing your lesson to fit the available period. 14.Vary your teaching techniques. 15.Anticipate discipline problems and act quickly. 16.Avoid confrontations 17.Clarify fixed rules and standards, and be consistent in applying them. 18.Show yourself as supporter and helper to the students. 19.Don’t patronize students, treat them with respect. 20.Use humour constructively. 21.Choose topics and tasks that will activate students. 22.Be warm and friendly to the students.

How to torture your teacher

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