5 Powerful ways to control a classroom without yelling

How to control a classroom without yelling is the question on all new teachers’ minds. Research shows that only 61% of teachers in their first three years of teaching feel confident managing disruptive behaviour. If you’re in that 39% this post is for you. 

If we think back to our own school days the teachers that had the most control shouted, a lot. Over the years the education landscape has evolved. Teachers can control classes full of teenagers without the need to raise their voice. It’s not easy, but it is possible. 

This post will give you 5 powerful ways to control a classroom without yelling. 

In This Post You’ll Learn

• Why the teachers with the most control are often the quietest
• How to command attention without raising your voice
• The subtle mistakes that can undermine your authority without you realising
• Practical strategies you can use to reduce disruption and increase compliance
• How to create a calm, controlled classroom environment that students respect

Struggling with a Tricky Class Right Now?

I’ve put together a free practical guide full of strategies you can implement tomorrow: 5 Quick Ways to Impact a Tricky Class

THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO CONTROL A CLASSROOM WITHOUT YELLING: Presence 

‘Miss you’re short but you have an aura’  

This is one statement I will never forget and always makes me smile. I used to think that in order to be respected and have control you needed to be tall, loud and shout.

 I had no chance then, I ‘m 5ft 3, softly spoken and rarely shout.

  As I started working in classrooms and later teaching I realised this was far from the case. Respect isn’t about yelling or being unapproachable – it’s about presence. 

Thinking back to my school days there were teachers that barely got out of their seats during a lesson. They sat at the front while all manner of nonsense was happening around the classroom. We knew they couldn’t see us and so we did what we wanted. 

Students should always think you are watching. 

There’s a concept called ‘be seen looking’ which relates to presence. Let’s start with where you stand in the classroom. In a standard classroom of rows, instinct would tell you to stand at the front of the class. However, at the front of the room you can’t quite see every student. Stand in the corner, that way you can see every student, especially those who would otherwise be out of sight 

I find great joy in pointing out misbehaviour of a student in the corner who thought I couldn’t see them. 

The number one way to get students off task is turning your back. However, there are obviously times when it is necessary, like when you need to write on the board. Try, standing slightly to the side and ensuring you stop and face the class every so often, that way they know you are still watching. 

The 3- Minute Rule

In my training year I received some fantastic advice on this concept of presence. When setting students off on an independent task I would state my expectations, tell students to start and then immediately begin circling the room and helping. 

‘Stand in the same spot for 3 minutes, scan for compliance and do not move until the three minutes is up’ 

I remember trying this for the first time and it felt so uncomfortable but it was a game changer. In those three minutes I could scan and see every single child. I could see who had and hadn’t started, who appeared to be struggling, who was off task. In those three minutes every child knew I was watching. I saw many get back on task in those three minutes. And those that were struggling I could attend to once the three minutes were up. 

Your presence is also a powerful way to help students avoid sanctions. Imagine you are in the middle of teaching and you see a student fiddling with some papers under the desk. It’s not incredibly disruptive for the class but for him it is. Instead of stopping mid flow and calling the students name, simply go and stand beside him. Your presence is enough to make him realise he needs to stop without words being spoken. 

Presence is powerful.  The classroom is your domain, you are the authority in there. Use your body and position yourself well. 

Remember-  students should always think you are watching- even when you are not. 

Consistency

The second way to control a classroom without yelling is consistency. 

Now this one might seem surprising.

How can consistency help in controlling student behaviour? Well it’s what consistency does in the subconscious mind of a teenager that means you remain in control. 

Let’s first talk about the areas in which consistency is important. 

First, your routines. One of the best uses of your time as a new teacher is rehearsing your routines, with yourself and then with your class repeatedly. Lessons should be extremely predictable for students. They should know exactly what to do when they enter the classroom, how to stop a task and transition into a new one and how to leave the classroom. Why should they know this? Because they do exactly the same thing every single lesson. 

I remember a student saying to me ‘ Miss you said it differently this time’ 

She was referring to my call to attention ( more on that later). I always say ‘pens down in 3, all eyes to the front in 2 and everyone into SLANT(Sit Up, Listen, Ask and answer questions, Never interrupt, Track the teacher)  in 1’ 

That lesson I must have said something different and she picked up on it. Why? Because my phrasing was always the same, every single lesson. 

The Same Goes for Everyone

There needs to also be consistency in your rewards and your sanctions. This one is incredibly important. Students respect the teachers that are consistent in everything. And when there is respect there is almost always good behaviour. 

But, I remember when one of the most well behaved, polite students in the class forgot his pencil case. At our school that’s a lack of equipment sanction. 

I was in two minds whether or not to give him the sanction. He was a model student and it was just this once. But I remember saying to myself 

What message am I sending if I don’t? – Inconsistency 

Any other student would have gotten a demerit for the same reason, he must be the same. 

Similarly in your rewards. If one student is getting a positive point for entering the classroom silently and starting work straight away, then every student who does the same must also get one. 

We can often forget about the signals we send to students by our actions. 

We never want to give the impression that the rules are different for that child. It is not always easy but be intentionally consistent in everything. 

You will see your students take note and begin to meet your expectations. 

