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 TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS 

On their best
behaviour
I
Caroline Linse gives found Malcolm Hebden and responsible not only for teaching their
Jo Mason’s article on classroom students the English language, but also
ten techniques for organisation (ETp Issue 28) very for teaching them how to behave
interesting because they described appropriately in the classroom.
classroom control. so many different configurations one In addition to managing general
can use to arrange a classroom. classroom behaviour, teachers working
However, I feel that before teachers of in an EFL environment often have
young learners start moving the desks trouble helping children to remember
around, they need to make sure that to use English. Although this can be a
they can appropriately manage the problem faced by teachers working with
children’s behaviour. students of all ages, the dynamics are
When teachers of older learners different with young learners. Children
walk into their classrooms, they can have extremely short attention spans
assume, for the most part, that their and often forget that they should use
students will sit in their seats, raise English the very second that the teacher
their hands and not interrupt the has finished reminding them!
teacher too often.Teachers of English One term currently being used to
to younger learners, however, are describe the teacher’s responsibility
with matters related to discipline of
young children is classroom management.
In classes where there is good
classroom management, young learners
can be engaged in a variety of hands-on
and active learning experiences.
I should like to outline here several
techniques for maintaining discipline
with young learners. Many people
suddenly find themselves teaching
young children without having received
an adequate briefing on how to manage
discipline and I hope that both they and
more experienced teachers will find
these techniques to be of use.

Ten techniques
There is no magic formula for ensuring
that children behave appropriately and
use English consistently during English-
based tasks. However, listed below are
ten strategies that experienced, early
childhood and foreign language
educators (working with young 

• www.etprofessional.com • ENGLISH TEACHING professional • Issue 32 May 2004 • 23

 TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS 
On their best
behaviour
 children) have found to be helpful. I
recommend choosing and trying out
the techniques that are most suited to
your personality and to the
temperament of the group with whom
you are working.

1 Have a range of
activities up your sleeve
Children who are busy and actively
engaged in the lesson are less likely to
misbehave. Repertoires of different
types of tasks which meet the same
language objectives are most useful. It is
important to have a balance of activity
types, including those where children
move around and can potentially
become boisterous as well as those
where children operate in a calmer It should be noted, however, that care 4 Break down instructions
mode. should be taken not to embarrass into steps
children with praise. Some children hate
2 Catch children being singled out and complimented as Give children one instruction at a time.
being good much as other children hate being If you ask young children to take out a
picked out and criticised. These children pencil and get out a piece of paper and
Too often teachers focus on young
are sometimes taunted by the others write their names on their paper, all in
learners’ negative behaviour and only
because they are perceived as being the one breath, you may have trouble.
comment when children are misbehaving.
teacher’s pet. Some children will be writing their
It is easy to concentrate on the children’s
names on their papers while others
wrong deeds because that is what needs
will be confused as to what they are
to be corrected or remedied. However, 3 Use affirmative
supposed to do and won’t even have
children can be complimented on their commands
taken out their pencils. It is much more
behaviour, including their language use, Phrasing expectations in a positive way productive to ask children to take out
when it meets or exceeds expectations. can be far more productive than using a their pencils and then wait for
Children benefit the most when the negative command. Instead of saying everyone to follow along. Once they
compliments are specific and focus on ‘Don’t talk so loudly’, you can say ‘Please have completed one instruction, you
the type of behaviour which is use indoor voices’. (Indoor voices are can give the next. This will also help
exemplary. For example: those used when people are inside a with the amount of native language
‘I really like the way the group next to the classroom; outdoor voices are reserved translation that will be necessary
window is working.’ for noisy streets and playgrounds.) because as well as listening, the children
Instructions using the affirmative will be able to look around the room
‘Everyone in this group is taking turns to
form can also be given to children to see what command the others have
talk.The group members are listening to
regarding their language use during just followed.
what their classmates are saying.’
English-based tasks. The negative
Children can also be complimented on command ‘Don’t speak Arabic’ can 5 Determine classroom
their language use with comments inadvertently imply that the teacher,
rules with students
such as: especially a native speaker of English,
does not like the Arabic language. The Students, even very young ones, can
‘I heard some really interesting clothing help with the formulation of classroom
affirmative ‘Please use English’, on the
words. Someone used the word “jacket”.’ rules. Help them to come up with rules
other hand, does not have any negative
‘I have only heard English being used for connotation and does not imply any that are phrased using the affirmative.
the past 15 minutes.’ aversion to the child’s native language. Listed below are some examples:

