Classroom Management Strategies for Abusive Language and Swearing

Children need to be very clear about the consequences of their use of unacceptable language.  If there is no school policy in place then use your own – and stick to it so that they are in no doubt that certain behaviour is not acceptable. 

The oft-quoted strategy of staying calm applies equally well here.  No matter how profane the offence (and you don’t need me to tell you how creative they can be), try not to lose your temper. Let your chosen consequence do the job for you.  Calmly state ‘that’s a minute you owe me’ (or whatever your sanction is for this scenario), mark it down, and carry on with the lesson.  Don’t raise your voice while doing this as that can be read as the emotional response they are probably trying to trigger. 

If swearing is a regular occurrence the first consequence needs to be quite lenient.  That may sound like double-dutch but if the air in class turns blue every two minutes you can’t dish out final-tier punishments for every offence – if you begin with ‘okay, that’s a detention!’, you are limiting your options for a follow-up (unless you’re really not afraid of calling the riot squad). 

I once took a post in a residential EBD and was stunned by the liberal attitude of some staff towards swearing in Y10 and Y11 groups.  I had worked  in  very  strict  EBD  settings  prior  to  that  and  I  decided  that despite the prevailing liberal attitude to foul language, I wasn't having it.  It took me a few weeks, but I managed to eradicate swearing from my classroom. 

And this is how I did it: by being totally consistent (ensuring every incidence of swearing was addressed) and by taking time to build up strong relationships with the main offenders in the group.  I spent time with them after lessons - played football and other games with them at break, helped them with their work at lunch time and after school, went out  on evening trips etc. I know what you’re thinking and yes, it did involve a lot of extra work for me, but the results justified it.  It meant I only had to say "Oi, pack the language in" and they would comply – they respected me because they knew I cared about them.  Eventually it ceased to be a problem at all – and these kids were the roughest of the rough! 

Other strategies to manage swearing: 

1. Host a discussion session. 

Let them have their say. Give students an opportunity to discuss the issue of swearing and set their own ground rules.  Let them discuss what they would or would not find acceptable, and what they would do about "offenders".  Discuss with the class how you convey respect; how you speak conveys respect or disrespect, care or disdain etc.  What message is it sending when we use foul language?  How should we speak and why? What impression would others have of us if we used foul language in public – for example in a restaurant with our girlfriend/boyfriend? Is that how we want to be viewed? What would  be the advantages/disadvantages of being viewed negatively by others? 

2. Refuse to be drawn in. 

Students will say, “Oh but we use this kind of language all the time.” 

“My Mum and Dad say that” etc. 

Your response: 
“Maybe so, but we do not speak like that in this class.  I don’t use that kind of language with you. I don’t expect you to use that kind of language here in this classroom.  Okay?  Thank you”.

3. Don’t make a big deal about it. 

Remember that a swearing student is probably trying to provoke a reaction.  Rather than show your disgust, first ensure the other students are occupied then take the offender aside calmly and deal with them out of earshot of the rest of the class. 

4. Set up a ‘swear box’. 

You can’t take their money (what can you do – that’s life!) but you can hit them where it hurts by depriving them of merits, time, computer use etc. For each offence put a token of your own invention in the box (or chart), with sanctions taking effect when the pre-arranged threshold is reached. 

5. Engage support from parents. Try to encourage parents/ guardians to follow up at home by encouraging polite language and discouraging swearing.  You could try suggesting that ‘The Sopranos’ probably isn’t the kind of family drama they should be binge-watching, but it’s probably better just to explain that the incidents of inappropriate language are a problem in lessons and will become more of a problem for the student in future if they aren’t checked.   

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