Call to attention signal 

The third way to control a classroom without yelling is your call to attention signal. This is exactly what you do and say to get students’ attention. 

I mentioned in tip number 2 about SLANT. Now each school will have their own call to attention. If your school doesn’t I highly recommend adopting one as it gives you the repetition and consistency you need. 

SLANT is a popular classroom management technique popularised by Doug Lemov. There are some variations of it in schools but it generally stands for Sit Up, Listen, Ask and Answer questions, Never Interrupt and Track the Teacher/Speaker. 

The key thing with SLANT is the action that students engage in. Once the teacher says SLANT students need to empty their hands and fold their arms so they are visible on the table. 

The folding of the arms is what you’re looking for- that’s your sign of compliance. 

100%

 I was taught in my training that you should never move on until you have 100% compliance.

Every single child should be following your instructions before you move on. Does that mean you spend some time waiting, narrating expectations, giving sanctions for non-compliance? Yes. Because no one is exempt from your instruction. 

I remember my difficult Year 9 class, almost every lesson was a struggle and there were times that the lesson would end and I felt like I’d run a marathon- completely wiped out. 

Just before I started teaching U wanted to get the class into SLANT. My usual call to attention sequence began:

‘Ok Year 9 can I have pens down in 3….. All eyes on the board in 2……. And everyone into SLANT in 1…..’

I paused and waited, scanned the room and 80% of the students were NOT in SLANT. So I had to do it again twice more before I had 100% compliance. 

When an instruction lands badly it can often make you feel embarrassed and that embarrassment causes you to want to move on quickly. 

It’s uncomfortable but don’t.

Do it again until every student is following your instructions. Re-state your expectations and do it again. It sends the message that Miss or Sir is serious. 

Repetition and reset are part of control. 

Before I into the next strategy- if you’re feeling stressed and frustrated with a tricky class right now, I’ve put together a free guide packed with strategies you can implement now: 5 Quick Ways to Impact a Tricky Class

NarratE the positive 

Our next strategy to control a classroom without yelling is narrating the positive. 

Now this is a simple but incredibly powerful way to control while still remaining positive and warm. 

Here’s an example of how I use it in my lessons. 

My class is lined up outside waiting to enter. 

I always say the same thing as students come in: 

‘Good Morning Year 9, entering in silence, straight to your seats, coats, equipment bags,  starting the Do Now straight away’

This is where the positive narration comes in: 

Once students are in the classroom I begin: 

‘Oh I can see Nicola has written the date and title and started question 1- thank you Nicola, that’s a housepoint.’ 

‘Jordan is on question 2- thank you Jordan that’s a house point for you too.’

I begin to call out the behaviours I want to see.  

The vast majority of students want to do well and want to please. Narrating the positives allows me to do two things; praise those students who follow instructions all the time many of whom can be forgotten and covertly get those who are behind to quickly follow suit. 

This works because it essentially puts quiet social pressure on non-compliant students without calling them out. 

WHEN STUDENTS STILL DON’T FOLLOW

Now what happens if your covert tactics are not working and there are students who fail to get started or follow your instructions. 

Firstly try a whole class observation. 

‘I can see that everyone in the first 3 rows has started the Do Now, I’m waiting for a few students in the back row to get started, I expect everyone to be working on the Do Now at this moment’ 

This should hopefully get those students to start working. If this still fails then address the student by name , offer a reminder. If they fail to engage again then the behaviour system must be followed whatever it is in your school, warning, demerit etc. 

Narrating the positive allows you to call out the behaviours you want to see whilst shaping the behaviours of those who have not yet complied. 

The Pause

We move on to our final strategy to control a classroom without yelling- the pause. 

If you’re anything like me you don’t like awkward silences. 

I always feel the need to fill silences with me talking. But pausing mid-sentence is a game changer when it comes to controlling student behaviour. 

This is most powerful when students are talking over you. 

Let me pause here- if you take nothing away from this blog post but this then I’ve done my job. Never ever let students talk over you. If a student is talking when you are talking ALWAYS stop. 

It signals to them that you are the authority in the classroom. If you let them talk over you, you teach them that your voice is of no importance and they do not need to listen to you- you do not want this. 

IMAGINE

Imagine you have given your call to attention as you are about to start teaching. Students are attentive and ready and you begin. As you are mid sentence 2 students on the third row are chatting amongst themselves. 

Pause. Even if you are mid sentence. 

‘I am speaking so you are listening. If you speak again that will be a warning.’ And continue your sentence. 

No need for any back and forth. No argument. No yelling necessary. Just state and move on. 

This strategy is powerful because it requires no speaking at all, rather silence. 

At first it may feel awkward. You may feel it’s unnecessary to pause when a few students are whispering but always remember. 

You are the authority.

 What you dismiss becomes the norm. 

This post has given you five powerful ways to control a classroom without yelling. Remember, control doesn’t come from volume, it comes from deliberate intentional strategies.

Looking for more behaviour strategies. Read my post on 5 Game-Changing Classroom Behaviour Management Strategies for a Calm Class  

Before you go –  if you’ve got a tricky class right now and need something you can use tomorrow, grab my free guide: 5 Quick Ways to Impact a Tricky Class.