I'm teaching in an elementary school in Korea and am having a lot of problems getting the children to be quiet and listen to me, especially grades one to three. Please could you give me some practical ideas for classroom management? I don't speak Korean and their English level is very low so many classroom management techniques don't work because of the language barrier.
When I ask them to be quiet, some will be quiet (sometimes even most) but not all and while I'm targetting the ones who are talking, others will start again. I've tried non-verbal signals (like waving or standing and waiting calmly) but this doesn't work at all. I always try saying "be quiet" quietly or at a normal level, but often only yelling at the top of my voice works, and then only for a short time. Of course yelling isn't good but what can I do? Even at times when they do stop talking, 5 minutes later they'll start again.
I try to make the lessons fun so I think that's not the problem. Sometimes I just need them to be quiet and listen to know how to play a game. I also need them to listen when I ask them to do something not so fun like tidying their desks.
When the homeroom teachers are there, the students behave well, but without them, they are out of control. I'm not allowed to send unruly children out of the room or to the principal; I also can't speak to their parents, again because of the language barrier. Help! How can I control the children despite the language barrier please?
When I ask them to be quiet, some will be quiet (sometimes even most) but not all and while I'm targetting the ones who are talking, others will start again. I've tried non-verbal signals (like waving or standing and waiting calmly) but this doesn't work at all. I always try saying "be quiet" quietly or at a normal level, but often only yelling at the top of my voice works, and then only for a short time. Of course yelling isn't good but what can I do? Even at times when they do stop talking, 5 minutes later they'll start again.
I try to make the lessons fun so I think that's not the problem. Sometimes I just need them to be quiet and listen to know how to play a game. I also need them to listen when I ask them to do something not so fun like tidying their desks.
When the homeroom teachers are there, the students behave well, but without them, they are out of control. I'm not allowed to send unruly children out of the room or to the principal; I also can't speak to their parents, again because of the language barrier. Help! How can I control the children despite the language barrier please?