## Key Ideas > [!abstract] Core Concepts > > - **Assertive Delivery**: Use "thanks" not "please" to communicate expectation of compliance > - **Describe and Direct**: State what you see, then what you want without questions > - **Tactical Ignoring**: Address primary behaviour, ignore secondary reactions ## Definition **Script Language of Behaviour**: Pre-planned, consistent language patterns that enable calm, assertive responses to behaviour situations whilst preserving relationships (Lemov, 2015). ## Overview Teachers must respond effectively to behaviour whilst simultaneously preserving the student relationship that makes all future teaching possible (Marzano et al., 2003). Scripted language provides pre-planned, practised responses that free teachers from improvising under pressure (Miller et al., 1998). When teachers know exactly what to say, they can deliver corrections calmly and consistently, avoiding the reactive, emotionally charged responses that damage relationships (Brophy, 2006). This preparation changes behaviour management from a confrontational struggle into a predictable, respectful process where students receive clear guidance without experiencing shame or defensiveness. The scripts that follow provide the linguistic foundation for maintaining both classroom order and the relational trust on which effective teaching depends. ## Connected To [[Assertiveness]] | [[Rules]] | [[Routines]] | [[Classroom Management]] --- ## Foundation: Decisive Management Style ### Core Characteristics - Assertive stance, neither hostile nor passive - Always speaking and acting respectfully - Choosing to respond rather than react - Plans for discipline as any other aspect of the curriculum - Addresses primary behaviour and tactically ignores secondary behaviour - Conveying an expectation of compliance ### Communicating Calmness - Remain still and don't gesture too much as movement is distracting - Relaxed body language. Avoid crossing arms - Calm and confident tone of voice - Slight smile - Brief pause to allow for settling ## Core Script Principles The following principles form the linguistic architecture of effective behaviour scripts, each serving a distinct purpose in maintaining authority whilst preserving relationships. ### 1. End with "Thanks" not "Please" Ending instructions with "thanks" rather than "please" communicates expectation rather than request (Cialdini, 2009). This linguistic shift changes the nature of the interaction from asking permission to expressing confidence in compliance. Instead of "Could you please put your phone away?" use "Put your phone away, thanks." Instead of "Please stop talking" use "Work silently, thanks." Instead of "Would you mind listening?" use "Eyes this way, thanks." The difference appears subtle but fundamentally alters the power dynamic; "please" signals a request that might be declined, whilst "thanks" expresses expectation of compliance whilst remaining polite and respectful. ### 2. Describe and Direct The describe-and-direct approach states what you observe, then what you want, without using questions. When a student is talking, say "You are talking, work silently thanks" rather than "Why are you talking?" When a student displays off-task behaviour, say "You're looking around, focus on your work thanks" rather than "What are you doing?" When a student creates disruption, say "You're distracting others, work quietly thanks" rather than "Stop disturbing everyone." Questions invite debate and require cognitive processing to generate answers. Direct statements paired with clear instructions provide immediate clarity about both the problem and the solution, reducing the opportunity for argument or confusion. ### 3. Partial Agreement Partial agreement acknowledges students' feelings or claims without conceding the expectation. When a student says "This is boring," respond with "Maybe it is. I still expect you to complete the work." When a student says "I'm tired," respond with "You might be tired. I still need you focused." When a student says "Ms Smith allows phones!" respond with "Maybe so, but the school rule is clear." This technique validates the student's perspective without arguing about its truth, then redirects to the expectation. The acknowledgement defuses defensiveness by showing you heard them, whilst the clear follow-up maintains the behavioural standard without compromise. ### 4. Tactical Ignoring Tactical ignoring addresses primary behaviour whilst ignoring secondary responses. When a student complies with a direction but adds eye-rolling, sighing, or muttering under their breath, ignore these secondary behaviours and focus on the compliance achieved. Address the main behaviour issue without getting drawn into conflict over the student's emotional reaction to being