Mike’s Blog
Strategies, Ideas and Insights for Teachers and Leaders
Tag: clarity
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What not to say when you are teaching your EAL learners and why not to say it, especially if you want to avoid unnecessary confusion and ambiguity
‘Avoiding Idioms’ EAL Strategy: Explanation and Rationale Here are five idioms: And here are literal translations of these: It’s best to avoid idioms when working with EAL learners. (This becomes…
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Why creating crystal clear clarity in your feedback means the effort you put in won’t be wasted
Learners must interpret the feedback we give. They need to make sense of it. If they can’t, then it becomes hard for them to use it. Opaque or unintelligible feedback…
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How to use sanctions well, and what you definitely must avoid doing in your classroom
Sanctions are a key part of positive behaviour management. They are a backstop, helping learners understand that if they break the rules, there will be consequences. Here, we can look…
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The two unseen forces that great behaviour managers are always aware of
We all have roles. Teacher, learner, parent, friend, sibling, manager. Most of us have multiple roles. In any culture, whether it be the larger culture of which we are a…
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Why do rules matter in positive behaviour management?
Rules matter because they regulate behaviour. Rules can be written or unwritten. In the second instance, they are commonly referred to as norms. Arguably, rules govern every social situation in…
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What if we start thinking about behaviour as a type of communication – one we can learn to decode?
All behaviour communicates information, whether intentionally or not. Some of this communication is a direct result of what the person does. Some of it is a result of how the…