Setting Up Your Classroom and Routines

The decisions you make before students arrive — and in your first few lessons — shape how the rest of the course will go.

Setting clear expectations

In your first lesson, establish simple, clear expectations: - Listen when others are speaking - Participate in activities - Respect classmates - Try to use English as much as possible

Involve students in creating these expectations — they are more likely to follow rules they helped make.

Establishing routines

Routines make a classroom feel safe and predictable.

Useful routines include: - How students enter and settle at the start of class - How the lesson begins — a warm-up students start independently - How students signal they need help - How pair and group work is set up - How the lesson ends — a consistent wrap-up

Seating arrangements

Do not be afraid to move furniture. Rearranging seating to match the activity signals to students that something different is happening — and it keeps the classroom dynamic.