Unit 1: Teaching with limited resources

There is nothing worse than arriving at your new school, all full of enthusiasm and ideas for great
hand-outs, only to realise that your school does not have a photocopier!

This has happened to many an EFL teacher (including the writer of this module!). On completion
of this course, some of you will be jetting off to schools in all five continents of the globe.

If you are planning on teaching in a developing country, or a very small school, it would be a good
idea to consider the very practical notion of teaching with limited resources.

To follow, are a number of practical ideas and techniques to ensure that your students are still
engaged and learning despite you only having perhaps some broken bits of chalk and a
blackboard!

A–Z

A firm favourite with all my students, especially with large classes who are not used to getting up
and moving around in the classroom.

 Choose a lexical set like sports.

 The student at the front of each line must run to the board and write a sport beginning
with A, hand the chalk to the student behind them and then go to the back of the line.
 The next student goes to the board and writes a sport beginning with B, hands the chalk to
the next student and goes to the back of the line and this continues until students reach Z.
 Other students in the team can help the person writing if they cannot think of a sport. If
nobody can think of one, they go on to the next letter in the alphabet.
 The winner is the team with the most sports written on the board by the end of the game.

Tip: use large lexical sets for this game: food & drink, jobs, things you can find in the house,
countries, parts of the body NOT furniture or musical instruments which are limited and will
frustrate all the players!

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a fun, creative strategy for teachers with limited textbook resources. It involves
the entire class in a creative project. Able to input their own ideas, students become energized and
enthusiastic. A typical brainstorming session would go something like this:

 Decide upon a theme and write it on a dry erase or chalkboard for the entire class to see.
For example, use the theme of a mountaintop camp-out.
 Divide the class into two teams.
 Instruct students to take turns making a quick dash to the board to write a word or phrase
that could be used in a mountaintop camp-out story. Examples: backpack, climb, struggle,
rope, echo, fire.
 Create a time limit, such as 5 minutes. Whichever team has the most words or phrases at
the end of the time limit wins.

For an additional exercise, use the students’ work in the brainstorming race, and have them craft
their own versions of a mountaintop camp-out story.

Advantages and disadvantages

This is a high energy, fast-paced activity that gets the whole class involved.

 Create an imaginary boundary down the middle of the classroom with an equal number of
students on either side.
 Divide the groups up into “thinkers” and “runners”.
 Assign the terms “advantage” to one side and “disadvantage” to the other.
 Write on a dry erase or chalkboard subjects that have advantages and disadvantages like:
technology, zoos, canned goods, etc.
 Determine a time limit for the game.
 Thinkers will come up with words to describe either the advantages or disadvantages of
the subject, tell a runner the word who will then dash to the board and write the word.
 The team with the most ideas within the time limit wins the game.

To get further instructive use out of this game, have the students write an essay about the
advantages or disadvantages of one of the subjects.

Even if you work in a classroom with furniture fixed in place, making it difficult to accommodate
games like this, there are always workarounds.

For example, you may take the class outside or use the space at the front of the classroom.

Games that require movement and teamwork can be extremely effective so it pays to use
classroom space effectively or think up innovative ways to help students move around while
producing the material.

Do not be discouraged by the physical limitations of your classroom but enlist your students in
trying to find solutions to these problems.

Label the room

Use the classroom and everything in it as a learning resource.

A labelling game may sound boring but this is an exercise that introduces practical language
in convenient format.

 Cut strips of paper and label them with everything within the classroom. Example: desk,
window, door, cupboard, etc.
 Pass out the labels to students and instruct them to affix the labels to the correct objects.
Use tape, blue-tack or something similar.
 Leave labels up as long as you like as helpful reminders students can refer to, reinforcing
the word meanings.

This task is kinaesthetic, great for beginner/elementary levels learners and shows your
students that you like to do things differently.

Create your own poster

Ready-made posters are expensive and not always easy to find. Involving the class in a poster
project is a great language exercise. All that is needed are large sheets of paper, even recycled
paper can be used if at least one side is clear of any print, images or text. Add paint or markers and
a class is ready to create English language posters to decorate a classroom with.
Poster content will depend on what is age appropriate for individual students. Younger students
can create alphabet oriented posters. Older children can create posters with words and pictures
representing the words.

When the class has completed their posters, gather them all together and put them up on a wall as
a single feature or decorate the classroom wherever it is appropriate to hang them. If you have
resources like magazines and newspapers, let students cut out pictures and stick them to a
corresponding poster for another language exercise.

Posters related to a student’s loved ones and family are another language project that students
enjoy creating.

They can draw or use cut out images or even family photos. Instruct them to use their new
language skills to write captions for the images on their posters. Not only will students be
strengthening their language skills, but they will also be creating a project that will be a source of
personal pride.

