Fecha de recibido: 11/10/2025
Fecha de aceptado: 22/12/2025
Fecha de publicado: 15/01/2026
Introduction
Classroom management is the set of strategies that a teacher uses to organize the classroom, guide student behavior, and create a positive learning environment. Trpin (2023) claims that “classroom management involves setting clear expectations, establishing routines, and fostering a culture of respect and cooperation among pupils. In addition, classroom teachers are not only educators but also mentors who guide students toward personal growth and academic success” (p. 39). Classroom management creates an excellent environment and the right conditions where young students can learn, participate, and develop their skills as learners. “In Ecuador, the Ministry of Education (2016) implemented several reforms to improve educational quality, focusing on teacher training and updating teaching methodologies” (Gómez as cited in Paredes, 2024).
Effective classroom management in Ecuador is based on setting clear and positive expectations and creating an environment of respect and trust. The problem of this research arises because pre-service English teachers often lack sufficient practical experience to effectively manage classrooms with young learners. According to Quintana et al. (2023), “teaching practice allows pre-service English teachers to acquire experience and assume the responsibility to guide the learning process of a group of learners in a classroom” (p. 53). Future teachers not only have the duty to transmit knowledge, but also to guide learning and manage classroom dynamics. The central objective of this study is to analyze the classroom management strategies in EFL pre-service English teachers for young learners. The guiding research question is:
● What classroom management strategies are most frequently used by pre-service English teachers in EFL classes for young learners?
Literature review
A pre-service English teacher is someone who is training to become an English teacher but has not yet begun teaching professionally. Pre-service teachers often participate in classroom observations, internships, and other activities where they can practice teaching English in real classrooms under supervision. Teaching practices allow future teachers to gain exposure to the real world of English teaching and gain insight into the complexities of current classroom practices (Castañeda & Aguirre, 2018).
English as a foreign language (EFL) refers to the teaching and learning of English in a country where it is not the primary language. According to Quimosing (2022), “learning the English language is seen as vital for it is becoming the most important language that keeps everyone in the globe connected. It is a first language to some countries, while it is a second or a foreign language to others” (p. 13). English as a foreign language is essential because it not only facilitates global communication but also improves job opportunities and fosters personal development by enhancing cognitive and social skills.
Classroom management is the way a teacher creates and maintains a positive, organized, and respectful learning environment where students feel safe, engaged, and motivated to learn. Classroom management not only seeks to ensure an appropriate environment for academic learning, but also to foster students' comprehensive development, promoting both social and moral values that contribute to their development as responsible and participatory individuals.
Pre-service EFL teachers face classroom management as a significant challenge during their internships. Classroom management becomes an obstacle when unforeseen or challenging classroom situations affect the implementation of their teaching methods since focusing too much on controlling behavior or classroom dynamics, they lose sight of the most important thing: fostering an environment where students can learn effectively (Tagle et al., 2020). This suggests that pre-service English teachers can become overly focused on managing classroom behavior and dynamics, which can divert their attention from creating a conducive learning environment.
According to Espinosa & Soto (2020), classroom management involves building a strong relationship between the teacher and students, introducing appropriate materials, and procedures for the class, and the teacher's ability to guide the lesson and give clear instructions. It's about creating a motivating and well-organized learning environment.
Effective learning requires a safe, organized, and positive environment where students can focus, participate, and achieve success. Good classroom management reduces distractions, fosters respect, and helps students stay motivated, thus facilitating the flow of teaching and learning.
A classroom management plan consists of establishing clear rules, developing norms, setting expectations, and defining consequences with the goal of meeting students' needs in the classroom and a commitment to helping them learn without interference or interruptions. Soraya et al. (2022) claim that “classroom management is vital in educating young English learners since children have weak self-control and teaching youngsters is different from teaching middle schoolers and adults” (p. 259). Classroom management strategies for young learners create a positive classroom climate which makes students more focused on learning. Oxford University Press (2023) lists some classroom management strategies for different dimensions:
Motivation
● Peer teaching: Pair students together to learn vocabulary, grammar, or practice conversations. Peer teaching builds confidence and keeps students motivated.
