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Learner-centered teaching is popular today in language classrooms, but teachers still have to control the progress of a lesson.

Classroom management is just as important as a lesson plan. It includes motivating students to learn, handling materials efficiently, using effective presentation techniques and grouping students appropriately for activities and games.

• Show students photos, realia, music or a fun activity related to the new material.
  
• Present a simple problem or question that they will be able to answer by the end of class with what they have learned.
  
• Tell students what they are going to learn and what kinds of activities they will do during class.
  

• Make sure you have all the materials you need.
• When you use a TV, tape player or CD player, make sure before class that everything actually works and everyone can see/hear it. Rearrange students' desks if necessary.
• Get the visual aids ready in the order that you plan to use them.
• Sort out handouts or worksheets for quick and easy distribution.

• Speak clearly and use facial expressions and body language to make your meaning clear.
• Make eye contact with all the students frequently.
• Try teaching from different parts of the room. When you see a student becoming distracted, move close to that student to let him/her know that you are watching.
• Control teacher talking time based on the teaching/learning stages. The amount of teacher talk should gradually decrease from the presentation stage to the student practice stage to the student production stage.

• Vary the methods you use to organize students into pairs or groups, e.g. by seating arrangement, by randomly distributing number or color cards, by birth month, etc.
• Consider the activity, e.g. will it be more effective to group students of different skill levels or should group members have similar skill levels?
• Make sure that each student in the group has a role to play in completing the task. Monitor groups to make sure that everyone is participating.

Checking for understanding

• Watch your students. Are they doing what you're expecting or do they look confused?
• After you give instructions, ask one or two students to demonstrate the activity.
• When you ask questions, pose the question first so that everyone pays attention and prepares to answer. Then name an individual student to answer.
  

• Always wrap up the lesson. Do not simply stop in the middle of an activity.
• Take a few minutes to review what students have learned. Occasionally ask students to tell you what they've learned.
• Always have an extra activity ready in case there's extra time.

Tips for teachers are also available in Gogo Loves English Teacher's Book 1, p. 10.

Do you have a favorite classroom management tip? Share it with other teachers in our Guestbook.