Dealing with bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] in an ESL kids classroom

How can ESL teachers deal with negative [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] in their lessons?

In this article we discuss the issues ESL teachers face in their classrooms when students cause disruption. We also provide practical advice on how to manage negative [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us].

Bad behavior in an ESL lesson

We’ve all been there.  We’ve planned a great lesson with lots of fun and stimulating activities, the kids in the class are great, [hide_on_uk]you have[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]you’ve got[/hide_on_us] wonderful materials … but it is all spoilt by one or two kids who seemingly have no interest in your lesson or learning English.

Or it could be small things where you just can’t seem to get control of the class in the way you would like to: constantly having to repeat instructions, always asking certain students to be quite or stop poking their friend with their pencil or just trying to motivate slow, unresponsive kids.

There are many types of [hide_on_uk]misbehavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehaviour[/hide_on_us] and just as many ways to deal with them.  In this article we’ll look at the signs of negative [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] in your ESL kids class and then discuss ways that these can be managed.  At the end of the article is a comment box – if you have any of your own ideas or comments on this article we would love to hear from you!

Signs of bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]

This list is by all means not complete, but shows some of the more common signs of bad de_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us].  It is roughly ordered in severity from borderline bad de_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] (or perhaps not even bad de_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] at all) to completely unacceptable de_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us].

  • Not standing or sitting straight
  • Laughing at inappropriate times
  • Wearing inappropriate clothes or [hide_on_uk]jewelry[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]jewellery[/hide_on_us]
  • Showing rebellious, sullen or bored expressions
  • Staring out of the window
  • Doodling when the teacher is speaking or during activities
  • Not using polite language when asking for things
  • Practical jokes
  • Making inappropriate noises with classroom objects (rocking chairs, etc.)
  • Speaking in their own language when they should be using English
  • Deliberately going slow
  • Not doing homework
  • Making rude noises
  • Not listening
  • Cheating in games
  • Not following instructions
  • Speaking when should be quiet
  • Refusing to do what the teacher asks
  • Doing the opposite of what the teacher asks
  • Cheating in tests
  • Saying bad or hurtful things
  • Saying bad words, e.g. cussing, swearing
  • Vandalism
  • Fighting
  • Making violent threats to students or teacher

Dealing With bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]

Dealing quickly with bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] is important: students need to know that what they have done is unacceptable and there will be a consequence for their actions.  Bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] can be dealt with by a punishment or certain steps can put put in place to avoid bad behavior.

Punishments for bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]

The following punishments are listed in order of strictness.  Choosing the right punishment to fit bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] is important – kids are very good at assessing this and may retaliate if they feel hard done by.  Moreover, if your punishment is too weak they may continue to misbehave.

  • Look at the students disapprovingly
  • Use the “hands up” instruction – on saying this all students must raise their hands and be silent. Hands can only come down again once control is gained
  • Count down from 5, then punish if not working
  • Take points off their team
  • Call out the name of the [hide_on_uk]misbehaving[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehaving[/hide_on_us] student
  • Move the [hide_on_uk]misbehaving[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehaving[/hide_on_us] student away from their friends
  • Sit everyone elsewhere (e.g. boys next to girls)
  • Disqualify their team from the game
  • Point to the door (indicting that they will leave the room if they continue to [hide_on_uk]misbehave[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehave[/hide_on_us])
  • Write down the student’s name on the board or a special book
  • Leave the student out of the next activity
  • Make the student do some written work while the others play a game
  • Make the student tidy up the room
  • Make the student stand when everyone is sitting
  • Make the student stand in the corner
  • Stop the game and move onto written work
  • Talk to the student after class
  • Put black marks on a special wall chart
  • Put a black mark or message in the student’s notebook
  • Send the student out of the class for 5 minutes
  • Tell the school’s head teacher / manager / director
  • Tell the student’s parents

Rewards to avoid bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]

In an ideal world we would be able to implement actions to encourage students to be good so you wouldn’t need to deal with bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]. Although in practice this may not always work, it can help to reduce [hide_on_uk]misbehavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehaviour[/hide_on_us].  Here are some ideas:

  • Give teams not [hide_on_uk]misbehaving[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehaving[/hide_on_us] extra points
  • Keep the same teams for several lessons (e.g. one month) and give a prize to the winning team
  • Start a fun game with the first students to finish written work and only when others finish their work they can join in.  The game ends when the last student finishes his/her work (and therefore misses the game)
  • Put stickers on good written work
  • Put stickers on a wall chart for good work / [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]
  • Praise good work / [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]
  • Smile directly at good students
  • Point out the best student or team
  • Give a round of applause
  • Use positive gestures (thumbs up, victory signs, etc.)
  • Assign class captains (sometimes assigning a [hide_on_uk]misbehaving[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehaving[/hide_on_us] student as a captain is effective)
  • Give badges for “The best at …” (spelling, pronunciation, giving answers, etc.)
  • As a reward when the class is good play a [hide_on_uk]favorite[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]favourite[/hide_on_us] game
  • Give out [hide_on_uk]candies[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]sweets[/hide_on_us] or small toys (if [hide_on_uk]candies[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]sweets[/hide_on_us] are allowed!)
  • Write positive comments in the student’s book of after a piece of written work

Managing good [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]

Finally, here are some tips to manage good [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] in class (in no particular order) – this will help encourage continued good [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us].

  • Be consistent: this is the most important tip.  Students need to know what the boundaries are and these boundaries should never change
  • Make sure students (and parents) know what you consider to be good and bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]
  • Start from a blank state once a student has been punished
  • Do yourself what you expect your students to do
  • Teach a lesson topic on good [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]
  • Have clear gestures and phrases for things you want your students to do (and make sure they understand them)
  • Play games where good [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] is encouraged
  • Manage energy levels
  • Make sure your lesson is fun
  • Bond with your students (e.g. find common interests, give nicknames, remember birthdays, etc.)
  • Plan classroom management into your lesson plan
  • Think about why some students are [hide_on_uk]misbehaving[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]misbehaving[/hide_on_us] and experiment with ways to change their bad [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us]

Of further interest:

Check out our Classroom management tips page in our Teaching tips section.

Do you have any tips on deal on with negative [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us] not mentioned in our list above?  If so, please let us know in the comments below!

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