● Surprises and mysteries: Do something unexpected in the class. For example, "If everyone participates well in today’s lesson, we’ll have a mystery prize at the end."
● Group activities: Encourage collaboration, communication, and life skills. Design assignments that fit each student's strengths to ensure inclusion and value for all.
● Visual aids: It involves using tools such as images, videos, and many digital tools to facilitate learning and behavior management.
● Dynamics: These are powerful tools to boost motivation in English classes. Some dynamic activities are simon says, pictionary, hot potato, etc.
● Contests and challenges: Organize language challenges like spelling bees, vocabulary quizzes, or timed grammar races.
● Praise and encourage: It is important to celebrate achievements, no matter how small. A simple "well done!" or a star on their work can have a huge impact, as it boosts their self-esteem and gives them the motivation to keep working hard.
Behavior
● Visual cues: Use tools that allow students to monitor their own behavior in a fun and effective way. For example, a noise meter or behavior thermometer visually shows whether the noise or activity level in the classroom is too high. This way, students can understand when they need to calm down or adjust their behavior.
● Establish clear routines: create a daily schedule and establish routines for common activities, such as entering the classroom or starting an assignment, to help students understand how the class unfolds.
● Post the rules prominently: Display clear and simple rules where students can see them, such as "Speak only English," "Listen when others are speaking," and "Raise your hand." Be clear about fair consequences for breaking them.
Instruction
● Use attention grabbers: These are techniques or strategies used by teachers to quickly capture students' attention and focus their minds on the lesson or activity. For instance, use sound effects like a bell or music that signals the start of the lesson or a transition between activities.
● Use both active and calm tasks: Alternate between dynamic and quieter activities to maintain interest and focus. For example, after a vocabulary activity or role-play that involves moving around and speaking aloud, you can follow up with a more reflective task such as silent reading or creative writing. This helps students know when to actively interact and when to focus on more introspective activities such as completing grammar exercises or reviewing what they've learned individually.
● Vary tone of voice: Use a sing-song voice, funny voices, or different volumes to grab attention and signal transitions.
● Supervise and help: supervise students during tasks and be available to help them with questions or difficulties.
● Vocabulary introduction: Before a reading or activity, it is important to introduce the vocabulary and key concepts to ensure that students have the necessary background knowledge to understand the task.
Teaching young learners requires patience, creativity, and a deep understanding of students' needs. Good classroom management makes students feel valued and motivated to learn.
Materials and methods
This study employed a quantitative methodology with a descriptive approach since it identifies and describes the classroom management strategies most commonly used by pre-service English teachers. This study was accomplished at the Technical University of Cotopaxi and the participants were 36 students from the eighth semester of the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages career who made their pre-service activities in some private educational institutions in Cotopaxi province. The instrument was a questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale with 21 statements where the participants had to mark always, sometimes, frequently and never according to the frequency of use of the different classroom management strategies for young learners by pre-service English teachers. The analysis was carried out by using a descriptive statistical analysis, including frequencies and percentages, which were presented through a table to identify what classroom management strategies are most frequently used by pre-service teachers in EFL classes for young learners.
Results and discussion
The table presents the number and percentage of participants (N = 36) who responded to 21 items of the questionnaire.
