Encouraging positive behaviours in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET)

How to encourage good behaviours in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training

The question I am often asked a lot in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) particularly from those that teach with difficult learners are how do we encourage good behaviours? 

To start with, you need your policies and procedures to set expectations of your learners and the consequences if they don’t follow them. This sets out the expectations during the class and should be part of any induction process and reinforced with ground rules. The idea of this it that there are clear expectations for our learners.  

The role of diagnostic assessments in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training

The next stage is when you carry out your initial and diagnostic assessment. For learners that sign up to the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) we like to offer a course consultation to discover the needs of our learners, but it can be done at the initial and diagnostic stage, its down to your preferences. You need to find out learner needs, identify what their motivations are and any barriers to learning. It allows you to prepare for potential issues. If you discover learners need extra support, then you should be proactive and not wait until its too late. 

Ground rules in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training

Ground rules reinforce the code of conduct and allows your learners to think about which behaviours are acceptable. This is something to consider and I do give flexibility depending on the group. I still find it quite funny when teaching the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) that some learners still put their hands up and ask to go to the toilet. Its very respectful but I don’t think that’s really needed in an adult setting.  

The next way to encourage positive behaviour is to be a role model. Lead by example and be a leader that your learners can look up to. Looking smart and turning up on time is a great way to start. Always remain clam and polite with your learners and show them consideration. I’ve had heated discussions in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) where I haven’t agreed with what is being said and I have witnessed some learners offend others particularly when I taught abroad but there is a way of handling professionally. Learners will look up to how you act, and you deal with things, so you need to set an example.  

Toddlers in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training

What do you do when you have learners who disrupt your lessons? Do you call them out or do you ignore it? It all depends on the situation and how disruptive the individual is but generally if you can and it doesn’t disturb the class then I recommend that you ignore the behaviour and try to praise positive behaviour. Everyone wants to be rewarded so praise the behaviours that you want to enforce. My 3-year-old loves praise but I will praise any behaviour that his sister or friends do so my boy will think, ‘I get rewarded if I do that so I will do that next time’. It works. You can always use your eye contact to secretly communicate that you disapprove. My wife is good at that. I can feel the glare inside. Lastly which is a follow on to praising positive behaviour is to praise achievement and effort. Again, other learners are going to copy if they recognise, they can get praise which builds up their self-esteem.