corrected. Providing take-up time allows students to save face whilst complying, reducing the likelihood of escalation. The student might need a moment to process the instruction and choose compliance without feeling they are submitting immediately in front of peers. ## Essential Scripts by Situation Having established the core principles, the following scripts demonstrate their application across the most common classroom situations teachers encounter. Each script balances clear expectations with respectful language, providing specific phrasing that can be adapted to individual teaching contexts. ### Getting Attention **When students are chatting**: - _"A number of you are still talking. Pens down, facing me, and lips shut thanks"_ - _"I need everyone's attention now"_ - _"I'll wait until everyone is ready to listen"_ - _"I notice several people are still talking"_ - _"We're waiting for complete silence before continuing"_ - _"I appreciate those who are already showing respectful listening"_ - _"Our learning time is valuable - let's not waste it waiting"_ - _"I notice not everyone is with us - can I have all eyes up here please"_ ### Addressing Calling Out **Student enthusiasm without hand raising**: - _"Lily, I appreciate your enthusiasm. Remember in our classroom it's hands up without calling out so everyone gets a fair go"_ - _"I need hands up before comments"_ - _"Conversations across the room disrupt everyone's learning"_ - _"Calling across the room shows disrespect for others who are working"_ ### Managing Noise Levels **When class gets too loud**: - _"Let's maintain a productive learning environment"_ - _"This is a working environment, not a social space"_ - _"The noise level is too high for productive learning"_ ### Setting Clear Expectations **Establishing standards**: - _"I expect assignments turned in by Friday"_ - _"You know the rule for..."_ - _"Even if other teachers have different expectations, the school rule is clear. In this classroom we…"_ ### Redirecting Behaviour **Gentle redirections**: - _"I need you to focus on your work now"_ - _"Let's use our indoor voice in this space"_ - _"I notice you're struggling with this task. How can I help?"_ - _"That behaviour is unacceptable because it disrupts learning"_ - _"Please step into the hallway so we can discuss this privately"_ - _"You don't have to like maths. It can be annoying to do things you don't like. Do you need help? How's your work going? Where are you up to? Is it making sense? I'll be back to check on you later. Your phone/earring/fidget spinner - I want you to put it in your bag or leave it on my desk till break time"_ - _"Charlotte, I noticed you haven't started working. How can I help you? Remember, if you need equipment you can borrow it from that box. Grab what you need and I'll check up on you later"_ **Close talk (quiet, discrete)**: - _"Luke, you have completed two questions in the last ten minutes. When I come back in two minutes, I expect at least two more questions to be completed. You can do it, thanks"_ **Directed choice escalation**: - _"Luke, you can either finish the next two questions or I'll need to move you to somewhere you can focus better. Your choice"_ **Students asking for help too early**: - _"Yes, I'll answer your question. I just need to make sure everyone has started before I get to you. Read the question again and see if you can start. I'll be with you once everyone is working quietly"_ **Multiple low-level disruptions**: - _"I'm hearing some noises from the back right corner [gesture to area], settling into this work now, thank you"_ ### Moving Students **Initial request**: - _"Miriam, you are talking, work silently so that you and others can make the most of your learning time, thank you"_ **Directed choice**: - _"Miriam, you can choose to either work quietly where you are or move to the front of the room. It's up to you"_ **Movement with partial agreement**: - _"Miriam, you are still talking, pick up your books and move to the seat at the front, thank you"_ - _Student: "I'll stop now, I promise, just let me stay here"_ - _Teacher: "Maybe you will, but you chose to keep talking so you'll need to move up the front now, thank you"_ **Take up time**: - _"Miriam, you have one minute and by the end of that minute I want you to be in the front seat. Thank you. Your time starts... now"_ **Flat refusal**: - _"You can choose to move now, or we can follow this up after class – your choice"_ - _"You don't have to move, but if you choose not to, I'll need to let your parents and head of house know about this. Your call"_ ### Addressing Serious Behaviour **Sexist/racist/violent language**: - _"That is sexist/racist/violent language, we don't accept that in this classroom. Step outside please and I will come and talk to you. Thank you"_ - Use a