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As an educator, it is my fundamental belief that students should have a relaxed environment with positive reinforcement techniques, and each classroom should have a positive reward system. The positive reinforcement techniques include helping the student feel like they are welcome in the classroom, encouraging them to correct their mistakes, reassuring them that making mistakes is okay as long as they are open to correcting them. A feeling of shame and inability to learn is a commonality in many cultures, so providing a positive learning environment and reassurance when mistakes are made can increase a studentś desire to learn and use the language. While providing a positive environment is important, it is also important to maintain discipline in the classroom if students cannot handle working in a fun environment. It is always better to start off the school year with a more disciplined yet friendly attitude until you get to know your students and their levels of behavior to incorporate certain activities into the classroom. Another part of classroom management is incorporating different visuals and styles of teaching. A classroom should be full of visuals so students can grasp content fully. For example, charts of the alphabet, common English phrases, and different labeled words placed around the classroom will help students become more aware of the vocabulary. Also, it is important to have materials previously written and set up on the board to maximize classroom visuals and minimize the teacherś time away from the students. As for styles of teaching, engaging in eye contact and using a vocal tone that is direct yet soothing and friendly should be used by teachers. A A reward system I would be interested in trying in my own classroom would be a team system based on behavioral expectations, which would previously be addressed so students know the expectations. To make the system more fun, I would base the teams on a popular book and movie series, Harry Potter. (Please note this is based off of an American cultural phenomenon and can be changed depending on the culture and the classroom environment.) I would split the class into four teams: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. If there are 20 students assigned to my classroom, there would be 5 students in each group. The desks will be pushed together in a square formation with one extra desk on the end to create a pod. The layout of the classroom will be two pods close to the board and the second two pods right behind them, making another square formation. Hopefully, this will leave enough room for an extra desk or table to be put behind all the desks for students who need a mental break from work or behavior and the students who need extra help. The goal for each group is to earn a certain amount of points each day for the whole week. For example, each day the students need to earn 20 points. The students can earn these points throughout the day by practicing good behaviors outlined in the expectations of the classroom. The students will not lose points because that would discourage them from engaging or participating in the reward system. If a student does not meet the expectations in the classroom, then their team will not gain any points. If the other teams are earning points for meeting class expectations, the students acting poorly might be more encouraged to keep their behavior under control. The other teammates might also keep that one student in line because they also want to earn points and keep up with the class. At the end of the week, the goal is to have 100 points. The teams with 100 points will get a reward. The reward will depend on the students, teachers and the school policy. A couple ideas for a reward would be a small school supply (an eraser, stickers, or pencil), a free class of games, and a movie in English. There are many ways classroom management can be used to create comfortable environments and will allow the students and teachers to have a good relationship. These will help foster a positive learning environment and encourage the students to learn the language.
