Designing tasks for large classes
...ng style to the large lecture situation; Addressing these concerns over the long-term. (Herr K, 1985). One of the main problems of large classes is noise. All the teachers must develop good discipline in large classes. Some teachers establish a special code of behavior that can be created by teachers and learners together. It should state clear basic rules of conduct that learners understand, such as: 1. They have to work quietly. 2. They may not talk or may talk, but not loudly. 3. Children who have finished the lesson tasks can read a book to keep them busy. 4. They may not eat sweets or chew gum during the lesson. 5. Use the computer or different kind of dictionaries in the classroom. 6. Use the environment outside the classroom. (http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/large_classes.shtml) Nowadays there are many teachers have problems with teenagers during their English or other subject teaching. Some teachers know loads of useful suggestions for inspiring confidence for the teenagers. Only few teachers can enjoy a happy classroom and quality learning, with no discipline problems at all. Here are some guidelines for a general attitude to adopt in the classroom: Adopt a relaxed, informal posture in the first time the children are likely to see the teacher. Sometimes teenagers do not care as much about what teacher thinks as what their peers think of them. Do not belittle them in front of their peers, if you can avoid it. The teacher does not try to be "one of them", teachers are the adults and teenagers need to know that they are secure being teacher. They will need to help them to sort out their friendship, tolerance and other problems with their peers. They want to know that teacher will listen to them. They want to know that, whatever goes wrong one day, that teacher will start afresh the next. That every day is a renewed opportunity to be considered a pleasant human being again and to try again to live up to teachers expectations. Sometimes teacher can enjoy their sense of humor, treat them like interesting, stimulating beings and never allow them to sense that the teacher feel threatened by them. Usually good teachers give public praise for good behavior and quiet, individual correction. They use popular ringleaders as group leaders and the teacher will reap wonderful rewards. Whenever possible, base teaching around group activities. Teachers have to give clear instructions and get them on with it, removing the focus from yourself as soon as this is not strictly necessary. Teachers have to try to channel their energies as opposed to squashing theirs to replace theirs with yours. (D.W. Johnson, R.T. Johnson, and K.A. Smith, 1991). 2.2. Teaching and learning strategies All teachers use different teaching and learning strategies. In particular, the lesson should be as active as possible for the children to encourage conceptual change. As D.G. Teichler (1976) claimed that all children and students learn: 10% of what they read; 20% of what they hear; 30% of what they see; 50% of what they both see and hear; 70% of what they discuss with people whose opinions they value; 80% of what they personally experience; and 90% of what they teach to other people. His suggestions are similar to those who study cognition today, is to lecture less and use more audio-visual aids, including computer-generate graphics. Typically, collaborative-learning activities follow the cycle recommended by Kenneth Bruffee: The teacher designs a task requiring written products to be completed by the groups within a specified time period. The groups work independently on the task. During the plenary session, recorders report the groups' solutions. The teacher moderates a discussion based on the differences in the groups' solutions. At the appropriate time, the teacher presents a solution to the problem, justifying it with reasons. Many teachers already use group work to help children learning in a large class. In a large class children pairs and groups can help each other and learn from each other. And they don't get bored listening to teacher talk. The teachers are trying these strategies: Organize the groups to suit the children's abilities. Mixed-ability groups: The more able learners in the group can help the others to master the work so that the teacher need not teach particular parts. Same-ability groups: The teacher can leave the groups of faster learners to get on with the work on their own. Sometimes the teacher can give extra help to individual learners in the slower groups. Using group leaders or monitors: some teachers appoint faster, more able learners as group leaders or monitors who can help slower learners. The teacher monitors the groups yourself. She or he needs to move around the classroom to see what progress learners are making and what problems are coming up. The teacher can give advice, encouragement and extra individual help where it is needed. Some teachers are faced when resources are lacking. Group work can help to manage with few textbooks, or even only one textbook. Sometimes teachers do not have enough books for each child, form groups so that each group has one book. If we have only one book, we can let each group have some time to work with the book. The other groups can do activities that fit in with the theme of the course in the book. For example, if the topic is my hobby those groups who have not read yet can work on pre-reading tasks around my hobby. They can write down words they know on that topic, or talk about their hobbies. Those groups who have finished reading can talk about what they have read, or write down a summary. After about ten minutes give the book to another group, so that by the end of the lesson all the groups will have done some work with the book. Besides some teachers with or without group work, especially then they have only one book, usually they write the important bits of text on the blackboard before the lesson. And make the text into a dictation, its more effective for children learning, so everyone has a copy of the text written down, after that the children can check the dictation again. Usually in the beginning of the term, teachers conduct term of study with the teenagers on how to work in groups - on effective group behaviors, symptoms of group dysfunction, and procedures for improving group performance. During the academic year, groups can do such tasks as posing questions related to a topic, creating idea maps in response to a question or problem, creating abstracts of an article or textbook chapter, sharing ideas for paragraphs topics, for example, collaborating on library research projects, constructing short papers in class, developing tree diagrams for an argument, preparing positions for class debate, doing sentence-combining or close exercises, and having members read finished essays aloud in the groups and help one another proofread them before submitting them to the teacher. For example, thirty-children classes is not a problem for teachers who adopt collaborative group work. The classes themselves are often fun - even exhilarating - to teach. As a matter of fact small groups of 6-10 children are an ideal size for creating a supportive climate in which learners can receive individual attention. But if groups are too small discussions may lack range and variety. If groups are too big it is difficult for each individual to get involved. Teachers are often teaching a classes which have children who are clearly of different levels. They may have different starting levels of English or they may learn at very different speeds - for any number of reasons. There are several strategies that a teacher can use to deal with this situation. The following strategies are: 1. Range of tasks. This involves creating or providing different tasks for different levels. For example, the number of comprehension questions for a text. Teachers might have two sets of questions, A and B. All children have to complete set A, but the stronger ones can also complete set B. Or, they even have an extra reading text. This obviously increases the amount of lesson preparation. However, it is possible to think of fairly simple extra tasks. For example, during a reading lesson, the stronger children have to do detailed dictionary work on vocabulary in the text. It takes very little time to select words for the children to research. With the stronger children spending 10 minutes working with dictionaries, the teacher has time to monitor and help the weaker ones with the text. Then she or he can go through the shared comprehension tasks as a class, and perhaps the stronger children can make a presentation about the words they have researched. 