Are remote tests easy to cheat?

The first class with a new group of young learners can be a nerve-wracking experience for teachers, old and new. Many of us spend the night before thinking about how to make a positive start to the year, with a mixture of nerves, excitement and a desire to get started. However, sometimes things don’t always go as expected, and it is important to set a few ground rules in those early lessons to ensure a positive classroom experience for all, throughout the academic year.

Let’s look at a few common problems that can come up, and how best to deal with them at the start of the school year.

1. Students are not ready to start the class

How the first few minutes of the class are spent can greatly influence how the lesson goes. Students can be slow to get out their equipment and this can cause a lot of time wasting. To discourage this, start lessons with a timed challenge.

• Tell students what you want them to do when they come into class, for example, sit down, take out their books and pencil cases, and sit quietly, ready for the lesson to start.
• Time how long it takes for everyone to do this and make a note. Each day do the same.
• Challenge students to do this faster every day. You could provide a goal and offer a prize at the end of the trimester if they reach it, for example, be ready in less than a minute every day.

2. Students speak their first language (L1) in class

One of primary teachers' most common classroom management issues is getting them to speak English. However, young learners may need to speak their mother tongue occasionally and a complete ban on L1 is often not the best solution. But how can we encourage students to use English wherever possible?

Tell students they have to ask permission to speak in L1, if they really need to.

Three word rule — tell students that they can use a maximum of three words in L1 if they don’t know them in English.

Write ENGLISH on the board in large letters. Each time someone speaks in L1, erase a letter. Tell students each letter represents time (for example, 1 minute) to play a game or do another fun activity at the end of the lesson. If the whole word remains, they can choose a game.

3. Students don’t get on with each other

It is only natural that students will want to sit with their friends, but it is important that students learn to work with different people. Most students will react reasonably if asked to work with someone new, but occasionally conflicts can arise. To help avoid uncomfortable situations, do team-building activities at the beginning of the school year, and do them again whenever you feel that they would be beneficial. For example: 

• Give students an icebreaker activity such as "find a friend bingo" to help students find out more about each other.
• Help students learn more about each other by finding out what they have in common.
• Balloon race. Have two or more teams with an equal number of students stand in lines. Give each team a balloon to pass to the next student without using their hands. The first team to pass the balloon to the end of the line wins.
• Team letter/word building. Call out a letter of the alphabet and have pairs of students form it with their bodies, lying on the floor. When students can do this easily, call out short words, for example "cat" and have the pairs join up (in this instance, three pairs = group of six) and form the letters to make the word.

4. Students don’t know what to do

When the instructions are given in English, there will inevitably be a few students who don’t understand what they have to do. It is essential to give clear, concise instructions and to model the activity before you ask students to start. To check students know what to do and clarify any problems:

• Have one or more students demonstrate using an example.
• Have one student explain the task in L1.
• Monitor the task closely in the first few minutes and check that individual students are on the right track.

5. A student refuses to participate/do the task

This is a frequent problem that can have many different causes. In the first few lessons, this may simply be shyness, but it is important to identify the cause early to devise an effective strategy. A few other causes might include:

• Lack of language required to respond or do the task. Provide differentiation tasks or scaffolding to help students with a lower level complete the task or have them respond in a non-oral way.
• Low self-confidence in their ability to speak English. Again, differentiation and scaffolding can help here. Have students work in small groups or pairs first, before being asked to speak in front of the whole class.
• Lack of interest or engagement in the topic. If students aren’t interested, they won’t have anything to say. Adapt the topic or task, or just move on.
• External issues, such as a bad day, a fight with a friend or physical problems (for example, tiredness, hunger or thirst). Talk to the student privately to find out if they are experiencing any problems. Allow them to "pass" on a task if necessary, and give them something less challenging to do.

It is important not to force students to do something they don’t want to do, as this will cause a negative atmosphere and can affect the whole class. Ultimately, if a student skips one or two tasks, it won’t affect their achievement in the long run.

6. Students ask for repeated restroom or water breaks

It only takes one student to ask to go to the restroom before the whole class suddenly needs to go. This can cause disruption and stop the flow of the lesson. To avoid this, make sure you have rules in place concerning restroom breaks:

• Make sure students know to go to the restroom before the lesson.
• Have students bring in their own water bottles. You can provide a space for them to keep their bottles (label them with student names) in the classroom and have students fill them daily at the drinking fountain or faucet.
• Find out if anyone has any special requirements that may require going to the restroom.
• Provide 'brain breaks' at strategic points in the lesson when you see students becoming restless.

7. Students don’t have the required materials

Provide parents with a list of materials students will need on the first day.

• If special materials are required in a lesson, give students a note to take home or post a message on the school platform several days before.
• Don’t blame the student - whether they have a good reason or not for turning up to class empty-handed, making a child feel guilty will not help.
• Write a note for parents explaining why bringing materials to class is important.

8. Students are not listening/talking

Getting their attention can be challenging if you have a boisterous class. Set up a signal you will use when you want them to pay attention to you. When they hear or see the signal, students should stop what they are doing and look at you. Some common signals are:

Raising your hand – When students see you raise your hand, they should raise their hands and stop talking. Wait until everyone is sitting in silence with their hands raised. This works well with older children and teenagers.