Older students can create Grammar posters. Some of my Thai teenagers particularly enjoyed
creating these. As students are presented with new items of grammar, working in groups, they
create posters to explain the grammar in a way that is meaningful to them – it could be with
sample sentences, a ‘rule’, or an example of the target language in the context of a sentence or
short paragraph.

They can decorate these posters and use them to help remember the grammar and how to use it.

No photocopier?

In fact teachers who have unlimited access to this handy machine often churn out worksheets
unnecessarily. Rather than handing out 4 or 5 comprehension questions in a hand-out to students,
try this. Dictate each question, but jumble up the words. For example:

away Peter you do why think ran? (Why do you think Peter ran away?).

This adds a number of extra layers to the activity and challenges learners. A language exercise that
also involves sorting skills starts with the teacher reciting sentences that, when arranged in the
proper order, create a story. The students write down the sentences as they are recited in a mixed-
up fashion. Next, pair up students. Working as a team, the students arrange the sentences in the
proper order to tell the story.

Having to teach with limited resources pushes you to be more creative with your lesson ideas
and in the long run, will make you a far better teacher. As a result, you will never feel that the
success of your lesson hinges on a pile of hand-outs or a book.

Unit 2: Teaching Large Classes

Most teachers agree that teaching a small group of students is easier, more enjoyable, and less
time consuming than teaching a large group.

Unfortunately, due to budgets, space, or lack of teachers, many EFL schools offer large classes.
This is more common in Asian countries, and in particular China. In some schools, large classes
may consist of up to 40 or more students.

While your class may look more like a University lecture hall, your job is not to lecture.

Just like teaching a small class, you must come up with engaging activities that keep all of your
students interested and participating with the goal of improving their communication skills.

While there are numerous challenges when it comes to teaching large classes, there are many
coping skills and activities that you can use to make your job easier.

Whilst teaching a large class may sound a bit daunting, there are also many positive aspects of
teaching a large group of students.

Large classes can be noisy, but they are also fun and exciting as long as you have the energy to
keep up! Time flies in a large class, and you will rarely find yourself clock watching. You will
probably find that you in fact planned too much work for a lesson so you can save and use in your
next class.

Another advantage of teaching a large class is that there is always someone who is willing to
answer questions even if they are just guessing. Make sure to take answers from a variety of
students.

You will also discover that you will have less need for fillers since core activities and lessons take
longer to complete.

Teaching a large class can be challenging – particularly with the needs of so many individuals to
consider. Here are some tips about how to succeed when teaching large classes:

 Intimacy: Remembering students’ names can take a while. Ensure students remain in a
set seating plan over a reasonable period of time to help achieve this aim.
 Anxiety: Some teachers feel anxious about being vastly outnumbered by the students.
Establish rules and guidelines from the very beginning which will help maintain
discipline in the classroom. It is also advisable to have back-up materials ready in case
you need to switch up the lesson should things not be going according to plan.
 Student needs: Meeting individual student needs can be difficult when the class size is
very large. They may feel too intimidated to raise their hand and speak up. It is important
for the teacher to remain accessible during the lesson. Don’t always stay behind your
desk, instead walk among the students to foster a more personable atmosphere which will
encourage them to express themselves
 Marking: Grading assignments and tests for a large class can be very time consuming.
Quick ways to gauge progress could be having a quiz on the previous lesson at the start of
class, or you could include participation as part of a student’s overall assessment. A daily
exam where students switch papers and mark each other’s answers, feeding back to the
group, is also another effective time-saver
 Distractions: There are more distractions for teachers in large classes, such as latecomers
and students chatting while you are teaching. Choose your battles and understand that
some distractions are inevitable.
 Preparation: Making photocopies for a large class is not always time-efficient. Try to
use visual aids and the dry erase or chalk board to display assignments to the whole class.
Also, take note of when other teachers use the photocopier and plan your own usage
accordingly. Hogging the photocopier in busy times is not a good way to endear yourself
to fellow faculty members!
  Noise level: Large classes can become noisy and frenetic when students are working in
pairs or groups. A lot of the time this is earnest enthusiasm for the task at hand. However,
when the behaviour turns rowdy and learning is impaired, it is important to highlight what
levels of noise are acceptable. Instead of shouting at students, manage the noise level
creatively – perhaps through a noise meter at the front of the class where students can see
they are crossing the threshold of what is acceptable. When they get back within a
reasonable level of noise, find creative ways to reward their behaviour. This might be the
promise of a game at the end of class for example.
 Monitoring students: Teachers may find it difficult to keep students on task as they
monitor pair and group work. Listen carefully for any common errors students are making
and feed them back to the class at an appropriate time. It is important not to single out
individuals for correction, rather address the issue as a common error and demonstrate
how it can be effectively resolved.
 Space: There is limited space in a classroom for energetic activities such as role-playing
or other movement based tasks, which may be required from time to time. Be creative
with the space you have, move desks to one side or even take the students outside to give
them fresh learning impetus.

