SITUATIONS
A student says “I don’t want to • Say “Fine”.
do this exercise”.
An activity takes more time than
you plan, but the students still
seem to be involved. However,
you also need to have to finish
another activity before the end.
To do group work, students need
to move the desks, which can
cause a mess in a few minutes.
The groups finishing the work
first may feel bored waiting for
WHAT IF…
the others to finish.
Half of the students in class seem
involved in a loud discussion (in
their own language, not English):
• You tell the students to
continue that later. The
room falls silent a little
bit, but there are still
some students
whispering to each other
and then one student
asks if they can continue
the topic of discussion
using English.
• You say sorry to the
students and tell them
they can continue that
discussion next week, and
then get straight the new
lesson.
SOLUTIONS
• Say loudly “Do it!”.
• Ask the reason why.
• Offer an alternative exercise or activity.
• Say “Choose something you like to do”
• Explain the point of the exercise.
• Ask other students for their opinions.
• Stop the activity.
• Let it continue and postpone the next activity.
• Announce the time for finishing (e.g. “Two more minutes”).
• Ask the students how much longer they need.
• Offer the students the option of stopping and doing
something else.
• All students could move the desks.
• Some move the desks while the others listening to the
instructions.
• Do the activity without moving the desks.
• Ask the students if it is a good idea to move the desks.
• Allow the groups that have finished to chat or do something
else and wait for the others to finish.
• Give an extra task for the groups which have finished to
keep the occupied.
• Set a time limit for the others to finish.
• The groups which have finished can compare the answers.
• Invite the finishers to join other groups and help them or
listen to them.
• Sit down and wait for the class to be ready to start.
• Join the conversation using English.
• Join the conversation using English and manipulate the
discussion so that the students use the language items you
were planning to work on in the first place.
• Stand in front of the class to get attention from the
students, and allow them to choose either to continue the
discussion or do what you have already planned.
• Ask students for what they would like to do.
• Explain the aim of the lesson and then offer the possibility of
continuing the discussion after some other work.
The aim of the activity The aim of the whole Whether what students
lesson are doing is useful

The hindering The possible outcome of

effectiveness of what we my doing something
are doing
MAKE A
DESCISION
What I have planned to How the students feel
do and I feel

What the best thing to Whether it is time for a Whether we are using
do now would be change of mood or pace time effectively