CONTENTS

EDU3043
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Dr. Mary Wong Siew Lian

Jabatan PIPK
IPGKBL

Providing a conducive learning environment

for mainstream, inclusive and special needs
students

Management of assessment in the classroom

Management of information on students

Providing a Conducive Learning Environment

QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1

What aspects of an environment make you feel welcome?

What aspects of an environment make you feel comfortable?

What aspects of an environment stimulate your desire to

learn?

How can T-S and S-S relationship affect the learning

environment?

How can you ensure that T-L activities run smoothly?

Creating a conducive environment for learning

involves taking into consideration the following
aspects:
 Physical environment
 Psychosocial environment
 Classroom rules
 Classroom routines
Important to bear in mind also that mainstream,
inclusive, and special needs students have
different needs

 PHYSICAL & PSYCHOSOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

 What are the physical aspects in the classroom

that must be taken into consideration?

 The teacher must take into consideration the

physical and psychological aspects of learning
when preparing a conducive learning
environment

 What are the psychological aspects that are

necessary for creating a warm socio-emotional
environment?

 A positive learning environment has a physical

environment that is comfortable, safe, clean,
attractive, and a warm socio-emotional
environment
 This kind of environment motivates students to
learn

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015

 Use of space in the room also affects the

effectiveness of the T-L process:
- should the chairs and tables be arranged in
clusters, rows, or circles?
- where should the reading corner, notice
board, pictures/charts and student exhibits
be placed?

Condition of
chairs & tables
Cupboard,
rack, cabinet
Equipment
(TV, LCD
(computer)
Room
temperature

Charts, pictures
Notice board,
Student exhibits

PHYSICAL
ASPECTS OF
A CLASSROOM

Dustbin, duster,
brooms

SOCIO-EMOTIONAL
ENVIRONMENT

Fan/windows
ventilation
Lamps/
lighting
White/black
board
Physical
arrangement
of furniture

Emphasis should also be placed on meeting

the students psychological needs

This refers to the socio-emotional environment

According to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs,
students will only be motivated to learn when
the basic needs /deficiency needs are met

They need to feel accepted and respected by
their teacher and their peers

Quality of T-S
Interaction

Quality of S-S
Interaction

Students
Feelings

Is there a warm
T-S relationship?

Is there warm
S-S relationship?

Are students
interested in
learning?

Are students afraid

of the teacher?

Do they move
as one group?

Do they feel happy,

comfortable,
safe?

Does the teacher

know the students
well

Can they work

together?

Do they
enjoy learning?

The teacher can raise students self-confidence

by giving positive reinforcement orally, in
written form or physically (thumbs-up, smile,
nodding, clapping hands)

Humor, music, and fun activities such as games
can be used from time to time to encourage
relaxed alertness and hence more effective T-L

Studies on brain-based learning have found
that emotions are critical to mental processing
of information (Caine & Caine, 1997)

 CLASSROOM RULES AND ROUTINES

A relaxed, happy, free mental state results in
more efficient processing of information and
thus better learning

Rules, routines and procedures are necessary

to ensure that the learning environment is not
chaotic and T-L can run smoothly

Special needs students especially need more

positive reinforcement and encouragement
when working on tasks

Woolfolk (2009): teachers should involve

students in forming ground rules and
procedures for:
- T-S interaction (e.g. when the teacher is talking
no one else should be talking)
- S-S interaction (respect each others opinion,
wait for ones turn to talk)
- maintaining cleanliness and tidiness in the
classroom

What kinds of physical adjustments should

be made in the classroom to cater to special
needs students?

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015

 CLASSROOM RULES

Rules are often written down and posted

Rules specify expected and forbidden actions in
the class

The teacher and students can be involved in
establishing these dos and donts

It is important for the students to understand
why these rules should be observed

Rules should be consistent with school rules

Rules should be positive and observable

The teacher should enforce the rules agreed
upon and be fair and consistent about it

Suggest adjustments for special needs students

 CLASSROOM ROUTINES & PROCEDURES

Routines and procedures are often not written
down

They describe how activities should be done
and are observed frequently

They ensure that there is orderliness in the
classroom at all times

The teacher should explain and enforce them/
remind students about them

What adjustments to routines and procedures
should be made for special needs students?

