A great Behavior Management System (BMS) helps your students behave better in English class. It needs to be many things; easy to understand, quick to use, flexible, and fun – especially in large public primary ESL classes. In those rough waters the Shark & Swimmer system is your best bet for survival. I’ve trained dozens of teachers over the years who’ve all found it to be effective in taming a wide range of classes. Make sure to have this or some other BMS in your ESL classroom management.
Related Post: ESL Classroom Management is a Holistic Effort
Why Have a Behavior Management System?
A behavior management system is great for bringing some extra order and clarity to a classroom. It’s a visual system that gives students a clear idea of when they’ve done well, and when they haven’t. When it is paired with open and fair feedback it can really help students improve their behavior.
However, it’s not there to force or bribe students to behave well. No BMS or reward can make students learn or try their best – especially not in the long term.
In truth, a lot goes into getting a group of children to behave well in class. It’s a holistic effort. Most importantly, it’s critical that their Basic Needs are met while they’re at school and in your class.
This means you need to build positive relationships through techniques like Catch Them Being Good (CBG). It means providing clear rules and routines so students know your expectations.
You also need to provide lessons filled with things like movement, high participation rates, and fun.
Your behavior management system will help you maintain order while you implement these things at the start of the course. Then, later on, it will help you provide clear reminders to students to keep them on track.
Behavior Management System Instructions
Organization
This system has three parts; a shark, a swimmer, and an island. In other versions the three can be changed with a zombie/monster/dinosaur, a runner, and a house. An alien, rocket ship, and the Earth or a star-base also work great as well.
The designs should be colorful, clear, fun for kids, and big enough for everyone in class to see.
Put all three parts at the top of your blackboard. The shark starts at the far left and the swimmer is just a bit ahead, while the island is at the far right of the board.
Try to put as much space as you can between the swimmer and the island. That way you can move the swimmer many times. You don’t want to get half-way to the island by moving the swimmer twice in the first 10 minutes of a 60 minute lesson.
Using the Behavior Management System
The students play together as a class and want the swimmer to get to the island by the end of the lesson. They do this by following the rules and participating well in class.
It’s good practice for you to refer back to the BMS after every game, activity, or lesson stage. Whenever the students do well you praise them and move the swimmer a little to the right.
You also want to be thoughtful about your praise so it’s effective. Make sure you have their attention. Then, tell the students what actions they did well and how that made you happy. That will encourage them to continue what they were doing.
If the class misbehaves then make sure to calmly bring attention to that. Explain what they did wrong, how it made you feel, what they should do instead, and move the shark towards the swimmer. You can move the shark and swimmer a lot or just a bit depending on the situation.
If the shark ever catches the swimmer then it pulls him a little or all the way back to the left side of the board.
Finally, if the swimmer reaches the island by the end of the lesson then everyone in the class gets a prize. Make sure you explain what the prize is at the start of the lesson so students know what to expect.
The prize shouldn’t be big. I’ve given out prizes such as small stickers and an ink stamp in their books. I’ve also used a fun song or a game as a prize as well.
You want the prize to be something you’re comfortable with giving out each and every lesson. The system won’t be effective if you’re finding excuses to not give out rewards to save a few dollars.
Shark & Swimmer BMS Tips
There’s a lot you can do to make your Shark and Swimmer behavior management system especially effective.
Explain Early & Often: Make sure to set up and explain your behavior management system in the first lesson you have with your students – or at the earliest time you can. Then, keep reviewing your explanation in each lesson afterwards until it really sinks in.
It might take a few lessons, especially for the lower level and younger students, to understand what the system is and how it works.
Be Extra: Students respond well when you elaborate about the system as you set it up and use it.
I like to use a volume or emotions drill to introducing the shark to my students.
Ask them if the shark is sad or hungry, or what it wants to eat. Ask them how the swimmer feels and where he’s going.
Younger students also respond well to using chomping sounds and gestures while you introduce/review the system.
Posted Rewards: Put the rewards, such as stickers, up by the island as a quick visual reminder for younger students so they remember what’s at stake.
Don’t forget to follow the 15 Do’s and Don’ts of Behavior Management Systems as well.
Click below to download free printable resources:
STT Shark & Swimmer Behavior Management System Color
STT Shark & Swimmer Behavior Management System Black & White
STT Zombie & Runner Behavior Management System Color
STT Zombie & Runner Behavior Management System Black & White
STT Dinosaur & Runner Behavior Management System Color
STT Dinosaur & Runner Behavior Management System Black & White
What other Behavior Management Systems have you used in public school classes? Please like, share, and comment below.
