MASARYK UNIVERSITY, BRNO

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

Department of English Language and Literature

The effective classroom management in

young learners language classes

Bachelor thesis

Brno 2013

Supervisor: Written by:

Mgr. Nadda Vojtkov Petra Schneiderov
Prohlen autora

Prohlauji, e jsem zvrenou bakalskou prci vypracovala samostatn, s vyuitm

pouze citovanch literrnch pramen, dalch informac a zdroj v souladu s
Disciplinrnm dem pro studenty Pedagogick fakulty Masarykovy univerzity a se
zkonem . 121/2000 Sb., o prvu autorskm, o prvech souvisejcch s prvem
autorskm a o zmn nkterch zkon (autorsk zkon), ve znn pozdjch
pedpis.

V Brn, 2013
Petra Schneiderov
Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to Mgr. Nadda Vojtkov for her kind
help, words of encouragement and valuable advice that she provided to me during my
work on this bachelor thesis.
In Brno, 2013 Petra Schneiderov
Annotation:
The bachelor thesis deals with the effectiveness of classroom management and it
is especially focused on young learners. Classroom management is considered to be one
of the most important aspects of teaching and a significant part of a classroom life. The
content of the theoretical part focuses on the meaning of classroom management, which
involves planning and organizing procedures, arranging the environment, monitoring
learners progress, and primarily anticipating potential problems during teaching young
learners. The practical part of this bachelor thesis explores particular problems which
teachers have to cope with in young learners language classes and presents
instructional approaches and various methods which help teachers to manage problem
situations.
The main aim of this bachelor thesis is to show a range of methodological skills
and abilities that teachers have to learn and adopt in order to be able to create a
successful class despite of young learners disruptive behaviour.

Anotace:
Tato bakalsk prce se zabv innost organizace tdy a je pedevm
zamena na ky mladho kolnho vku. Organizace tdy je povaovna za jeden z
nejdleitjch aspekt vuky a je nutnou soust ivota tdy. Obsah teoretick sti
je zamen na vznam organizace tdy, kter zahrnuje plnovn a organizaci postup,
uspodn tdy, sledovn pokroku k a pedevm pedvdn potencilnch
problm pi vuce mladch k. Praktick st bakalsk prce zkoum konkrtn
problmy, se ktermi si uitel mus poradit bhem jazykov vuky mladch k,
pedkld vukov pstupy a rzn metody, kter mohou pomoci uitelm zvldat
problmov situace.
Hlavnm clem bakalsk prce je ukzat adu metodologickch dovednost a
schopnost, kter si uitel mus osvojit a nauit se je, aby byli schopni doshnout
maximlnch vsledk v jazykov vuce i pes ruiv chovn k mladho kolnho
vku.

Key words:
Classroom management, young learners, methodological skills, teaching methods
Klov slova:
Organizace tdy, ci mladho kolnho vku, metodologick dovednosti, metody uen
Table of Content

Introduction .............................................................................................. 7

I. Theoretical Part .................................................................................... 9

1. Classroom management ......................................................................................... 10

1.1 What is classroom management? ....................................................................... 10
1.2 Classroom management and the teacher ............................................................ 11
1.3 The main areas of classroom management ......................................................... 12
1.4 Grouping and Seating ......................................................................................... 13
1.5 Giving instructions and monitoring .................................................................. 15
1.6 Timing ................................................................................................................. 17
1.7 Authority and setting rules .................................................................................. 18
1.8 Holding and improving students attention ......................................................... 19
1.9 Voice and gestures .............................................................................................. 20
1.10 Praise and motivation ........................................................................................ 22

2. Young learners ......................................................................................................... 24

2.1 General characteristics of young learners ........................................................... 24
2.2 Unique characters of young learners ................................................................... 25

3. Managing Problem Situations ................................................................................ 26

3.1 Lack of motivation ............................................................................................... 26
3.2 Lack of respect and rudeness ............................................................................... 27
3.3 Attention seeking student .................................................................................... 28

II. Practical part ..................................................................................... 30

1. Before the first lesson .............................................................................................. 31

1.1 Setting up the classroom .................................................................................... 32
1.2 Arranging the tables............................................................................................. 33
1.3 Name tags ............................................................................................................ 35

2. The first lessons ........................................................................................................ 36

2.1 Learning pupils names ...................................................................................... 37
2.2 Setting the rules .................................................................................................. 38
2.3 Paying attention .................................................................................................. 39

3. Managing the class ............................................................................................... 41

3.1 The first month ................................................................................................... 41
3.1.1 Attention seeking student .......................................................................... 41
3.2 The second month ............................................................................................... 43
 3.2.1 Breaking the attention-seeking habit ....................................................... 43
3.2.2 Managing the class ................................................................................... 44
3.3 The third month ................................................................................................. 45
3.3.1 The observation schedule ......................................................................... 46
3.3.2 Questionnaire ........................................................................................... 47
3. 3. 2.1 Analysis and Interpretation of the Questionnaire Data .............. 47

Conclusion ................................................................................................ 52
Bibliography ............................................................................................. 54
Appendices ............................................................................................... 59
Table of figures ........................................................................................ 75
Introduction

Great teachers empathise with kids, respect them, and believe that each one has
something special that can be built upon.
Ann Lieberman

Teaching young learners may be challenging, rewarding, and even surprising.

Since young learners tend to have boundless physical energy, poor discipline, awareness
and short attention spans, a challenging part of teaching is copying with many
unexpected events that occur in the classroom each day. Many teachers feel deflated
after their lessons since it is demanding to teach and control the learners behaviour at
the same time.

How shall I cope with a childs constant misbehaviour? What shall I do with
students who lack motivation? How shall I best deal with a class clown? And what
can I do about an argumentative student? Such questions will be familiar to the
majority of classroom teachers.

Personally, I really enjoy teaching young learners. I love their energy, enthusiasm
and positive attitude to life. However, there are days when I have to deal with many
unexpected moments and I find myself being in desperate situations. Therefore, I have
chosen classroom management as a topic for my bachelor thesis in order to find answers
to questions listed above and improve my managing skills.

Every teaching day poses new challenges. Without effective classroom

management, teachers have little or no chance of teaching successfully since classroom
management is considered one of the most important aspects of teaching and a
significant part of classroom life. It is part of a process of organizing and conducting a
class that includes time management, students involvement, student engagement, and
classroom communication.

The research presented in this thesis focuses on the particular problems faced by
teachers in young learners language classes. It presents an instructional approach and
examines various methods aimed at helping teachers manage problem situations. The
content of the theoretical part focuses on the meaning of classroom management: the

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planning and organizing process, arranging the learning environment, monitoring
students progress, and primarily anticipating potential problems during the teaching of
young learners.

The practical part of this study is based on findings gained from research
conducted in a class of 9-11 year olds in the language school where the author teaches.
The research involved a sequence of problem setting to which various techniques were
then applied.

I hope that all the information and facts gained from this bachelor thesis will help
me in managing problem situations which can occur in my language classes and enrich
my teaching skills.

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I. Theoretical Part

This part of the thesis provides supporting behavioural and educational theory to
the practical section. It is divided into three chapters.

The first chapter deals with the meaning of classroom management. It then
introduces techniques and methods of organizing and managing effective classroom
management.

The second chapter relates specifically to young learners and presents general as
well as unique descriptions and characteristics of their classroom behaviour.

Finally, the third chapter discusses in detail particular problems that teachers have
to deal with in young learners language classes and presents instructional approaches
and various methods which help teachers to cope with problem situations.

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1 Classroom management

Successful teaching often depends on the ability of the teacher to manage the
classroom. Frequent occurrence of disciplinary problems in the classroom can have a
considerable affect on the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Teachers are
responsible for managing and monitoring student learning and therefore losing control
of the classroom can be one of the most frustrating experiences for them. This chapter
focuses on a detailed description of classroom management; the backbone of an
effective learning environment.

1.1 What is classroom management?

Classroom management is considered an essential part of the teaching and

learning process. It refers to the methods, strategies and skills teachers use to maintain a
classroom environment that results in a students learning success. Classroom
management is connected to a process of organizing and conducting a class that
includes time management, students involvement, student engagement, and classroom
communication. Classroom management is also defined as the process of creating a
democratic community and managing a successful class (Lemlech 1999, p. xiv).

Dewey claims the classroom represents a real life and that the child performs the
fundamental activities of our civilization. Individuals must share common aids, beliefs,
aspirations, and knowledge to form a community (as cited in Lemlech, 1990, p. 4). In
1999, Lemlech notes that, the opposite of classroom order is anarchy, and neither
students nor teachers can accomplish goals in anarchistic environments (p.2).
According to Evertson (2007), learning in a chaotic classroom is difficult and may even
be inhibited.

Kean University (2009) research concludes the following:

Classroom management, as applied to teaching, involves everything that a teacher must do
to carry out his/her teaching objectives. It includes preparation of plans and materials,
structuring of activities into time blocks, direct teaching of skills and subject matter,
grouping of pupils to provide for the most efficient use of teacher and pupil time, plans for
transition periods--changing from one activity to another or from one place to another--
pupil involvement and motivation, and adequate control of pupil behavior. (Classroom
Management, para. 1)

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Taken together, classroom management can be expressed simply as the anticipation of
possible problems.

1.2 Classroom management and the teacher

Teachers play a pivotal role in classroom management and therefore they are
responsible for creating a well-organized classroom in which students can succeed.
However, an effective classroom environment does not appear out of nowhere. Teachers
have to invest a great deal of time and effort in creating it.

