Behaviour Teaching Resources
Bring your behaviour management to the next level with printables and digital teaching resources created by teachers for teachers like you!
This collection of teacher-created resources is designed to support primary teachers as they implement their behaviour management strategies with printable reward charts, motivational posters and more!
Looking for tips and ideas to make your behaviour management more successful? Take a peek at some strategies from our teacher team!
What Is Behaviour Management?
Behaviour management is a proactive strategy for teachers to handle behaviour in the classroom. By setting up solid pupill organisation strategies, creating clear rules and expectations and providing consistent feedback, teachers set pupils up for success.
A good behaviour management strategy will give pupils:
- Specific expectations
- Positive reinforcement when expectations are met
- Fair and consistent consequences when expectations are not met
For example, of the most popular behaviour management strategies these days is CHAMPS, which stands for Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement and Participation. The goal is to provide pupils with an instructional structure that promotes responsibility and motivates students.
Why Is Behaviour Management Important?
Strongly backed by research, behaviour management strategies like CHAMPS have been shown to:
- Provide pupils with a sense of connection to school and their peers
- Promote a productive learning environment
- Minimise classroom disruptions
Behaviour Management Strategies
Before we dig in too deeply, it's worth stressing that the goal of the strategies you're about to read is to accentuate the positive, that is, to keep control of the behaviour in your classroom in a positive way.
We've also included a mix of strategies that will help you prevent negative behaviour as well as some simple things you can do to curb unwanted behaviour in the classroom.
Redirect
This technique is simple, yet effective. When you notice a child is off-task, simply move their attention from one thing to another. For example, if one pupil is distracting another pupil, you may direct their attention to the work at hand by saying you'll be over in a few minutes or simply asking that pupil what they are up to.
Ignore Secondary Behaviour
When a child is being warned about inappropriate behaviour, you may notice a secondary behaviour, such as an eye roll or a delayed response to a question. This behaviour is often to avoid humiliation in front of peers.
If the initial poor behaviour has stopped, ignoring the secondary behaviour — as long as no one is in danger and it hasn't caused additional classroom disruption — can prevent the situation from escalating. If you feel you need to, you may opt to talk to that pupil one on one after the lesson to reflect on the situation (without the audience of the other pupils).
Plan Your Transitions
A transition in a classroom is when a pupil moves from one activity to another. It can be a significant change such as transitioning from lunch back into the classroom or a more minor change such as transitioning from time on the carpet back to their seats.
For little brains, transitions can be tricky as they need to go from an active state to a focused state ready for learning, and this is where inappropriate behaviour may start to fester.
Planning for how you and your pupils should transition can help avoid this situation from escalating. A simple transition for the example of going from lunch back to class, for example, could be to use a fun movement such as walking like a ballet dancer back to class.
Make sure to explicitly teach pupils what they should be doing during transitions, so they know the sort of behaviour you expect!
Offer Choices
Providing a pupil choice is extremely powerful! It makes them feel like they are in the power seat, when in fact, you've planned it out beautifully! When you notice inappropriate behaviour, instead of issuing a demand, offer a pupil a choice of two options. The first choice would be the route you'd like them to take. The second is the consequence of not taking the first option.
For example, 'Zane, would you like to remove yourself from the distracting spot you're sitting in, and complete your work? Or, would you like to stay with me at lunchtime to complete the work then?'
You'll find that most of the time, the pupil will take the better option in this scenario.
Attention Grabbing
This is similar to the 'redirect' option, but this is a strategy to use if a number of pupils are starting to get off task. Use some fun attention-grabbing techniques like call and response ( you can download our Attention Grabbing Phrase Cards and use those!).
You can then redirect the group's attention back to the work by providing some more information that may support them in finishing off the task.
Use Positive Non-Verbal Reminders
You don't always have to use your voice for your behaviour management to work. Non-verbal reminders can be equally powerful and limit the disruption to the class. Simple non-verbals like stopping what you're saying and smiling at the pupil who may be off task is sometimes all that is needed for some pupils. This lets them know you know they're off-task in a gentle way.
Another non-verbal reminder is to simply lower your body down to the level of the child while you continue with the teaching, or, a simple tap on their desk as you walk past.
Set Up a Calm Corner
Little children experience BIG emotions, and often when they are trying to deal with these big emotions, they struggle with self-regulation.
Another behaviour management strategy that will work for some children is just some time away from the hustle and bustle of the classroom. If you have the space, set up a corner of the classroom for pupils to 'chill out.' You can fill the space with fidget toys, weighted blankets, wobble cushions, a tub of sensory toys and similar objects, plus some mindful colouring sheets!