24 • Issue 32 May 2004 • ENGLISH TEACHING professional • www.etprofessional.com •

 TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS 
 Listen. It is more sensible to speak in a low complain when you assign them to
 Use English. voice and model the expected work with her. Eventually you might
behaviour: even say,
 Be kind to others. ‘I would like you to work with Mary
‘Listen. I am using a quiet indoor voice. I
You may wish to take photographs of want everyone to use quiet indoor voices.’ because she knows some really good
the children behaving appropriately and stories in English. I think that you will
post the pictures next to the rules. learn from her.’
8 Develop signals to
quiet the class
6 Take the class 10 Make sure that
There are many different signals which the punishment
temperature often can be used to quieten children so that
Frequently there are warning signs that fits the crime
a teacher may give instructions or get
the children’s behaviour is beginning to the class back on task. In some Even with the best intentions, planned
get out of control. Serious problems classrooms, depending on the natural lessons and interventions, there are
can be avoided by taking action at the light, the lights may be turned off to times when rules will be broken and
first signs of trouble. For example, two signal students to stop talking and look children need to face the consequences
children may be at the beginning stages at the teacher. In others, the teacher of their actions. It is important to have
of a disagreement. The two could very may bring in special shakers that make consequences, not merely punishments,
easily be separated by saying something quiet sounds like rain. Whatever for inappropriate behaviour. Children
like, ‘Louis, would you come and sit by me. method is used, the children know that who are caught fighting with other
I would like to hear you read for me.’ when they see or hear the signal, they children might have to make a list of
are to stop working and immediately five nice things about the children that
look up at the teacher. they were fighting with. Children who
pound their fists on the table may have
9 On occasion, be to sit for five minutes with their hands
folded. Whatever the consequence, the
a social engineer
children should understand that they
Sometimes it is necessary for you to are being disciplined because of their
help unpopular children avoid being inappropriate behaviour and not
teased. Children are not always as kind because they are bad individuals. ETp
as one would hope, and some of the
strategies for forming groups of Caroline Linse currently
teaches at Minsk State
students can have disastrous effects. Linguistic University in
Numbering off 1, 2, 3, 4, where all of Minsk, Belarus. She has
worked with children or
the 1s make one group, all the 2s their teachers in various
another, etc, may work with adults but other countries including
the Baltics, Mexico,
can be very problematic with young Tunisia, Korea, American
learners.When children are randomly Samoa and the USA. She
is the co-author (with Elly
thrown together, they can blurt out Schottman) of two series
for children, Treasure Town
unkind things about their classmates and Fingerprints, both
such as, ‘I don’t want to work with Mary published by Macmillan.
7 Speak in a soft voice because she smells funny.’ clinse@aol.com
When the classroom begins to get You can stop and tell the mean
noisy, teachers may try to out-shout
their students. The students may be
youngsters that they were not very 
nice and punish them. Unfortunately,
quiet for a micro-second, but before the damage will already have been done IT WORKS IN PRACTICE
you know it, they may get louder than to Mary and apologies will not undo Do you have ideas you’d like to share
they were before the teacher raised her feelings of rejection. It can be far with colleagues around the world?
her voice to quiet them. Veteran more effective to decide the members Tips, techniques and activities;
primary school teachers know that a of each group yourself and personally simple or sophisticated; well-tried or
quiet or low voice can often be a good assign children to the groups. You can innovative; something that has
way to grab children’s attention. The easily tell who will be kind to Mary and worked well for you? All published
students must stop talking in order to make sure that you put her in a group contributions receive a prize!
hear the teacher. Primary school where she will be treated with respect Write to us or email:
teachers also know that it can sound and not ridiculed. Once children have
silly for the adult in charge to shout seen others work successfully with iwip@etprofessional.com
‘I WANT EVERYONE TO SPEAK QUIETLY!’ Mary, they will be less likely to

• www.etprofessional.com • ENGLISH TEACHING professional • Issue 32 May 2004 • 25