Can you give me some tips for teaching unruly teenagers?

Q: Dear Lucy: I've been brought in to teach 17 teenagers from the eastern bloc. The last teacher quit because of stress and in some ways I can see why. I am a newly qualified CELTA teacher, and today was my 1st day teaching a real class. I didn't have any lesson plan prepared as theappointment was very short notice..So I kind of just led a conversation class with them. By the end of our 3 hour slot, I still had 17 students in the classroom i.e noone had left and I didn't feel distraught. So that's a result I suppose. The group all know each other and have a pretty good grasp of English. Upper Intermediate - I'd say. How do I get them to not talk over each other and actually pay attention. They shout, speak in their own language, mobile phones go off etc. This is despite me setting rules at the beginning forbidding all this. I guess this is about classroom management. Is it just wishful thinking to believe that if go in with a structured lesson plan tomorrow, I'll have less trouble? Simpler

A: Dear Simpler: I can totally sympathise with you. Teaching teenagers is not easy (even for experienced teachers) and it is all the more difficult when they are unruly. It's unfortunate that you didn't have time to plan the first lesson and I think it's a good idea to plan your next lesson with the students. They might see structure in the lesson and you will feel more in control of what is happening in the classroom. If you feel in control, you will be better able to handle the situation. You were right to set rules at the beginning...

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Talking Point: All Change!
A stimulating lesson which coincides with the start of the new year. Vocabulary is practised with a gap-fill exercise which introduces the students to some idiomatic phrases containing the word "change". Students are given the chance to practise their fluency through personalized conversation questions such as: "Do you like change or do you prefer things to stay the same?" and "Have you ever been short-changed?"

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Talking Point worksheets are designed for pre-intermediate and above levels. They are printer-friendly and come with Teaching Suggestions and answers.

 

Which language does not have an alphabet?

a) Chinese
b) Thai
c) Indonesian

See end of newsletter for answer.

everythingESL
ELT author and teacher, Judie Haynes, has created an excellent site to share her knowledge and ideas with ESL teachers around the world. This site is easy to navigate and offers ready-to-use content-based lesson plans with unique topics that range from bats and hats, to nutrition and the tooth fairy. Teachers can choose from Judie's selection of seasonal, holiday or year-round lesson plans. As well as interesting, well organized lessons, Judie offers a large selection of...

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Spontaneous Speaking
A collection of drama-based speaking activities to stimulate interaction in the classroom through imaginative language practice; ideal for large group classes.

Longman Business English Dictionary
An excellent niche English dictionary for business professionals and MBA students.

An A-Z of ELT
An ELT dictionary that is more than just a reference book, Thornbury's An A-Z of ELT is practical, readable and an excellent addition to the collection of any ESL/EFL teacher.

Literature (Resource Books for Teachers)
A book about using literature as a resource for teaching English as a foreign language. The book includes over 50 activities, most of which come with a sample text that can be used in class.

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a) Chinese

This is a level 5 question and answer from Word Up, the ESL board game that's fun to play in class.