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Throughout the UK, learners have been shouting out the words ““six-seven” during instruction in the newest viral phenomenon to spread through educational institutions.

While some educators have decided to patiently overlook the craze, others have incorporated it. Several instructors describe how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

During September, I had been talking to my year 11 students about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall precisely what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for marks six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It took me completely by surprise.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an allusion to something rude, or that they perceived a quality in my accent that sounded funny. Slightly exasperated – but truly interested and mindful that they had no intention of being hurtful – I got them to explain. Honestly, the clarification they offered failed to create much difference – I continued to have little comprehension.

What could have rendered it particularly humorous was the evaluating movement I had executed while speaking. I have since found out that this frequently goes with ““67”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me thinking aloud.

To kill it off I aim to bring it up as much as I can. Nothing deflates a trend like this more thoroughly than an adult trying to join in.

‘If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno’

Understanding it aids so that you can avoid just accidentally making statements like “indeed, there were 6, 7 million jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is unpreventable, having a strong school behaviour policy and standards on student conduct really helps, as you can sanction it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually needed to implement that. Policies are necessary, but if learners accept what the educational institution is implementing, they will remain more focused by the online trends (especially in class periods).

With six-seven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic raised eyebrow and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give attention to it, then it becomes a wildfire. I treat it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any additional disruption.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one craze a while back, and there will no doubt be a different trend subsequently. It’s what kids do. When I was growing up, it was doing television personalities impressions (honestly outside the school environment).

Children are spontaneous, and I think it’s an adult’s job to behave in a way that guides them toward the path that will get them where they need to go, which, with luck, is coming out with qualifications instead of a disciplinary record lengthy for the employment of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students use it like a bonding chant in the playground: one says it and the remaining students reply to indicate they’re part of the same group. It resembles a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an agreed language they share. I don’t think it has any distinct meaning to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s banned in my classroom, though – it results in a caution if they call it out – similar to any additional shouting out is. It’s particularly challenging in numeracy instruction. But my class at year 5 are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re relatively adherent to the guidelines, whereas I understand that at high school it might be a distinct scenario.

I have served as a teacher for fifteen years, and such trends persist for a month or so. This trend will fade away shortly – this consistently happens, notably once their junior family members commence repeating it and it’s no longer fashionable. Subsequently they will be on to the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while instructing in English at a foreign language school. It was mostly young men saying it. I instructed ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent among the less experienced learners. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was simply an internet trend similar to when I was at school.

These trends are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a familiar phenomenon during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the educational setting. In contrast to ““67”, “skibidi toilet” was never written on the board in instruction, so students were less able to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, attempting to relate to them and appreciate that it’s merely youth culture. I believe they merely seek to feel that sense of togetherness and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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