Examples of classroom rules & their rationale:

Rule
Be punctual for each
lesson
Respect everyone and be
polite to them
Listen quietly while
others/the teacher are/is
talking
Take an active part in all
learning activities
Be well prepared for every
lesson

Types of routines and procedures in the classroom:

Routine

Assessments include paper-pencil tests or

exercises, oral tests, observations, student
portfolios, projects, or artifacts
They are multi-trait, multi-method, and
multi-source estimations of student progress
Measurement is quantitative; refers to test/exam
scores/grades to determine level of performance

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015

Examples

Administrative routines
Student movement
Housekeeping routines
Interactions between T-S
Materials movement
Student participation

Management of Assessment in the Classroom

Woolfolk, 2010 - Assessment refers to procedures
used to obtain information about student
performance

Rationale

Types of Assessment

Traditional Assessment/
Paper-Pencil Tests

Objective
Items
MCQs
Matching
Fill in the
blanks
True/False

Subjective
Items

Essays
Guided

Structured
questions

Authentic
Assessment

Practical
Projects
Oral tests
Observations
Portfolio
Artifacts

Open-ended

Traditional Form of Assessment

Formative and Summative Assessment
Aspect
Formative
Aim To assess learning
progress on-going
To identify needs for
remediation or
enrichment

Summative
To assess achievement
of the instructional goals
of a course
To certify SS and
improve curriculum

Timing Conducted throughout

the teaching- leaning
process

Conducted at the end of

a teaching-learning
phase (e.g. end of year
or semester)
Many topics/whole
unit/syllabus

Scope Certain topics/parts of a

unit or syllabus

Types of Testing:
Aspect
Method

Formative
Paper & pencil tests,
observations, quizzes,
exercises, evaluation of
student projects,
portfolios, artifacts

Summative
Paper & pencil tests or
examinations, practical
tests

NRT

CRT

AIM

Compare a students
performance with
other SS
Select SS for
certification

Compare a students performance

against some criteria
To determine how much a student has
learnt
To improve the teaching & learning
process

ITEMS

Vary from simple to

difficult; Omits very
easy & very hard
items

Posses similar difficulty related to the

criteria
Match item difficulty with learning tasks

CONTENT Wide coverage

REPORT

Specific aspects

Grades are assigned No grades are assigned

EXAMPLE UPSR, PMR, SPM

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015

NORM-REFERENCED TEST (NRT)

The teacher compared pupil As performance with a

predetermined criteria

Example Monthly tests, weekly

Final exam,, qualifying
quizzes, portfolios,
tests, national exam
student artifacts, projects (PMR, UPSR, SPM,
STPM)

ASPECT

The teacher compared pupil As performance with

the rest of the pupils in the class

Class tests, assignments, exercises

CRITERION-REFERENCED TEST (CRT)

CRT determines what the SS can do or cannot do,

NOT how good they are compared with others as
in NRT

Preparation of Tests and Examinations

Test items should be constructed in line with
the learning objectives for the topic tested to
ensure its validity

Set an objective for your test: test of mastery
of content objective items; test of writing
ability subjective items

Prepare an item specification table

Prepare the answers to the items at the same
time; do not wait until after the test has been
administered - WHY?

Prepare items with different levels of
questioning according to Blooms Taxonomy

Types of Test Items

Cognitive Domain
Blooms Taxonomy

Anderson & Krathwohls

Taxonomy

Knowledge (Pengetahuan)
Comprehension (Kefahaman)
Application (Aplikasi)
Analysis (Analisis)
Synthesis (Sintesis)
Evaluation (Penilaian)

Remember (mengingati)
Understand (memahami)
Apply (mengaplikasikan)
Analyse (Menganalisis)
Evaluate (Menilai)
Create (Mencipta)

OBJECTIVE

SUBJECTIVE

Multiple-choice

STRUCTURED

ESSAY

True/False
Matching
Fill in the blanks

Short answer
items

Open-ended
or Guided

TEST ITEM SPECIFICATION

Test Item Construction

Test Item
Specification

The test blue-print that should include

the following aspects:

Students level of ability

Skills/knowledge to be tested

Level of difficulty (Blooms Taxonomy) of
each item

Time allocated

Number of items

Type of items (objective/subjective)

