How to work with problematic students

Have you ever experienced problem students during one of your lessons?  In every school, no matter how strict, you’ll most likely come across a few students who have trouble during class time.  All students have their own likes, dislikes, interests and their own way of learning.  That being said, troubled or disruptive students are no different.  They also have interests and preferences when it comes to learning and interacting with others. 

Before I continue, I just want to say that as ALTs, our authority in the classroom only goes so far. Addressing issues or reprimanding students in the class room is not our responsibility and dealing with troubled and disruptive students falls solely on the hands of the HRT or JTE.

So, without further ado, here are some tips and advice on how to deal with disruptive students, how to spot them and how I’ve dealt with them in the past.

1. THE WALL-CLIMBER

The wall-climbers are probably the most difficult to handle.  They are often never in their seats, they climb over desks, tables, chairs or whatever else is in the classroom.  Most of the time, they will be followed around by a volunteer college student or a special needs teacher that has been specially assigned to the child. When you see these special teachers, you can usually relax and concentrate on the lesson at hand.  But what happens when these special teachers aren’t around?  

In the U.S., these students would be sent to the principal’s office or separated from the class in some way.  In Japan, not so much.  Depending on the situation and the type of wall-climber you’re faced with, there are some things you can do as an ALT to try to help.

On a few occasions, I’ve asked wall-climbers to simply help me.  Whether it was to hold the flashcards, handout or collect worksheets, demonstrate an activity.  I’ve found that these    wall- climbers aren’t necessarily against learning or hate English, they just need attention and they want to be involved in other ways besides sitting at their desks.  Most of these instances of asking the wall-climber for assistance happen on-the-fly, meaning you may not have time to ask the JTE/HRT if It’s okay to do so. Needless to say, I’ve never been told that stopping a child from running laps around the classroom by having them help you hold flashcards was the wrong thing to do.

Next time a student is hiding behind the whiteboard or sitting on the floor in front of the class, try asking them to help you out.  Their response may surprise you.

2. THE LIGHT SWITCH

I once had a student who would really get worked up if they couldn’t perform their task.  He was usually well-behaved in class and really made efforts to participate. But like a light switch, if he made a mistake or said something incorrect, or simply couldn’t decide if he liked apples or not, he would have a sort of nervous breakdown and disrupt his surrounding students.  On occasion, these meltdowns would be so disruptive that the class would have to pause and wait for him to calm down.  Frankly speaking, this student was a special case indeed and probably needed some real medical treatment.  Yet, until that happened, we had to figure out how to support and guide him through the lessons.  The student wasn’t a wall-climber, so he didn’t require any extra teachers, just some extra support and TLC.   

The JTE and I discussed how we would address this student and how to avoid these nervous breakdowns during class time and how to move forward.  We ended up doing a couple of things, both in the classroom and out. 

First, we gave the lesson plan and whatever related materials/worksheets to the HRT a week in advance. We also made sure the HRT understood the flow and what the students would be expected to say or do.  That way, the HRT would be familiar with the oncoming lesson and be able to provide the student with some extra help and guidance during the lesson.   

Second, during class time we would give him some extra attention and help but we tried not to make it obvious.  We didn’t want him to feel singled out or embarrassed.

And lastly, we didn’t want to hinder his good participation, all teachers love a good hand-raiser, but we had to keep in mind what might trigger the next meltdown.  Textbook questions and answers, vocabulary related questions and some yes or no questions were okay.  But it was the decision-making questions and the personal preference questions that really seemed to trigger the eventual explosion. We were able to drastically reduce his meltdowns during class which was great for everyone.

Like I said earlier, this student was and probably still is, a special case.  So, if you do come across a similar student or situation, it’s best to bring it up with your co-teacher and see if there are any ways to make the student’s learning experience a good one. Even if it takes some customizing and tailoring to make it work.

3. THE CHATTERBOX

The chatterbox is probably my least favorite when it comes to problem students.  It’s the blatant disregard for the one whom is speaking, whether it is the teacher or their own classmates, that makes me upset.  The unfortunate thing about a chatterbox in the classroom is that they usually disrupt other students who are actually trying to listen.

