Chapter 3: How to manage teaching & learning

Chapter 3How to manage teaching & learningTeacher’s physical presence in classTeacher’s voiceMarking stages of the lessonSeating arrangementGroupingsEvaluating a lesson (success or failure)Teacher’s physical presence in class Proximity: - short distance: Ss uncomfortable - long distance = coldness  Teachers should consider how close they want to be to Ss Appropriacy: Deciding how closely teachers should work with Ss Movement - Teacher’s movement: retaining Ss’ interest - How much? Depending teacher’s personal style - Motionless teachers bore Ss.Contact: helping teachers to be aware of - what Ss are doing - how they are feeling - the nature of contact  varying 2. Teacher’s voiceTeacher’s most important instrumentAudibility: - to be audible, not shouting - to get balance b/w audibility & volumeVariety: - varying the quality of voice (depending the type of lesson/activityConservation: taking great care of voices3. Marking stages of a lesson Start the lesson where possible & appropriate (kind of lesson, learning activities, objectives)Not always explaining exactly what to do maintaining an element of surprise 4. Seating arrangementOrderly rowsCircles & horseshoesSeparate tablesOrderly rows- Advantages:Having a clear view (T Ss & T Ss )Maintaining eye contact (Ss/ individual)Suitable for explaining grammar points, watching video, using the board, demonstrating text organization, language practice (choral drill.)The best or only solution: large classes (40-200Ss) Circles & horseshoesIdeal for small classesTeacher’s position: less dominatingLowering the barriers b/w T & Ss Easy to share feeling & information through talking, eye contact & body movements Separate tablesEasy to check Ss’ work, help weak Ss & prompt & explain sth to SsThe class atmosphere: less hierarchical Its own problems: Ss dislike working with the same partners; difficult for ‘whole class’ teaching 5. Different student groupings Whole classGroup work & pair workSolo work Whole classThe best type of classroom organizationClassroom activities: - choral drill (structural drill) - introducing the new lesson - checking Ss’ reading tasks after pair work or group work Group work & pair workGiving Ss chances for greater independence (making learning decision, sharing responsibilities)Giving teachers opportunities to work with individual Ss Tasks for group work: discussing a topic, doing a role play, solving a problemProblems of group workSome Ss don’t like working with partnersStrong Ss dominate # others : silentEncouraging Ss to be more descruptiveSs with the same L1: reverting to their L1 if the teacher is not working with them Solo workAllowing Ss to work at their own speed, thinking time & to be individualsRelaxing & considering their own needs & progress  pair work, group work or solo work depending teacher’s style & Ss’ preference6. Evaluating the success or failure of the lessonGetting feedback from Ss by asking some simple questionsInviting colleagues to observe & make suggestions (the lesson is videoed)Homework assignment, speaking activities (observing/scoring Ss’participation, progress tests in class) Activity 1: Choose appro. situations for the behaviors below of the teacher the teacher shouts. the teacher is in front of the class. the teacher is at the back of the class. the teacher is sitting on the floor. the teacher is ‘sitting’ on the table round which four students are working.Activity 2: Choose the most suitable interaction patterns for the activities below Learners do an information-gap with two sets of information. Learners write their own stories. Learners take part in an oral drill. Learners decide together how to report their conclusions to the rest of the class. Learners do a written test. Activity 3:What is the best seating arrangement for each situation below. Students are designing an advertisement in groups. You want to explain a grammar point. You have some reading tasks in a class of over 40 learners. In your class of 16 students, you want them to work in pairs.