According to Scrivener (2005), teachers are required to have certain

organisational skills and techniques in managing multitude of tasks and situations that
can occur at any time in the classroom (p. 79). Teachers are also presented as leaders
who influence their students, and who need self-confidence, self-respect, status, and a
controlled professional life and classroom environment (Lemlech, 1999, p. xiv).
Scrivener makes a very valid point when he says that teachers have to be able to look
at and read classroom events as they occur and think of possible options (2005, p. 80).
After finding these options, there is then time to make suitable decisions and turn them
into effective and efficient actions (Scrivener, 2005, p. 80).

Look Options Actions

Looking at Finding options.
classroom events Making decisions Doing the
minute by between one chosen action.
minute options and
another

Figure 1. Basic skills of classroom management. This figure illustrates the basic skills of
classroom management. (source: Scrivener, 2005, p. 80).

Lemlech (1999) states the following:

The teacher needs not only a bag of tricks for the unplanned time that suddenly
materializes but also group process skills (for working with students and other adults)
and management techniques (for dealing with people, equipment, supplies, actions, and
inaction). (p.7)

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 The development of a quality relationship between teachers and their students,
good communication, and keeping children on task are the key components that affect
success in classroom management, and if teachers are able to run the classroom in an
effective way, it helps children to be successful in their learning (Evertson, 2007).
Along with these facts, Lemlech notes that, the key to successful classroom
management is preplanning (1999, p. 7).

Knowing and understanding the learner is a significant part of developing

relationships and teachers who have high-quality relationship with students have fewer
discipline problems than teachers who do not. It is essential that teachers find ways of
developing relationships with all their students and building a sense of community in
the classroom. Gower, Phillips and Walters (2008) emphasise that teachers have to
consider the balance between being friendly and maintaining discipline (p. 21).

1.3 The main areas of classroom management

This subchapter provides a brief overview of the main areas of classroom

management. This group of defined skills and techniques assists teachers in dealing
effectively with a range of student behaviour. Classroom management skills consist of
rules and procedures that help run classrooms smoothly (Lemlech, 1999, p. x). It is vital
that teachers establish effective classroom management strategies to use in their
classrooms, so that children are keen on learning (Evertson, 2007). A clear description
of common classroom management areas is given by Scrivener (2005):

Grouping and seating: Forming groupings. Arranging and rearranging seating.

Deciding where you will stand or sit. Reforming class as a whole group after activities.
Activities: Sequencing activities. Setting up activities. Giving instructions. Monitoring
activities. Timing activities. Bringing activities to an end.
Authority: Gathering and holding attention. Deciding who does what. Establishing or
relinquishing authority as appropriate. Getting someone to do something.
Critical moments: Starting the lesson. Dealing with unexpected problems. Maintaining
appropriate discipline. Finishing the lesson.
Tools and techniques: Using the board and other classroom equipment or aids. Using
gestures to help clarity of instructions and explanations. Speaking clearly at an

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 appropriate volume and speed. Use of silence. Grading complexity of language.
Grading quantity of language.
Working with people: Spreading your attention evenly and appropriately. Using
intuition to gauge what students are feeling. Eliciting honest feedback from students.
Really listening to students (pp. 79-80).

Some of these areas and various techniques for organizing and managing the class will
be discussed in greater detail in the following subchapters.

1.4 Grouping and Seating

Changing the rooms physical layout may make the classroom a more attractive
place to study since it may also make cooperative work easier, revitalize fatigued
students, reduce stress within the classroom and facilitate learning.

For each activity teachers undertake in class, they should consider what
grouping, seating and standing arrangements are most suitable. It is difficult for students
and especially for young learners to sit still for a long time. It is essential to include
activities that involve some movement. However, teachers should be aware of a
constant movement every five minutes which might be, for most students,
uncomfortable (Scrivener, 2005, p. 87).

The organization of the classroom is of great importance. In the past in many

classrooms, desks were arranged in neat rows facing the teachers desk. This traditional
way of organization limited student interaction and made group activities more
challenging. Luckily, these days are gone and teachers are more imaginative in setting
the classroom. However, placing tables in orderly rows still occurs in classrooms,
particularly in college and upper elementary through to high school settings.

There are a number of approaches to seating arrangements in the classroom.

Harmer (1998) suggests the following types of seating:

Orderly rows: when the students sit in rows in the classroom, there are obvious
advantages. It means that the teacher has a clear view of all the students and the
students can all see the teacher. It makes lecturing easier; enabling the teacher to
maintain eye contact with the people he or she is talking to. Orderly rows imply
teachers working with the whole class. Some activities are especially suited to this kind
of organization: explaining a grammar point, watching a video, using a board etc.

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 Circles and horseshoe: In a horseshoe, the teacher will probably be at the open end of
arrangement since that may well be where the board, overhead projector or tape
recorder are situated. In a circle, the teachers position where the board is situated is
less dominating. Classes which are arranged in a circle make quite a strong statement
about what the teacher and the students believe in. With all the people sitting in a circle,
there is a far greater feeling of equality the teacher has a much greater opportunity to
get close to the students.

Separate tables: When students sit in small groups at individual tables, the atmosphere
in the class is much less hierarchical than in the other arrangements. However, this
arrangement is not without its own problems. Primarily, students may not always want
to be with the same colleagues, indeed their preferences may change over time.
Secondly, it makes whole-class teaching more difficult, since the students are more
diffuse and separated (pp. 19-20).

Scrivener (2005) states that changing students arrangements has many

advantages and help students cooperate with different people. He also agrees that in a
circle or a horseshoe there is a much greater sense of equality and it increases student
interaction. Moreover, in these seating arrangements weaker students have less chance
of hiding themselves and therefore the stronger students dominate less (pp.87-88).

Figure 2. Traditional row-based seating plan. (source: Scrivener, 2005, p. 88).

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Figure 3. Alternative seating plans. (source: Scrivener, 2005, p. 88).

Although there are many ways of arranging classroom seating, most teachers
agree, and the author is of the same opinion, that there is no universal correct room
organization. Pitner further adds that the best arrangement is one that fits the teachers
style, fits the classroom dimensions, and feels comfortable to the students (2013).

Another important factor which is related to seating arrangement is the teachers

and students mobility. Generally, a teacher moving around the classroom is more alert
and is able to organize the classroom events more effectively (Lemlech, 1999, p.20).
Walking around the classroom helps teachers motivate students to participate in
classroom activities and it also helps maintain attention and discipline. However,
Gower, Phillips and Walters (2008) point out that too much movement from the teacher
might distract students (p. 25). An important point to remember is that students,
especially young learners, should also be allowed to move around in order to do more
active work and to enable cooperation with others.

1.5 Giving instructions and monitoring

Giving the right instruction is one of the most difficult and challenging things in
managing a successful learning environment. Instructions which may seem to be clear
to teachers may cause unnecessary confusion for students and may affect students
behaviour, particularly young learners behaviour. According to Lemlech (1999),
students want and need to know what, how, and why. It means that students must
understand what teachers want them to do (p. 11). To make instructions effective, it is
essential to get the students attention. Teachers can use different signals to draw
attention; such as clapping their hands, raising their voice, ringing a bell or raising their

15
hand. Another step is to make eye contact with as many students as possible and show
an established gesture that indicates the teachers intention to speak (Scrivener, 2005,
p.92). Teachers should not start their explanation until everyone is listening and
watching them (Gower, Phillips & Walters, 2008, p. 40). Harmer points out that
instructions should be as simple as possible and logical (1998, p. 4). Scrivener also
suggests using short sentences and involving a demonstration of the instructions. Using
wordy instructions, especially in young learners classes, are ineffective and may cause
disruption and interruptions (2005, pp. 90-91).

Before starting an activity it is extremely important for teachers to check that

students have understood the instructions to avoid uncertainty and confusion (Lemlech,
1999, p.14).Scrivener makes a good point when he states that students should not be
asked useless questions such as Do you understand, as most of students will not admit
to it, even if they do not. Therefore, a more effective method is to ask a few students to
repeat back the instructions or get someone to demonstrate the activity. If students do
not understand the instructions, thereafter rephrasing is essential (2005, p.106).

When students are engaged in an activity, teachers need to make sure that
students are doing the task which they were asked to do. In spite of giving clear
instructions, students may have difficulties in following them. Hence, teachers should
walk around the classroom and monitor if the activities are staying on-plan (Scrivener,
2005, p. 93).

Monitoring is another classroom management technique. Gower, Phillips and

Walters (2008) say that monitoring is just as important a skill as teaching (p. 49)
According to Harmer, teachers should be interested in students feelings and watch and
listen to their students as carefully as possible in order to gain successful classroom
management (1998, p. 16)

Lemlech (1999) suggests three monitoring functions that affect classroom management:

1. Checking students understanding of assignment instructions and of work-in-

progress.
2. Verifying short- and long-term accomplishments
3. Checking upon student behaviour (p. 21).

Apart from a teachers monitoring, there are possibilities for self and peer
monitoring. Whilst self-monitoring involves training in self-correction, peer-monitoring

16
and feedback can increase students motivation. Monitoring students is important
because it maintains their understanding and progress and also achieves the purpose of
providing discipline in certain circumstances (Darn, 2006).

