NAME

: SYED ASYRAF B SYED FAIRUS

MATRIX

: 125276

UNIT

: TESL PISMP SEM 5

Classroom observation
1.0 How the teacher teaching manages her Second Language (ESL)
classroom and application areas learnt and gained throughout the
course.
This observation was done on my previous SBE session, in Primary 4 Aspirasi
classroom. It consists of 37 pupils, 17 girls and 20 boys. I observed an English lesson on the
topic Sea Creatures.

1.1 Theories
It was a privilege to me having the chance to learn some techniques and approaches
that Madam Nornazihah used to manage her classroom. The observation took one hour
from 8am to 9am in SK Batu Rakit.
From my observation, she used the theory of instructional management by Jacob
Kounin in which one of them is withitness. According to Jacob Kounin, withitness was
Kounins word to describe a teachers ability to know what was going on at all times in his or
her classroom (Wikipedia, 2013). Therefore, the teacher has used the withitness when
dealing with the misbehaviour from her class. This initially increase the pupils awareness not
to misbehave in class.
The teacher also used the theory of assertive discipline by Lee Canter to manage her
classroom. This was reflected through her democratic way of teaching. Democratic teaching
is one of the teaching where the teacher engaged in a toleration towards pupils attitude in
order to develop interest in their learning (Roberts, 2012). One of the best example that can
be seen from her is when she tolerates on mistakes make by the pupils and understand that
the misbehaviours may occurred because of understandable reasons. She also used some
behaviour modification approach by B.F. Skinner. Behaviour modification basically intends to
shape good behaviour and get rid of the bad one (Webspace, 2011). Obvious example
would be where she give positive consequences for appropriate behaviour from her pupils in
a form of praise. This increase the tendency for the same behaviour to occur again next
time.

1.2 Communication Skills

According to Newman and Summer (1968), communication is an exchange of facts,
ideas, opinions by two or more persons. In a newly develop ESL classroom context, advices
and reminders are equivalent to facts and figures as they are both difficult to be convey to
the pupils, what more the more misbehave students who often refuse to listen, showing
anger most of the time. Thus, in order to fully deliver her points, the teacher used both verbal
and non-verbal communication while she was handling a more misbehaved students. It is
inevitable because these particular students will only pause the misbehaviour for a while
and then continued shouting and walked around the class. Verbal communication
encompasses any form of communication involving words, spoken written or signed. In this
case, she used brief, succinct and organized messages to communicate with them. Another
example was, there were two students who argued about one mechanical pencil. Student A
said that the pencil belonged to him, Student B also said that the pencil belonged to him.
Making both of them argued behind of the class when Madam Nornazihah was teaching.
After identifying these students, she used verbal communication skill, active listening and
questioning, to clarify misunderstanding and provided missing information. Other than that,
when students were not paying attention while she was teaching, either the students were
talking to their friends or showing no interest in the class, she used non-verbal
communication techniques, which was facial expressions and eye contacts to make sure
that the students stop the misbehaviour. According to Pickett (n.d.), body language helps
students in reading teachers mind. These wordless signals are very effective in her
classroom because her eye contact itself had already able to send a very strong message to
the students in order to focus in class. The reason of what Madam Nornazihah did was to
control her class.

1.3 Resource
As for resources, Madam Nornazihah facilitates the students learning by using as
much teaching aids as she can be it text material or electronic. When asked the reason she
did so, she said that it was for the sake of building competency of students as the class is a
round up class and was not streaming. Thus, in this circumstances, where the students
ability are not the same with each other, different learning styles are easily recognized in the
class, therefore, she tried to meet their needs by using those teaching aids, starting from
visual aids like pictures, audio aids like CDs of songs, audio-visual aids like TV programmes,
action aids like drama, sometimes trips for cultural and linguistic purposes, and multimedia
aids. In the the constructivism perspective, teacher Nornazihah successfully utilize the
concept as according to the theory, we should try to provide our learners with as many aids

as possible so that they can construct certain items. Put it another way, the job as teachers
and with the help of aids is to facilitate and instruct the learners rather than teaching them.
For constructivists learning can occur more in authentic situations and this can be achieved
with using aids obsessively and minimizing the process of teaching or say dependent
learning. For instance, a learner could be given not only the explanation of the word (text
media) and the picture (visual media), but as many aids for them same item as possible.
1.4

