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Jones (1996) claims that ‘teachers see classroom management as one of the most important aspects of their work. I believe classroom management plays an integral part in teaching effective lessons to EFL students. The classroom is a setting for multiple interactions among teachers and students and would have a positive impact in ensuring learning with good to outstanding outcomes. This is two-fold and is largely down to teachers having good subject knowledge and thus impacting on the way they would ensure their classroom has been resourced adequately to meet the needs of all pupils/students. Secondly, content planning demonstrating strategies to meet all students’ needs would further enthuse students as well as help increase their self-esteem. The classroom is where many factors contribute to the way you as a teacher of English as a foreign language would ensure the students are engaged in the lessons leading to further motivation; where there is the lack of effort in ensuring the subject content as well as resources to teach an effective lesson, the results can be quite disappointing. Doyle (1990) argues that ‘classroom management is a means to ensure “order” in classrooms: To say a classroom is orderly, then, means that students are cooperating in the program of action defined by the activity a TEFL teacher is attempting to use.’ If we plan a lesson well and in turn teach it well, it will also lead to positive learning behaviours, leading to students wishing to learn more and challenge themselves even further. In a study conducted in Japan with Japanese EFL students, the following findings highlighted the need to balance classroom management with the TEFL effectively. Students were both observed and in turn questioned on their opinion of the lessons taught and quite a number of the participants indicated how difficulties in the classroom management had a part to play in their overall performance. The results included :- ‘a) students walking in and out of the classroom (74%), b) students not stopping talking (62.2%), c) students not listening to the teacher’s instruction(s) or advice (59%), d) students suddenly screaming or throwing things (55.7%), and, e) students not sitting down when the class begins (28.7%).’ (Fenwick, 1998) I think it is important to allow pupils to have some autonomy where they are able to feel confident as learners whom openly question and enter into discussions relating to the subject matter. If as an effective TEFL Teacher we have clearly planned lessons which address any misconceptions that may occur and highlight clear objectives and content of the lesson, it would require a confident delivery of the lesson which should ensure the students are on task or engaged. Pre assessments, ongoing assessments and end of unit assessments would clearly demonstrate progress and gaps would be plugged along the way, this would highlight any misconceptions and if these are also addressed at the earliest with the necessary resources or lesson content, then we could further enhance the classroom learning experience for the students and thus very little if no disruption to lessons. There is clearly much that defines the importance of classroom management and if we as TEFL Teachers are able to harness the rudiments required and mentioned in the above, then we would have a smooth transition not only for ourselves, but, most importantly for our students too. Thus a true testament of an effective classroom where effective teaching takes place and outstanding outcomes for all.