1.6 Timing

Another important classroom-management tool and a crucial skill for teachers is

effective time management. Lemlech (1999) points out that a teachers ability for
effective timing appears to be instinctive in some teachers whilst others have to
develop it (p.23). Most experts agree that teachers should be aware of using time in
their classes efficiently since effective timing is one of the essential keys to successful
learning. Thus, it is vital that teachers need to be able to gain control over the activities
they do, organize the classroom well, plan their lessons carefully and set realistic times
for the completion of tasks. Good pacing minimizes the time spent on disruptions and
disciplinary situations and helps keep the classroom running smoothly (Time-on-
Task, 2010). Especially in young learners classrooms, teachers should keep the pace
of the lesson fairly upbeat (Thornbury, 2010). When planning the lesson, it is wise to
consider using time-controlled activities such as group work, role-plays, individual
presentations, etc. (McKenzie, 2006). According to Scott and Ytreberg, teachers need to
remember to keep activities around 5 and 10 minutes long for ages 57, and 10 to 15
minutes long for ages 810 (1990, p. 6). In addition, transitions from one activity to
another need to be smooth enough for students to easily follow (McKenzie, 2006).

Thornbury (2010) suggests that teachers should create routines that students
recognise easily. Even though it may take some time to establish these routines, this act
and also the ability of teachers to give specific, clear and understandable instructions,
may save a lot of time by eliminating subsequent explanations, minimises confusion and
may avoid inefficient loss of lesson time (2010). Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2005)
recommend not spending too much time on easy or trivial points (p. 285). McKenzie
(2006) points out that teachers should keep in mind hidden time demands such as
administrative activities, setting up technical equipments or rearranging seating.

In the authors experience, the majority of teachers struggle with a lack of time in
their classrooms; however, at times, they may also find themselves in a situation with
extra time left at the end of the lesson. In this case, teachers need to have some extra

17
activities prepared to keep their class busy, since unplanned time at the end of a class
may result in student boredom and disruption.

1.7 Authority and setting rules

All teachers, especially new ones, need to carry their authority well. Robertson
says that, teachers who want to establish their authority should behave as if they were
already in authority (as cited in Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2005, p. 314). It is agreed
that the best day to start to establish teacher authority is the first day of school when
students pay particular attention to their own impression of the teacher. As a rule,
authority is gained by respect (Walker, 2010). Gower, Phillips and Walters (2008) say
that teachers gain respect if:

...they are punctual, well prepared for the lesson, do what they say they are going to do,
treat students consistently and fairly, try not to let personal feelings about individual
students influence the way they treat them as members of the group, do not ignore
problems, never make treats they are not able or prepared to carry out and never lose their
temper (pp.60- 61).

Gaining respect and maintaining control over the classroom is an ongoing process
which is closely connected with setting rules. Concerning classroom management, Scott
and Ytreberg (1990) state the following about young learners and rules:

They know that the world is governed by rules. They may not always understand the
rules, but they know that they are to be obeyed, and that rules help to nurture a feeling of
security (p. 2).

When teachers design classroom rules, they need to consider that the rules must
be easy to understand and manageable. Students have to know what is or what is not
acceptable. Setting correct rules helps create a predictable atmosphere that maintains
classroom discipline, decreases disruptions and encourages children to use self-control
(Davies, 2007). Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2005) say that most rules are based on
moral, personal, legal, safety and educational considerations (p. 295).

Webster (2010) highlights that rules should:

be limited to 3-6 points,
be stated in positive terms
address multiple situations
be age appropriate

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The differences between effective and ineffective rules are illustrated in the table below:

Effective Rules Ineffective Rules

1. Give each assignment your best effort. 1. Be good.

2. Work quietly when directed. 2. Do not bother others.
3. Take care of shared equipment. 3. Practice good citizenship.
4. No hitting. 4. Behave appropriately at all times.

Figure 4. Examples of Effective and Ineffective Rules. (source: Helping Teachers Learn the

Secrets of Successful Classroom, 1994).

Davies points out that it is a good idea to give the students the opportunity to
develop the rules collaboratively with the teacher since students who participate in
creating rules tend to understand them better and are more likely to adopt and follow
them. Davies further claims that once the rules are established, then it is time to teach
and learn them. It is wise, and the authors experience concurs, to present the rules
visually in the classroom since displaying the rules on the wall or the board helps
students to learn and follow them more easily. However, it takes some time to
implement the rules and they have to be learnt through concrete situations (2007). It is
essential that the teacher shows students what will happen if they ignore the rules
(Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2005, p. 293). In addition, a teacher needs to maintain
consistency when dealing with rules and punishment. According to Davies, logical
consequences for broken rules need to be applied fairly and consistently and should be
focused on helping children to learn from their own mistakes (2007). The rules need to
be consistently enforced to ensure successful learning (Webster, 2010).

Even though establishing, monitoring, and consistently reinforcing classroom

rules have beneficial effects on classroom behaviour, they need to be closely linked to
other classroom-management tools.

1.8 Holding and improving students attention

It is generally agreed and as previously stated; teachers should not start a new task
or activity without getting the attention of all students in the class. Teachers can use

19
special signals to begin a new task such as ringing a bell, dropping their voice, flicking
the light switch or clapping hands (Shelby, 2009). In young learners classes, Gower,
Phillips and Walters advise being consistent and using the same set of words for the
same instructions such as Everybody, Listen, Look, Repeat, Stand up, Look at the
board... (2008, p. 40).

Lemlech (1999) suggests seven steps to improve students attention:

1. Gain attention of all students.
2. Motivate interest.
3. Teach (model, demonstrate) concept
4. In order to maintain students attention, teacher ought to structure the lesson into short
sessions.
5. Provide follow-up task assignment.
6. Monitor on-task behaviour.
7. Evaluate and provide feedback (p.147).

If the students are bored, they lose their interest and stop paying attention to the
task and teacher. Therefore, one of the most important aspects is student motivation.
Students enjoy doing things which they can see the point of (Harmer, 2007, p.102).
To break the monotony and attract students attention, teachers have to provide a variety
of activities, pace, voice and organization (Scott and Ytreberg, 1990, p. 6). The
activities that work well are activities with action such as games, puzzles, songs, poems
and chants and total physical response activities (Phillips, 1993, p.6-8). According to
Harmer, teachers have to be flexible and they should be able to move onto the next
activity when any signs of students getting bored occurs (2007, p. 83).

Holding and improving students attention is the sole responsibility of the teacher
and it is a demanding job, particularly in young learners classes since their attention
spans are short and their ability to concentrate, limited.

1.9 Voice and gestures

Two kinds of messages are transmitted to students when the teacher is speaking.
Whilst the voice transfers verbal messages, gestures represent specific body
movements. Most authors agree that the teachers voice should be audible, use different
qualities of their voices and need to take care of their voices since the voice is
considered one of the most important and valuable instruments at their disposal in the

20
management of teaching. The ways a teacher uses the tone, pace and volume of their
voice has a great impact on their listeners. It means that varying the quality of voice is
just as important as the actual words spoken. Therefore, choosing an inappropriate
quality of voice may irritate students and may cause disruptive behaviour (Harmer,
1998, p.17).

When teaching, teachers should make sure that all students, especially those
sitting at the back of the classroom, can hear them. However it is not necessary to shout
(Harmer, 1998, pp.16-17). Lemlech claims that if a teacher increases the volume of their
voice, then the level of noise in the classroom also increases (1999, p. 146). When
giving instructions or introducing a new task, it is advisable to drop the voice, slower
the pace and adapt a tone of voice appropriate to the situation, to attract students
attention. Varying the intonation and pace of the voice can help teachers generate
enthusiasm and excitement in the classroom (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2005, p.
284). According to Hendy, teachers need to face students whenever they speak. This is
especially true of young learners, as they need to be able to see the teachers face as this
makes it easier to hear (2005).

When teachers speak, they do not only use their voice, but they also use their
hands to clarify and support their words. It is said that more than half of all human
communication takes place non-verbally. Thus, gestures are a very beneficial form of
non-verbal communication that reinforces the message and helps reduce unnecessary
teacher talking time in the classroom and increase students understanding and
participation during lessons. Teachers should use physical movement such as gestures
and mime and facial expressions during their teaching to convey the meaning of
language, reinforce information and increase pace. This is particularly essential in
young learners classrooms where long verbal explanations can be difficult and
confusing (Gower, Phillips & Walters, 2008, p. 11). Scrivener suggests developing a
set of gestures in order to avoid repeating basic instructions and to increase students
talking time (2005, p. 95).

It is believed that using gestures in the classroom can improve communication

between the teacher and students and encourages students in learning (Davies, 2003).
However, teachers should avoid unclear, ambiguous and excessive gestures. According
to Gower, Phillips and Walters, gestures should have a focus (2008, p.13).

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 To sum up, both voice and gestures are beneficial tools of communication
between teachers and students. They should not be separated and their role in assisting
teachers in classroom management should not be underestimated.

1.10 Praise and motivation

Many teachers often use praise as a form of positive reinforcement for

appropriate behaviour and as a motivational tool (Lemlech, 1999, p. 16). When it comes
to praising, many experts agree that less is better since too much praise particularly
unwisely applied praise such as praising for trivial accomplishments or weak efforts,
especially in young learners classes, can lessen students self-motivation and suppress
a students natural curiosity. Davies (2003) says that effective praise needs to be given
sincerely and enthusiastically and should focus on the students effort rather than on
what was actually achieved.