Suggestions for Coping with Large Classes

Your first step is to realise that developing rapport will take longer than teaching a small class
however; you can help this process by prioritising learning everyone’s names.

You could ask each student to write their name on a piece of paper and stick it to their desk or
perhaps give then each a name badge.

Your first lesson could start with that old chestnut of taking them out into a larger space and
positioning everyone in a large circle.

You then model the name game by throwing a football (or large scrunched up piece of paper) and
throwing it at one of the students while saying “David (teacher) to Ting Ting” etc.

Instruct students to continue throwing the ball to different people while stating their own name
and that of the ball catcher.

Continue for about ten minutes, or for as long as you feel that you have got to grips with a good
number of names.

 Establish trust: Allow your students to see you from a different perspective by telling
them some things about your interests outside of the classroom. There is no need to get
too casual but telling them you support a particular football team or have a favourite
movie can be an effective way of establishing trust and dialogue.
 Effective note-taking: Ensure you monitor pair or group learning effectively by taking
notes and feeding back common errors to the class as a whole once the activity is
complete.
 Use the space: Where you are working with large groups for energetic activities, take
students outside or find indoor space that is fit for purpose. It is important to let students
spread out when they are preparing for a performance or project.
 Encourage participation: Aggregate homework and attendance so that it becomes part
of a student’s final grade. Giving exam hints and tips daily also encourages students to
attend.
 Competition is good: A fun, competitive classroom atmosphere is a great way to
stimulate learning. Split the class into teams, award points for a win and also subtract
points for bad behaviour or excessive noise.
 Stay calm: It is so important to start your classes in a relaxed frame of mind. Students
can pick up on teacher anxiety and will usually sense when lessons have not been
 sufficiently prepared. Avoid this by planning classes well in advance and having one or
two extra activities at the ready in case the lesson is not going well.
 Manage noise: From day one establish an acceptable level of noise and a way of getting
your class to stop what they are doing and pay attention. Be consistent in implementing
this strategy and take care not to use any offensive gestures or sounds that may offend the
local population.
 Reduce marking and prep time: Establish the target language that you are grading and
design quizzes and tests which are on point and streamlined. Peer evaluations are also a
good time-saver. Encourage student confidence in writing by leaving a short comment or
suggestion at the end of their paper rather than putting a red line through each and every
mistake (see module 10 unit 2). Find out when the photocopying room is quiet and use
this time effectively to prepare most of your photocopying for the day or week ahead.
 Enforce a late policy: Notify students of your late policy on the first day and stick to it.
For example, don't let students enter your classroom after a warm-up has ended or after
the first 10 minutes. You should also check that your employer, manager of Director of
Studies supports you in this in case of any students complaining. They are the paying
customer after all and some language schools are hesitant to enforce rules on their
students. If students miss class, make it their responsibility to catch up, not yours.
 Share your e-mail address: In a large class, you will find yourself feeling drained before
and after class if you let students come early or stay late to ask questions every day. This
alone can make you hate your job, especially if you are not paid for hours when you are
not teaching. Encourage students to e-mail you with questions or set up a Facebook page
for that class, and answer them on your own time. If you don't like the e-mail suggestion,
try finishing your class ten minutes early once in a while and allow your students free
conversation time. Take questions on a first come basis during this time.

Activities to use in Large Classes

 Small group discussions: Use topics related to a theme, or ask students to submit topic
suggestions.
 Who Am I?: Stick the name of a famous person to the back of each student. Students
walk around the room asking questions and trying to identify themselves. Once they
guess who they are they can place their name tag on the front and continue helping other
students identify themselves.
 Team spelling contests: Each student who gets the spelling correct gets a point for their
team.
 Balderdash: Large classes can be split into teams. Teacher calls out a word and students
must write down that word and it's meaning. Each student to get both correct gets a point
for their team.
 Write the question: Large class can be split into teams. The teacher gives an answer and
the students must write the question. (eg. "Amanda") Each student that writes the correct
question gets a point. (e.g. answer: What's your middle name?")
 Questionnaires: Students circulate around the room asking each other questions.
Students can create their own questions on a given topic or theme, or you can provide a
questionnaire hand-out. Follow up by asking each student to report the most interesting
answer they received. This could then progress onto groups preparing presentation about
the results and any conclusion they may have come to.
 Categories: The teacher calls out a category, such as fruit, and each student has to name
a fruit when it’s their turn. If a student hesitates for more than five seconds, they have to
choose a new category and sit out the rest of the game. The last person to get out wins.

Unit 3: Teacher roles

Unit 3: Teacher roles
Why have we placed this Unit in this Module: ‘Classroom Survival Tips’?

Plainly and simply, it’s because there’s more to your role than you might think.

