MANAGING LEARNER BEHAVIOUR

Managing Learner Behaviour Effectively Across The Sectors

Managing Learner Behaviour Effectively Across The Sectors

Behavior Management In Esl/Efl Teaching Dr Zafar Iqbal Mohsin (Pakistan) Introduction

This conversation, reported by Dr. Jesús García Laborda (2006), the Editor of the TESL-EJ Forum, in his contribution entitled The Dark Side of the ESL Classroom, brings to our attention that misbehaviour and disciplinary problems are a reality in the ESL classroom. The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Hornby, 2000) defines behavior as, "The way somebody or something acts or functions in particular situations". The term most frequently used and discussed in an educational context is 'behavioral problems'.

Some educationists take this term as synonymous with maladjustment, that is a child's unsatisfactory adjustment his or her environment and condition of life, but many other educators believe that it is neither a clinical nor even descriptive term but an administrative one. However, we can define a behavioral problem as behavior that usually causes excessive disturbance or disruption, or challenges the authority of the teacher or the school. It is quite clear that this definition is not comprehensive. In fact, more research is needed to clarify what a behavioral problem or misbehavior is.

However, it is obvious that most teachers describe children as having behavioral problems if there is some kind of anxiety, distractibility, aggression or lack of attention and motivation. Many teachers, especially those related to language teaching, become defensive and annoyed when they face any 'misbehavior' from pupils and they find it very hard to look at themselves and their methods and attitudes.

But if teachers take pride in the successes from their positive effect on pupils' attitudes, feelings, actions and academic achievements, then they must logically accept that the reverse can also happen, which means they can affect pupils in unacceptable or undesired ways too. Many teachers are understandably unwilling to recognize that the reasons for students' misbehavior can be found as often in their teaching or behavior as in the students' inability or failure to learn.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING & BEHAVIOR

Students and teacher work together to construct lessons and to reach instructional goals; that's why management and instructional processes are closely related to each other. Experts believe that a child has certain convictions about himself and the people around him. From early childhood, pupils develop fixed ideas about themselves and other people. These ideas are called "Life Positions". There are four life positions which are important in the study of children's behavior. Those positions are discussed individually:

I am okay, you are okay:

This is an ideal position, which helps to establish a relationship of shared respect. The pupils who assume this position have high self-esteem and they also respect others.

The sole aim of a teacher's training in a class should be to promote this position.

I am okay, you are not okay

When this position is taken up by teachers or students, differences are most likely to arise. The teacher is likely to blame the students for all that goes wrong in the class, and the students may in turn be unprepared ...