Harmer claims, praise is better than blame (2007, p. 157). It is generally agreed
that praise is more effective than punishment since punishment does not address the
causes of misbehaviour, only the symptoms. Therefore, it is vital to work on a positive
approach rather than on a negative one (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2005, pp. 305-
308). Genuine, spontaneous and specific praise encourages positive self-esteem and
acceptance of both self and among other students in the classroom. Moreover, truthful
evaluation provides students with the opportunity to understand their strengths and
weaknesses and to feel strong, confident and independent (Davies, 2003).

As for praise Lemlech (1999) advises the following:

Praise authentic accomplishment

Praise effort related to specific accomplishment(s)
Help students relate success to effort and ability
Identify especially what is praised and why it is praised (p.16)

As stated, praise may either enhance or undermine students motivation. There

are two basic types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. While intrinsic motivation
arises from inside of the individual and refers to internal desire to learn which is typical
of young learners, extrinsic motivation refers to engagement motivated by external
rewards, such as grades. Some experts argue against the use of verbal praise since they

22
claim that praise may damage intrinsic motivation of students. Therefore, teacher should
be aware of destroying the students interest or enjoyment in learning (Lile, 2002).
However, according to Harmer, Teachers are not ultimately responsible for students
motivation since real motivation occurs within each individual (1998, p. 8).

23
2 Young learners

Young learners are usually considered to be children between six to ten or eleven
years of age. Since there are marked differences in the abilities of children aged five and
ten, Scott and Ytreberg suggest dividing young learners into two groups. The first
suggested group is from five to seven, and the second group is from eight to ten or
eleven (1990, p.1). The practical part of this bachelor thesis will focus on the older
group of young learners.

2.1 General characteristics of young learners

Young learners generally display an enthusiasm for learning and a curiosity about
the world around them (Harmer, 2007, p. 82). They are imaginative, keen, outspoken
and inquisitive. Young learners enjoy repetition of routines and activities and they love
to be creative. They are less inhibited than other age groups but their self-control is very
poor. Since they have a lot of physical energy, physical movement should be an
essential part of their learning (Brendon, 2012). However, these children are not only
interested in the physical, but also the tangible. They learn from everything around them
and their understanding comes through eyes and ears and through hands. Young
learners learn by example and the most important role for a teacher is to be their living
example (Harmer, 2007, pp. 82-83). These children also have a positive attitude to
learning and learning new things is an adventure for them (Motivating Learning in
Young Children, 2007).

Harmer (2007) claims that young learners have different characteristics and they
learn differently from adolescents, adults and even from older children. Generally,
young learners have very limited attention and concentration spans, and therefore, they
can easily get bored and lose interest. These children are sensitive and dislike criticism.
They look for guidance and support, and for this reason, they require individual
attention and approval from their teachers (p.82). They tend to respond well to praising,
and it is very important to praise them for what they do. It is common sense that if
children are praised, they are motivated and feel successful (Scott and Ytreberg, 1990,
p. 3). A child receiving the right sort of support and encouragement become creative,

24
independent and adventurous learners (Motivating Learning in Young Children,
2007).

Most experts agree that teaching a group of young learners is enormously

rewarding, but also demanding. Harmer highlights that teachers should be able to
understand how their students think and operate (2007, p.83). Since young learners
have a very keen sense of fairness, teachers should avoid playing favourites and they
must treat each student equally (Scott and Ytreberg, 1990, p.9). Teachers also need to
pay attention to their students current interests so that they can use them to motivate
the children (Harmer, 2007, p.83).

2.2 Unique character of young learners

Although most young learners share characteristics mentioned in the previous

chapter, there are a few unique characteristics that some young learners have and many
teachers have to face up to in their classes. Apart from slow learners, disrespectful, and
disruptive learners, teachers may have to deal with the following characters:

1. Hyperactive children are children who tend to move continuously. They like
running around, jumping up and down, climbing and screaming. These children usually
perform activities according to their own will and therefore are difficult to control.

2. Distractible children get bored quickly. They often notice everything that is going
on around them which disturbs their attention and they are not able to focus on the
activities that take place in the classroom.

3. Children with a poor self-concept tend to be quiet, passive, or hypersensitive

children who are often rejected by other children in the class.

4. Impulsive children have the tendency to interrupt conversations or speaking out

of turn.

5. Children with destructive behaviour like to destroy things and may display anger
and aggression (Brendon, 2012).

25
3 Managing Problem Situations

No teacher wants to have poor discipline in their classrooms. Therefore, having

good classroom discipline involves a number of steps teachers should follow when
behaviour problems occur.

Firstly, it is wise to mention that many authors suggest establishing adequate rules
controlling students misbehaviour as the most effective way to prevent disruptive
behaviour (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2005, p. 295). According to Harmer, standards
of behaviour and penalties for bad behaviour have to be explained to students from the
first day at school. In many cases it is crucial to recognize the warning signs of
disruption and to act immediately since unchecked behaviour may grow to be a larger
problem. Moreover, when the behaviour problem occurs it is important to find out
what the problem is (2007, p. 158).

Battaglia highlights that teachers have to remember to dislike the behaviour, not
the student (2006). Cohen, Manion and Morrison support this statement and they also
add that teachers should not criticise the students, but their behaviour (2005, p. 304).
Hence, it is extremely important to avoid labelling a student in a negative way.

In the following subchapters some typical problem situations that teachers have to
deal with during their teaching will be discussed in detail.

3.1 Lack of motivation

Motivation is supposedly the backbone of any classroom. Therefore, when

students are motivated, teachers have the opportunity to perform their job well.
Nevertheless, behavioural problems are often connected to a lack of motivation and it
sometimes takes a lot of energy for teachers to motivate their students.

Harmer claims that nothing motivates like success (2007, p.101). Battaglia
(2006) adds that teachers should let their students know that they believe in their
success. Moreover, they should encourage their students curiosity and attention.
Therefore, it is vital to prepare inviting and challenging lessons so that the students are
interested in finding out what comes next (Classroom Management Strategies,
2008). Especially in young learners classrooms it is wise to formulate some lessons

26
around the students interests so that students can receive some kind of satisfaction from
learning. Battaglia (2006) suggests spending some time getting to know each student to
gain insight into their strengths and interests since the extent of motivation may differ
for each student. This may help to individualize materials for different levels of ability.
Battaglia also supports the idea of using peer pressure as students working together can
motivate one another (2006). Another important aspect of improving the students
motivation is to use short-term goals which are challenging but attainable with
reasonable effort. Apart from all these strategies, it is important that students should feel
welcomed and they should be treated equally (Classroom Management Strategies,
2008).

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, many experts agree and one also
supported by the author, is that a teacher's positive energy and enthusiasm for teaching
could lead to a successful learning atmosphere, hence the teacher is considered to be the
key to motivation in the classroom (Classroom Management Strategies, 2008).

3.2 Lack of respect and rudeness

A good relationship between teacher and student is extremely important for the
success of both teachers and students. Many teachers will probably agree that
classrooms today are very different places to what they were twenty years ago, and
students, even young learners, seem to no longer respect their teachers as in the past.

The most effective way to handle disrespect is to be a role model for respect
(Vernon, 2009). Kelly highlights that teachers must act fairly for all students if they
expect to be respected. In other words, teachers can get a students respect if they
remain fair and treat each student alike. They must be respectful and demonstrate
respect in all of their interactions (2010). Teachers should be consistent with classroom
rules and they must do exactly what they say they will do since students, especially
young learners, do not respect a teacher who is inconsistent (Vernon, 2009).

Lack of respect and rudeness often go hand in hand. If rudeness appears in the
classroom, Lemlech suggests dealing with the student causing the problem without
expressing personal anger (1999, p. 25). When teachers react out of anger and lose
their temper, they only gain disrespect (Vernon, 2009). Even though it might be
difficult, since rude expressions are mostly directed at the teacher, teachers should

27
respond quickly, calmly, and firmly. When teachers react rationally and without anger,
the students will be somewhat mollified that the teachers are maintaining an adult role
and that the alarming behaviour did not go too far (Lemlech, 1999, p. 25).

Linsin (2009) suggests a few steps when dealing with a confrontational student:

Do not take disrespect personally.

Stay calm. Do not raise your voice. Do not lose your temper.
Pause. Maintain eye contact with the student and wait.
End the misbehaviour as quickly as possible before the situation escalates.
Move on. Just continue on with what you were doing.

According to Cohen, Manion and Morrison, it is also important to avoid negative

criticism and making hostile remarks. If necessary, it is wise to speak to the disruptive
student later outside of class or privately and try to explore what led to the
confrontation and avoid repeating these circumstances (2005, p.304).

Teachers should be aware of disrespect and rudeness since they might be one of
the roots of bullying. Although bullying is mostly a discipline problem of secondary
schools, in some cases it may occur in the classrooms of young learners.

3.3 Attention seeking student

There are a variety of causes why some students interrupt teachers instructions or
class discussions. These causes include the students need to seek attention and
appreciation. Other causes come from a variety of sources, including extreme
competitiveness, nervousness, insecurity, or impulsiveness (Lemlech, 1999, p. 24).
Some children feel that misbehaving is the best way to get the teachers attention. They
do all sorts of things to attract attention; they are loud, ask unnecessary questions,
respond negatively to the teachers authority, bully other children so the teacher is
forced to give them additional time and attention (Atkins, 2012).

