How to teach English:
MANAGING THE CLASSROOM
BY JEREMY HARMER
Presented by Keri and Kaan
Managing the classroom
Classroom management
The teacher in the classroom
Using the voice
Talking to students
Giving instructions
Student Talk and teacher talk
Using the L1
Creating Lesson stages
Different seating arrangements & student groupings
Classroom
Management
Variables
Space
Students : groups vs alone
Classroom Time
Appearance
Voice
Talking to students
Mother tongue role
Difficult situations
[Link]
Physical Location?
Teacher in the
classroom
Proximity
Appropriacy Standing ?
How close ?
Movement Still or walking around ?
Awareness The teacher’s primary responsibility is response-ability
(Wilberg, as cited by Harmer, 2007, p. 35)
Self Awareness
How our students see us
Importance of Attire (Roach, 1997)
“Dress Professionally”
“Relationship of GTA dress with student perceptions
of affective/cognitive learning, student misbehaviors,
and student ratings of instruction”
GTA training often disregard “Non-verbal”
factors.
Attire = attitudes, beliefs, values, socio-economics
True? False?
Perception is everything
Persuasiveness Competence, credibility &
professionalism.
…in the Classroom.
Different setting = different effects
Often no official dress code but strong unofficial
preference & effectiveness
Dress Seminars ?
“One of the reasons the teachers are not paid as
professionals is that they don’t look like
professionals” (Molloy as cited by Lang in Roach,
1997, p. 129)
Respect? Approachability?
Teacher Assistant Attire….
Negative Impact ? Positive Impact?
…Conclusion
“In light of study results,
elevated TA attire levels
create a positive,
professional impression on
students that is reflected in
student attitudes toward
the course, the instructor,
the content, etc.” (Roach,
1997, p.137)
[Link]
Audibility
Using the Voice quality – projection – Volume
Voice
Variety
Audibility Type of voice Type of lesson
Conservation
Care of voice – breathing – conserve
Variety energy
Conservation
Talking to students
Manner Empathy Rapport
Teacher – Student Parent – Child
Rough Tuning
It is the simplification of language which both parents and
teachers make in order to increase their chances of being
understood.
Adjust language use : Grammatical complexity, vocab use,
Tone.
Kind of language; what they wish to say &
Manner.
Giving
Instructions
2 Rules:
Simple & logical
Check understanding
Mother tongue &
Translation
[Link]
Student Talk & Teacher Talk
Student Talk Time (STT) Teacher Talk Time (TTT)
Not enough ? Too much ?
TTQ Teacher Talking Quality
Student centered or Teacher centered ?
Using the L1
L1 L2
Progression from L1 to L2
Beginner level Advanced level
Giving complicated instructions
Use L1 when other ways of L2 should predominate
explaining meaning are Use L1 only when other ways of
ineffective explaining meaning are
May aid in pronunciation ineffective
Help make connections and see
differences between L1 & L2
Creating lesson stages
Arouse student’s
interest
Signal beginning of
activity or lesson
Hold and/or regain
students’ attention
Signal ending of activity
or lesson
Different seating arrangements
Different seating arrangements indicate a
number of different approaches.
More than just seating arrangement
“In classroom settings where
students are required or elect
to bring several items to class,
for example, a backpack,
jacket, and handbag, in
addition to notebooks and
textbooks, defining one’s own
territory may become
increasingly important as a
means of comfortably
engaging in active learning”
(Burgess & Kaya, 2007, p.
872).
Different student groupings
PROS CONS
Whole Class
Presenting material (lectures) Less individual attention
Drills/practice Inhibition because perceived as
Creates sense of belonging more demanding
Group/Pair work
Cooperative and interactive Compatibility
Increases independence Dominant vs. subordinate
Increases participation May encourage disruptiveness
Teacher can work with a group
while other groups work
Different student groupings
PROS CONS
Solo
Students work at own pace
Gives students thinking time ?
Allows individuality
Class to Class
Interaction between others Can be time consuming
May encourage positive feelings
and higher motivation
Discussion Questions
Harmer does not mention this in the chapter, but to
what degree do you think culture (the teacher’s and
the students’) plays a role in how the teacher manages
the classroom?
How important is the teacher’s appearance? Clothes?
Grooming? Hygiene?
References
2 homeless men [Cartoon]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2012
from, [Link]
[Link].
Burgess, B., & Kaya, N. (2007). Territoriality: Seat preferences in
different types of classroom arrangements. Environment
and Behavior, 39(6), 859-877. Retrieved January 27, 2012,
from the Sage Publications database.
Can you help me, Mrs. Martin? [Cartoon]. (n.d.). Retrieved
January 31, 2012 from, [Link]
[Link].
Dress code [Cartoon]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2012 from,
[Link]
[Link]
References
Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach English. Essex, UK: Longman
Male holding a book [Clipart]. (2012) Retrieved January 31, 2012
from, [Link] Clip_Art/
Education/teacher401_138795.html
Teaching before and after-edited [Cartoon]. (n.d.). Retrieved
January 31, 2012 from, [Link]