You’ve already studied what it takes to be a competent and effective teacher – and you will be if
you take all our ideas on board and marry them with your own ideas. And we have already
discussed the key knowledge, ability, skills and habits elements you require to deliver up a
successful lesson.

However, there are other skills you need to have to ensure success. It would be very pleasant if
your role simply comprised of passing on information, creating an enjoyable atmosphere and other
pleasant activities. It would be truly wonderful! However, it’s not as easy as that.

There are other personal and supervisor- type roles and activities you will be responsible for and
these require skill and energy. They come with the job, as they say.

The range of teacher roles

Assessor:

 assessing progress
 correcting errors
 allowing students to demonstrate their mastery of the material in different ways
 diagnosing what needs to be done in follow-up lessons
 preparing and delivering tests and examinations and marking them, as required
 communicating grades/results/progress with sensitivity and support
 ensuring that you too can meet any required external standards or inspections

Controller:

 ensuring that the whole class is tuned into what needs to be done, e.g. starting off a new
activity
 ensuring that classroom order is maintained

Facilitator:

 knowing what facilitation really is

 stepping back and allowing students to find their way along the language journey, whilst
still monitoring and motivating as needs be
 being available and ready to act as a resource when needed

Guide:

 guiding those who are unsure of what to do

Manager:

 ensuring all the nitty-gritty elements that underpin a successful lesson are carried out, e.g.
giving effective and coherent instructions, arranging the most effective seating, ensuring
instructions are carried out as planned, and ensuring that tasks are completed as planned
 ensuring group dynamics skills are utilised to provide efficient classroom routines,
smooth transitions and different types of groupings to encourage specific types of
learning
 ensuring a sense of community and belonging in the classroom
Materials producer and collector:

 producing more appropriate, more relevant and often much better materials than a
coursebook offers
 ensuring a variety of material mediums – paper/image based, audio and video, realia,
where appropriate

Monitor:

 observing and analysing ongoing interactions – on a daily basis

 monitoring what’s going well and what’s not going so well – on a daily basis
 reflecting on the evidence and deciding what needs to be done in a feedback session later
 being able to deliver effective, constructive and timely feedback to all students you are
responsible for
 recognising when there is a need to act as a counsellor, providing emotional support as
needed to help learners feel confident in their learning

Motivator:

 motivating some of the students who may not be so keen on the activity or who may be
tired or are thinking elsewhere, perhaps due to the stresses and strains of life outside the
classroom
 understanding that lessons should be interesting, meaningful and stimulating and should
respond to the learners’ emotional, cognitive and linguistic needs
 remembering that the whole person comes to school, so even the intrinsically motivated
person yesterday may not be the motivated person today

Needs analyst:

 identifying the learning needs expressed by the learners

 accounting for differing language ability levels and varying backgrounds, interests, and
needs
 Remember: Learners may have other needs that you may identify, e.g. behavioural or
social needs, but here we use the term ‘needs analyst’ primarily in relation to
learners’ learning needs.

Planner/organiser:

 preparing lesson plans for the class or age group you are assigned to
 accounting for differing language ability levels and varying backgrounds, interests, and
needs
 embracing a multicultural perspective in the planning and encouraging this in the learning
episodes
 accounting for maximum student interaction within the plans
 ensuring that there is plentiful opportunity for authentic and communicative language use
 setting out the roadmap for the lesson and organising all the tasks and activities for all the
learners

Sometimes, many of these skills and roles are required in the one lesson. The ability to seamlessly
master the skill of multi-tasking will make your lessons more fluid, more effective and more
enjoyable.

You may have picked up some of the skills necessary for your teacher role already in another job
or activity, so that experience will serve you well.
If not, you should consider delving into these areas before you take up your teaching post. Our
course will help you with some of these personal and supervisor- type skills in some areas, e.g.
assessment, motivation, planning and you’ll likely have friends who use other skills in their job
and can help you.

A good book on general supervisor or management skills will also be of benefit.

The majority of inexperienced TEFL teachers setting out for their first teaching post have often
given little thought to this. Perhaps their course did not make them aware of this. It’s then a severe
shock to their system when they realise they’re unprepared in some of these skills areas.

But you won’t be unprepared!

Unit 4: Discipline in the classroom 1-10

While more movement of students and more communication amongst students have had a positive
effect in the communicative classroom, they have also increased the potential for things to go
wrong in the classroom, leading to possible problems relating to student discipline and behaviour.

These issues of discipline and student behaviour are the most frequently mentioned concerns of
inexperienced teachers.

Gradually, you will develop your own strategies and techniques for dealing with inappropriate
behaviour.

Often, indiscipline arises due to confusion over:

 weak classroom rules, or lack of them

 roles and expectations, i.e. your and your students’ roles and expectations

In essence, inadequate classroom management is likely to be at the root of it, most of the time.

