What is classroom language?

Any type of language

used for communicating It covers interaction:
in the classroom

Between Among the

teacher and pupils
pupils themselves
The Primary EFL
classroom language
 I don’t
understand.
Can you repeat,
What please? Raise
page/ Read the your
line is it? dialogue Read in
hand May I go
pairs/ work May I go to
with your out, please
How Be the toilet,
do you partner quiet, please May I go out,
spell… please please
Can I come in,
Sorry, Could you
Open your please
I’m help me,
late book on
please?
page…
Close How do you Sorry for
the door spell that being late.
Put your
homework word?
away I don’t have
How do Listen What is the a … Can I
you say in and Sit homework for borrow one?
English…? repeat down/ tomorrow?
Look at Do we have to
stand up
the Do we have hand in the
board Can you explain
How do you to write this exercise?
it once more,
pronounce…? down? please?
I am ready.
May I start?
 What do we use classroom
language for?
1. For giving common • “Sit down, please” “Come here, please” “Open your books
instructions on page X”

2. For praising, encouraging • “Well done!” “Fantastic” “Great stuff” “Try again” “That’s
and correcting almost it”

3. For controlling the class • “Please, be quiet” “Please, pay attention”

4. For checking • “Do you understand?” “Ok so far?”

comprehension

• “Hello, everyone!” “Who isn’t here today?” “Pack your

5. In the different stages of a things away” “See you tomorrow”
lesson (beginning, ending...)
 Why is classroom language
important?
The classroom gives us
many opportunities to
The classroom is our use English in a
‘real’ context meaningful, natural way
as part of authentic
communication in that
context
 Some examples of classroom
language for different purposes
Starting your lesson in English
• Everyday class teacher vs specialist teacher
– Teaches every subject/ only English
– Your approach to English is different
Good
Greetings and Giving morning
forms of address commands

Checking state

Questions of Starting an
routine activity

Checking
attendance or
calling the roll
 Beginning a lesson
• “Hello / Hi, everyone!” “Good morning, everybody!”
Greetings

Time to
• “Is everybody ready to start?” “I think we can start now”
begin

Waiting to
• “I’m waiting for you to be quiet” “Settle down now so we can start”
start

• “Who isn’t here today?” “Why were you absent yesterday?”

Register

• “Where have you been?” “Did you oversleep?” “Don’t let it happen
Late again!”
Teacher Children
• Good morning • children • Good morning • Miss/Mrs/ Mr/ Ms Sánchez
• Good afternoon • everybody • Good afternoon • Sara
• Hello • boys and girls • Hello • Teacher
• girls and boys

• Let’s call the roll • Thank you, everybody

• Let’s take the register
• Let’s check to see who is here • So, everyone is here except…
• So, only two people are away
• Is everybody here? • Oh good Paula, you’re back • Maybe he’s gone to the
• Is anyone away? • Nice to see you. dentist. What do you
• No-one is absent today? • Are you all right now? think?
• Who’s missing?
• Let’s all count to see if • Oh, John’s away.
everyone is here –girls • Who knows why?
first, then boys • Is he ill?

• So, how many girls are • Is that more than

there? yesterday?
• Or less than yesterday
• Or the same?
 Simple instructions
“Come in” “Come to the
Common “Stand up”
front”
instructions “Sit down”
“Put your hand
up”

“Pay attention,
“Open your books
everybody”
Beginning “Look at activity
on page”
“Repeat after me”
X”

“Have you “Any questions?”

Ending finished” “Pack your things
“Let’s stop now” away, please”
 Ending a lesson
• “There’s the bell, it’s time to stop” “That’s all for today, you can go now”
Stop

Not to
• “The bell hasn’t gone yet” “We still have a couple of minutes left”
stop yet

• “This is your homework for today” “Do exercise X for homework”

Homework

• “Good-bye everyone” “See you tomorrow/next week”

Good-bye

• “Get into a queue” “Line up” “Try not to make any noise as you leave”
Leaving
Praising, encouraging, correcting
“Very good!” “That’s quite
Praising “Well done!” right”
“Fantastic!” “Nice work”

“You’re almost “that’s much

there” better”
Encouraging “You’re halfway “you’ve improved
there” a lot”

“That’s not quite

right but have a “Good try but not
Correcting another go” quite right”
“try again”
 Comprehension language

Teacher Students
“Are you ready?” “What did you say?”
“Are you with me?” “One more time, please”.
“Are you OK?” “Say it again, please.”
“OK so far?” “I don't understand.”
“Do you get it?” “I don't get it.”
“Do you understand?” “Like this?”
“Do you follow me?” “Is this OK?”
Classroom management/control
“Work in pairs/ “Ask your
threes/ fours...” partner”
Grouping “Work by “Interview
yourselves” someone else”

“Look this way” “Leave that alone

Supervision “Listen to what X
is saying”
now”
“Be careful”

“Stop bothering
your partner!”
Controlling “Please be quiet!”
“Don’t do that!” “Sit still!” “Settle
down!
Main structures used in classroom language

Imperatives Modals Questions Miscellaneous

Sit down
Can you repeat, please? Well done!
Be quiet
Could you continue? Excellent!
Open you book
Could you do the next You are almost there!
Speak louder.
exercise, please? Ok, so far?
Say it again, please.
May I come in? That’s all for today.
Try again Is that right?
May I borrow your Your turn.
Don’t run! pen? What is missing here? All together.
Don’t forget you homework Can you lend me your Who know the answer? Lauder please.
for tomorrow. book? How do you say that Nice try
Don’t show your partner. You must finish the in English?
Don’t give up! exercise for tomorrow. Have you finished? I don’t know.
Don’t do that, please You should work Are you ready? Never mind.
harder. Whose turn is it? Just a minute.
You should listen more Your are next.
Let’s start.
carefully. In English, please.
Let’s see your answers
Let’s act that part. I can’t hear you. I don’t understand.
Displaying classroom language
phrases in our rooms. Some
examples
 References:
-A.P.I.N.E.X (Asociación de Profesores de inglés de
Extremadura) 2001. Vocabulario básico de inglés para
interactuar en el aula. (Materiales curriculares).
Mérida: Junta de Extremadura
-Rodríguez, Mª Jesús. Classroom Language.
http://www.angles365.com/recursos/classroomlang.ht
m
Let’s do a bit of practice...
Starting lessons
• Complete the bubbles with things you
might say to start the lesson or the activity.
Is everybody here?
Is anyone away /
missing?
No? OK, so let’s start

CHECK
ATTENDANCE DO QUESTION SING A
ROUTINES SONG

REARANGE COMMANDS
CLASSROOM
“May I come in?” “Clean the board, please” “copy in your notebooks” “Pay attention”

“Sit down!” “Read” “Stand up!” “Answer the question”

“Think about it” “Open your book on page...” “Work in pairs” “Close your book”

“May I sharpen my pencil?” “May I go to the board?” “How do you say...in English?” “May
I go to the toilet, please?”

“What does ruler mean?” “I can’t remember?” “May I borrow your pencil?”