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Delta Module Two: meeting the teaching criteria | Section 9

tick the box

implement and adapt the plan
manage the environment
instructions
focus

The criteria explained

criteria9

Running like clockwork

The criteria under section 9 are headed:
classroom management.
None in this area is to do with planning – the criteria are to do with you as a manager of learning.
To meet these criteria, you do not need to show that the lesson runs like oiled clockwork but you do need to demonstrate that you can implement and amend a plan, manage the space and equipment, set up and vary groups and activities and keep the focus on your targets.

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively:

  1. implement the lesson plan and where necessary adapt it to emerging learner needs
  2. manage the classroom space, furniture, equipment, materials and resources
  3. set up whole class and/or group and/or individual activities, as appropriate
  4. ensure the learners remain focused on the lesson aims and the learning outcomes.

9a

implementing and adapting the plan

assessorssay What assessors sometimes say:
The candidate taught the plan, not the learners.
When it was clear that the learners were not skimming the text as intended, the candidate did not intervene to re-focus the learners and demonstrate the task.
Although feedback was taken from the controlled task, it was clear that the candidate needed to insert a more focused drilling and modelling phase because the learners had clearly not understood.
Candidate feedback to the learners was too often not relevant to the targets of the lesson but focused instead on peripheral matters.

One good reason you have a plan at all is to keep you focused and make sure the lesson develops in an orderly and purposeful way.  Consider:


9b

managing the physical environment

assessorssay What assessors sometimes say:
The candidate's classroom management was fussy and often came with unclear, frequently rephrased and confusing instructions.
Boardwork was untidy and confusing and the candidate failed to exploit the interactive whiteboard to focus the learners on key issues.
The layout of the classroom, with learners sitting in a row, did not allow them to interact effectively in groups of four.  Consequently, some learners disengaged from the task.
The candidate did not manage the class assertively and re-grouping learners was inefficient and overly time consuming.

Some of this actually is a preparation issue.  Think carefully about the layout of the classroom and whether it suits the grouping and activities in the lesson.  Change it, or be prepared to in the lesson, if it doesn't.

Two guides on this site may help (new tabs)
classroom organisation this is a guide to selecting the appropriate layout for various task types
grouping learners a guide to ways to group learners depending on task type and targets

Ask yourself:


9c

instructions

assessorssay What assessors sometimes say:
The candidate did not wait until she had everyone's attention before instructing.
The candidate's instructions were wordy, unclear and too frequently rephrased and repeated.
The procedure for the final speaking task was explained (lengthily) but not demonstrated so the candidate was forced to stop the activity and re-focus the learners.
The candidate did not check that all learners knew what to do or why they were doing it
.

Make sure:


9d

focus

assessorssay What assessors sometimes say:
Focus was lost in the final phase because the learners had not been explicitly reminded of the strategies they were meant to be deploying.
The candidate failed to give the learners an opportunity to see the benefits of using the subskill for the final tasks.
The candidate needed to re-focus the learners on the target patterns before the practice activities.

The first thing to do is to look again at your procedures, activities and materials and make sure they all focus on the learning outcomes.  Cut and replace anything that doesn't, even if it's a favourite activity that you and your learners enjoy.

Think carefully about:


The teaching criteria sections:

Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Preparing to teach
relationships language procedures management visualising the lesson