How to manage noise during group work

This is part of a series of posts taken from Dr David Smawfield’s catalogue of resources created to help new teachers, or teachers in training, feel comfortable in their new classes and effectively control their new pupils. Here are some benefits of using group work in primay schools…

With group activities, there is potential for greater noise in the classroom. This can be distracting for students within the classroom: especially if one group is trying to work on a quiet activity, but is disturbed by a group engaged in noisy activity. High noise levels can also be distracting for teachers and students in nearby classrooms, especially in an open plan situation, or where classes are divided by partitions and not walls!

One good way to manage noise is to introduce a “Noise Meter”. You can see an example of this below.

A Noise Meter such as this can easily be made by a teacher out of card, and displayed on a classroom wall.

Use of a Noise Meter helps the teacher and the class to agree and set noise levels that are acceptable. The teacher sets the arrow on the Meter to the agreed noise level.

If noise levels start to rise too much, the teacher can point to the Noise Meter and remind the class that the agreed noise level is now being exceeded. The teacher could also decide to re-set the noise level on the Meter!

Dr Smawfield is a senior international development consultant based in the UK and has a strong background in teacher education. He has worked in countries around the world, including Bangladesh, Malawi, Romania and Vietnam and is especially interested in active learning and low-cost teaching aids. You can find out more about his work on his website.