I.
Asserting Authority
First of all, I would like to talk about asserting authority in the classroom.
Teacher authority changes over time. At the beginning of a teacher’s career, authority is often
formal, coming from the teacher’s role or title. Gradually, it develops into personal authority,
which is based on students’ respect and cooperation.
Therefore, teachers should find their natural authority instead of being too strict or pretending
to be confident. Real authority comes from calmness, consistency, and confidence, not from
shouting or controlling students.
To attract attention, teachers can use simple signals such as saying “Listen”, raising a hand, or
ringing a bell. Quiet methods are often more effective than loud ones.
Before giving instructions, teachers need to gather authority by standing in a visible position,
using eye contact, waiting calmly, and speaking clearly.
Sometimes, teachers may use students’ L1 for emphasis, but it should not be overused.
When giving orders, teachers should stay calm, use clear language, and focus on behavior rather
than blame. This helps build routines and maintain positive teacher–student relationships.
II. Giving Instructions
Moving on to giving instructions, the main aim is to make sure students clearly understand what
to do. Unclear instructions can cause confusion and waste time.
For lower-level learners, teachers should use simple language, short sentences, and clear
sequencing such as First – Then – Finally. Gestures, board support, and Instruction Checking
Questions (ICQs) are also important. Materials should only be handed out after instructions are
understood.
Effective instructions usually include a clear purpose, organization, and procedure, followed by a
clear cue to start. Teachers must also be specific about details, for example “Questions 1–8 only”
or “Write full sentences”.
As learners become familiar with activities, instructions can be reduced to key words or gestures.
However, if confusion speards, teachers should immediately stop the activity and re-give
instructions to the whole class.
For higher-level learners, using more natural speech helps develop listening skills. Finally,
Allowing learners to give instructions themselves also builds confidence and autonomy.
III. Telling and Explaining
Next, I would like to focus on telling and explaining, whose aim is to convey information
clearly and effectively.
Before explaining, teachers should plan carefully and decide whether telling is better than
eliciting.
During explanations, teachers should keep them clear, concise, and time-controlled, and
support them with visual aids such as examples, visuals, or board notes
.
It is important to define learners’ roles, such as listening, doing a task, interacting, or asking
questions, so students know what is expected.
Teachers should also build in interaction and feedback, for example by asking checking
questions or allowing short discussions.
Checking understanding during or after the explanation is essential. In addition, learners should
have an accurate record, such as notes or handouts.
With proper preparation, students can also help explain ideas. This increases confidence and
promotes learner autonomy.
Finally, effective explanations involve clear signposting, eye contact, varied voice use, gestures,
and visual support.
IV. Teacher Roles
Turning now to teacher roles, these refer to the different functions teachers take on during a
lesson. Teachers need to be flexible and change roles according to lesson aims and learner needs.
Core roles include Planner, Manager, Monitor, Facilitator, Language Resource, Assessor,
and Rapport Builder.
In communicative lessons, teachers often act as Facilitators or Monitors, while in more
traditional lessons, they may act as Managers or language models.
Teacher presence, including movement, voice, and interaction, strongly affects the classroom
atmosphere.
V. Grouping Learners and Interaction Patterns
Finally, I would like to talk about grouping learners . Grouping is
The way teachers organize learners in the classroom to work together or [Link]
patterns include whole-class work, which is useful for instructions or presenting language;
individual work, which supports independent learning; pair work, both closed and open pairs;
group work, which encourages cooperation and idea sharing; and mingle activities, where
students move around and interact with many classmates.
In practice, effective grouping helps maximize Student Talking Time (STT) and reduce
Teacher Talking Time (TTT).
Changing interaction patterns adds variety and motivation. However, teachers must consider
task suitability, learner dynamics, and the physical environment, such as classroom size and
furniture arrangement, when choosing grouping patterns.