Classroom Management
Effective classroom discipline should be a means of helping students become
caring, ethical individuals (Hardin, 2008, p. 147)
Base on the quote, it is safe to say that classroom management is not only meant to

control but to aids them to become a better person in life. The teacher manages to achieve
this objective as she managed to utilize several theories such as instructional management
by Jacob Kounin, behaviour modification by B.F Skinner and assertive discipline by Lee
Canter in conducting her class.
She began the lesson mostly by asking all students to put their yesterdays
homework on the table. She used behaviour modification approach to deal with this
particular situation. Those who completed their homework she praises them verbally.
However, those who failed to complete it or bring it to class will be punish. She asked them
to perform an action song that she taught before individually. This was done to teach them to
act in a manner in which they seldom or never before behaved, while reward are a steps to
maintain the behaviour. After that, she began her lesson.
Throughout the observation, she was aware of what she should do and react in the
classroom. The most obvious theory that she applied was Jacob Kounins theory in
instructional management which is withitness. This is the skills used by the teacher to know
everything that is going on in her classroom at all times to prevent discipline problems before
they occurred (Reid, 2009). She was also able to apply overlapping, which involves the
ability to attend to multiple classroom events at one time. She taught and at the same time
able to identify students who misbehaved in the class during the first 20 minutes of the class.
For the next 15 minutes, she gave a group activity for the students while she went from each
group to each group to help in solving the questions. Throughout the process of going from
each group to another group, she was still able to control the students who misbehaved on
the other side of the class by giving them a sharp look or by calling out their names.
Other than that, Madam Nornazihah maintained a momentum throughout the lesson.
The lesson moved lively, which means she was keeping the lesson moving briskly. She had

planned effectively to avoid minor or major setbacks to the flow of the lesson. Kounin
believes that teachers should not lecture for a long period of time to allow students to gain
knowledge by moving around and maximizing their allotted time. By minimizing delays
and interruptions, students will not lose interest and not misbehave. That was exactly what
she did. She prepared an activity for the lesson that she taught to avoid satiation. Students
enjoyed the activity more than listening to her teaching.
Most of them were actively participated in group activity that the class got noisier in
the middle of the activity. In this situation, I can see that Madam is using ripple effect to
address the problem. There was one particular group of students who was very noisy. She
desisted the behaviour by calling out their names and asking them to stand. After they stood
up, the other groups stopped their activity. She remind them not to talk so loudly while doing
the activity or else there will be consequence. After the students agree with her terms, they
were asked to sit and continue the activity. By this time, all of the groups kept their volume
down. The group activity continued more effectively.
Furthermore, she insisted that her own rights are met in the classroom, which was
the right to insist on behaviour from students to meets her needs. According to Roberts
(2012), assertive discipline has evolved over the years and is more or less a combination of
an authoritarian discipline approach with a tendency toward more democratic and
cooperative elements. This model provides practical strategies for successful behaviour
management in a classroom led by a teacher who builds trusting relationships with students.
I could see that she has a close teacher-student relationship with almost all students in the
class where she did not dismiss the thought that there is any acceptable reason for some
misbehaviour conduct. According to Hardin (2008), students must be allowed to make
decisions about what is right or wrong if the goal is to have them to be responsible for their
actions.
On the other hand, she also gave positive consequences for appropriate behaviour.
For example, along with verbal praise, she write pupils name on a piece of paper and drop
them into a container for a daily prize drawing. Besides that, she expressed her displeasure
with a pupil's misbehaviour, but then she told the pupil what he should be doing. For
example:
"Ismail, please stop talking with Aiman and do your work."
While saying that to the student, she added eye contact and body gesture to emphasize
her instruction. Therefore, it is inevitable that effective communication is also one of the keys
in managing her classroom. It is categorize between autocratic and democratic teaching.
Autocratic teaching use one-way communication in persuading pupils to accept learning

goals and procedures as well as rules for classroom behaviour. For instance, unilateral
direction giving is often an ineffective way of transmitting information.
Democratic teaching, on the other hand, use two-way

communication,

usually

to

encourage and motivate pupils to take part in making decisions for themselves and in
establishing group agreements for classroom procedures. By using this type of
communication whereby pupils and teachers reciprocate in trying to understand one another,
democratic teaching help build a participatory, relaxed, personal, and supportive learning
environment. Although sometimes, Madam Nornazihah can be seen as an autocratic
teacher.

