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.
- Plus Plan
Hand Signals For Classroom Management
Strengthen classroom management and reduce classroom interruptions with miniature hand signal posters and bookmarks.
- Plus Plan
Caught Being Good! Class Reward System
Reward and track positive classroom behaviour with a printable 'Caught Being Good' ticket system.
- Plus Plan
Desk Pet Adoption Certificate
Boost pupil behaviour using Desk pets, starting with a printable Desk Pet Adoption Certificate.
- Plus Plan
Chill Out Passes
Use these Chill Out Passes as a classroom management tool.
- Free Plan
Behaviour Sticker Charts – Stars
Reward positive behaviour with printable sticker charts!
- Plus Plan
Our Class Rules - Set of 8
Remind pupils of classroom rules and expectations with this set of 8 posters.
- Plus Plan
Classroom Reward Coupons
Increase pupil motivation with this set of 23 coupons to use as a classroom reward system.
- Plus Plan
Classroom Hand Sign Posters
Strengthen classroom management and cut down on classroom interruptions with a set of hand signal posters.
- Plus Plan
Behaviour Sticker Charts
Reward positive behaviour for struggling pupils with editable reward charts.
- Plus Plan
Behaviour Reflection Sheet for Key Stage 1 Pupils
Invite your Key Stage 1 pupils to reflect on their behaviour choices with this behaviour think sheet.
- Plus Plan
Monthly Behaviour Tracker
A behaviour tracker to collect individual student data over the course of a month.
- Plus Plan
Big Problem, Little Problem Posters
Show different strategies for identifying and solving big problems and little problems with printable posters.
- Plus Plan
Chill Out! Calm Down Corner Poster
Welcome students into your class calm down corner with this cool classroom poster.
- Plus Plan
Reboot Remote
Help students work through tough situations with this remote control template.
- Plus Plan
Big Problem or Little Problem? – Sorting Activity
A sorting activity for students to place situations in order from the littlest problem to the biggest problem.
- Plus Plan
The Magic of Independent Learning – Vertical Chart
Chart your students' learning progress with this set of 8 vertical tracking sheets.
- Plus Plan
The Science of Independent Learning – Vertical Chart
Chart your students' learning progress on this set of 8 vertical tracking sheets.
- Plus Plan
Student of the Week – Lower Grades
Celebrate the students in your classroom by having a Student of the Week program!
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Respect Self, Others and the Environment Posters
Encourage pupils to respect themselves, others and the environment with a set of printable class rule posters.
- Plus Plan
Recognising Feelings Flashcards
Improve your students' emotional literacy with this set of feelings flashcards.
- Plus Plan
Classroom Expectations Posters
Display three of the most important classroom expectations with this set of posters.
- Plus Plan
Class Noise Monitor Poster
Remind your students of the appropriate noise level within the classroom with our noise monitor poster.
- Plus Plan
Visual Daily Timetable and Equipment List for Students
Provide a visual schedule for specific students with this desk template.
- Plus Plan
Flexible Seating Expectation Mini-Posters
Remind your students of the expectations when using flexible seating in the classroom.
- Plus Plan
Behaviour Learning Ladder - Vertical Chart
Track your students behaviour in the classroom with this set of 7 posters.
- Plus Plan
Pupil Interest Survey
Determine your students' interests with this survey for young students.
- Plus Plan
Visual First-Then Schedule
Communicate a sequence of events with this visual first-then board and set of 48 reward picture cards.
- Plus Plan
Token Board
Provide a visual reminder of what a student is working for with this visual reward chart and set of 36 reward cards.
- Plus Plan
We Are Working For... Class Reward Chart
Remind your class of their behaviour goals with a 'We Are Working For' display.
- Plus Plan
Behaviour Reflection Sheet for Key Stage 2 Pupils
Invite your students to reflect on their behaviour choices with this behaviour think sheet.
- Plus Plan
Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down Classroom Expectations Sort
Review appropriate classroom behaviours with this sorting activity.