SUMMARY

Teachers’ decision in the classroom is very important because their decision has potential in

affecting students’ achievement, and shaping their manners. Teaching can be defined as the

process of making and implementing decisions before, during and after instruction to increase

the probability of learning. If teachers are able to make correct decision, they will gain respect

and create better relationship among students in the classroom. Thus, teachers must have

qualities in decision making and equip themselves with knowledge especially in teaching and

learning process including approaches, techniques or methods should be used in the classroom.

A research from University of Oulu, Finland, written by Emilia Aho & others (2010)

stated that teachers are continuously confronted with challenging situations that demand

decision making. The teachers’ decision in the classroom is important to manage the classroom

well. It is because, the teacher needs different techniques to suit with different children. The

result stated three principles in making decision such as knowing the pupils, teacher personality

and emotional state.

It is agreed that teachers should know their students well to create good relationship

and handling the classroom would be easier if they are able to predict each other’s behaviour.

Moreover, teachers also have to adapt and handle disruptions in the classroom. Teachers build

their professional identity throughout their entire career and normally, they are able to make

good decision in order to solve any problems faced with the students. Anyway, it is believed

that sometimes, teachers as human being would be distress, nervous, discouraged or frustrated

of something in life. These will affect their decision making but they should be professional to

make sure their feelings and emotions will not influencing their decision making in the

classroom.
 An article written by Tirtaha Raj (2012) entitled ‘Decision Making in ESL Classroom’

stated that teaching itself is a thinking process which teachers make a lot of thinking and

decision every day. This is including the decision to conduct good lesson as well as the decision

when they faced any problem in the classroom. This article shows that teachers should make

good decision to ensure an effective lesson will be carried out. Those decision are planning

decision, interactive decision and evaluative decision.

Before the teaching process, teachers have to plan and decide on the lesson such as

determining the objectives of the lesson, what strategies and teaching materials should be used,

or what activities that suit their students’ ability. It help the teacher aware of possible problems

occur during the lesson.

Interactive decision involves the ability of the teachers to observe their students

behaviours as teaching itself is an interactive process which enables the teachers to access

students’ response and modify their teaching strategy in order to support optimal learning as

stated by Parker (1984) that ‘teaching-learning context change, and teacher’s behaviours must

change accordingly.’ Consideration of all these will help teachers to make appropriate decision

in the classroom.

The evaluative decision is part of the teaching process. Teachers should reflect on their

own teaching and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses. This will help teachers to plan better

lesson and help them to decide on more effective strategies next time in order to fulfil their

students’ needs in the classroom.

Behind all these decision making principles and concepts, there are also some other

factors which affecting the decision making such as teacher’s experience and knowledge,

creating thinking, self- concept, stress, interpersonal conflict and also time, money and energy.

Anyway, if teachers are professional enough and able to handle these situations wisely, it is
believe that they would manage their classroom well and develop the students’ skills and

interest towards the lesson without any difficulties.

In Malaysia context, basically there is no significant differences compare to decision

making by teachers in other country. Although there are differences in teaching environment,

basically teachers faced the same problems occur in the classroom. Thus, the decision making

process is still the same which teachers play important role to make the best decision to be

apply in the classroom situation. In TESOL classroom too, teacher must also make wise

decision to make sure the teaching and learning process suit its goals. For instant, teacher

should plan and decide on appropriate task to be given to the students, and the lesson should

be interactive which all students able to participate actively.

Nowadays, student-centred is important and teachers must guide the students as

facilitators, and let the students handle the task in pairs or in group to create more interesting

and fun lesson. Teacher should also make sure that their students able to use the language

fluently for communicative purposes. The effectiveness on teachers’ decision making and

actions will develop the teachers’ professional competence as well as increase the students’

achievement and satisfaction in the classroom.