2.0 Possible reasons for actions taken by teacher and justification

She used behaviour modification approach to deal with homework-submission
session. Those who completed their homework she praises them verbally. This results in
more tendency to complete the work as the students knew that they will be compliment,
sometimes their work are modelled in front of the class, thus, a satisfying form of rewards for
their hard work. Teacher use the compliment as a tools to modify the behaviour of the
students slowly but surely as the time goes.
Madam Nornazihah also used instructional management theory of Jacob Kounin in
class. Among them are withitness and overlapping. "With-it-ness" and "Overlapping," can be
used for preventing the misbehavior of other students. When one student is about to throw a
paper airplane or punch his friend in the shoulder, the teacher can make eye contact with
him and shake her head. The belief is that doing this will show other students that they will
not get away with this either. In primary school, however, it usually becomes more necessary
to make an example of a student who willingly breaks a rule so that other students know
they will share the same fate if they do so as well.
Also, the "overlapping" ability to do more than one thing at once is essential, since
most middle school students will capitalize on the opportunity to get away with outlawed
behavior while the teacher's back is turned. A final approach that seemed very effective was
implementing lesson plans with high participation formats. When every student always has
something to do, each will not become bored and find off-task behavior to engage in.

3.0 Suggestions for Classroom Managements Improvement

I was told that this class was a good in terms of academic but not in terms of
discipline. Students were lazy to do homework but clever. Madam Nornazihah should be

giving students more independent reading material for them to explore and learn. If I were
Madam Nornazihah, I will be using the same theories as she used theory of instructional
management and theory of assertive discipline. However, I will also apply theory of
democratic teaching. This means that I will also promote social acceptance to my students
as well as encouragement from the beginning of the year so that students will know the
concepts of equality and positivity for a learning environment.
Dreikurs believes in using logical punishment instead of consequences is a better
source of correcting bad behaviour. If a student misbehaves by throwing things or stomping
the ground, the teacher should let the student cool off. A logical consequence of this would
be sending the child to a reading corner to read a book or going to get water. A punishment
would be making the student write lines or skip recess. Dreikurs also believes
encouragement and praise is more effective than rewards. A student feels accepted when a
teacher lifts them up with kinds words. These nice words can go farther than a piece of
candy.
Another way to act upon the theories of Dreikurs is when students temper flare, just
like what happened in Madam Nornazihahs class. I will let them handle it themselves and
settle down or let them take a break by going to the bathroom one at a time. Either way, my
main purpose is letting the student resolve their own conflict without implementing
consequences such as standing up in front of the class. Through this, the students learn to
handle their conflicts instead of reacting negatively to others.
Overall, Madam Nornazihah used behavior modification, assertive discipline and
theory of instructional management to manage her class. This observation makes me realize
that teacher should be using different theories and approaches in handling different types of
students.

4.0 Personal Classroom Management Plan

Rules and routines keep your class running smoothly so that you have more time for
teaching academics. According to Hardin (2008), inappropriate behavior is a problem to be
solved together in a supportive classroom community. Rules are just like other instructional
activities. They have to be taught, reviewed, and reinforced if they are to be remembered. As
we start the year, the teaching of rules and routines is the first activity we should accomplish.
Once this has been done, we can begin to teach and will teach more by the end of the year
than if we had simply handed out books and started instruction. Introduce each rule and
discuss the variety of behaviours that the rule might include. Reinforce students who are

following the rules. Thank them for their consideration. At the elementary level,
reinforcement can be done aloud.

Example of my classroom rules and routines would be:

1. Keep the class tidy at all time.
2. Respect one another.
3. Always talk in full sentences.
Keeping the class clean and tidy improve pupils behaviour.
Consequences: The first-graders expressed ownership and pride at their artwork being
included in the classroom decor, and their journals, comments and drawings expressed
appreciation for the aesthetic additions to their environment. The evidence appears to show
that small changes can make a big difference in classroom environments. Teachers who
include clean-up time in their classroom management or create something as simple as a
space to display students art can help students feel empowered to learn.
The second rule emphasizes about the importance of respect in class.
Consequences: When you respect yourself and them, and when they respect one another, it
is a small step for them to respect you. The opposite of respect is contempt, which is a
powerful poison. Drive it out by with relentless respect and expectation of respect. The result
will be respectful class in which true learning can happen.
My third rule is chosen to improve pupils language skill in communicating.
Consequeces: In Malaysian ESL classroom, often pupils especially those who are not fluent
and proficient in English, use one or two words in conveying their thought. What may seem
as a good head start to English learning, should there will be no improvement, would end up
as a setback to their learning of English. Thus, this rule allow the pupils to engage in a
meaningful conversation with full and proper sentences hence enhancing their cognitive
development in term of communicating skill.
Rules and routines refer to specific behaviours and activities that are taught in order
to provide smooth, uninterrupted class operation. Rules and routines, carefully taught, can
save large amounts of time during the year. When students know exactly what is expected of
them in a variety of situations, the time saved can be spent teaching rather than organizing
or disciplining.

