The Importance of Classroom Management for Effective Language Learning
Classroom management is an important component when teaching in any area of the education system. It is the process that the teacher follows to make sure the classroom lessons go about easily without any difficulties. When the classroom is well managed, the students are more comfortable when asking the teacher questions, the classroom is more organized, the students are involved with the lesson and they are more motivated. A well-managed classroom should involve student commitment, effective time management, and maintaining discipline.
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Semra G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Classroom arrangements and other issues
Student commitment or student engagement can be opened up to many categories. Seating arrangements in the classroom is one of the many important factors to get the students to be more active in lessons. Putting stronger students together is not exactly going to help the weaker ones. It is much better to put a weak student with a strong one so they can help each other. The way the teacher organizes the classroom depends on the space available and the type of activity. There are a few ways to organize the tables and chairs in the classroom. These are separate tables, circles, and horseshoes and orderly rows. Orderly rows are mostly used by teachers and many schools that have a large number of students in the class. Circles and horseshoes are used for smaller classes; the students can see the teacher and the other students clearly and are more active in the lesson. For group work, seating the students at individual tables in small groups makes it hard for the teacher to maintain eye contact and may result in an increased noise level. It is important to arrange the students according to the activity in the lesson and the space available, making sure all the students are engaged in the classroom. Setting up the classroom before the lesson starts is always a good idea since it will save the teacher quality time with the students. Seating arrangement also helps with eye contact. Eye contact is essential in every point in life not only teaching. Having good eye contact with students helps them to engage in the lesson more. It shows that they are involved when approached by the teacher. Eye contact is also used to maintain discipline, to pick a student to answer a question; to make sure everyone is involved in the lesson, and also to correct students. But teachers need to keep eye contact at a level since too much would make the students uncomfortable; nobody likes to be stared at.
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Time management
Time has a major role in the importance of classroom management, if not organized well; students can get bored and lose their motivation. Teachers should organize their lessons from before, so the students don’t wait and waste time. During that waiting period, the students lose interest, start speaking among themselves, and can disrupt the class. The teacher should be ready for the lesson and be in the classroom before the students arrive with any photocopies or items that are needed for the lesson. On arrival, the lesson should start straight away after an introduction, so there is no time wasted. Menachem Mendel Schneerson said ‘this is the key to time management-to see the value of every moment.’ Every minute is an advantage.
Also Read: Comparing English Language to Chinese Language
Discipline
Discipline is defined as the practice of teaching others to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience. The disciplined class should start on the first day. Students should know what is allowed and what is not accepted. Teachers need to set up some rules for the class. Students need to understand that if rules are broken, there are actions that need to be taken. Some actions can be time-out for younger students, warnings, detention, or visiting the office according to the age of the students. Further actions can be taken by teachers if disruptive behavior continues. Discipline always shows the road to success. There are a few strategies that teachers can follow for improving the discipline in the class. Keeping the lesson interesting will prevent problems arising in the class. Students get distracted and tend to talk among themselves when they are not interested, or they are getting bored. Teachers should never confront the student in front of others, as this will make the student uncomfortable and he/she will not listen in the future. Forming a teacher-student relationship is important. Students love teachers who have fun with them and who are interested in the life of the student outside the classroom.
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In her book ‘Wanted Back-Bencher and Last-Ranker Teacher’ Kavita Bhupta Ghosh has said ‘Good classroom management is the art of dealing with problems positively and looking for solutions together so that everyone is involved and willing to find a remedy.’ Being prepared, organized, punctual, friendly, and maintaining discipline are all important for effective learning.
Teachers use classroom management for effective learning because students are engaged, which means learning is in place. Engaged students result in a better future for the students and society. Nelson Mandela has said ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’
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