English in Primary Education I

Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 1

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND RULES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

o read and reflect about some routines for the management of
an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom (reading,
listening and speaking skills)
o orally express and formulate in written form what should and
shouldn’t be done in a Primary classroom using appropriate
structures and lexis (speaking and writing skills)
o use an audiovisual text in order to describe, infer and question
the ideas in it through the application of a See-Think-Wonder
routine” (written and interacting skills)

1. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Look at this picture for a few minutes and answer the following questions:

1. What’s happening in this picture?

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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 2

2. Why do you think a child has disruptive behaviour in class?

3. How can you control disruptive children?

READING: 8 PROACTIVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Pre Reading

How important do you think disciplinary measures will be in your teaching practice?
a. Very important
b. Important
c. Hardly important

Explain briefly

Reading

Read the following introduction and explain with your own words what the ripple effect is.

In the 1950s, psychologists Jacob Kounin and Paul Gump discovered a

curious side effect of discipline: If a student was being disruptive and the
teacher responded with strict disciplinary measures, the student might stop
—but other students would start exhibiting the same misbehavior. Kounin
and Gump called this the “ripple effect,” and it demonstrated that efforts to
control a classroom can backfire.
Recent research confirms what Kounin and Gump discovered decades ago. A
2016 study found that while negative attention —reprimands like “Stop chit
chatting!”— may temporarily stop misbehavior, students eventually became
more likely to engage in disruptive behavior. Students in the study felt
disengaged, had difficulty concentrating, and weren’t able to effectively
regulate their thoughts and emotions —a vicious cycle that “actually amplifies
students’ inappropriate behavior,” the study authors explain.

The ripple effect is …

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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 3

Now continue reading and place at the beginning of each paragraph the 8 strategies for
effectively managing a class:
Actively supervise Greet students at the door
Use reminders and cues Give behavior-specific praise
Set clear expectations Optimize classroom seating
Establish, maintain, and restore Be consistent in applying rules
relationships

1. : At Van Ness Elementary School in

Washington, DC, Falon Turner starts the day by giving each of her students a
high-five, handshake, or hug. “During that time, I’m just trying to connect with
them…. It’s kind of like a pulse check to see where they are,” she says.
2. : “The stronger the relationship and the
better we understand our students, the more knowledge and goodwill we have to
draw on when the going gets tough,” writes Marieke van Woerkom, a restorative
practices coach at the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility in
New York.
3. : These are helpful ways to encourage
students to follow instructions without being overtly controlling or forceful. For
example, if you can anticipate a disruption —such as students getting out of their
seats if they finish an assignment early— give a short reminder of what they should
do instead.
4. : When students choose their own seats,
they’re three times more likely to be disruptive than when seats are assigned. After
all, they’ll probably pick seats next to their friends and spend more time chatting.
5. : It may seem counterintuitive, but
acknowledging positive behavior and ignoring low-level disruptions can be more
effective than punishing or disciplining students. Instead of focusing on specific
students, offer praise for the behavior you want to reinforce. For example, tell
students, “Excellent work getting to your seats quickly.”
6. : Instead of just displaying rules for
behavior, have a discussion with your students about why those rules matter.
7. : Although it’s tempting to sit at your desk
and grade papers, that’s also an invitation to your students to get distracted. Be
active: Move around the room, check in on student progress, and ask questions.
It’s not about policing your students, but about interacting with them.
8. : School and classroom expectations,
rules, and routines should be followed and applied fairly to all students. Don’t
single out certain students —it’s the behavior you should be focused on, not the
student. Correct errors when you see them and provide additional instruction or
reteaching when misbehavior occurs.
(adapted from https://www.edutopia.org/article/8-proactive-classroom-management-tips)
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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 4

PAIR WORK: DEEPENING UNDERSTANDING

Look at the following videos, take notes and explain to your classmate the main ideas
(TIP: when watching the video a second time, use subtitles).

video one video two

PICTURE DESCRIPTION (S-T-W routine)

Get in groups of 4 and describe the picture below. Have a look at the expressions included in
the appendix.
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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 5

What I See What I Think What I Wonder

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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 6

2. CLASSROOM RULES

a) Listen to the following video (DON’T

SHOW IT) and write down the 6 rules
mentioned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWXPCP8t0
0M (2’ approx)

1. RULE 1: 4. RULE 4:

2. RULE 2: 5. RULE 5:

3. RULE 3: 6. RULE 6:

b) Fill in the rules below so that they become clear.

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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 7

c) Use your ideas about what shouldn’t be done in the Primary classroom and make a list
choosing the 5 most important rules to you and write them in order.

YOU YOU AND YOUR PARTNER

1st Don’t …. 1st

2nd 2nd

3rd 3rd

4th 4th

5th 5th

d) It’s much more effective to set classroom rules in the positive form. So, try to rephrase your
list of don’ts as a list of do’s.

For example: Don’t run → Walk, please.

1. _____________________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________________

If you need to revise the imperative check the extension work section

f) Modal verbs. Now try to express the rule by using a modal verb.
Maybe completing the following table will help you.

OBLIGATION have to

PROHIBITION

PERMISSION
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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 8

Do you remember the basic rules when using modal verbs?

g) Practice your modal verbs

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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 9

YOUR ENGLISH CLASS RULES!!: LISTENING AND DEBATING

PRE-LISTENING
1. How important were classroom rules at your school?

2. Do you remember any one in particular?

3. What would happen if someone broke a rule?

LISTENING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22fJFQO4qkY

1. According to the speaker, in which ways can you set school rules?
a.
b.
2. In the first case, how should these rules be?

3. In the second case,

a. How could this be done?

b. What is the advantage of this second way of setting the rules

POST-LISTENING. Now it’s time to think about the rules that will apply to your own English class.
Individually, consider the following items and decide what your opinion is.
Now get together in small groups, discuss and reach an agreement.
● eating a snack ● bringing hard copies
● drinking ● respecting the teacher
● wearing clean clothes ● taking a nap at your desk
● being punctual ● leaving the classroom
● taking a shower in the morning ● taking off your shoes
● using smartphones during class time ● add an item of your choice: ...

BONUS TASK: CLASSROOM RULES POSTER

Together with one of your classmates, design a classroom rules poster with the most important
rules for your English class this year. Try being both creative and original.
Once completed, send a digital copy to your teacher.
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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 10

EXTENSION WORK SECTION

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Unit 1: Classroom Management and rules - p. 11
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WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING RULES