Classroom+Management

Surveys of graduates of education schools and colleges indicate that the #1 area of concern of new teachers is their feelings of inadequacy in managing classrooms.

No matter how well prepared you are or how brilliant your lesson plan is, it will be inneffective if you cannot manage student behavior. If the students are out of control, it is unlikely that any learning is going on. The nature of language learning requires speaking, interaction, role playing, and often a lot of enthusiastic activities. Obviously, to implement these activities a language class cannot be absolutely quiet and still, but behavior can be managed to a point that students are in control and focused on learning or practicing.

Fundamentals of Effective Classroom Management
> **1. Know what you want and what you don't want.** > **2. Show and tell your students what you want.** > **3. When you get what you want, acknowledge (not praise) it.** > **4. When you get something else, act quickly and appropriately.**

Techniques for Effective Classroom Management
Classroom management and management of student conduct are skills that teachers acquire and hone over time. If you are new to teaching and especially if you are new to teaching in the US school system, an invaluable resource is Harry Wong's "First days of School. This book is full of methods and skills for managing the myriad of tasks and situations that occur in the classroom each day.

RESOURCE : Harry Wong Website [| http://www.effectiveteaching.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=16]

The most important part of each class is the beginning. As your students enter your foreign language class, they bring with them the frame of mind they acquired from whatever activity they have just participated in. They may be just arriving at school or coming from a physical activity, tired or exhilarated. They may be just getting out of a test, getting off work, coming from an assembly or sports event. They will be speaking their native language and will probably have forgotten most of what they learned in the last class with you.
 * Start out right **

You need something stimulating, something that will grab their attention, weld them together as a class, and start them thinking in the foreign language. The environment and climate of "we communicate here in _" must be reestablished at the start of every class hour. They need something to focus on, to loosen their tongues and get the foreign language flowing, a sort of formal beginning of the class. If you begin your classes with an obvious, formal "start-up" you will take a giant step toward a successful class. Most of all, that "start-up" can be your best ally in your efforts to keep the class in Arabic. Here are some of the benefits:


 * It calls attention, eliminates noise and chatting**
 * It helps keep the class in the target language**
 * The students participate right from the beginning**
 * You can present or practice vocabulary, grammar, or culture**
 * It makes the class fun, and interesting**

If you have the basics but are looking for new things to try, below you will find popular techniques from language classes.
 * More ideas **


 * Self Start and Bell Ringer Activities are designed to get the students working as soon as class starts (or as soon as they enter the room) while allowing the teacher time to call role get ready to start class.
 * Spot commercials for positive attitudes. RESOURCE : Please see the page about Spot Commercials on this Wiki
 * Affirming student responses in Arabic
 * Effective classroom set-up RESOURCE : []
 * Whole Brain Teaching []
 * Signals to get student's attention [[file:arabicteachers/Signals.docx|Signals.docx]]
 * Visual behavior reminders and warnings