A study of the preferred means of teacher communication in the primary classroom when dealing with students' behaviour

Abstract

Students' positive and negative behaviour has always been an important issue discussed by the majority of teachers. Teachers always want to find the best alternatives in order to be able to deal with both positive and negative behaviours that arise in the classroom. While communicating with students, teachers always want that they are effective enough so that their level of communication with their students is always adequate. This research has shown whether there are any differences in the type of communication used when dealing with students' behaviour. A comparison was also made between the teachers' use of these different means of communication in the early years (year 2) and junior years (year 5). From the analysis of questionnaires administered to teachers, interviews done with students and observations carried out in year 2 and year 5 classes of state, church and private schools, this study will throw an insight on what is really happening in Maltese primary classrooms as regards to the way teachers communicate with their students.