1. Teacher attitudes to discipline

Although it is a bit of a generalisation, there seems to be two main categories of teachers with
their differing attitudes to discipline.

There are those who see the learner as the recipient of information that the teacher, as the fount of
knowledge, has to provide. They see the learner's role as relatively passive. They control. They
tend to accept the need for minor punishments as an incentive to learning.

On the other hand, there are the teachers who see learning as a process that requires the active
commitment of the students. These teachers try to avoid punishment, relying on the students'
interest in the work to keep them out of trouble.

These teachers see themselves more as guides than controllers, and so they seek to maintain
discipline through persuasion and by tapping into the students' basic good nature.

Experience tells us that if you genuinely care for your students (as you will), and communicate
well with them in not only their subject content but in all social ways, you will bring out the best
in your students. When you keep these goals in sight, you will often get the better of even the most
troublesome student.
You’ll decide on your approach.

2. Key issues that can affect student behaviour negatively

Here are some common issues for you to reflect on:

 You try to be liked instead of respected.

 An innate urge among some teachers to control students rather than elicit their respect for
authority
 Some teachers never seem to develop effective strategies for dealing with unacceptable
student-created problems.
 Confusion over rules, roles and expectations – on both sides
 Poor teacher-student communication
 School supervision and discipline policies which are unbending, i.e. zero tolerance
 A lack of school supervision and discipline policies

3. Strategies for preventing/minimising discipline issues

It is pretty impossible to provide a set of rules and procedures that will work in all student
situations and settings. But there are many practical strategies that work well.

Here’s what to do, and what not to do:

1. Good planning and organisation

The teachers who are most successful in maintaining discipline in class are not those who are good
at dealing with problems, but those who know how to prevent problems from occurring in the first
place.

Careful planning and organisation are the keys to preventing problems arising.

Careful planning and organising promotes a constant momentum, pace and a feeling of purpose
which keeps the students' attention on the task at hand and does not allow the formation of a
`vacuum' which may be filled by distracting or counter-productive activity.

An awareness that everything is planned and you know where you are going contributes a great
deal to your own confidence and to your ability to win the trust of the students.

Because the bulk of your students are motivated by your quick-paced and organised momentum,
the misbehaver is often ignored by the rest of the class. He has no audience to perform to and will
give up his counter-productive activity.

2. English-only environment

Cultivating an English-only environment as much as possible will go a long way towards creating
a classroom that does not get side-tracked with L1 usage. But there may be some occasions where
you will allow L1 usage.

3. The skill of distraction

Creating a distraction is an almost guaranteed way to close the curtains on the misbehaving
performer. His performance will stop abruptly.

Always have some already-prepared distractions up your sleeve.

This can be achieved in a number of ways:

 Hands up those who want to see this amazing picture.

 The first group to put these words into a proper sentence, and write it on the board, will
get 10 points added to the best group end-of-term award.
 Ah! I forgot the box. Who wants to be first to see what I’ve got in my box?
 Let’s try this out. I’m going to whisper something to Adriano. Then he must whisper the
same thing to Alanza, and then Alanza to another member of the group and so on. The
last person in the group must stand up and tell me what was whispered. Are you ready?
 Who wants to hear about something funny that happened to me yesterday?

He’ll want to be a part of this new activity, like everyone else.

4. Clear and succinct instructions

Clear and succinct instructions are critical. Too much hesitation and mind-changing on your part
can easily distract students.

5. Stay alert at all times – for negatives and positives

You need to be constantly aware of what is going on in all sectors of the classroom, keeping your
eyes and ears open. Don’t fall into the trap that some teachers fall into, using the time in class to
mark previous work. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Your role is to facilitate learning at all times in the classroom. When you’re up and about, you will
be fully alert as to what’s going on.

But it’s not only negative behaviour you should be keeping an eye on. Look out for positive
behaviour too. When you see good, specific examples of positive behaviour, praise your students.

Don’t just praise them with a common phrase such as Well done, group B. Tell them why you are
praising them: Well done, group B. I’ve noticed that everyone is doing a separate part of the task.
That’s what group work is all about. Thank you!

And, of course, communication with parents and carers is paramount. If school policy allows it,
find time, on a termly basis, to send a note to parents/carers, telling them what the students have
done well. This will be discussed at home and will provide further motivation to your students.

6. Set and agree a code of behaviour in the classroom

This should be set with the students, where possible, so they know the consequences of their
behaviour should it not be socially acceptable to the rest of the group or to you, e.g. in relation to
homework, letting others speak without interruption, sticking to routines etc.

Also, be wise and present to the class your code of behaviour too, e.g. how you will behave at all
times (be patient, never shout etc.). This acceptance by you that you too will follow a code will
build their trust in, and respect for, you.

