ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the classroom management of disruptive behaviours among primary school pupils with a view to recommending ways of averting these problems and meeting these needs through classroom management strategies. The study was guided by four research questions and two null hypotheses. Review of literature focused on the theoretical framework of the study, the management of disruptive behaviours and classroom management strategies. The study was carried out in primary school level of basic education comprised of Urban and rural schools in Nsukka Central Educational Authority of Enugu state, Nigeria. The population of the study was 582. Out of the above population, a simple of 120 teachers was studied. The instrument used for the collection of data was a questionnaire titled Classroom Management Strategies for Disruptive Behaviour Among Pupils Questionnaire (CMSDBPQ). The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviations while the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics at .05 level of significance. The major findings of the study showed that the prevalent disruptive behaviours exhibited by primary school pupils included laughing unnecessarily, shouting, cheating during tests, jumping from one place to another, talking without permission, loud yawning in the classroom, fighting, finger pinching, joking while a lesson is going on and murmuring, among others. The findings also revealed that lack of interest in subject matter, disability, teachers’ ineffective teaching, overcrowding in the classroom, poor sitting arrangement, poor home training (inconsistent parenting), exposure to violence, hunger, health conditions, repeating the same class, lack of motivation from the teacher, teachers’ negative attitude towards pupils and lack of recreational time were the causes of disruptive behaviours. Furthermore, the findings of the study also identified the classroom management strategies adopted by teacrhers to manage disruptive behaviours in class to include sending the child out of the class sending the child to do manual labour, flogging, scolding, referral to school disciplinary committee, kneeling, labelling, monitoring, motivating good students, standing the pupil up for some time and proper classroom arrangement. The findings of the study also showed that encouragement, reinforcing good behaviours, setting up usable rules, include course and behaviour norms and expectations for pupils in the learning objectives, letting pupils know you expect them to act appropriately, share control and responsibility with pupils and defining what is meant by a disruptive behaviour were the effective management strategies available for use in managing disruptive behaviour in primary schools.  It was also found out that these problems militate against effective teaching and learning. Finally, it was discovered that applying effective management strategies will go a long way in averting the problems of disruptive behaviours among pupils in the classroom. The educational implications of the findings were highlighted such as teachers undergoing in-service training to acquire requisite skills for effective teaching, motivation and for effective classroom management  and the application of rewards, motivation  reinforce good behaviours among pupils. The major limitation of the study was outlined and suggestions for further studies made.