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I. What is classroom discipline?
 Brainstorm a list of words showing the meaning of the phrase ‘CD’
ex. control
control, discipline
authoritarian (bossy) ,
authoritative (is obeyed because is trusted to know best about the subject)
power, authority (demand for co-operation)

Defining CD
… it is a state in which both teacher and learners accept and consistently observe a set of rules about behaviour in the
classroom whose function is to facilitate smooth and efficient teaching and learning in a lesson
II.



Positive discipline and good relationships in the classroom
Imagine an ideal disciplined classroom
Have a look at the set of statements
Put ++ by statements which seem to you to describe a characteristic which is always typical of a disciplined class
+ by those which describe a characteristic which is fairly typical but not inevitable
- where you think the characteristic is irrelevant or not very important, put a double or single
? where you feel uncertain
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Learning is taking place.
It is quiet.
The teacher is in control.
The teacher and the students are co-operating smoothly.
Students are motivated.
The lesson is proceeding according to plan.
Teacher and students are aiming for the same objective.
The teacher has natural ‘authority’.
Key: 1 (+) ?; 2 +; 3 ++; 4 ++; 5 ? (+); 6 + ?; 7 ? (+); 8 ? (+)
III. What discipline problems have you seen/had in Czech schools?

Brainstorm a list
Add:
Talking in class, Undisciplined conduct, Behave badly, Talk back, Make a row, Tease schoolmates, Bully smaller boys, Play
pranks on sb, Fight, lie, disrupt, Play truant

Look at the problems and decide where to place them
Poor classroom management
Poor discipline
Poor motivation

Other problems
What are the main causes?
Poor classroom management
(no clear rules, setting up PW/GW,
timing, staging, instructions….)
Poor motivation
(Ss’ lack of success, lack of involvement,
methods & approches…)
Poor discipline
Other problems
(dyslexia, dysgraphia, age, hyperactive Ss, social
background/family, drugs, health,
physical conditions in class, LHC…)
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
What can you do to solve these areas?
E.g. LHC: compulsory & optional strategy, open-ending tasks...
age:
interaction:
instructions:


1.
2.
3.
4.
Which are easier/more difficult to deal with?
More ways to achieve discipline in the classroom:
your confidence
your social skill
your values
your awareness of what is going on
IV. Sanctions
Small
Ignore it
Pause
Use eye contact
Use their surnames
Change seating
Change the activity
(if it’s a game)
(Pretend to)get angry with
the pupil in from of the
class (YL)
*Shouting
Medium
Have a quiet word after the class
Tell the S off in front of the class
Talk to the class as a whole
*Give lines ( 50x zlobil jsem)
Give extra work
Keep in detention
Inform the class teacher
Severe
Get the head to talk to the child
Send a letter to parents
Call in and talk to parents
Get the head to talk to parents
Write a note in Žákovská
Grading – napomenutí TU
Tř.důtka
2.st.
řed.důtka
3.st
Expel the pupil (not at the basic school)
Some of them are not a good idea. Which ones? *
SUMMARY
There are many reasons for poor classroom discipline (C. man., Mot)
Luckily many of the commonest reasons can be directly affected by the teacher (even caused by T!)
Solving these problems will give you more time to concentrate on the ‘real’ problems, ie the ones you can’t actually remove. If you
need to use a sanction, think about its effect on the probable cause of the problem. Check you aren’t causing the problem
yourself.
Practical hints for teachers on classroom discipline
1.
Start by being firm with students; you can relax later
2. Get silence before you start speaking to the class (see Appendix 1)
3. Know and use the students’ names (see Appendix 2)
4. Prepare lessons thoroughly and structure them firmly
5. Be mobile: walk around the class.
6. Start the lesson with a ‘bang’ and sustain interest and curiosity.
7. Speak clearly.
8. Make sure your instructions are clear.
9. Have extra material prepared (e.g. to cope with slow/faster-working students).
10. Look at the class when speaking, and learn how to ‘scan’.
11. Make work appropriate (to pupils’ age, ability, cultural background).
12. Develop an effective questioning technique.
13. Develop the art of timing your lesson to fit the available period.
14. Vary your teaching techniques.
15. Anticipate discipline problems and act quickly.
16. Avoid confrontations.
17. Clarify fixed rules and standards, and be consistent in applying them.
18. Show yourself as supporter and helper to the students.
19. Don’t patronize students, treat them with respect.
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20. Use humour constructively.
21. Choose topics and tasks that will activate students.
22. Be warm and friendly to the students.
Appendix 1
Some more ways to get silence

A little bell
Tinkle it quietly when you want silence

Music up & off
Small tape recorder – play quiet, gentle background music; when you want silence turn the music up quickly, then OFF

Non-verbal signals
Co-operative hand raising – instruct the learners that when you raise your hand, they should all raise theirs, and as they
find their hand going up, they find their mouth closing

Clap my rhythm
When you want silence – clap a rhythm that your learners have to imitate immediately
You: clap-clap-clap
Ss: clap-clap-clap

Imitate what I do
‘Hands on your head’
‘Stand up’
‘Sit down’
‘Say…’

Compulsory speaking learner’s own language
Very effective: everybody has to speak Czech for 1’
Nobody listen! Everybody speaks Czech.
-Time it
-Yell 'stop'! Can we all speak E now for the next 9’?

Teacher whispers
Appendix 2
 LEARNING LOTS OF NAMES QUICKLY
When you address individual pupils by name, rather than talk vaguely to the whole class, they will take you seriously much more
rapidly than otherwise. You have also a means of reinforcing all organisational messages that you give (‘Gather round here
please, and look at this. Can you all see it? Can you see it Honzo?’) So...devise a good way of learning the names of one class.
Having learned the names, get yourself into the habit of using them aloud, so they don’t slip away again.
LEARNING LOTS OF NAMES QUICKLY
draw a map of the classroom in ink and pencil in names;
use badges,
musical cards, mystery cards, coat of arms…
get Ss in a circle & say their names + a talent they have
+ st they like or dislike
+ 1 good thing that has happened this week
+ name in an alliterative sentence - Swimming Sylva who studies in Susice
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