Most experts agree that teachers should avoid giving negative attention since
students mostly find it reinforcing and they continue to misbehave. Wright adds that
teachers should ignore student attention-seeking behaviours. When ignoring, however,
at the same time it is wise to increase attention to an acceptable behaviour and to
provide the student with random positive attention, and praise when a student describes
28
their real achievements (2012). Even though ignoring unwanted behaviour is considered
to be the fastest way to extinguish it, not all attention seeking behaviour should be
ignored since some students require attention due to feelings of insecurity and lack of
trust (Atkins, 2012). Regarding positive attention, Wright points out that teachers
should deliver positive attention if the student is not busy seeking attention and suggests
the following ideas of positive attention:

Pat the student on the shoulder

Make eye contact and smile at the student
Check in with the student about how he or she is progressing with an assignment
Call on the student in class (when you are reasonably sure that he or she knows the
answer!)
Pass the student a note with a cheerful comment, specific praise, or compliment
Give brief, specific praise about the student's work or behaviour (e.g., "I really like to
see how carefully you are drawing that map, Joanna!")
Give the student a few words of encouragement
Invite the student to summarize for the group the main points of a classroom discussion
Converse briefly with the student
Select the student to carry out a classroom task (e.g., passing out papers) that he or she
likes (2012).

Additionally, it is also essential to set the rules to be followed when responding,

such as raise your hands if you wish to talk or listen while others talk. Procedures that
teachers want their students to use to get their attention should be described during the
first week at the beginning of the school year. In general, attention seeking students
should respect the teacher as a professional and learn to get attention in positive ways
(Classroom Management Strategies, 2008).

To sum up, a variety of techniques is needed to be successful in the classroom

management and teachers have to check constantly that what they are doing is really
working. Moreover, it is essential for teachers to understand the learners' characteristics,
interests and needs in order to develop and maintain discipline in the class.

29
II. Practical part

The practical part of this bachelor thesis is based upon findings of research
conducted in a class of 7 pupils aged 9 11 in the language school where I have been
teaching recently. The class was newly formed and the pupils met for the first time at
the beginning of September. The data for this thesis was collected through a reflective
diary of the teacher, peer teacher observation and pupils questionnaire.

The aim of the research was to maintain discipline in the newly formed class of
young learners through effective discipline practice which were mentioned in the
theoretical section, and to manage a problem situation which occurred during the first
few lessons; in this class involving an attention-seeking student.

The practical part is divided into four chapters. The first chapter deals with
important things which should be solved and prepared before the first lesson. In the
second chapter, the first few lessons of the school year are described in detail. The third
chapter is focused on my three-month effort to maintain discipline in the classroom. In
this chapter, the different approaches which were applied to cope with the attention
seeking student are presented. The final chapter summarizes the findings of the research
and examines the lessons learnt whilst teaching this group and how it can influence
future teaching.

30
1. Before the first lesson

Action research proceeds through a process of planning, action and reflection

upon action (McGinty, 2006). Since the practical part of this thesis was based on
action research, it was wise to keep a diary of every lesson issue and the events that
took place during the research. This diary helped express my feelings and thoughts,
required to identify the areas of classroom management which had to be improved, and
the strategies that worked or did not work (Appendix A).

Before starting the research, the following questions were posed:

How can one manage to run the classroom smoothly?

Can classroom rules help limit classroom disruptions?
Is it possible to prevent discipline problems by applying positive reinforcement?

Many authors agree that school does not start on the first day of the school year.
Teachers have to do many important things before their students step into their
classrooms (Scott and Ytreberg, 1990, p. 98). A week before the start of the new school
year, I received a list of students I was going to teach, and was told which classroom
would be used during the school year.

There were 7 pupils; 4 girls and 3 boys.

Name Age

Ale 11

Luk 9

Marie 10

Jitka 11

Lucie 9

Markta 10

Peter 10

Figure 5. List of the pupils.

31
 Before the first lesson, a few important and practical things were given
consideration to make sure that everything in the classroom ran smoothly. Firstly,
background information about the new students were sought; their names and their age.
Secondly, the classroom setting needed to be arranged for the first day. And finally,
lesson plans for the first few lessons.

The classes were held twice a week, consisting of a 60 minute lesson. Regarding
the pupils, Ale and Luk were brothers. All children had been learning English at
primary schools for 2-3 years. During the first lessons the pupils previous language-
learning knowledge was established. The pupils were able to use the verbs to be and
to have in the present forms, they were able to introduce themselves, use the present
continuous form and the modal verb can. Ale and Maruka had already learnt the
present simple form at school, but they were not able to use it properly.

Knowing about pupils previous language-learning experience, I could work out

the plan for the year. The aim of the course was to improve the grammar and vocabulary
the pupils had already learnt, and to introduce and learn the present simple form.
Moreover, the pupils were to learn and revise greetings and farewells, introductions and
every-day phrases; such as asking and responding to the questions about age, name, the
place they live, etc. Textbooks were not used in the course; rather pupils were given
worksheets which they kept in special files (Appendix B).

1.1 Setting up the classroom

The room was quite large (7x6m) and decorated white. There was a dark green
carpet on the floor and two windows. There were four movable standard school desks
(each of the same size 130 x 50 cm) placed in rows, a teachers desk at the front of the
room, a bookcase and a shelf. There was also one picture of a sandy beach and one
flower on the shelf. I had previously taught courses in this classroom, but had not done
anything with the organization of the room. After consulting the available literature
regarding classroom management, it became clear that a number of key organizational
decisions had to be made. Such changes were made with the permission of the director
of the language school. The aim was to create an environment that provided a functional
and pleasurable place for students to be in.

32
 However, consideration also had to be given to the fact that other teachers would
be using the classroom. There were another two teachers who were teaching their
courses in the same room. It was wise, therefore, to let the teachers know of the
intention to reorganize the room before rearranging the classroom. Since one of the
teachers was teaching a group of young learners, it was reassuring to hear she welcomed
the idea of changing the original setting of the room. The second teacher, who was
teaching individual adult students in the classroom, also had no objections.

According to Scott and Ytreberg, young learners prefer pleasant and familiar
surroundings. Generally speaking, physical surroundings which include room
arrangement, seating and climate must be carefully considered (1990, p. 12). One week
was allotted to make the classroom look like a learning place in accordance with these
suggestions. Three posters were placed on the walls, a calendar and also a notice board
to display the topics that were going to be studied and where the students drawings or
work could be displayed. Since the classroom was quite large, two plants were placed
on the floor and another two on the shelves. According to Young, plants are a perfect
way to improve the quality of the air in the room and also make rooms pleasant and
welcoming (2007). Moreover, the pupils were asked to bring some postcards from
holiday, pictures of their pets or favourite singers and bands. They were supposed to say
a few words about them and they could pin their pictures on the notice board (Appendix
C).

1.2 Arranging the tables

As far as arranging desks is concerned, teachers should be aware of unnecessary

moving of the desks during lessons which is a noisy and very time-consuming matter
(Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2005, p. 13). As such, a decision on the most suitable
seating arrangement needed to be made prior to the lesson. After taking into account the
advantages and disadvantages of different types of seating previously stated in the
theoretical part, and from my past teaching experience, the teachers desk at the front of
the class was side-lined in favour of a four movable desks in a horseshoe configuration.
There was plenty of space left for the pupils and me to move around with ease and also
for me to get close to pupils. According to Harmer, horseshoe seating arrangements
allow the teacher to make eye contact with each student and the teacher has easy access

33
to individuals. The students can see each other's faces and all students also have a good
view of the chalkboard or white board. This type of seating is also good for pair work
and classroom interaction. However, the desks or chairs need to be rearranged when
group work is needed (2007, p.163). Therefore, consideration had to be given to the
way pupils were seated during group activities. The tables were moved to form a cluster
for group work (Figure 6.). The first attempt did not suit, since groups would not work
individually. At the second attempt, an optimal arrangement of the tables suitable for
group work with minimum disruptions and time during changing the position of the
desks was found (Figure 7.).

Figure 6. The first suggested seating arrangement

Figure 7. The first suggested seating arrangement.

34
1.3 Name tags

Although there were only seven students in the class, blank name tags for pupils
were created. My intention was to place these blank name tags on the desks and give the
pupils the possibility to decide where they would like to sit. Lemlech says and I agree
with this statement, that giving pupils their own choice supports self-development and
encourage a students responsibility (1999, p. Xiv). According to Davies, when pupils
are given a choice, they tend to feel respected and are more likely to comply (2007).
Teachers who offer young learners the possibility to choose, help them to develop and
express their own opinion and become self-reliant and autonomous learners.

35
2. The first lessons

The first day at school is considered to be the most crucial for both students and
teachers. It is the day that sets the tone for the rest of the school year and so teachers
must be prepared. Respect is usually won or lost in the first few lessons (Kelly, 2005).
The aim of the first lessons were to get to know the students names, establish ground
rules, try different approaches in giving instructions and to gain the students respect.
Shalaway (2013) points out that teachers should be sure to involve all students in first
day activities, offer them a lot of positive reinforcement and make them feel successful.
These ideas were incorporated into the first lesson plan and included an active getting-
to-know you icebreaking activity and also a team-building activity.

Concerning the first day of the school year, Cohen and Manion and Morrison
suggest being in the classroom before the students and checking the classroom
arranging their entrance. Teachers should stand outside of the door and greet students as
they walk into the classroom (2005, p. 285). Following these instructions, I arrived at
the classroom early, checked the classroom organization, opened the window for a few
minutes to let in some fresh air in the classroom, placed blank name tags and black
marker pens on the table and went quickly through the lesson plan.

There were parents waiting with their children in front of the classroom. I greeted
all with a shake of the hand and introduced myself. The new pupils were then invited to
enter the room and find a place to sit down. It was noticed that the boys preferred to sit
next to one another and the girls, the same. When they sat down, I paused briefly to
gather attention and then started to talk:

All right. (pause). Welcome to this class.