If you are noticing a pupil that isn't responding to the smaller behaviour management strategies, 5 minutes in the chill-out corner/area may help this pupil.
Another idea — Sending a pupil to another teacher with a 'note' that says something simple such as 'John needed some space.' This gets the pupil out and about, and gives them some purpose by having the very important job of delivering the note to the other teacher.
Utilise Movement
We know a pupil's attention span is short, and yet we expect them to sit and listen and use their brains for long periods of time ... often longer than their age allows. Ensuring you have had a lot of movement integrated into your day is a great way to limit the number of behaviour situations you may encounter in a day.
It could be as simple as a 'stop work and stretch at your desks' type situation, but you may be surprised by how planning these movement breaks into your day can improve behaviour in the classroom.
Desk Arrangements
Strategic desk arrangements in the classroom can significantly improve behaviour management by fostering a structured and organised environment. Check out Tes Class Charts - our classroom management software here to help with setting up seating plans, managing behaviour and more.
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In this class, Mistakes are Expected, Inspected and Respected - Classroom Poster
A free positivity poster to encourage a growth mindset in your classroom.
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G.R.O.U.P.S - Group Work Expectations Poster
Encourage cooperative behaviour during group work activities with a printable group work mnemonic poster.
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Social Stories - Rules for School
A social story to remind students of the rules for school.
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Reward Bracelets – Behaviour Incentives
Encourage positive behaviour and reward your pupils for their achievements with a fun set of printable reward bracelets.
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Behaviour Stamp Card – Eye on the Prize!
Upgrade your behaviour management and motivate your students to keep their eye on the prize with this stamp card template.
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Lush Leaves Pink - Star Student Badges
A set of star student badges with a lush tropical leaves theme.
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Chocolate Buttons - Award Certificate
A chocolate button award to provide positive feedback and encouragement to your students.
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THINK Strategy - Think Before You Speak Poster
Promote positive communication using the THINK strategy and our printable Think Before You Speak Poster.
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Whole Body Listening – Poster and Worksheet
Use this poster and accompanying worksheet to teach your students about whole body listening.
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Behaviour Sticker Charts – Stars
Reward positive behaviour with printable sticker charts!
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The Science of Independent Learning - Individual Posters
Individual posters with sequential stages to help students learn independently.
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Bucket Fillers Posters
A set of two "Bucket Fillers" posters.
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Respect For Self, Others and Place Posters
A set of class rules posters reminding students to respect themselves, others and the environment.
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Social Stories - Letting My Friends Know I Don't Like It
A social story to develop strategies for students to communicate if they don't like something.
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Social Stories - Keeping My Hands and Feet to Myself
A social story to remind students to keep their hands and feet to themselves.
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Social Stories - Calming Down
A social story to develop calming down skills for when students feel frustrated.
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Social Stories – Pictures and Templates
81 social story pictures and 9 templates to use with children in your classroom.
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Triple Threat Snowball Fight - A Getting to Know You Game
A game to play at the beginning of the year to get to know each other.
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The Emotion Demotion - Class Poster
A class poster for students to use to brainstorm strategies on how to harness their emotions in the classroom.
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Behaviour Expectations Visual Cue Posters
Set clear behaviour expectations with these visual cue posters for the classroom.
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We Are... Class Rules Posters
Set your new students up for success with this set of 11 classroom expectation posters.
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Just Be – Classroom Expectations Posters
Set clear classroom expectations and provide daily behaviour reminders to your students with a set of colourful 'Be-haviour' posters.
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Visual Daily Timetable and Equipment List for Students
Provide a visual schedule for specific students with this desk template.
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Behaviour Learning Ladder - Vertical Chart
Track your students behaviour in the classroom with this set of 7 posters.
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Behaviour Reflection Sheet for Key Stage 2 Pupils
Invite your students to reflect on their behaviour choices with this behaviour think sheet.
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A Walk in My Shoes – Empathy Task Cards
A set of 20 task cards to use when teaching students about empathy.
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Editable Award Certificates
A set of four editable Microsoft Word award certificates.
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You're out of this World Certificates
A space themed certificate awarded to a student for reaching new heights.
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Behaviour I Can and Can't Control Poster
A poster highlighting different aspects of behaviour and ways to handle them effectively.
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Picture Exchange Communication Cards
A set of basic Picture Exchange Communication (PEC) cards for children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities.
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The Magic of Independent Learning - Individual Posters
Individual posters with sequential stages to help students learn independently.
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The Science of Independent Learning - Poster
Poster to help students learn independently in the classroom.