Classroom management is as the methods and strategies an educator uses to maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to student success and learning (McCreary, 2013). Previous studies examined the use of classroom management and the problems in general. However, only a small number of studies discuss the particular classroom management issue junior high school English teachers face. This study investigated the problems encountered by English teachers in classroom management during teaching and learning activities at the junior high school level.

This research applied a qualitative descriptive approach using observation, interview, and documentation to collect the data. The subjects were three English teachers who taught at SMP Negeri 3 Banjarmasin. The classroom management problems found in this study categorized into five components based on the theory of Garrett (2014). The first were problems in the physical design of the classroom, such as students' seating that was not rearranged, causing congestion in mobility, and a lack of decorations that made the classroom less interesting. The second were problems with rules and routines, such as students tending to ignore the rules and teachers having difficulty monitoring the rules. The third was problems developing relationships, such as difficulty building communication because students lack activeness. The fourth were problems engaging instruction and motivation, which consist of difficulties in students’ lack of English vocabulary, a lack of appreciation feedback, and teachers’ inability to use technology-based media. The last were problems with discipline, such as students’ lack of discipline during learning activities and difficulties giving punishment.

From this research, it is suggested that English teachers create interesting learning activities for students to reduce problems and create controlled classroom management. Furthermore, the researcher suggests that future researchers can focus on a specific problem discussed in this research rather than on classroom management as a whole.