Table 1. Questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale
|
|
Item |
Always |
Frequently |
Sometimes |
Never |
Total |
|
|
1. How often do you use visual aids (e.g., pictures, gestures, realia) when giving instructions? |
5 |
26 |
5 |
0 |
36 |
|
13.9% |
72.2% |
16.9% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
2. How regularly do you use gestures or body language to demonstrate what students need to do? |
19 |
14 |
3 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
52.8% |
38.9% |
8.3 % |
0% |
100% |
||
|
3. How frequently do you show a finished example of a craft or worksheet so students understand the expected outcome? |
8 |
23 |
5 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
22.2% |
63.9% |
13.9% |
0 |
100% |
||
|
4. To check for understanding, how often do you ask a student to repeat or demonstrate the instructions? |
8 |
25 |
2 |
1 |
36 |
|
|
22.2% |
69.4% |
5.6% |
2.8% |
100% |
||
|
5. How frequently do you monitor students immediately after they start a task to ensure they have understood? |
13 |
20 |
2 |
1 |
36 |
|
|
36.1% |
55.6% |
5.6% |
2.8% |
100% |
||
|
6. How frequently do you use your voice (e.g., varying pitch, volume, speed) to make instructions more engaging and clear? |
15 |
18 |
2 |
1 |
36 |
|
|
41.7% |
50% |
5.6% |
2.8% |
100% |
||
|
7. How often do you break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps for your students? |
8 |
20 |
7 |
1 |
36 |
|
|
22.2% |
55.65% |
19.4% |
2.8% |
100% |
||
|
|
8. When you need to correct a behavior, how regularly do you refer back to the established rules as a reminder? |
7 |
21 |
7 |
1 |
36 |
|
19.4% |
58.3% |
19.4% |
2.8% |
100% |
||
|
9. To ensure equitable participation, how often do you use techniques such as assigning roles or implementing turn-taking? |
5 |
22 |
9 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
13.9% |
61.1% |
25% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
10. When you do group work, how often do you assign clear, simple roles (e.g., material collector, speaker)? |
9 |
21 |
6 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
25% |
58.3% |
16.7% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
11. How frequently do you use random selection methods (e.g., name sticks, a digital spinner) to call on students? |
3 |
24 |
8 |
1 |
36 |
|
|
8.3% |
66.7% |
22.2% |
2.8% |
100% |
||
|
12. How often do you encourage and explicitly value contributions from quieter students? |
7 |
24 |
4 |
1 |
36 |
|
|
19.4% |
66.7% |
11.1% |
2.8% |
100% |
||
|
13. How often do you use positive reinforcement (e.g., praise, stickers) to acknowledge students who are following rules and participating well? |
5 |
22 |
7 |
2 |
36 |
|
|
13.9% |
61.1% |
19.4% |
5.6% |
100% |
||
|
14. When a student is disruptive, how frequently do you use proximity (standing near them) as a non-verbal strategy to redirect their behavior? |
6 |
24 |
6 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
16.7% |
66.7% |
16.7% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
|
15. How regularly do you incorporate playful elements (e.g., games, songs, contests) into learning activities? |
10 |
23 |
3 |
0 |
36 |
|
27.8% |
63.9% |
8.3% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
16. How often do you use simple props or puppets to make activities more engaging and less intimidating? |
2 |
20 |
10 |
4 |
36 |
|
|
5.6% |
55.6% |
27.8% |
11.1% |
100% |
||
|
17. How frequently do you foster an environment where mistakes are seen as a natural part of learning? |
9 |
25 |
2 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
25% |
69.4% |
5.6% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
18. Do you explicitly teach and model how to work cooperatively and respectfully with classmates? |
9 |
22 |
5 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
25% |
61.1% |
13.9% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
19. To maintain a safe atmosphere, how often do you address unkind language or actions immediately? |
7 |
27 |
2 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
19.4% |
75% |
5.6% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
20. How frequently do you provide specific, positive feedback on a student's effort or progress, rather than just the final result? |
10 |
23 |
3 |
0 |
36 |
|
|
27.8% |
63.9% |
8.3% |
0% |
100% |
||
|
21. How often do you give students a choice in their learning (e.g., which activity to do first, which color to use) to increase their autonomy and motivation? |
7 |
21 |
5 |
3 |
36 |
|
|
19.4% |
58.3% |
13.9% |
8.3% |
100% |
Note: The table shows the frequency of use of the different classroom management strategies for young learners by pre-service English teachers.
