When The Student Continues To Talk/will Not Listen...

[chonabot]

Ok. my second semester is looming and I am starting to plan for my M3 and M4 lessons.

Most of my classes have about 50 - 60 kids, I have two classes where there are 35 and 36 kids respectively.

In the larger classes I have had issues where groups of boys, usually, tend to talk and muck about.

Over the last semester I have built up a rapport with these chaps and can usually get them in line with a few gestures.

In the 2 smaller classes I teach what is classed as TSM ( Talented students ).

In both classes I seem to have a few difficulties in controlling some of the students ( boys and girls )

Both classes are strong in Maths and Science, but they are also smart and mainly interested in English.

I teach both classes 3 times a week ( once the syllabus and twice I teach them extra reading )

Sometimes I think they are bored of me, I try and vary the content - activities plus competitions etc.

Other teachers, Thai, have said that both classes are stubborn and not easy to teach.

Sorry for the pre-amble

What I would like to hear is your opinions and experience in trying to stop the small pockets of kids from talking whilst I am trying to teach.

I have tried asking them, I have tried telling them. I have even tried refusing to teach the whole class until they stop - this ends in the whole class plus

me sitting in silence for the whole lesson.

One of the lessons is a double period, and they all of the lessons are towards the end of the day.

Energy and attention levels are diminished and I guess I have to factor this into the whole scenario.

Thanks in advance

[chonabot]

The problem with these 2 classes - I should have included this - As I teach them 4 times per week additionally - I get an extra 6-7k per month.

I guess I am keen not to piss them off too much as the extra money is nice - they are not compulsory classes.

I try to make the extra lessons easy going but find now that the attitude has spilt over into the regular lessons - hope that makes sense

[ivan96822]

Several options:

One, can't you make a new seating chart and get the usual suspects away from one another?

Two, can you contact their parents? I know that language may be a barrier, but perhaps you can get a Thai teacher to help? In the past, I have hit the brakes on an entire lesson, called the student out, and had them--not me--call their parents (in front of all their peers) while the phone is on speaker phone. This is extremely effective and the results can be quite colorful.

Three, why not write their name on the board when they talk when they are not supposed to? One check after their name, they stay ten minutes after class, two checks after their name, you have them call their parent in private and tell them that they have been talking during class, and three checks, you can send them to an administrator or a counselor.

Four, you could deduct class points for speaking without your permission. If these are the smart kids, this could be quite effective, especially if, say, the daily assignment is worth ten points and if they socialize they could lose those ten points.

Five, you may try reverse psychology: "I don't think you could make it three minutes without talking." By doing this, you are challenging the student to think about how he or she is acting--mixed results could occur.

Just my thoughts on the subject of classroom management...

Edited October 19, 2012 by ivan96822

[chonabot]

Thanks Ivan

I will try some of those suggestions for sure !

My own son is in the MEP program , one of the kids in the TSM class likes to tell him that the class (TSM) does not listen to me and I tend to sulk when this happens...lol

Maybe I should have a word to him on his own.

[Scott]

If it is only a few students, then it's worth talking to them individually and alone. Try to assess what they see as being the problem and reach a compromise. Some students just simply don't like a subject and just won't pay attention, but they have to learn not to disrupt other student's learning.

If it's a fair number of them that are misbehaving then it's worth taking a look at what you are teaching or how you are teaching it.

Best of luck.

[chonabot]

Thanks Scott - I think a few do not really like English - the Thai English teacher teaches them 3 times per week and I also teach 3 ( one plus my 2 extras )

So 6 periods of an unfavoured subject can seem a bit like overkill.

Edited October 19, 2012 by chonabot

[otherstuff1957]

Admin loves double periods (easier to schedule), but it's very hard on the students. You might try asking your Admin to not schedule any double periods for you.

[chonabot]

I've been told elsewhere that the kids are just bored of me and I should just teach the ones who are interested

I kind of see the sense but I am concerned that eventually I will lose the whole classes and other classes if I take that attitude.

