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Around the UK, learners have been exclaiming the words “sixseven” during lessons in the latest meme-based trend to take over schools.

While some educators have decided to stoically ignore the phenomenon, different educators have incorporated it. Several instructors describe how they’re coping.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Back in September, I had been speaking with my year 11 tutor group about preparing for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall precisely what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re working to results six, seven …” and the entire group started chuckling. It caught me completely by surprise.

My immediate assumption was that I’d made an hint at an offensive subject, or that they detected an element of my pronunciation that sounded funny. A bit exasperated – but honestly intrigued and aware that they had no intention of being malicious – I persuaded them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the clarification they then gave failed to create much difference – I remained with minimal understanding.

What possibly rendered it particularly humorous was the weighing-up movement I had made while speaking. I have since found out that this often accompanies “six-seven”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me thinking aloud.

To end the trend I attempt to mention it as often as I can. No strategy reduces a trend like this more effectively than an adult trying to get involved.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it assists so that you can avoid just accidentally making comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the numerical sequence is unavoidable, having a firm student discipline system and expectations on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any additional interruption, but I rarely been required to take that action. Policies are important, but if pupils accept what the educational institution is implementing, they will remain less distracted by the viral phenomena (particularly in class periods).

Regarding 67, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, aside from an occasional eyebrow raise and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide attention to it, it transforms into a wildfire. I treat it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any different disruption.

Earlier occurred the nine plus ten equals twenty-one craze a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge a new phenomenon subsequently. This is typical youth activity. During my own youth, it was imitating television personalities mimicry (honestly outside the classroom).

Children are unpredictable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to respond in a way that redirects them back to the direction that will help them to their educational goals, which, hopefully, is coming out with qualifications rather than a conduct report lengthy for the employment of arbitrary digits.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

The children employ it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: one says it and the remaining students reply to indicate they’re part of the same group. It’s like a call-and-response or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they share. In my view it has any particular importance to them; they just know it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the newest phenomenon is, they seek to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, nevertheless – it triggers a reminder if they call it out – just like any different verbal interruption is. It’s notably tricky in mathematics classes. But my students at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively adherent to the guidelines, although I recognize that at secondary [school] it could be a separate situation.

I’ve been a teacher for 15 years, and such trends continue for three or four weeks. This phenomenon will diminish shortly – this consistently happens, notably once their younger siblings begin using it and it’s no longer fashionable. Afterward they shall be engaged with the subsequent trend.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I started noticing it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mainly boys saying it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was widespread among the junior students. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was simply an internet trend akin to when I attended classes.

The crazes are constantly changing. ““Skibidi” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the learning environment. Unlike ““sixseven”, ““the skibidi trend” was never written on the whiteboard in lessons, so learners were less equipped to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to empathise with them and appreciate that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they simply desire to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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