Managing Engagement and Behavior in Elementary Spanish Class

Most of us get into teaching for the joy of nurturing learning.

As it turns out, one of the most important skills a teacher needs is classroom management.

Unfortunately, classroom management does not come naturally to all teachers. It is a skill we have to learn and practice.

Key Takeaways

• All teachers struggle with classroom management.
• There are specific reasons why this can be especially challenging for elementary Spanish teachers.
• You can implement effective strategies to improve student behavior.

 

Managing Student Engagement and Behavior in the Elementary Spanish Classroom

In a recent customer survey, we asked, “What do you think is the biggest challenge facing preschool, elementary, or middle school Spanish teachers?”.  The second most frequent response, as seen in the graph below, focused on the theme of student engagement and behavior.

 

 

If you’ve ever found yourself repeating directions five times, redirecting off-task behavior, or wondering if your students absorbed anything from today’s lesson—you’re not alone.

Issues with student engagement and behavior affect all teachers.  Every elementary Spanish teacher faces them at one time or another.

Whether you’re working from a cart, teaching in a shared space, or meeting with each class only once or twice a week, the obstacles are real.

At Sonrisas Spanish, we know that even the most thoughtfully designed Spanish curriculum for elementary students can fail without strong classroom management strategies.

So, let’s take a look at why is this such a big challenge and what we can you do about it.

Why This Is a Big Challenge for Elementary Spanish

• Developmental Stage: Elementary students are still learning how to regulate their emotions, manage impulses, and follow classroom routines. In early grades especially, even short lessons can feel long if students aren’t actively engaged.
• Language Barrier: When students don’t fully understand the target language, they may zone out, act out, or become frustrated. Apathy and misbehavior can sometimes be a mask for confusion.
• Mixed-Ability Groups: Many Spanish teachers have classrooms with students at vastly different levels. Heritage speakers, beginners, and everyone in between—this variety makes planning and engagement more complex.
• Limited Time: If you only see students once or twice a week, establishing routines and rapport takes longer—and so does reinforcing expectations and managing behavior.
• Post-Pandemic Realities: Teachers across the country report increased behavior challenges following years of disrupted learning and social development. Students may be less prepared to collaborate, transition, or focus than in years past.

Effective Strategies to Boost Engagement and Improve Behavior

You can implement effective classroom management, but it takes work. Intentional preparation and planning helps.  It may take some trial and error, but you can do it.

Research continues to validate both time-tested strategies and fresh approaches that make a real difference. Here are some practical tools to help you with your classroom management.

1. Establish a Consistent Routine and Structure

Here at Sonrisas, we are big proponents of routine and structure. We designed the Sonrisas lessons with the consistent structure of Circle Time, Story Time, and Art Time. But there are other, small things you can do to establish routine in your class.

Start each lesson with a consistent routine: a greeting, a warm-up, or a reminder of your class norms. Even in once-a-week programs, predictable routines reduce anxiety and help students focus.

Pro Tip: Use visuals to reinforce rules. Simple icons for “listen,” “raise your hand,” or “sit criss-cross” can help non-readers and language learners follow along with routines.

2. Build Relationships First

Classroom management starts with connection. When students feel seen and supported, they’re more likely to stay engaged and behave positively.

• Learn students’ names quickly.
• Use Spanish to greet them with enthusiasm.
• Acknowledge effort and growth, not just outcomes.

A strong relationship can go a long way, especially when attention starts to drift.

3. Use Positive Reinforcement

Focus on what students are doing right. Praise, smiles, and specific recognition (e.g., “I love how quietly Juan is sitting, ready to learn!”) can redirect behavior more effectively than scolding.

Try This: Keep a small stack of ¡Excelente! notes or postcards you can send home to celebrate positive behavior. Students love the recognition, and families appreciate the communication.

4. Incorporate Movement and Hands-On Activities

Elementary learners need to move! Total Physical Response (TPR), songs with actions, and interactive games not only support language acquisition—they keep students active and engaged.

All of the songs in the Sonrisas lessons have accompanying movement and gesture. These not only provide comprehensible input, but they also engage young learner’s active bodies.

Many of the lesson activities also incorporate role-play. Role-play gives students the opportunity to use their bodies and communicate with their peers.

Try This: If your students seem especially distracted, take a break and play a game like Simón dice. My students always loved playing this active game. With Simón dice, a great strategy for more advanced students is to let them be the leader of the game.

5. Strategic Seating and Transitions

If possible, set up your classroom in a way that minimizes distractions. Even small changes like facing students toward you during Circle Time or assigning group roles can help.

Plan transitions intentionally: use call-backs (Clase, clase? — Sí, sí!), countdowns, or short chants to keep things flowing and avoid chaos between activities.

6. Try the Good Behavior Game

The Good Behavior Game is a classroom management strategy that promotes positive behavior and has shown positive long-term impacts for students. This evidence-based strategy is built around four core elements of classroom rules, team membership, monitoring behavior, and positive reinforcement. It’s simple, fun, and builds teamwork and accountability.

7. Incorporate Mindfulness and Self-Regulation

Quick breathing exercises, movement breaks, or quiet reflection times can help students re-center. These practices build self-awareness and emotional control—skills essential for any learning environment. You may need to take some time out of your normal routine to teach these strategies, but they can be very effective.

8. Embrace Restorative Practices

When behavior issues arise, consider a restorative approach. Instead of immediate consequences, ask guiding questions:

• What happened?
• How did it affect others?
• How can we fix it?

This helps students take ownership and learn from their behavior.

Final Thoughts

Remember that you are not alone in experiencing classroom management challenges. The environment and teaching scenarios that elementary Spanish teachers face provide specific challenges.

Even the best Spanish curriculum for elementary students needs to be paired with thoughtful, responsive classroom management. By utilizing the strategies listed here, you can create a classroom where students not only behave, they also but thrive.

If you want to read more about classroom management, check out these other articles in the Sonrisas blog:

• Classroom Management in Spanish Class
• Classroom Management for Preschool and Elementary Spanish