[Thaddeus]

Chon, when I was in School I really detested French Language lessons, I had no interest in learning it at all, couldn't see the point (if a child is unwilling to learn any subject, they won't, and no amount of cajoling will work) there were a few of us in the same class who felt the same way and we were a handful.

The French Mistress (no, she wasn't sexy, if she had been I may have paid more attention) asked the Head for permission to try something out. One day she walked in to our class and after the "Bonjour ma classe" "Bonjour Madame" simply asked that if any of us didn't want to learn French then please raise our hands.

About six hands went up, mine included, and we were made to stand on the playing field 100 yards apart from each other for the whole period, and it was a double period.

Quite a humiliating experience for a 15 year old. From that point on all she had to do was at the first sign of disruption was to raise one finger and point out of the window. Ok, I didn't learn any more French, but I was never going to anyway, and the disturbances stopped.

I don't know if that would work with Thai kids, but kids are kids all over the world in my experience.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Thaddeus

[endure]

Talking of reverse psychology I was told by my physics teacher on a regular basis that there was no way on earth that I would ever pass my physics O level. Come speech day I walked onto the stage to pick up my A grade physics certificate. I waved it in his face and said 'see, I passed'. He just smiled and said 'I know'.

[Geekfreaklover]

Ivan's post 3 offered some good methods.

Move them apart.

Find out what the trouble-making students like - football, whatever. Incoporate it into the lesson.

Tell the students if they want to speak they must put up their hand.

Any one that doesn't suffers CONSEQUENCE.

There needs to be consequence to their actions. If the only consequence is that the teacher gets upset then they will continue to do it as it doesn't effect them. Writing their names on the board and three strokes and the parents get called will work only if their parents really care (Thai parents normally do due to respect for education loss of face etc) but some don't. Some aren't home.

Why not punish other students when they speak. Assign a talkative student to a well liked student. Everytime they talkative student talks the well-liked student has to come to front of the classroom and write lines on the board.

Thais have very tight groups and peers, even as kids.

I guess with classes that size you are using a microphone? You have a ruler that makes a noise when it hits the table? You know how to clap your hands to get everyones attention? You know how to use that attention once you got it?

good luck.

[siampolee]

If the class come to you in your English classroom you could try the bus ticket system.

You'll have to number the desks in your room in order or random fashion it doesn't matter which, make an identical set of numbers in future board using a square for each number.

Cut the numbers up and as your students enter class give then the number tell them sit where your number is,worked well for me in the past simple but effective.

Method 2. put challenged students with the motivated students again peer judgement is a powerful weapon in the class and you'll see improvement in time.

As already said by Geekfreaklover post # 11, find a topic the challenged kids like and use that as your lesson format,doesn't matter what road you take as long as you get to your or rather their language level destination.

Make your classes a fun time get the students into the frame of mind so that they want to learn. .

Consequences, always found they backfired on teachers, the punished students became classroom heroes, you're on your own then with something like 40+ hostiles facing you,

Only thing left for you to do then is to fall on your sword.

Good luck.

Edited October 19, 2012 by siampolee

[chonabot]

Ivan's post 3 offered some good methods.

Move them apart.

Find out what the trouble-making students like - football, whatever. Incoporate it into the lesson.

Tell the students if they want to speak they must put up their hand.

Any one that doesn't suffers CONSEQUENCE.

There needs to be consequence to their actions. If the only consequence is that the teacher gets upset then they will continue to do it as it doesn't effect them. Writing their names on the board and three strokes and the parents get called will work only if their parents really care (Thai parents normally do due to respect for education loss of face etc) but some don't. Some aren't home.

Why not punish other students when they speak. Assign a talkative student to a well liked student. Everytime they talkative student talks the well-liked student has to come to front of the classroom and write lines on the board.

Thais have very tight groups and peers, even as kids.