Call and response attention-getters – These are short phrases that prompt students to respond in a certain way, for example: Teacher: "1 2 3, eyes on me!" Students: "1 2 3, eyes on you!". Introduce a new attention-getter every few weeks to keep it fun. You can even have your students think up their own phrases to use.

Countdowns – Tell students what you want them to do and count backwards from ten to zero, for example: "When I get to zero, I need you all to be quiet and look at me. 10, 9, 8 …".

Keep your voice low and speak calmly – This will encourage students to stop talking and bring down excitement levels.

A short song or clapping rhythm – With younger children, it is effective to use music or songs for transitions between lesson stages so they know what to do at each stage. For primary-aged children, clap out a rhythm.

The English language (British English in particular) is a fascinating mix of regional dialects and unique slang, shaped by centuries of history and cultural influences. Throughout its long history, the UK has had many invasions and visitors. From the Romans in ancient Londinium to the rolling hills of the Saxon heartland, and from the Viking raiders of the north to the Norman conquerors of the south, each wave of historical influence has shaped the dialects of the UK. Each region of the United Kingdom has its own distinct flavor of language and accent. Today, we embark on an English slang tour to explore some of the expressions from different regions.

1. West Midlands: "Bostin'"

Let's begin in the heart of England, the West Midlands. Here, you might hear the word "bostin'" thrown around quite a bit. This charming expression simply means "excellent" or "fantastic". So, if someone says your meal was "bostin'," you can rest assured your cooking skills have earned top marks.

2. East Midlands: "Duck"

If you head east to the East Midlands region, you might come across a term of endearment that could feel surprising if you're not used to it. Local people often call each other "duck", regardless of gender or age. It's a friendly and informal way of addressing someone, similar to how people in other regions use "mate" or "love". 

Creating an inclusive classroom is essential for helping every student reach their full potential. Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and neurodiverse learners bring unique strengths, perspectives and ways of thinking to the classroom. However, many teachers feel unsure about how to adapt lesson plans to effectively meet diverse learning needs.

By implementing inclusive teaching strategies, educators can create engaging learning environments that support students with ADHD, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), anxiety disorders and other learning differences. These approaches not only benefit neurodiverse learners but often improve engagement and outcomes for the entire class.

Drawing on insights from experienced SEN Coordinator James Laidler, this post explores practical lesson planning strategies that can help teachers create more accessible, supportive and effective learning experiences. Many of these tips are also great for keeping all students engaged, SEN or otherwise.

Defining Special Educational Needs

A child has Special Educational Needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision. Learners with conditions such as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia or anxiety disorders come under this framework.

Inclusive lesson tips for neurodiverse students

Although teachers want to create inclusive lessons, many feel ill-equipped to support neurodiverse students. To help, James offers some tips for lesson planning that aim to turn learning diversities into strengths.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a condition that can include symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Students with this disorder may have a short attention span, constantly fidget or act without thinking.

Lesson tips for ADHD students:

Movement breaks – Students with ADHD may struggle to sit still for extended periods of time. Include short breaks in your lessons that offer them the opportunity to get up and move around at regular intervals.

Group work – To keep learners active and engaged, include group work in class. This means they don’t have to focus on the board for too long.

Dramatize lessons – A really effective activity is to bring drama into the classroom. For example, students can act out role plays or other fun drama-based activities. It keeps them motivated, holds their attention and can be fun for all of the class.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent reading and spelling. It may affect a person’s phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.

Lesson tips for dyslexic students:

Visual aids – Learners with dyslexia tend to have excellent visual memories. Try bringing in pictures to illustrate ideas or add them to lengthy texts to help students when doing reading comprehension exercises.

Font and spacing – When setting reading tasks, simply changing the font, enlarging the font size and double-spacing are hugely beneficial to dyslexic students. Simply adapting the text can make their learning experience much easier.

Text-to-speech software – Using specialized text-to-speech software often provides significant support to those who struggle with reading or digesting text on computer screens. Tools such as ClaroRead or Kurzweil 3000 can help improve accessibility.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ASD is a developmental condition that involves challenges in social interaction, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as restricted or repetitive behaviors. The severity of symptoms is different in each person.

Lesson tips for ASD students:

Encourage systematic skills – Often students with ASD may be more systematic than other students. This means they favor routines, regular processes and predictable activities. Try bringing out these skills by asking students to spot patterns, analyze numbers or evaluate data.

Talk about interests – Autistic students may have specific interests they love to research. Engage them by getting them to talk about their hobbies or ask students to create projects on a topic they choose that they can present to the class.

Teaching online or blended learning – If you have a learner who is struggling socially at school, it may be an option to include hybrid or blended learning. This takes away some of the social and emotional challenges of school and people interaction, which can benefit ASD students.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness. They involve intense fear or anxiety that can significantly affect a student’s ability to learn. This condition has become increasingly common in young people and can impact concentration, participation and confidence in the classroom.

Lesson tips for students with anxiety disorders:

Changing language and terminology – Our education system is often highly exam-driven, which can create stress for students. By offering reassurance, guidance and motivation, teachers can help reduce feelings of anxiety.

Talk openly – Encourage learners to discuss their feelings if they are struggling. They can do this with you, a classmate or a support worker at the school. If they open up to you, focus on strategies to combat negative feelings and emotions.

Mindfulness techniques – Try adding five minutes at the start of the day for guided meditation or breathing exercises. This can help students begin the day in a calm and relaxed manner.