louder voice so the class can hear you. Be calm and direct - _"Note that we've identified the language or action as being sexist/racist/violent, not the student. It's depersonalised. This way our follow up conversation can be about the language or action, not the individual"_ **If other students react**: - _"That behaviour is not acceptable in this class and I wouldn't expect anyone in here to find that funny. I'll follow up with the student on the consequences. Quietly back to work now. Thank you"_ - _"Use once or twice during an instruction. After that, escalate to directed choice: You can choose to get back to work or you can wait outside for the consequences"_ ### Emergency Situations **When immediate action is needed**: - _"Stop that now"_ (clear, firm desist) - _"Everyone freeze"_ - _"I need you to step outside immediately"_ - _"We need to stop what we're doing right now"_ **De-escalation language**: - _"Let's take a breath"_ - _"I can see you're upset"_ - _"Help me understand what's happening"_ - _"What do you need right now?"_ ## After Class Conversations Whilst in-the-moment scripts address immediate behaviour, the deeper work of building student self-regulation and responsibility occurs in private conversations after class. These conversations require different scripts that prioritise reflection and relationship repair over immediate compliance. ### Opening the Conversation - _"Sofia, thanks for staying back. I'm keen for us to have a quick chat to make sure that we're on the same page and we have a positive start to the next lesson"_ ### W.I.N. Structure (What happened, Impact, Next steps) **Standard approach**: - _"To start off with, can you tell me why you think I've asked you to stay back today?"_ - _"What impact did that have? (Students can reflect on the impact on their learning and on their classmates' learning)"_ - _"What will you do next time you're in a similar situation?"_ **For students prone to shame**: - Rather than asking the student the first two W.I.N. questions (what happened and what was the impact), briefly state these yourself, leaving space for the student to focus on the positive action moving forward - Example: _"In class today you called out three times during whole-class teaching time."_ (What) _"This interrupted my explanation, making it hard for other students to follow and impacting their learning."_ (Impact) _"What could you do next lesson during whole class teaching time that will lead to a better outcome?"_ **Alternative phrases for regular offenders**: - _"I believe that you are a good person and want to do the right thing. What do you need from me to help you succeed?"_ - _"You worked well for 80% of that lesson, next time let's aim for 85% – I know you can do it"_ ### Ending Positively - _"Thanks Sofia. You've had a great start to the term and the way you helped Harry last lesson with his Cornell notes was fantastic. I know you want to do really well and today was just a little speed bump along the way. I'm looking forward to working with you tomorrow"_ ### Handling Resistance and Denial **When students respond with debate or denial**: - _"Why might it be that I've kept you back for this chat Brooke?"_ - Student: _"I don't know, I didn't even start it, I was just trying to do my work and then Lorraine distracted me and started talking to me"_ - Teacher: _"Lorraine may have started it, Brooke, I'm not sure. But for now, let's focus on what you can do next lesson to stay focused. What might you be able to say if Lorraine or another student does distract you during independent work time?"_ - Student: _"I don't know"_ - Teacher: _"You could say something like, 'Please don't distract me, I need to do this work now so I don't have any homework tonight.'"_ - Student: _[_Repeats]_ - Teacher: _"Thanks Brooke, really looking forward to a focused lesson with you tomorrow. Enjoy your lunch"_ ** ### When Student Isn't Changing Behavior **These conversations are for when the W.I.N. conversation isn't creating the change required**: - _"Having a healthy relationship with rules is good for you and others. Rules exist so people can work together productively, and everyone benefits when they are followed. This is why people drive on the same side of the road, the rules are designed to keep everyone safe and help us all out"_ - _"In life, we generally get what we give. If we're nice to someone else, they'll probably be nice back to us. In school, if we do something that others don't like, such as interrupting the learning of other students, the school will do something that we probably don't like too, such as enforcing consequences. This happens in life after school too, especially in our relationships. By knowing that you get what you give, you can take charge and give out positivity and helpfulness, and receive that from the world in return"_ - _"...So, thinking about that, what might you do differently next time you are in class?"