The first ninety seconds
A secondary English class in Hong Kong typically runs 35 to 40 minutes. How you use the first ninety seconds determines the next thirty-eight. Greet students at the door, have the starter task displayed before the bell, and begin with success — a question every student can answer.
Routines that carry the year
- Entry routine: a visible starter every single lesson, without exception.
- Attention signal: one agreed cue (countdown, hand raise) taught and rehearsed in week one.
- Transition script: state the time, the task, and the noise level in one sentence: "Sixty seconds, pairs, whisper voices."
Managing talk, not silencing it
An English classroom should hum with purposeful talk. The goal of classroom management in language teaching is not silence — it is controlling when and what kind of talk happens. Design the talk, and discipline mostly designs itself.
When students push boundaries
Correct behaviour privately and praise publicly. A quiet word at the desk preserves dignity; a public telling-off costs you the relationship — and the relationship is your most powerful management tool.