The objective was to immediately capture the students attention and so I borne in mind
the suggestion of dwelling longer than usual on certain syllables and increasing
slightly in voice volume (Gower, Phillips & Walters, 2008, p. 17). After making sure
that all pupils were paying attention, I continued talking and tried to give the pupils
clear instructions:

36
Now, take the marker pen (pause) and write your first name on the name tag, please.

This instruction was given without any movement or any gestures. The pupils seemed to
be a little confused and they started to look at one another finding anyone who
understood the instructions. Only Maruka took the pen.

All right. Take the marker pen (pause) and write your first name on the name tag,
please.

Whilst talking, I took one of the pens and then a name tag and demonstrated
writing on the tag. All children seemed to understand and they started to write. By
performing these two different approaches the aim was to confirm the statement that
gestures and mimes convey the meaning of language and that showing what to do is
more effective than telling what to do. Hence, it is essential for teachers to support
their instructions with visual or written clues (Gower, Phillips & Walters, 2008, p.41).

One of the boys asked if he could write the name Aleek on the tag (Appendix D).
His question about the diminutive form of his name caught my attention and since that
time, his name was easy for me to remember. While the pupils were writing, I went
around the classroom and monitored the pupils, noting the names on the name tags and
tried to match the names and age from the list viewed before the lesson had started.
There is important to mention, as extra name tags had been prepared in the event that
the children make a mistake in writing their names. After this activity I was able to
recall four names Ale (because of the question), Luk (sitting next to his brother
Ale), Peter (the last boy in the group) and Maruka (the only girl and also student
wearing glasses). Physical features such as wearing glasses or having red hair can help
to learn one anothers name since these features could be easily associated with names
(Gower, Phillips & Walters, 2008, p. 19). Concerning the pupils and their learning one
anothers name, the combination of name tags and seating in a horseshoe shape proved
to be a great help as the students were facing one another and could read the name tags.

2.1 Learning pupils names

It is important to learn student names as soon as possible. Knowing students

names helps to build a more comfortable atmosphere in the class, shows teachers
37
interest in their students as individuals and helps to manage the class easier and faster
(Gower, Phillips & Walters, 2008, p. 19)

When preparing a lesson plan for the first lesson, I needed to find an activity
which would serve as a successful icebreaker, and help me and the pupils to learn
each other names. An activity suggested by Gower, Phillips and Walters (2008, p. 20)
was selected:

The activity: The pupils were asked to stand in a circle. A tennis ball was thrown to
Maruka and I said my own name. Then Maruka was instructed to throw the ball to any
other pupil and say her name. Pupils continued throwing the ball and saying their
names. When everyone had the chance to say their name, they were asked to change the
activity; this time saying the name of the person to whom they were throwing the ball.
This activity was repeated as pupils found it quite difficult to remember each others
names the first time.

2.2 Setting the rules

After the icebreaking activity it was time to set up the rules of the classroom. It is
essential to mention that it was the first time rules had been formally established in the
class. Previously I did not establish any rules in my classes. Davies (2007) points out
that children tend to follow the rules more closely if they are given the opportunity to
create them. And therefore, I decided to involve students in establishing these classroom
rules. Students were asked for ideas and write them on the board. Since the rules were
suggested to be stated in a positive way (Davies, 2007), children were asked to think
about the positive statement if they formed the rules negatively. The following rules
were agreed:

Respect the teacher and the others

Follow directions
Listen while others talk

After setting up the rules, and in order to support the childrens creativity, pupils
were given big sheets of paper and they were asked to design posters where the rules
were clearly written. These posters were displayed on the wall to serve as constant

38
reminders of the classroom rules (Appendix E). Then some time was spent going over
the rules and pupils were provided with an example of each rule. In addition, the
consequences for breaking the rules were democratically agreed, fulfilling the
observation that a rule is not a rule without a consequence (Walker, 2010). If the pupil
broke any of the agreed rules, the consequences were as follows:

First time infringement: name on the board

Second time: pupil given a yellow card
Third time: pupil given a second yellow card
Fourth time: the two yellow cards were replaced by a red card meaning a private
talk with the teacher (Bertrand, 2011).
Fifth time: Message to parents

A record of the pupils frequency of breaking the rules was kept (Appendix F).
During the three months of the research, only one private talk was held; that was with
Ale. Otherwise, the pupils mostly received only one yellow card, primarily for being
disrespectful to the third classroom rule Listen while others talk. The pupils seemed
to feel a little ashamed when there was their name written on the board or the card was
placed on their desk so they wanted to avoid these situations and followed the rules
most of the time.

2.3 Paying attention

There are different variations to get the pupils attention to prepare them for other
activities or to get them quiet. I suggested using a bell as a signal to gain the pupils
attention. According to Kwiatkovska, using sound making objects such as drums, bells
or whistles saves teachers voices and brings some fun to the classroom (2008).
However, after first two lessons a fellow colleague teaching in the next classroom was
annoyed by the sound of the bell. Hence a different signal needed to be considered
which would not be so disturbing. To gain learners attention Davies suggests teachers
clap or tap a pattern. Learners are supposed to stop their work and repeat the pattern
which they heard. The pattern can vary so that students should pay more attention
(2005). After explaining to pupils the reason why we would not use the bell any more,
the clapping method was introduced. The class was able to adopt this method, which

39
seemed to be more enjoyable for the pupils than ringing the bell and more effective to
maintain classroom discipline, within three lessons. To make it more enjoyable for
pupils, the pattern was sometimes changed; for example the tempo was changed and
also the volume at which the pattern was clapped. It was also wise to praise the pupils
for clapping the pattern correctly. However, at the end of the third month of the school
year the pupils sometimes made fun of the clapping, they clapped a different pattern or
they were clapping very noisily. Therefore, a new signal for paying attention had to be
developed again. This is a good example of the necessity for teachers to be flexible;
teachers should not think that one strategy or approach will be effective forever.

40
3 Managing the class

3.1 The first month

The first few lessons were concerned with setting up the rules and reinforcing
them, learning students names and their language skills, and in developing a successful
seating arrangement. However, I could noticed that Ale increasingly attempted to get
attention by asking unnecessary questions, shouting out the answers when it was not his
turn, making unnecessary noise by tapping with his pen on the table or dropping things
on the floor.

Classroom discipline was usually maintained by issuing a darting glance around

the room to show pupils that I was aware what everyone was doing. When pupils were
not on task, a simple frown, shaking of the head or giving a teacher glare was
sufficient. Jones and Jones point out that when a student misbehaves, the teacher should
first provide the student with a nonverbal clue (in Lemlech, 1999, p. 29). When the
pupils did something that was connected with breaking the rules, this was enforced by
pointing out the relevant item on the poster thus letting the pupil know that their
behaviour was not appropriate. If the pupil continued misbehaving, the next step was a
verbal warning. Lemlech as well as others, suggest reacting calmly to disruptions by
using a direct statement with an unemotional tone of voice (1999, p. 24). In these
situations, I usually used verbal reprimands; such as Ale, its time to get on with your
work now, Peter, is there a problem with your work? or Jitko, can you read rule
number 3, please?.

3.1.1 Attention seeking student

However, managing Ales interruptions was different. When trying to maintain

discipline using a fixed glare or verbally, in many cases it did not work and Ale
seemed to be happy and satisfied that he received my attention. When he had a bad
day, he tried to capture my attention with inappropriate behaviour; such as poking the
classmate sitting next to him, swinging on his chair, banging under the desk with his
feet or pulling his chair instead of carrying it when there was a seating change. In such
situations, I sometimes felt lost and it was difficult to stay calm and therefore different
strategies that would help break his attention-seeking habit had to be though about.

41
 To begin with, I tried to find out what the reason for Ales interruptions and
behaviour were. In the case of written work, Ale sometimes finished earlier than his
classmates and he felt bored. According to Mugurussa, teachers should occupy the
students who complete work quickly with some additional activity so that they do not
have time to disturb and feel bored. This activity has to be enjoyable, educational, and
non-distracting to the students who are still working (2013). For the case of fast
finishers, a drawing exercise or matching the cards activities were prepared as extra
tasks (Appendix G).

Lemlech recommends giving the interrupter a job (1999, p. 24). It is wise to

assign the learner some type of responsibility; such as collecting or passing out papers
(Wright, 2012). Although Ale seemed to enjoy being in the position of responsibility,
this particular job kept him busy and out of disruptive behaviour only during the time of
the task. After the task he continued finding a way to attract attention again. There was
an attempt to speak with Ale privately to find out why he was acting out, however, he
was not able to give a credible reason. He was asked to respect the classroom rules.
Nevertheless, it did not work and so there was the time for looking for a different
strategy to help eliminate his inappropriate behaviour.

According to Wright, one of the methods which can help to reduce attention-
seeking behaviour is to ignore the culprit. This means no eye contact, no verbal
response, and no physical touch. This strategy works best when it is linked with positive
reinforcement (2012). I decided to try this planned technique. The aim was to tactically
ignore Ales attention-seeking behaviours while at the same time provide Ale with
positive and quality attention for displaying appropriate behaviour, or for not displaying
the desired behaviour. Battaglia suggests catching your students being good and finding
every opportunity to let students know that you notice their positive actions (2006).

