A better way to deal with class disruptions

What to do when students misbehave

This article is for teachers like me who don't have formal training to do what they do, but who nevertheless want to do the best that they can to enrich and improve their own lives as well as those of their students.

Thai education and TEFL class management

A look at three practical examples to use in your classroom

Class management, although employing techniques, isn't so much a process as a mind-set requiring a separate skill set from that of delivery, a point often missed in progressive education orthodoxy.

Triggers in the classroom

How to grab attention

Now classroom management is a complex thing, and identifying the reasons for the students' lack of attention is sometimes hard to do while things are descending into chaos. The real issue is what to do about it when it happens.

Tips for the newbie teacher

Keep these points in mind and you'll cope far better

Don't get stressed by the job. Remember that you are merely the latest in a long line of farang teachers who have come and gone. There isn't enough time to make any real progress with students' English so just try and make it fun for them.

Useful classroom management techniques

These ideas have all worked for me!

If you have something the students want then you have a big asset in keeping your class under control. I have developed a few games and props that the kids love and I will use them when they start to tire or lose focus on a more testing part of the curriculum.

Getting the kids hooked young!

My goal is to not frighten the lives out of my students

I'm stepping back from the serious, academic approach and working on making my classes something that kids look forward to - even if they aren't learning as much.

My wishes

Reflecting on what I could have done better for my students

What had I achieved as a teacher, as a class?" "What had I given them? What had my students taught me during the past year?" So many moments of ups and downs, sheer joy and triumphs, but there were things I wish I could have done better.

More adventures in rural Thailand

My first semester at a Thai government school

I've now worked at a rural government school for a whole semester. I thought I might share with you my account so far, with some practical advice that may help ease your transition to teaching in Thailand.

Enhancing understanding

Getting students to enjoy using dictionaries in class

Understanding is one of the keys in making a lesson interesting. Students stay tuned to the repertoire of activities presented, deepen their liking for the subject, and look forward to more English encounters.