Most of the time, the JTE or HRT will address the chatterbox and urge them to stop talking, but in many cases, it’s to no avail.  A few ways I have tried to stop the chatter are as follows:

1. Stand close by – The incessant chattering usually happens when the chatterer thinks they are not being noticed. Standing close by lets the chatterer know you are aware of their disruptiveness.  This is probably the most passive way to address the chatterbox. 
   1. You can also try standing in between the chatterbox and their partner. This is another passive tactic which is a little more direct.
2. Shushing- This method is more direct and usually gets a response. Try not to be too aggressive with the shushes (“Shhhhhh”) but let it be known that you are not pleased.
3. Eyes- Nowadays, with mask wearing, the eyes have become the main way to silently communicate. A few concerned glares at the chatterbox may quiet the culprit.
4. The silent pause- This method is effective and I find myself using it a lot. When used correctly and combined with the concerned eyes, it can be the chatterbox’s worst enemy.  This method is great because it’s so simple. If you are in the middle of a vocab drill or explanation and the chattering won’t stop, just simply stop whatever it is you’re doing and stand silently.  Look directly at the chatterer or chatterers and simply wait.  Most of the time, the culprits won’t even notice you have stopped until the whole class is waiting on them.  You can point to your wrist gesturing the time being wasted for added drama.  When the chatterers finally notice that they are the source of the delay, you can add a “are you finished?”  to let them know that everyone has been waiting patiently for them to stop talking.
5. Divide and conquer- This is a last resort method which is not, as an ALT, in your control. If the chattering is so bad that nothing seems to work, bringing it up with your JTE or HRT is your best bet.  Suggesting a new seating arrangement for the chatterbox is the most direct way to stop the chatter. 

If the JTE or HRT is on board with a seating change, it can make a world of     difference.  I had one class where the chattering was really bad.  It boiled down to two students, one was the main chatterer and the other just couldn’t help but get involved.  After they were separated, it was as if they became completely different students.  It was so simple. 

Unfortunately, there are JTEs or HRTs that will just let it go on and on without any intervention.  If that’s the situation you find yourself in, maybe some of the above tips (1~4) will work for you!  

4. THE SPACE CADET

Space cadets often keep to themselves and they are usually not disruptive.  They can seem like bright students on the surface, but underneath they may be having a lot of trouble understanding the content of the lesson.  On the other hand, the space cadet can also vary in skill level, some space cadets may find the work boring or too easy and as a result, they disengage or shall I say, disembark.  Whatever the case may be, whether they are the over-confident, too-cool-for-school space cadets or quiet, reserved, daydreaming space cadets, they both have to eventually participate and be contributing members of their class.

The simplest way to approach the space cadet is with sympathy and encouragement.  First, you have to determine what type of cadet you are working with.  If they seem disengaged yet, their work is complete, you can encourage them to add, or embellish on their work. For example: add a new sentence, draw a new flower, use a different color. Sometimes, a student will simply stare off into space because they finished their task early.  That’s a good time to push them a little further.

If your cadet seems disengaged and clearly having trouble with the task, you can get them back down to earth by sitting with them and directly engaging them.  For example: giving them concrete example sentences or vocabulary.  You can even start the task for them and give them a sort of boost.  But most importantly, you have to encourage them.  Making them realize that they can do it on their own is crucial.  Even if they can only muster up a few words or complete a small amount of a worksheet, let them know that they did a great job and the effort is what counts.

There are also space cadets that, unfortunately, get lost in space.  No matter how much you try to reel them back down to earth, they still, just float away.  Those cases usually require some special customization from the JTEs or HRTs. There will be times when your efforts as a supporting, encouraging ALT will fall on deaf-ears.  But just remember, it’s out of your control.  When you do come across a cadet who is aimlessly drifting across the cosmos, it’s best to ask your JTE/HRT how you can help or if you can assist in any way.  You will most likely find yourself taking the place of your cadet during pair or group work activities in order to keep the lesson moving and ensuring that the other students are still engaged.         

E . P – Musashino ALT