Making Yourself Heard

Behaviour management expert Sue Cowley observes a Year 4 lesson on 3D shapes, using hidden cameras and an earpiece, coaching teacher E'Van Tsang on controlling noise levels in the classroom, in this pedagogy resource.

Sue quickly realises that when E'Van is unclear or hesitant about what she wants the children to do, they become noisy.

Sue advises E'Van, who teaches at Greenholm Primary in Birmingham, to frame her words to children as instructions rather than questions and by the end of the lesson E'Van is correcting herself rather than relying on Sue's suggestions.

The pupils also respond positively to E'Van when she varies her voice level, uses non-verbal signs, sets time targets and gets them more actively involved in handling shapes.