A class is a physical representation of my organisational skills. Thus, for the physical

settings of the class, I will ensure that the space for learning needs to be bright, airy, well-laid
out and tidy, with plenty of storage space. The desk will be position so that I can have a clear
view of all areas of my classroom, and to allow me to greet students, other staff and parents
as they enter. I will carefully consider my needs and the needs of my students - ensure that
every child can see and hear from every part of the room, and that I have plenty of space to
move around and help students.
I will create a safe, caring and supportive environments where my students can feel
like they belong, are able to bond with me and know that I understand them. It is important
for the pupils to have a positive surrounding in order to develop their learning skills as well
as increasing their interest to learn. The layout of my teaching space (physical)
communicates subtle messages about what I value in learning - it is the physical expression
of my learning philosophy. It should be adaptable to changing teaching and learning styles,
contexts and expectations.
I will managed the particular physical and behavioural needs of my students - some
students may need help to access and move freely in the room, or need to be positioned
near the whiteboard to see it easily. Then the teaching space need to be design so as to
optimise natural light and temperature. The fundamental part is to not block doorways and
hallways in order to create a more spacious class. If present, computers can be set up to
support learning.
In order to have a smooth order of the class, traffic areas need to be taken into
consideration. If there is a quiet research or reading area at the back of the classroom,
students will need easy access to it so they don't disrupt the rest of the class. Thus, I will
arrange students' desks and seating to suit the learning activity or needs of my students. I
will also store resources that students need in a convenient place. For a more organized
class, I will place a cupboard or a desk near the door for storing in and out trays, the
homework box, class roll and any other organisational items.
A warm and welcoming learning environment is important for students. While being
conscious to leave space to display student work, I also can display a range of posters and
other materials that are useful for quick reference. These can usually be borrowed from the
teacher reference section of the resource centre.
They may include weather chart, birthday chart, sharing session roster, colours, days
of the week, months of the year, map of Malaysia or world globe, numeracy posters - money,
basic addition and subtraction rules, literacy posters - letter recognition, basic words and
posters related to unit work.

4.1 PREFFERED APPROACH

Among all the approach that the teacher, Madam Nornazihah, had use, my
preference would be the one that most would call the cool teachers approach, Democratic
Approach. While this democratic approach tends to put more power in the students hands,
rules and obedience can be weakened. Few demands or constraints on placed on the
students, as they are empowered to do your own thing. The students impulses and actions
are accepted by the democratic teacher, and students arent as monitored. A teacher who
embraces this style strives not to hurt the students feelings and has difficulty saying no to a
student or enforcing rules or regulations. Interruptions are accepted with the belief that the
student must surely have something of value to say. Discipline, while offered rarely, tends to
be inconsistent.
The democratic teacher cares for his or her students very much and is very involved
in their lives (as opposed to the authoritarian and authoritative teachers). Students feelings
are highly regarded and take precedence over classroom control. Sometimes, the feelings
of students may dictate the trajectory of the classroom. While this classroom may be
embraced by a majority of students, some may feel the unstructured setting does not ensure
learning or challenges to learn. A danger here is that students frequently have lower
motivation to achieve, as the teacher seems more friend than instructor. But then this
approach opens up to every possibilities thus I favour this approach more than the rest for
my personal classroom management plan.

Reference
Sng, B.B. (February, 2012). Humanising Language Teaching. Retrieved 2 April, 2015, from
Humanising Language Teaching Web site: http://www.hltmag.co.uk/feb12/mart.htm
Wickham, R. (2013). Weebly.com. Retrieved 10 March, 2015, from Weebly.com Web site:
http://songsandpoetryforesl.weebly.com/lga3102-songs-and-poetry-for-younglearners.html
Kohn, A. (1996). Beyond discipline: From compliance to community. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Kounin, J. S. (1970). Discipline and group management in classrooms. New York: Holt,
Rinehart & Winston.
Skinner, B. F. (1968). The technology of teaching. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Skinner, B. F. (1971). Beyond freedom and dignity. New York: Knopf.
Canter, L., & Canter, M. (1976). Assertive discipline: A take-charge approach for todays
educator. Los Angeles: Canter and Associates.