Instruction
The data indicate that the most frequently used instructional strategy is “the use of gestures or body language to demonstrate what students need to do” (Item 2), with percentages of Always (52.8%) and Frequently (38.9%). This indicates that teachers rely heavily on non-verbal communication to support understanding, making it the strongest and most consistent instructional strategy among participants. On the other hand, the least used strategy is "break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps for your students?" (Item 7). Although 22.2% of pre-service teachers indicated that they always break down complex tasks, 55.65% do so frequently, 19.40% do so sometimes, and 2.8% never do. This suggests that while many teachers do it frequently, not all consider it necessary to break down tasks into smaller steps all the time.
Behavior
The analysis of the behavior indicator shows that the most frequently used strategy is "the assignment of clear and simple roles during group work" (Item 10). This strategy presents the highest percentage in the Always category (25%) and a high value in Frequently (58.3%), resulting in the strongest concentration in the upper-frequency scales. In addition, no participants reported Never (0%), indicating that this strategy is consistently applied by teachers as part of their regular classroom management practices.
In contrast, the least utilized strategy is the "use of random selection methods to call on students" (Item 11). This item records the lowest percentage in the Always category (8.3%) and a higher proportion in Sometimes (22.2%) compared to the other strategies, although Frequently remains high (66.7%). These results suggest that, while random selection is commonly employed, it is less systematically integrated into daily classroom practice.
Motivation
The results reveal that the most utilized motivational strategy is "addressing unkind language or actions immediately to maintain a safe classroom atmosphere" (Item 19). This strategy shows the highest percentage in the Frequently category (75%) and a substantial value in Always (19.4%), with no responses in Never (0%). Similarly, "fostering an environment where mistakes are viewed as a natural part of learning" (Item 17) also shows very high usage, with 69.4% in Frequently and 25% in Always. These findings highlight a strong emphasis on emotional safety and supportive learning environments as key motivational practices.
On the other hand, the least utilized strategy is the "use of simple props or puppets to make activities more engaging and less intimidating" (Item 16). This item presents the lowest percentage in Always (5.6%) and the highest values in Sometimes (27.8%) and Never (11.1%) within the Motivation indicator, despite a moderate percentage in Frequently (55.6%). These results suggest that tangible or performative resources are less consistently integrated into classroom practices to support student motivation.
Discussion
This study addresses the research question “What classroom management strategies are most frequently used by pre-service English teachers in EFL classes for young learners?” The results reveal that pre-service English teachers tend to use practical, immediate, and easily applicable classroom management strategies more frequently in EFL contexts for young learners. Through the indicators of Instruction, Behavior, and Motivation, a clear preference is observed for strategies that promote clarity, organization, and emotional safety in the classroom. The frequent use of gestures and body language demonstrates the relevance of nonverbal communication as a fundamental support for comprehension.
Regarding behavior management, the assignment of clear roles during group work reflects a preference for the intentional use of clear routines that allow students to know what to expect and what is expected of them during class, thus regulating behavior and fostering active participation. Similarly, the most frequently used motivational strategies focus on ensuring a safe and respectful environment, addressing inappropriate behavior immediately, and promoting a positive view of mistakes as part of the learning process.
Conversely, strategies requiring more pedagogical planning or the use of specific resources, such as the systematic segmentation of tasks. Jones (2025) indicates that with this strategy “learning can be optimised when material is presented to students in segments or smaller related chunks, rather than as a continuous block” (par. 1). In addition, the use of puppets and manipulatives are implemented less frequently. This could be due to the teacher's limited experience. Ultimately, the findings indicate that pre-service teachers make more use of accessible strategies, while more complex ones are less frequently integrated into their teaching practice.
Conclusions
This study concludes that pre-service teachers have a clear preference for practical and immediately applicable strategies that promote clarity, structure, and emotional security. The use of gestures and body language stands out as a key resource for supporting understanding, while role assignment and predictable routines help regulate behavior and encourage active participation. Likewise, motivational strategies focus on creating a safe and respectful environment where mistakes are considered part of the learning process. Finally, strategies that require more pedagogical planning or specific resources, such as the systematic segmentation of tasks and the use of manipulatives, are implemented less frequently, highlighting the need to strengthen these practices in teacher training.
References
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