Before implementing the planned ignoring technique, Wright highlights

observing a student across several lessons to find out how often the student tries to gain
the teachers attention. It is essential for the teacher to keep a track of how frequently
the student tries to capture the teachers attention (2012). At the end of the first months
of the school, Ale was observed for a total of 90 minutes across three lessons; in each

42
lesson 30 minutes. A record was kept of the observations where Ales attempted to
grab my attention (Appendix H).

After finishing the observation, the teacher should divide the total number of
minutes from all the observations by the total number of times that student sought the
teachers attention (Wright, 2012). In Ales case, there was a total of 90 minutes across
three lessons and the total number of times Ale sought to gain the attention was 19.
After dividing these numbers it was calculated that Ale tried to catch the attention
every 5 minutes of the lesson. Wright adds that once teachers estimate the frequency of
a students attempts to gain teachers attention, they can match this attention seeking
behaviour by providing the student with random positive attention at the same rate
(2012).

Based on the notes from the observation track, Ale tried to capture attention
mostly during the time when the grammar was being explained and during whole
classroom activities; such as reading or writing. In contrast, minimum attempts were
made during pair or group work. Consequently, positive attention should be directed to
the pair and group work.

3.2 The second month

3.2.1 Breaking the attention-seeking habit

At the beginning of the second month of teaching the group of young learners
and struggling with Ales continual attention-seeking behaviour, I was prepared to
implement the method of planned ignoring. The plan was to ignore Ales seeking-
attention behaviour while at the same time give Ale positive attention for showing
appropriate behaviour. Wright recommends drawing out a list of ways to deliver
positive attention which was mentioned in the theoretical part in the chapter Attention-
seeking student, and use them when students display appropriate behaviour (see p. 29).
These ways should be done quickly, without disturbing classroom interaction and a
student should find these ways regarding (2012).

Ales misbehaviour was tactically ignored. Whenever Ale tried to catch my

attention, I stayed neutral and worked with the rest of the class. And when I glanced at

43
Ale and he was not engaged in attention-seeking behaviour, brief positive attention was
delivered; for example giving him specific verbal praise about his work or behaviour.
However, at the beginning of implementing this strategy, I was not patient and therefore
I was not able to avoid using eye contact or verbal reprimands to stop Ales
inappropriate behaviour.

3.2.2 Managing the class

Concerning the whole classroom management, I had to resolve several problem

situations. Firstly, there was the problem of pairing the pupils since there were only 7
pupils in the class. In past courses I mostly paired with the odd pupil and worked with
him or her. After reviewing the available literature on the topic, of classroom
management, I found that this approach was inappropriate. Scott and Ytreberg suggest
letting one of the group work as a three. If the teacher pairs with the odd pupil, then the
teacher is not able to monitor the other pupils and give them help where needed (1990,
p. 17). I found that to be very insightful advice, and thus I employed it during the
pairing.

Secondly, Ale was not the only one who had classroom behavioural problems.
First of all, it was essential to deal with each student equally. Kelly warns that teachers
must maintain fairness for all students and should not play their favourites (2010). Of
course, teachers prefer some of their pupils more than others and this class was no
exception. And that meant for me to treat Maruka and Jitka when they broke any rules
in the same way as the others.

Finally, I had to bear in mind to avoid the rest of the class being involved in any
dealings with Ale as little as possible. Their reactions to Ales behaviour were
monitored. Maruka seemed to find Ales misbehaviour stupid and annoying.
Sometimes she was shaking her head, or she shouted at Ale to be quiet or to stop it.
Peter was Ales devoted spectator and he sometimes watched Ale admiringly. The rest
of the class usually paid attention to Ale in situations that were disturbing for them; for
example, when Ale was tapping with his pen on the table.

In such situations when the whole class is involved, Lemlech says that teachers
should let the class know that they are confident to handle the situation. She also claims

44
that teachers should address the behaviour promptly to avoid any escalation. The way,
in which teachers deal with the special problems will affect both the errant student and
the rest of the class, so teachers must be calm and rational in their approach (1999, pp.
24-25). Following these instructions, Ales inappropriate behaviour was attempted to
be resolved as soon as possible mostly by verbal reprimands or by giving the card if his
misbehaviour was connected with breaking classroom rules, and then continued
teaching.

3.3 The third month

After four weeks of implementing the methods of planned ignoring and random
positive attention, there was some reduction in Ales attention-grabbing attempts.
However, Ale sometimes tried to gain attention from his classmates, and therefore
when he received reinforcing attention from his peers, my ignoring attempts were
ineffective.

Although there were signs that the random positive attention worked, firm
evidence was required in order to prove my feelings. I asked one of my colleagues to
observe the class for some time of the lesson. Before the observation it was important to
explain to the colleague the reason for the observation and to go through the special
observation sheet which had been prepared for her. We also had to discuss some other
useful information about the observation since observing an attention-seeking child
might sometimes be challenging. Mellor (2012) warns that children are sensitive and
attention-seeking children usually find out that they are being observed. In this case, it
is wise for the observers to make themselves invisible; by means of making themselves
uninteresting to the class and especially to the attention-seeking student. For this
particular observation, the colleague was asked to wait a few minutes before starting the
observation. She spent about 40 minutes in the lesson and the observation of Ale took
about 30 minutes. After the lesson, the observation results were discussed with the
colleague in detail.

45
3.3.1 The observation schedule

The observation schedule was designed in order to find out whether it was
possible to ignore Ales misbehaviour and whether the strategy which had been
implemented for 5 weeks (10 lessons) had any positive effects. The first column of the
schedule showed the time in minute intervals. The second column was an indication of
whether Ale was on task or not and there were noted the activities that took place in the
particular time. The third column was the indication of what Ale was doing when he
was off task. The fourth column was a record of my verbal comments and non-verbal
reactions to Ale and also to the class. The last column was the record of praise to the
class as the whole (Appendix I).

The schedule indicates a higher number of positive comments to both Ale and
the class as a whole, but there is also noted one negative comment to Ale which he
received when he was off task and he was swinging on his chair. In that situation, it
was difficult to ignore that misbehaviour since it was the second time he did that and I
also wanted to avoid escalation of the inappropriate behaviour.

The observation schedule also shows that Ale was:

On task 27 observations which led to 13 comments from the teacher.
Off task 4 observations which led to 1 comment from the teacher.

The frequency of Ales attempts to capture the attention is lower than it was at the
beginning of implementing planned ignoring. The record that was kept at the beginning
showed that Ale tried to gain attention almost every 5 minutes of the lesson. The
observation with the colleague shows that the frequency between the attempts was
lengthened; that was more than every 8 minutes per lesson.

Furthermore, it is obvious from the observation that Ale still tends to get
attention during written individual work. In this case, it was decided to prepare for Ale,
special worksheets with more difficult tasks to complete in order to get him on task and
to eliminate his attention-seeking attempts.

46
 Overall, the observation shows some improvement in Ales behaviour. The
planned ignoring strategy had a good effect on both Ale and the teaching experience
and it is worth developing this method in this class.

3.3.2 Questionnaire

To understand more fully, whether the classroom management set up in the newly
formed group worked, a short questionnaire was designed which was completed by all
pupils anonymously. The language for the questionnaire was set to the pupils native
language to ensure that pupils understood the questions correctly. The questions were
closed ended with mostly one option but also with more options to be chosen from. The
questionnaire consisted of 10 questions. Both English and Czech versions of the
questionnaire are supplied (Appendix J, K).

3. 3. 2.1 Analysis and Interpretation of the Questionnaire Data

This subchapter deals with each questionnaire item separately. In the

questionnaire there were 4 question items focused on the classroom management and 6
question items were aimed to the teacher; in this case to me. Moreover, each item is
provided with an illustrative graph.

1. Do you enjoy attending this English course?

This question was focused on pupils feelings

7
6
of attending the course. The result shows that
5 the majority of the pupils (6 out of 7) enjoyed
4
attending the course. Personally, I hope that
3
2 the pupils answered honestly and the effort I
1 have invested into the planning lessons and
0
yes rather yes rather no no creating pleasant and familiar surrounding is
worthy.

Figure 8. The pupils attitude to attending the English course.

47
2. Do you like the arrangement of tables in the classroom?

This question was aimed to find out whether

7
the pupils were satisfied with the classroom
6
5 layout. The collected data shows that 6 out of
4
7 learners were satisfied with the seating
3
2
arrangement of the classroom. In my opinion
1 that this is a very good result which shows
0
yes rather yes rather no no
the positive effects of the horseshoe-shape
configuration.

Figure 9. The pupils attitude to seating arrangement in the classroom.

3. Do you like the decoration of our classroom (pictures, posters, flowers, etc.)?

This item of the questionnaire was focused on

8
7
classroom decoration. All children agreed that
6 they liked the classroom surrounding. This
5
4 very positive result proved, in the authors
3
2
opinion, that involving pupils in designing the
1
classroom plays a really important role in the
0
yes rather yes rather no no classroom management.

Figure 10. The pupils attitude to classroom design.

48
4. Do you know the classroom rules?

This item in the questionnaire was asked to find

8
out if the pupils are able to recall all three rules
7
which have been followed since the beginning of
6
the school year, namely Respect the teacher and
5 the others, Follow directions, Listen while others
4 talk. It is important to mention that the poster
3 with the rules had been hidden before the pupils
2 were to fill in the questionnaire. All 7 pupils

1
circled the correct rules for the classroom. The
results confirmed expectations and raised no
0
A B C D E F G surprises since the rules were reviewed
periodically and pupils were aware of them as
well of the consequences of breaking them.

Figure 11. Classroom rules.