7. Fairness and consistency

Be fair and consistent at all times with all of your students. The classroom rules for dealing with
each aspect of misbehaviour need to be applied consistently at all times, no matter if the
misbehaver is normally one of your best students.
8. Focus on the behaviour, not on the person

Don’t make any comments about the person who is misbehaving. Stick to commenting on the
behaviour.

9. Encourage even your misbehaving students

When they are behaving well, catch them doing that. Tell them: Well done, Juan. You’ve got some
very good examples there.

10. Use your body language

Often, there is no need to speak. Most students will stop misbehaving when you:

 stare at them at length

 clap your hands, once
 shake your head, signalling No!
 use a tool agreed in the class rules, e.g. ringing a bell

Discipline in the classroom 11-19

11. Get them up and moving

Ensure you build in movement into your lessons. The movement may be part of a lesson, e.g.
roleplays, or intentional movement for its own sake, e.g. changing places, doing part of the lesson
outside the classroom.

When students are sitting still, lesson after lesson, lethargy can creep in. A lethargic
environment is a ripe environment for misdemeanours.

12. Keep up the pace

Another ripe environment for misdemeanours is when there is a break in the pace of your lesson.
Breaks and lulls in the pace may result, for example, due to technological issues or spending too
much time with an individual or group over some issue.

When you are planning your lessons, you need to take these possible periods of inactivity into
account. Ensure you have some quick and meaningful activity that the class can do during these
breaks and lulls.

13. Do not ignore minor issues

Inexperienced teachers tend to ignore minor issues in the hope that the problems will go away by
themselves. Occasionally they do, but more often they simply escalate. Generally, it is advisable
to respond immediately and actively to any potential problem you detect.

14. Deal with it quietly

The best action is a quiet but clear-cut response that stops the activity.

15. Move students

Ensure your potentially disruptive students sit at the front of the class – close to you.

16. Stay close to them

Move around in the proximity of the student when the behaviour is persistent. Move towards her
and ask if you can help her; then, when you have calmed the student, walk away with a smile and
a Well done!

Or you could sit down close to any disruptive students and carry on the lesson from that position.
They’ll stop what they are doing when you’re up close and personal.

17. Don't use threats

If you use threats, they are likely to exacerbate the problem. Sometimes, teachers make threats
which they will not implement.

Some of your students will soon become aware of this and will take their misbehaviour to the
brink, knowing that very little will happen. They work out: Nothing happened last time, so why
will it happen this time?

18. Never lose your temper

Losing your temper in any classroom can be disastrous. This especially applies in cultures
where showing strong negative emotion is one of the worst things you can ever do.

Here’s what to do:

1. Approach the offender and tell him he needs to stop doing what he’s doing.

2. Deliver this up in a confident manner but do not shout.

3. Pause, whilst keeping full and confident eye contact, showing an expectation that you expect
him to stop.

4. Repeat this process if the offender does not stop immediately.

This calm and confident approach will work in most cases.

19. Dealing with more serious incidents

These will be few and far between, if ever. But it’s important to have a strategy in case this ever
happens.

Here’s what to do:

1. Always remember that the whole person comes to school. Has something happened externally,
e.g. at home and is this the underlying cause of their misbehaviour? So, take care and take a
moment to consider this.

2. Speak loudly but don’t shout.

3. Don’t go down the argument track or things will get worse. Stop and go silent. Remember you
have a class to look after.
4. Offer, with empathy, the opportunity for the misbehaver to take time out in the fresh air and
then return to class.

5. Then get the class back on track.

Depending on the seriousness of the issue:

Arrange a meeting with the student later to discuss the issue, emphasising the focus of the meeting
is not about discipline.

See if you can get to the bottom of it all – the cause of the behaviour - and try to help the student
to move on in a more positive vein. You may still have to impose some sanction in line with the
classroom rules.

For a very serious action, e.g. threatening other students or vandalising property, you need to alert
your Head of Department/Director of Studies as soon as the lesson ends. Seek advice and be
guided on the best route to take. Don’t be afraid or don’t feel weak about asking for help.

Unit 5: Culture and its implications

In this final course Unit, we will explore two key cultural aspects, both of which are important for
classroom survival:

 Appropriateness: cultural contextualisation

 Cross-cultural aspects in the classroom

1. Appropriateness: cultural contextualisation

In the language arena, there are several meanings of the word ‘appropriateness’. Here our focus is
on cultural contextualisation.

A subtler aspect of meaning that often needs to be introduced to learners is whether a particular
item is appropriate for use in a certain context.

Appropriateness of a speech act is measured against sociocultural norms. The norms may
vary somewhat within a given group of society, but they are generally recognised within the
society as a whole.

However, the same speech act in one society's culture may not be considered appropriate in
another culture.

There are possible repercussions arising from a learner saying words that would be viewed as
inappropriate in another culture and society. If repeated many times, the learner would probably
be viewed negatively by the native speakers in that culture and society.