I guess with classes that size you are using a microphone? You have a ruler that makes a noise when it hits the table? You know how to clap your hands to get everyones attention? You know how to use that attention once you got it?

good luck.

No microphone - even in the 60 student classes - my voice is loud enough.

But I may well use the ruler/whiteboard eraser for effect.

Yes I can clap my hands - please advise on how to act thereafter?

[thaicbr]

Ivan's post 3 offered some good methods.

Move them apart.

Find out what the trouble-making students like - football, whatever. Incoporate it into the lesson.

Tell the students if they want to speak they must put up their hand.

Any one that doesn't suffers CONSEQUENCE.

There needs to be consequence to their actions. If the only consequence is that the teacher gets upset then they will continue to do it as it doesn't effect them. Writing their names on the board and three strokes and the parents get called will work only if their parents really care (Thai parents normally do due to respect for education loss of face etc) but some don't. Some aren't home.

Why not punish other students when they speak. Assign a talkative student to a well liked student. Everytime they talkative student talks the well-liked student has to come to front of the classroom and write lines on the board.

Thais have very tight groups and peers, even as kids.

I guess with classes that size you are using a microphone? You have a ruler that makes a noise when it hits the table? You know how to clap your hands to get everyones attention? You know how to use that attention once you got it?

good luck.

No microphone - even in the 60 student classes - my voice is loud enough.

But I may well use the ruler/whiteboard eraser for effect.

Yes I can clap my hands - please advise on how to act thereafter?

You may find that by giving them an easy lesson is part of the problem .. I taught an M5 'special ' class..generally good kids but they had worked out what they could get away with.. so we decided to do a 7 wonders of the world ... video presentation. Work sheets ... the works .. took loads of time to prepare ... well the little bastards just sat and talked .. I lost it told them 'do you want to just do fxxking work sheets all semester or would you like to learn something '

To my surprise it worked. And no I am not saying swear at them. That was a stupid mistake on my part. Just get their attention let them know you want them to LEARN not just study

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect App

[rediculouspom]

You can bring a horse to the water but you can't make it drink!

Let's face it, in any class there are some students who are not interested in learning English.

Gee, what do i do? You can begin by laying down some class rules from the kick off. Feedback can be sought from the class to ensure fairness.

There is little point in shouting/making idle threats. You'll only succeed in making yourself look a prat and getting a sore throat too boot.

Try chilling. Musical chairs can sometimes be effective,i.e moving the deviant student up to the front of the class, or getting them to sit next to a geek.

Don't let the issue become personal; speak to the Student(s) after class. Try and find out what makes them tick. What their interests are and try and incorporate this in your lessons.

With talkative individuals it can be effective to call their bluff, by getting them involved in role-play

or reading to the class. After all idle hands...............!Sometimes the results can be surprising.I guess some students just need some extra TLC, which is difficult when managing big classes.

A good sedative is to provide the miscreants with therapy in the form of word puzzles or crosswords. This will enable you to concentrate on the students who want to learn English.

Finally,as a last resort, you can inform the Student that such antisociable behaviour will result in them getting little or no brownie points for attitude at the end of term.

Whilst writing to the parents may seem a good idea, this inevitably will involve the school admin becoming involved.You may be seen as a complainer or teacher who is incapable of managing his class.Beware of crying Wolf! Remember, face is more important than substance in Neverland and for God's sake keep smiling.

[jaiyenyen]

I too have occasionally had problems where groups of students just won't shut up.

I always give one or two polite requests for quiet, but if they take no notice I ask all students to stand. I then stand to the side of the board and don't say anything until they're quiet. Once they're quiet, I allow them to sit. Repeat if neccessary.

The most I've had to repeat in one lesson is three times. I find that the better students get fed up and do a bit of 'self policing'.

This is always done with a smile on my face, getting angry doesn't work. I keep the anger inside, and then vent once I'm back in the teachers room