Managing behaviour in the early primary years : a case study in a local state school

Abstract

Managing young children's behaviour is a significant issue for teachers teaching in the early primary years. This study aims to search for the types of inappropriate behaviours encountered by these teachers, the causes of such behaviours and the strategies they use to deal with classroom misbehaviour. This study was conducted through a case study approach in a local primary state school. In order to collect data, direct observations in six early primary years classes were carried out. These were followed by an interview with all the teachers involved. The data gathered through this research shows that teachers encounter a variety of inappropriate behaviours. Several possible causes leading to such behaviours have emerged. These range from in-school factors to others that occur outside the school. Some of these causes are: a limited variety of resources, unclear expectations, lack of monitoring and inappropriate parenting styles. This study also shows that teachers use various strategies when dealing with misbehaviour. Amongst these strategies are non-verbal communication, modifying the learning activities and providing students with positive reinforcers. Moreover, this study has shown that although some strategies may be temporarily effective, they may influence the children negatively and worsen their behaviour. Hence, this supports the idea that teachers should reflect on their own practice and choose effective strategies that enable them to create a positive learning environment for all children to succeed.