Marking
Scheme

Test Item Specification Table: Example

Item
Knowledge to be
Number
tested or
syllabus content

Marking Scheme

Type of
item

Level of
difficulty

Marks

MCQ

knowledge

MCQ

understanding

MCQ

understanding

11

13

structured understanding

essay

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015

application

Time
(mins)

15

10

30

Important points:

Provide the answer to each item and the
marks allocated for it

For subjective test items, provide the
main points expected for the answer

The marking scheme must be completed
when constructing the test items, NOT after
the test has been administered

MCQ: Strengths/Advantages
Parts of MCQ Item:

Measure LOs from simple to complex

Stem
What is the capital of Mongolia?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Cochin
Calcutta
Katmandu
Ulan Bator

Provide highly structured and clear tasks

Capable of covering a wide range of areas taught

Options/
Alternatives

Distracters provide diagnostic information

Scores more reliable than subjective marking

Easy scoring

Can include options that vary in degree of

correctness

Distractors

Key

Allow for item analysis reveal which item is too

difficult or ambiguous

Administration of Tests and Examinations

MCQ: Weaknesses/Disadvantages/Limitations

Time consuming in making good items

Difficult to find plausible distracters

Not suitable in measuring the ability to organize &

express ideas

Scores can be influenced by reading ability

Unable to detect individual thought processes

Unable to measure writing and speaking skills

(language test)

Open to guessing

Supervise the students during the test/exam

make sure there are no attempts to cheat

Students who ask for permission to leave the
test site should be supervised

Remind students about the time when there
is 15 minutes left

Tell students to stop writing when the time is
up

Make sure you have collect all the answer
scripts and test/exam question paper before
allowing students to leave the room

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015

Ensure that all students are seated comfortably

in a room where the lighting and ventilation is
good

Check that they have pens/pencils/erasers/
rulers ready

Read and explain the instructions for the test
/examination to the students

Remind them about the time allocated and to
read the questions carefully.

Remind them that it is wrong to cheat

Distribute the test/examination papers.

Begin the test/examination

Test Adaptations for Special Needs Students

Special needs students may face various
difficulties such as:

Cannot read test items (vision impairment)

Cannot understand test items (dyslexia, slow
learner, language disorder)

Hearing problems during oral tests (hearing
impairment)

Test anxiety/fear (learned helplessness)

Lack of time (need more time)

Too difficult/complex test items

Problem

Adaptations

Poor comprehension

Read aloud and explain the item to them

Poor auditory
perception

Replace oral tests with written ones

Poor visual perception

Use large fonts; braille; read items aloud

to them

Need more time

Give more time; allow breaks; use untimed tests;

use alternative test site

Fear/Test anxiety

Give practice test; do re-test if needed; carry out

test in alternative site; do open-book test

Difficult test items

Reduce test item difficulty; use objective items

rather than subjective ones; keep directions short;
go through the items with them

Poor writing skill

Allow audio recording of answers

Management of information on students keeping records of students personal details

Types of records that teachers should keep:

Daily attendance, payment of fees (if any)

Individual student profiles

Assessment records (test scores, authentic
assessment records observation check lists,
portfolio marks, progress forms, learning
contracts)

Authentic Assessment

Includes any other types of assessment besides

the traditional forms of assessment

They are practical, projects, oral tests,
observations, portfolio, artifacts

The instruments used to monitor and evaluate
progress and learning outcomes include: rating
scales, check lists, learning contracts, rubrics,
observation notes, progress reports

Records of counseling or remedial activities

and incentive records

Student report cards and notes to parents/
guardians

Student work samples portfolios, drawings,
poems, essays, artifacts

Anecdote records of discipline cases

Management of records/work samples

All documents records should be filed up
properly in folders which have been labeled
correctly

These records are confidential and should only

be made available to authorized personnel
(GB, parents, class teacher, counselor, special
education teacher, discipline master)

Student work samples should be stored neatly

in cabinets and properly labeled as well

Student records should be updated from time
to time so that the latest information is
available at any time

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015

Find out about the types of records that

Malaysian teachers have to keep besides
those already mentioned

marywsl/ipgkbl/jan 2015