For this reason, you must make your learners aware of possible cross-linguistic problems.

Thus, it is important that your learners know that a certain word or phrase is very common, or
relatively rare, or ‘taboo’ in, say, polite conversation. Or, perhaps, the word tends to be used in
writing but not in speech; or that it is more suitable in formal than in informal discourse.

For example, weep is virtually synonymous in denotation with cry, but it is more formal and
poetic, tends to be used in writing more than in speech, and is much less common.
But what does this mean for YOU?

Here’s what you need to know and reflect on to ensure you get cultural contextualisation
right first time:

1. Remember this: Communication is culture bound. The way an individual communicates and
the words and structures she uses emanate from her culture.

2. Students with different cultural norms are at risk if you have little knowledge, sensitivity or
appreciation of the diversity in communication styles. You may perceive differences as problems
and respond to students' diversity with negative attitudes, low expectations and culturally
inappropriate teaching and assessment procedures.

3. Remember: Cultures vary internally and are changeable. There are usually many cultural
differences within a single race or nationality. Avoid stereotyping your students.

4. What is logical and important in your culture, e.g. always tagging on please to a request, or
taking turns to speak, may seem irrational and unimportant to learners in another culture.

5. In describing another culture’s language, teachers tend to stress the differences and overlook the
similarities. Ensure you do not fall into this trap.

6. Avoid some inappropriate cross cultural communication barriers:

 Be aware of words, images and situations that suggest that all or most members of a racial
group are the same.
 Be aware of possible negative implications of word/colour symbolism and usage that
could offend people or reinforce bias. For example, terms such as black magic or black
market can be offensive in some cultures.
 Avoid words that have questionable racial or ethnic connotations. For example, a phrase
such as you people may have a racial overtone.
 Be aware that words, objects, characters and symbols may reflect different beliefs or
values for different groups. For example, the confederate flag and Uncle Remus stories
may offend African Americans because they reflect the culture of slavery and the Old
South.
 Be aware of different rules for taking turns during conversations. For example, some
cultures frequently perceive ‘breaking in’ to reinforce or disagree with another's point to
be perfectly permissible, indeed desirable.
 Cultures may use different standards for loudness, speed of delivery, silence,
attentiveness and time to respond to another's point. For example, Far East societies place
high value on contemplation and tend, therefore, to feel little responsibility to make
immediate responses during conversation.

Understanding another culture’s language appropriateness is a continuous process.

2. Cross-cultural aspects in the classroom

An awareness of cross-cultural aspects in your classroom is vital.

Here are some practical guidelines to ensure you get it right:

 Cross-cultural aspects play a key part in the classroom dynamics. Handle these aspects
right and the class will be on fire. Get any important cross-cultural aspect wrong and the
learning may well be disrupted.
  You will need to be sensitive to cultural differences and cultural elements at all times,
particularly as they pertain to the host culture, since they can influence overall student
learning behaviour.
 It is important that you are fully aware of the environment in which you are working and
don’t judge the students on the basis of your own cultural background and educational
experiences.
 If you are not aware of cultural nuances, it can prove to be detrimental to your success.
 You cannot assume that your expectations of the classroom will be the same as the
learners' expectations.

Remember: The comments below are general comments – every single student from a particular
culture won’t necessarily display the same behaviours.

Examples of cultural differences

Here are some cultural differences that can come up in class. It will all depend on where you are
teaching and the cultural background and educational experiences of your students.

This information will serve you well, so reflect on this regularly.

Learners’ expectations

Learners from more traditional educational systems may expect you to behave in a more formal
and authoritarian fashion during classes.

They may also want you to engage in extensive correction of grammatical form or pronunciation
during all activities rather than at specified points in a lesson, or not at all.

In some cultures, e.g. Brazil, Norway and Spain, students are expected to be vocal and pro-active
in the learning process; in other cultures, such as Japan and Korea, learners are expected to be
silent, passive recipients of knowledge.

In some cultures, silence is taken as a sign of respect and a willingness to learn; in other cultures,
it is seen as boredom and a refusal to participate.

In some cultures, asking a question is seen as disrespectful, challenging and inappropriate; in

others, asking a question is seen as an important sign of students taking responsibility for their
own learning, and something to be welcomed.

Teachers’ expectations

Similarly, you bring to the classroom your own expectations regarding teacher behaviour. This
includes your views on appropriate learner behaviour within your culture in general, as well as in
the classroom.

You may unconsciously attribute these same expectations to your students, which can heighten the
potential for conflicting expectations and evaluations of behaviour between you and your learners.