_ ## Advanced Relationship Scripts Beyond addressing isolated incidents, some situations require scripts that explicitly build relationship whilst addressing patterns of behaviour. These advanced scripts demonstrate care and belief in students whilst maintaining clear expectations. ### Building Connection Through Consequences **Show you care**: - _"I care about you, which is why we need to address this"_ - _"When you disrupt class, it affects everyone's learning, including yours"_ - _"I'm concerned about the choice you made. What could you do differently next time?"_ - _"I'd like to talk about what happened. Can you share your perspective?"_ - _"I noticed you were struggling today. What's going on?"_ **Express belief in students**: - _"I believe you can do better. Let's make a plan together"_ - _"This pattern of behaviour needs to change. How can I support you?"_ - _"Let's set a specific goal for improvement"_ - _"I know you can show me that focus again"_ ### Handling Specific Scenarios **Students who feel victimised**: - _"What do you think would be a fair consequence for this action?"_ - _"How can we make this right?"_ - _"What would help you be successful next time?"_ **When rules seem unfair**: - _"Even if other teachers have different expectations, the school rule is clear"_ - _"I understand you disagree, but this is how we do things in our classroom"_ - _"The rule applies to everyone equally"_ **Building compliance without confrontation**: - _"I'm going to give you a moment to make the right choice"_ - _"I'm confident you'll do the right thing"_ - _"Take your time to think about what comes next"_ ## Script Development and Maintenance ### Building Your Script Library Building a script library progresses through stages. Start by selecting scripts for your three or four most common behaviour situations and practice them until they become automatic. Once these core scripts feel natural, develop your repertoire by adding scripts for new situations you encounter and recording what works in your specific context. Refine your scripts by adapting them to fit your personal style and sharing effective variations with colleagues. Mastery arrives when your scripted responses activate automatically in the moment, freeing your conscious attention to focus on reading students' emotional states and maintaining relationships rather than searching for appropriate words. ### Consistency Guidelines Consistency in scripted language creates predictability for both teachers and students. Use the same language patterns across situations so students learn what to expect. Do not vary core phrases. They become automatic for both you and students through repetition. Practice scripts until they feel natural in delivery. Review and refine based on what works in your specific context, but maintain the core structure once established. ### Adapting to Your Style Effective scripts maintain core principles whilst allowing personal adaptation. Keep the fundamental structures: thanks not please, describe and direct, partial agreement, tactical ignoring, but adjust tone and word choice to fit your personality. Consider cultural context when selecting and adapting scripts, ensuring language patterns align with your students' backgrounds and expectations. Stay respectful whilst being assertive, finding the balance that maintains your authority without diminishing students' dignity. ## Remember: Scripts Enable Relationships Scripted language is about being prepared rather than being robotic. When you know exactly what to say in challenging moments, you can focus on maintaining relationships rather than searching for words. The calm, consistent responses that scripts provide create the emotional safety that allows genuine connection to flourish (Lemov, 2015; Marzano et al., 2003). Script the management so you can focus on the teaching and relationships. ## References Brophy, J. (2006). *History of research on classroom management*. In C. M. Evertson & C. S. Weinstein (Eds.), *Handbook of classroom management: Research, practice, and contemporary issues* (pp. 17-43). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Cialdini, R. B. (2009). *Influence: Science and practice* (5th ed.). Pearson Education. Lemov, D. (2015). *Teach like a champion 2.0: 62 techniques that put students on the path to college*. Jossey-Bass. Marzano, R. J., Marzano, J. S., & Pickering, D. (2003). *Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every teacher*. ASCD. Miller, G. E., Brehm, K., & Whitehouse, S. (1998). Reconceptualizing school-based prevention for antisocial behavior within a resiliency framework. *School Psychology Review*, 27(3), 364-379.