How to get a large noisy class to be quiet

[INXS998]

It's a year 9 class with about 32 pupils, and I only them once a fortnight so it's hard to build a relationship with them.
They do the work but are just so noisy it gives you a headache. I've tried standing at the front, counting down, raising my voice, simply just waiting, but nothing works.
There are far too many students talking to give them all behaviour points, and the large class size doesn't help. They just won't stay quiet. I don't want to shout over them.

[Reythemamajedi]

Not being funny, but isn't this the type of thing you learn during teacher training.

[INXS998]

Yes you learn strategies but it doesn't mean they will work without fail for every single class.

[PurpleDaisies]

Reythemamajedi I’m guessing you’re not a teacher?

Are they on task but noisy or are they chatting?

[INXS998]

They are on task but noisy for the most part. It's just far too loud.

[Mumdiva99]

Sorry to suggest the basics and apologies if you've already done this. Have you tried talking more quietly? So they actually have to be quiet to listen to you? What subject is it? Is there a way of moving them about the room so they know when they need to listen and when they can chat a bit? Can you split them into smaller groups so there are less to talk to at a time? Have you set ground rules with them? Or are there basic school rules you can remind them of? Is it before a break time? Can you impose sanctions in the whole class e.g. keep them in over break. What do other colleagues suggest works for this particular group?

[PurpleDaisies]

Have you spoken to their other teacher? They might have some things that work.

[Curiousmum69]

Train them in short bursts.

5 minutes silent focused working on tasks

Behaviour points for any that breech including phone calls home.

That will squash the majority. Leaving you to work out the super noisey ones.

Do not speak or try to talk over them. Wait with a teacher stare until they are completely silent. And then make them wait 30 seconds longer than feels comfortable. If anyone starts to talk over you. Stop and wait again.

[FloreanFortescue]

@Reythemamajedi ODFOD.

Could you address the level of challenge OP? If they can do it chattering away then could it be a fraction too easy?

Perhaps the lesson is too static for them. They could need regularly collecting back together to be given some new direction.

Have your SLT given any direction, or could you find an opportunity to observe them in another class?

[JesmondDene]

What do the school behaviour policies say? You should be following these to give pupils consistency.

If there aren't clear policies in use - maybe a bigger discussion in the school, some reminders, some CPD.

[Whatdayisit2]

Clap a rhythm at the start yo get their attention?

[INXS998]

Thank you. I have tried the teacher stare but many students aren't even looking at me, they just carried on talking.
I think the 5 minutes silence is a good idea.
I follow the behaviour policies, but when 95% of the class is speaking I lose track.
I will try to ensure that there are different levels of challenge.
I find myself getting stressed and with a headache, and other kids telling me they've got a headache too.
The other teacher just agrees that they are incredibly noisy.. I have them tomorrow,hoping it will be better !

[INXS998]

A teacher I worked with last year used to phone some of the students' parents literally during the lesson if they were being very disruptive. What do others think of this ? Not sure myself.

[PurpleDaisies]

You can’t phone parents in a lesson. How is that practical?

[Reginabambina]

I once had a teacher draw a crocodile on the blackboard. Complete silence for the rest of the class. We had another who would put pictures of Male models on slides (girls school). We were all pretty eager to get through the work as quickly as possible

[Reginabambina]

*that should have read every few slides (so that we were focused and got through the slides quicker).

[INXS998]

Haha, might have to try those 😂

[Ciara1234456]

I had a class just like this last year. To start with i set them a task to be completed in utter silence, as they were entering the room I reminded them of the school standards to be quiet and that there was a written task on the table to be completed individually. If anyone was rude and refused I emailed my hod and got them removed from the lesson and phoned home as soon as I had finished. If they know you will follow through they are less likely to play up. Within a few weeks they were better. It’s really hard with huge classes I feel for you. My other advice is to sleep well the night before you have them.

[Clarabellawilliamson]

In my last school what always worked well was 321 but with expectations so 3- not talking, 2, everything down, 1- looking at me then very quickly look round and find a couple of people who are doing what you ask and quickly real off as many ridiculous praise words as possible pointing out the good ones (thank you sally, super Fred, splendid Jenny ooh I'm going to run out of words! Still waiting for a couple more ....pen down Jonny, without talking Jane- thanks) then wait .... and as soon as someone talks stop, and say I'm going to stop, Jane is still talking- this is her warning (or whatever the behaviour system is in school )

Not working so well at my new school but I'm finding names so much harder to learn at the moment!

[Bubbletrouble007]

I was taught the hand up method. For example, as the teacher raise your hand and be silent. Students then have to be silent and can only raise their hand when silent. The idea is that it is a knock on effect when the first couple start to notice then they quieten down and it is a ripples across the classroom. It works on peer pressure as no one wanted to be the last person without their hand up or having their conversation overheard with everyone staring at them. Hope that makes sense?

[PregnantCat]

Ah I’ve been there, it’s really hard.

Even if they are completing the work - they can’t be behaving perfectly if 95% are talking over you and giving you a headache!

Make some clear rules and just stick to them - be persistent and consistent. It’s a gradual wearing down process but they will get better if you stick to it. I’ve had a year 10 class come on massively recently. Then’s been a big improvement in behaviour after 4 months of hell.

As for learning this in teacher training - no, you don’t!

[wanderings]

I know a primary teacher who regularly does clapping: he claps three times, the children clap three times. I don't know how well that works for year 9 though.

[ouch321]

Could you use a whistle?

I don't see why they have to be restricted to PE...

[collywobblescar]

@Reginabambina I've just had an image of moles at a play park enjoying the slides until your second post. I wondered where he got the pictures?! This has cheered me job

[noblegiraffe]

I know a teacher who has a reception bell that she dings when she wants their attention. It’s a friendlier sound than a whistle and they can’t claim they didn’t hear.

With behaviour points, no you can’t put them all on the board at once but you can say ‘I’m going to start putting names on if you don’t be silent’ and just start writing. That quiets them down (if anyone complains just say ‘you were talking, if you don’t want to risk your name on the board, next time stop talking’.) Usually I find stragglers stop talking as soon as I pick up my board pen and go over to the board.

[Smellslikebiscuits]

I find that more and more I’m getting classes to work in complete silence. All to often, they seem unable to keep their noise volume down to a quiet, productive level. Silence leaves no room for interpretation, and I find it makes a massive difference to some of my trickier classes.
Alternatively, if you have them immediately before lunch and break, I ask students to remain seated then dismiss those that have worked quietly first.
I find that the charters are still chatting, but eventually they realise it’s their noise that is keeping them from break. Then I use that time to point out to them that had they been working quietly they would have already been out to break.