5. Does the teacher remember your name and your classmates names and does she
use them?

This question was aimed to find out the

8
relationship between the teacher and the pupils.
7
All pupils agreed that the teacher was able to
6
remember and use their names. However, in so
5
small a group the remembering of names should
4
not be problematic for the teacher. Indeed many
3
professionals, including me, would no doubt feel
2
ashamed if they were not able to learn the pupils
1
name in three months. As already mentioned, it
0
yes rather yes rather no no is an essential requirement to learn pupils names
as soon as possible in order to build a more
comfortable atmosphere in the class.

Figure 12. The teachers ability to remember and use pupils names.

49
6. Is the teacher fair?

This question dealt with fairness to the pupils.

4,5
4 The results show that most of the pupils (4 out
3,5
3 of 7) think that the teacher treated the pupils in
2,5
2 a fair way. Three of the pupils thought that the
1,5
1
teacher was mostly fair to the pupils. It would
0,5 have been wise to consider whether the
0
yes rather yes rather no no approach to each student was the same and
whether favourites were played.

Figure 13. The teachers fairness.

7. Does the teacher give clear instructions?

This item of the questionnaire was to find out

6
the ability to give clear instructions that pupils
5

4
could easily follow. The results indicate rather
3 positive responses from the students. However,
2 two pupils chose the answer rather yes and
1
this points to the fact that there was still room
0
yes rather yes rather no no for improvement in this field.

Figure 14. The teachers ability to give clear instructions.

8. Can the teacher establish order in the classroom?

This question focused on a very important

6
aspect whether I was able to handle
5
4 inappropriate behaviour when it occurred. Even
3
though the results were positive, I still feel, there
2
1 is still a lot of work to do in order to manage and
0 run classrooms smoothly.
yes rather yes rather no no

Figure 15. The teachers ability to establish order in the classroom.

50
9. Does the teacher praise you?

This item of the questionnaire was again

6
5 focused on ability, in this case, the ability of
4 praising the pupils. Praise tended to be used as
3
2
a form of positive reinforcement in order to
1 motivate each pupil and also the class as the
0
yes rather yes rather no no
whole. The responses confirm that pupils
noticed my positive approach.

Figure 16. The teachers ability to praise the pupils and the teacher.

10. Does the teacher treat you with anger?

The last item of the questionnaire was aimed

8
7
at negative behaviour of the teacher. All the
6 pupils agreed that I did not treat them with
5
anger. I believe that the pupils answered
4
3 honestly, and personally I am very glad about
2
this positive result. It shows that the effort to
1
0 solve discipline problems through application
yes rather yes rather no no
of positive reinforcement probably works.

Figure 17. Treating with anger.

By designing the simple questionnaire, it was hoped to receive feedback from

pupils to find out their feelings and thoughts about events which took place in the class.
As the questionnaire was anonymous; I hoped that the pupils expressed their opinions
honestly. To sum up, although the questionnaire results showed positive responses to
the work and a good teacher-pupil relationship, there are some fields of classroom
management; such as treating the students more fairly and giving pupils clear
instructions, to be improved in order to develop the most effective classroom
management.

51
Conclusion

This bachelor thesis focused on the development of effective classroom

management in the class of young learners. The action research which was carried out
in the newly formed class of young learners was done specifically with the intention to
find out if establishing classroom rules and the application of positive reinforcement can
help to eliminate classroom disruptions and to solve discipline problems, in this class
especially the problem of attention-seeking students. Further, the action research served
to find out the classroom management strategies which would help to manage the
smooth running of the class.

Things in the classroom, especially in a newly formed classroom, do not run as

smoothly as one expects. Although one feels ready to take on the challenge of teaching
a young learners class and one enters the room with carefully prepared lesson plans, the
reality is somewhat different. Unexpected events may easily spoil the lesson and one
finds oneself wondering where has it gone wrong?

Based on insights gained from this research, running a class smoothly requires,
above all, flexibility from the teacher and an ability to anticipate problems. In this
particular class, establishing rules had a beneficial effect on pupils behaviour since the
pupils were aware of the consequences of breaking the rules. However, the rules only
eliminated some classroom disruptions and there were many other problems to solve.
The action research confirmed the fact that finding the right strategy to solve discipline
problems may take some time. It follows that, what works with one pupil might not
work with another. Moreover, some strategies may be effective only for some time.

Regarding the application of positive reinforcement, the research showed some

improvement in managing discipline problems when random positive attention was
implemented in the class. Although the findings of the track and the observation
schedule comparison were not precise, in my opinion this research proved that a
positive approach can lead to positive results. For more effective evaluation, however, I
would recommend carrying out this action research in a larger class.

52
 Finally, conducting this action research enabled me to examine my own
classroom practice and enrich my teaching skills. Moreover, it challenged me to
continue working with young learners in the future.

53
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58
Appendices

Appendix A
Teachers diary

59
Appendix B
Pupils file

60
Appendix C
Notice board

61
Appendix D
Name tags

62
Appendix E
Classroom rules posters

63
Appendix F
Record of the pupils frequency of breaking the rules (an example)

64
Appendix G

Cards for fast finishers

65
Appendix H

Observation track of Ales frequency of grabbing attention

66
Appendix I

Observation Schedule

TIME ON TASK OFF TASK COMMENTS +TO

+ NONVERBAL REACTION CLASS

Question
14.40 and
answer

T calling Ale.
14.41

14.42

Shouting out
14.43 the
answer

Ale, can you help?

14.44

14.45

T calling Ale.
14.46

T standing near Ales table.

14.47

67
 Pair
14.48 work

T making eye contact and smiling

14.49

Well done!
14.50

14.51

Ale, interesting question.

14.52

Nodding and a smile.

14.53

14.54

Poking his
14.55 classmate

14.56

T moving around the classroom

14.57

Well done, class. You really did a

14.58 good job.

68
 Worksheet Thank you, Ale.
14.59
Ale is
asked to
distribute
the
worksheets.

15.00

T standing next to Ale

15.01

T moving to other students.

15.02

Swinging
15.03 on chair

T standing near Ales table.

15.04

It is right. Good job.

15.05

15.06

T monitoring students working

15.07

15.08

69
 Swinging Stop swinging.
15.09 on chair,
humming


15.10

70
Appendix J
Questionnaire - English version

Dear children, I would like to ask you to fill in the following questionnaire. Read each
question carefully and answer truthfully.
Thank you very much for your cooperation.

1. Do you enjoy attending this English course?

A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

2. Do you like the arrangement of tables in the classroom?

A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

3. Do you like the decoration of our classroom (pictures, posters, flowers, etc.)?
A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

4. Do you know the classroom rules? Circle the right ones.

A/ Come to class prepared
B/ Follow directions
C/ Respect others peoples property
D/ Be a good friend
E/ Listen while others talk
F/ Respect the teacher and the others
G/ Raise your hand before speaking

5. Does the teacher remember your name and your classmates names and does she
use them?
A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

71
6. Is the teacher fair?
A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

7. Does the teacher give clear instructions?

A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

8. Can the teacher establish order in the classroom?

A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

9. Does the teacher praise you?

A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

10. Does the teacher treat you with anger?

A/ yes
B/ rather yes
C/ rather no
D/ no

72
Appendix K
Questionnaire Czech version

Mil dti, rda bych vs podala o vyplnn tohoto dotaznku. Pozorn si pette
kadou otzku a pravdiv na ni odpovzte.
Velice vm dkuji za spoluprci.

1. Chod rd do tohoto kurzu anglitiny?

A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

2. Lb se ti uspodn lavic ve td?

A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

3. Lb se ti vzdoba ve td (obrzky, plakty, kvtiny, atd.)?

A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

4. Zn pravidla tdy? Zakroukuj ty sprvn.

A/ Chodme do tdy pipraveni. (Come to class prepared)

B/ Dodruj instrukce. (Follow directions)
C/ Respektuj vci ostatnch spoluk. (Respect others peoples property)
D/ Bu dobr kamard. (Be a good friend)
E/ Poslouchej, kdy ostatn mluv. (Listen while others talk)
F/ Respektuj uitele a ostatn ky. (Respect the teacher and the others)
G/ Pihlas se, jestlie chce mluvit. (Raise your hand before speaking)

5. Pamatuje si uitel tvoje jmno a jmna tvch spoluk a pouv je?

A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

6. Je uitel spravedliv?
A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

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7. Dv uitel jasn (srozumiteln) pokyny?
A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

8. Doke si uitel sjednat podek ve td?

A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

9. Chvl t uitel?
A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

10. Roziluje se uitel?

A/ Ano
B/ Sp ano
C/ Sp ne
D/ Ne

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Table of figures

Figure 1. Basic skills of classroom management. This figure illustrates the basic skills
of classroom management.
Figure 2. Traditional row-based seating plan.
Figure 3. Alternative seating plans.
Figure 4. Examples of Effective and Ineffective Rules.
Figure 5. List of the pupils.
Figure 6. The first suggested seating arrangement.
Figure 7. The first suggested seating arrangement.
Figure 8. The pupils attitude to attending the English course.
Figure 9. The pupils attitude to seating arrangement in the classroom.
Figure 10. The pupils attitude to classroom design
Figure 11. Classroom rules
Figure 12. The teachers ability to remember and use pupils names
Figure 13. The teachers fairness
Figure 14. The teachers ability to give clear instructions
Figure 15. The teachers ability to establish order in the classroom
Figure 16. The teachers ability to praise the pupils and the teacher
Figure 17. Treating with anger

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