2. Extra work/ homework. It is straightforward to give different children different homework - unless it is part of a standardized assessment procedure. Teacher can give weaker children homework, which really does consolidate the class work, and give the stronger children work that will widen their knowledge or put it to the test a little more. When teaching mixed ability classes, the weaker children are missing things during the lesson, or failing to understand. The teacher can use homework to address this. The stronger children may feel held back during the class, so homework can now really push them (if they are so inclined!). Writing tasks are great for homework, as a productive skill that can be performed individually. Teacher can expect more from the stronger children, and use it as a way to identify their weaknesses, which may not be so apparent during the class. 3. Children nomination. This is a simple classroom management technique that really helps in the mixed ability class. When asking for answers to questions, teacher asks particular children, rather than asking the class in an open fashion e.g. What's the answer to number 7? It is an open question, whereas What's the answer to number seven, Tom? It is a nominated question. If teacher asks open questions, the same old strong children will provide the answers. This creates a poor dynamic to the class, for many reasons. When nominating: Ask the question before you give the name of the children. That way, everyone has to listen. Consider how easy it is for the children to answer. If a weak child will struggle, perhaps ask a stronger child. If weak children should be capable, then ask them. Avoid making children seem foolish, and yet also avoid patronizing them by only asking super simple questions. Nominate with variety. Be careful to avoid nominating the same selection of children. In a large class, keep a note of the children you have asked over a lesson, just to make sure you haven't developed a pattern. 4. Error correction. In a mixed level class teacher can have different expectations of the language the different children produce. Sometimes, it can push stronger children if teachers correct them heavily - although they should be sensitive about this. And for weaker children, be more selective in error correction. 5. To conclude. The key strategies for teaching large and mixed classes are probably developing a positive and collaborative working atmosphere and providing a variety of work suitable for different levels. (http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/metodology/large_classes.shtml). 2.3. Methods and styles There are several solutions, which involve active reviewing methods. Most of these solutions are suitable for children and even adult groups. These solutions can also fit a range of program designs. For example: the large group may all to do the same activity together, or they may do the same activity in separate small groups, or they may do different activities in small groups. The teachers can mix and match the following strategies and methods for reviewing with large groups in any combination they like. In 1980 McCarthy described four learning styles students as innovative learners, analytic learners, common sense learners or dynamic learners: Innovative learners: look for personal meaning while learning; draw on their values while learning; enjoy social interaction; learners are cooperative; want to make the world a better place; use cooperative learning activities and activities in which students must make value judgments; ask students to discuss their opinions and beliefs. Analytic learners: want to develop intellectually while learning; draw on facts while learning; learners are patient and reflective; teach students the facts; want to know " important things" and to add to the world's knowledge. Common sense learners: want to find solutions; value things if they are useful; are kinesthetic; are practical and straightforward; want to make things happen; use problem-solving activities. Dynamic learners: look for hidden possibilities; judge things by reactions; synthesize information from different sources; are enthusiastic and adventurous; ask learners about their feelings; use a variety of challenging activities. The teaching methods and activities suit different learning styles. There are the four modalities: 1. Visual. Use many visuals in the classroom. For example, wall displays posters, realia, flash cards, graphic organizers etc. 2. Auditory. Use audio tapes and videos, storytelling, songs, jazz chants, memorization and drills. And allow learners to work in pairs and small groups regularly. 3. Kinesthetic. Use physical activities, competitions, board games, role-plays etc. Intersperse activities which require children to sit quietly with activities that allow them to move around and be active. 4. Tactile. Use board and card games, demonstrations, projects, role-plays etc. Use while-listening and reading activities. For example, ask students to fill in a table while listening to a talk, or to label a diagram while reading. (www.teachingenglish.org.uk/ think/methodology/learning_style.shtml). In 1990 Sue Davidoff and Owen van den Berg suggest four learning styles steps: plan, teach / act, observe and reflect. Plan Identify the problem area. Narrow it down so that it is manageable. Investigate the problem. When does it happen? Who does it affect? Where does it happen? Think about what might be causing the problem. Talk to other teachers and/or read to get more ideas about this. Think about a solution and how to implement it. Think about what evidence you will collect to decide whether your action is successful or not. How will you collect it? How will you analyze it? Teach / Act Implement your solution. Observe Gather evidence which you will analyze to decide whether your solution was successful or not. Reflect Analyze the evidence you gathered. Has the problem been solved? If not, what step will you try next? If yes, what problem will you try to solve now? There are some guidelines for each step: Students learn better and more quickly if the teaching methods used match their preferred learning styles. This has a further positive effect on learning. Students who have become bored with learning may become interested once again. The children - teacher relationship can improve because children are more successful and are more interested in learning. 3. Designing tasks 3.1. Developing integrated skills There I will emphasize the importance of developing integrated skills and talk about designing tasks for large classes. Children...