Beginning of the Lesson
These polite phrases are used right at the start of a morning class to welcome the entire room at once.
Good morning, everybody.
• Good afternoon, everybody.
• Hello, everyone.
• Hello there, ______.
These two basic opposite instructions are used to change students from a seated position to a standing position, and vice versa.
stand up and sit down
When setting up a collaborative task, an assistant teacher can use this direct three-word phrase to tell students to find one classmate to work with.
Work in pairs (or) Find a partner
These three enthusiastic phrases are used by an assistant teacher to praise a student who has just given an excellent answer or completed a brilliant piece of work.
"Good job/great job!", "Well done!", and "Congratulations!"
These two phrases are used to ask about a specific student who didn't show up for class today.
"Who is absent today?" or "Who isn't here today?"
At the end of a session, an assistant teacher can use these two phrases to find out if students have completed their tasks or if they have any confusion.
"Have you finished?" and "Any questions?"
If a student is looking around the room or whispering to a friend while the teacher is talking, the assistant teacher can use this phrase to pull their focus back to the front.
"Eyes on the teacher/board."? "Look at the board." or "Pay attention."
If a student fails a game or misses out on a prize by just one point, an assistant teacher can use this encouraging four-word phrase to keep their spirits up.
Better luck next time!
When a student walks into the classroom long after the bell has rung, the assistant teacher can ask these two questions to find out why.
Did you miss your bus?" or "Did you oversleep?"? (Accept: "Where have you been?"
To smoothly check if students are following along and understanding a concept during a lesson, a teacher can use these two informal comprehension questions.
"OK so far?" and "Do you get it?"? "Are you with me?" / "Do you follow me?"
During a test or an individual quiz, an assistant teacher can use these two short, firm phrases to stop students from looking at their friends' papers.
"Don't cheat"
"No copying"
"Eyes on your own paper"
When a student returns to class after being away sick, an assistant teacher should use these two caring questions to check on their recovery.
"Do you feel better today?" and "Are you better now?"
Instead of shouting, an assistant teacher can use these two firm phrases to make the start of the lesson conditional on the students' silence.
"I'm waiting for you to be quiet" and "We won't start until everyone is quiet."
What instructions can you give students when you pass them the worksheets?
What instructions can you give students when you want to collect the worksheets at the end of the class?
Take one and pass them on.
Give me back the worksheet.
When a dynamic mingling activity finishes, an assistant teacher should use this phrase to get students out of their temporary groups and back into their assigned chairs.
"Go back to your seats"
"Go back to your places"
If an assistant teacher needs to step away from the class to quickly speak to a colleague in the adjacent room, they should use this specific physical phrase to inform the students.
"I’ve got to go next door for a moment."
"I’ll be back in a moment."
This phrase transitions students from a casual state into serious study mode by suggesting it's time to focus on the actual tasks.
"Now we can get down to work."
These five specific words are used by a teacher to sequence instructions chronologically so students know exactly what to do from start to finish.
"First," "Next," "After that," "Then," and "Finally"
When transitioning from a chaotic whole-class game back to focused desk work, an assistant teacher must give this multi-step combination of instructions: one phrase to assign a student helper to hand out materials, one phrase to settle the noise, and a final phrase to get students facing forward.
Can you give these out?", "Calm down." (or "Stop moving."), and "Turn around and face me, please."?
If an assistant teacher suddenly feels unwell during a lesson and needs to ask a group of students blocking the exit to move aside so they can leave, they would combine a phrase describing their physical symptom with this direct polite command.
"I’m feeling sick" or "I’m not feeling well." or "I have a headache." or "I have a stomachache." or "I have a sore throat."