Discipline in a TEFL classroom

Children tend to misbehave, refuse to do as they are told and generally make a nuisance of themselves. A good teacher should be able to deal with these problems quickly and effectively. Here are some ideas on how to stay in control of your TEFL classroom.

Positive Reinforcement

Try rewarding the students that are good instead of punishing those that misbehave.

• Praise Participation. When particular students are performing well at a specific task (such as pronunciation practice), thank them in front of the class. This should encourage other students to follow their good example.
• Group Rewards. Promise to reward good class behaviour in the first half of a lesson with fun activities, such as games and songs in the second half.
• Early Dismissal. In order to prevent your class from rushing out of the classroom as soon as they are dismissed, try rewarding the students that have done well by allowing them to leave first.
• Talking Object. If your class are interrupting each other during a discussion, introduce an item that only allows the person holding it to talk (a soft toy, a stick etc). Students can request the object by putting their hands up when they wish to make a point. Ensure that the object is passed around regularly in order to allow all of your students a chance to speak.

Silent Techniques

• Students are more likely to behave if you are close to them. Try walking over to the students that are misbehaving and simply stand next to them. You won't need to say anything as your presence should be sufficient to dissuade them from causing you any further trouble.
• If one of your students is not paying attention to a textbook activity you have set the class, try walking over to him and pointing out where he is supposed to be in his textbook.

Infantilizing Offenders

• If a member of your class is wandering round the room, or is simply somewhere they are not supposed to be, hold out your hand and say 'do I need to show you the way to your desk?' If that isn't enough incentive to have the student back in their seat, take their hand and lead them back to their desk personally.
• If a student is misbehaving whilst at their desk. Walk over, tap the neighbouring desk and suggest that you might have to sit next to them if their behaviour doesn't improve.

Ensure Everybody Participates

• When the class is reciting new vocabulary or sentence structures, make sure all of your students are participating. If any of your pupils aren't getting involved, make you make the whole class repeat the activity until the offenders join in. The expectations set on the offenders by their classmates should be enough to bring them back in line.

Rearrange Seating

• If you see two students persistently talking, suggest that you may have to separate them if they do not start to behave. Carry out the threat if the talking persists.