Private correction (quiet ‘side script’)
Aim (what it achieves)
Correct behaviour without creating a public confrontation.
When to use
When a pupil is sensitive to embarrassment or escalates when corrected publicly.
How to use (steps)
Teacher language (examples)
“I need silence now. Thank you.”
Top tips (makes it work)
Keep it private; keep it brief; follow through calmly if needed.
Common pitfalls
Calling out across the room; adding commentary; ‘naming and shaming’.
SEND/PP considerations
Particularly important for SEND/PP pupils who interpret public correction as rejection.
Tags
Sources
Used in
Behaviour Matrix
- Interrupt & Redirect Work avoidance / blank page / ‘I can’t’
- Interrupt & Redirect Low-level defiance / arguing / ‘No’ (mild)
- Interrupt & Redirect Peer friction / bickering / low-level conflict
- Interrupt & Redirect Disorganisation / missing equipment / dead time
Related strategies
Take-up time (instruction, then step away)
Increase compliance by removing the ‘audience’ and pressure.
Positive framing (correct while staying on their side)
Hold the boundary while preserving relationship and motivation.
Least invasive intervention ladder
Match the smallest effective response to the behaviour.
Micro-choice (bounded options)
Prevent escalation by giving controlled choice without lowering expectations.
Prompt with a question (self-correction)
Encourage pupils to correct themselves without a battle.
Describe–Direct–Disengage (3D correction script)
Correct quickly without emotion or escalation: state behaviour, give direction, then move on.