Gender, age and status-related issues

You need to find out whether your learners have ever experienced mixed educational groupings;
whether they expect male and female teachers to behave differently; and how different classroom
activities, including various group configurations or activity types, such as role plays, might affect
learners due to native cultural constraints. Research this before starting off.
You may encounter reluctance from both men and women from cultures in which women have
historically been constrained by social roles that do not promote active participation in mixed-sex
settings, e.g. Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia

In some cultures, if some students think that women (especially younger or other lower status
women) are lower in the ranking, that will exaggerate any negative reactions they have to being
interrupted, corrected, told to do things in the classroom that are unfamiliar etc.

Some students might feel they cannot interrupt or correct students who are older, in a high-status
job, are male etc. or may be shocked when you (or another student) do not pay attention to such
distinctions.

Inappropriate topics for discussion in various countries - general

 Religion
 Politics
 Dating, sexual relations
 Gender roles
 Civil strife (where some students are refugees from this strife)
 Immigration (where some students are in the process of this and may be unsettled by
questions about their personal details)
 Freedom and democracy
 Human rights issues
 Conflicts with other countries
 Discussing opinions and beliefs

There are some cultures in which the reaching of a group consensus is more highly valued than the
statement of personal opinion, so discussion-type tasks should be used with care.

The cultural make-up of your class will determine your approach; when well used, of course, these
activities can be very successful.

Gestures

The main point to note with gestures is that people do not stop finding a gesture offensive just
because they understand that it means something else in other countries.

Impulsiveness v reflection

In some cultures, such as most of the USA, children are encouraged to give an answer to any
question quickly, while in other cultures, e.g. Japan, reflection is encouraged before answering.

Proxemics

Each culture has its own norms for the distance between two people standing and conversing, and
these norms may also differ between you and your students.

Eye contact

In some cultures, respect is shown by avoiding eye contact, or shortening the length of contact,
while in others making eye contact is evidence of honesty and respectfulness. One frequently
misunderstood example is that East Asian students often close their eyes when concentrating.

Your failure to make eye contact with students in some cultures could be interpreted by some
students as you lacking in confidence.
Active participation

Verbally expressing ideas and asking questions during class can prove difficult for students
unaccustomed to this form of active participation.

Communication styles

You must become aware of the cultural differences in reasoning and communication. There are
patterns of expression and rules of interaction that reflect the norms and values of a culture. A lack
of understanding of these communication styles could lead to confusion, anxiety and conflict. Two
key communication styles are Direct v Indirect and Attached v Detached.

Direct: straightforward, no beating about the bush, avoiding ambiguity v Indirect: meaning
conveyed by subtle means, stories, and frequent use of implication.

Attached: communicating with feeling and emotion, subjectivity is valued, sharing one’s values
and feelings about issues is desirable v Detached: communication should be calm and impersonal,
objectivity is valued; emotional, expressive communication is seen as immature or biased.

Motivation and memorisation

You will already be thinking of many different ways to motivate students which, in the main, will
work. Be aware that in many schools in China and Taiwan, there are numerous learning strategies
based entirely on memorisation - the greatest motivator is success in exams and is based on how
much students can remember.

Writing

In many cultures, students are not encouraged to express their opinions and ideas. They may have
little experience with creative writing to bring from their native language.

Interrupting

In some cultures, several students talking over each other is normal, whereas others will wait until
there is complete silence before making their contribution.

Volume

Another variant is the volume at which people pitch their voices for ‘normal’ conversation. This
can vary widely, even among subcultures, and will also put a learner at a disadvantage if either
speaking too softly or too loudly is viewed negatively by you.

Autonomy

You will tell your students that they should take charge of their learning, that you are a helper and
guide rather than the source of knowledge and authority. Yet these wishes may not fit with
educational traditions from different cultures.

Movement in class

If you are accustomed to walking about the room to monitor your students’ performance and
crouch down to help a student, and if you are teaching in a culture that views this as somehow
offensive, it will be your responsibility to modify your technique to conform to the expectations of
your students.
Summary

 Be aware of culture at all times.

 Increase your learning of culture in the classroom.
 If ever asked about any subject we have suggested as taboo, simply reply: I’m sorry. I’m
a guest here in your country and I don’t think I’m in any position to comment.

3. Handling any cultural issues in the classroom

If any cultural issues come up in class, then go into your memory bank and decide if it’s any of
those areas mentioned above: e.g. religion, politics and democracy

If it is, it’s closing time and you need to close down the conversation or debate straight away.

1. Do it courteously.
2. Empathise with the student(s) involved that their point is important, worrying, concerning
-whatever emotion is stated by the speaker.
3. However, state that you need to move on. Something like this: I’m sorry everybody, we’ll
need to move on. We’ve got lots to cover. I suggest the two of you continue the discussion
outside the classroom. Right, where were we?

Of course, if it’s a general discussion about superstitions or what foods are eaten in different
countries and appropriate areas like these, then you will let it run for a bit as real communication
is taking place.

Remember! Keep your eyes and ears open all of the time for any inappropriate discussion topics
starting and head them off at the pass quickly!