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Throughout the UK, learners have been exclaiming the phrase “sixseven” during lessons in the latest viral craze to take over classrooms.

Although some teachers have chosen to patiently overlook the phenomenon, some have incorporated it. A group of teachers describe how they’re dealing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my year 11 class about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in relation to, but I said something like “ … if you’re aiming for results six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It surprised me totally off guard.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an reference to something rude, or that they’d heard something in my accent that seemed humorous. A bit annoyed – but genuinely curious and mindful that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I asked them to elaborate. To be honest, the clarification they then gave failed to create much difference – I still had little comprehension.

What possibly made it particularly humorous was the evaluating motion I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I found out that this often accompanies “six-seven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the process of me speaking my mind.

With the aim of kill it off I aim to mention it as often as I can. No approach reduces a craze like this more emphatically than an teacher striving to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it assists so that you can avoid just blundering into comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 hundred people without work in Germany in 1933”. If the numerical sequence is unpreventable, possessing a firm school behaviour policy and standards on student conduct is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any additional interruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Rules are one thing, but if learners buy into what the educational institution is practicing, they’ll be less distracted by the online trends (especially in instructional hours).

With 67, I haven’t wasted any lesson time, other than for an infrequent quizzical look and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give attention to it, it evolves into a blaze. I address it in the same way I would manage any different interruption.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one phenomenon a while back, and there will no doubt be another craze subsequently. It’s what kids do. Back when I was youth, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impressions (honestly away from the classroom).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to react in a way that redirects them in the direction of the direction that will help them where they need to go, which, hopefully, is coming out with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record a mile long for the employment of meaningless numerals.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Students utilize it like a connecting expression in the playground: one says it and the other children answer to show they are the equivalent circle. It’s like a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an common expression they share. I don’t think it has any specific meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a phenomenon to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, however – it results in a caution if they call it out – similar to any additional calling out is. It’s notably difficult in mathematics classes. But my class at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively accepting of the guidelines, while I understand that at teen education it could be a different matter.

I have served as a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena last for a month or so. This phenomenon will diminish shortly – it invariably occurs, especially once their little brothers and sisters begin using it and it’s no longer fashionable. Then they’ll be engaged with the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was mostly young men uttering it. I educated teenagers and it was common within the less experienced learners. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was simply an internet trend akin to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a familiar phenomenon back when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the learning environment. In contrast to “six-seven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not scribbled on the whiteboard in instruction, so students were less equipped to adopt it.

I typically overlook it, or sometimes I will smile with the students if I accidentally say it, trying to relate to them and recognize that it’s merely youth culture. I believe they just want to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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