Hi colleagues,
1. Engaging Students: I do agree with Rosbenraver's idea. He said, "Teachers are being a facilitator or an actor for students". Because I could bring entertainment to students. I guided the fun way to learn. They enjoyed it very much. They wanted to study and happy at the same time. Their ages are around 8 to 20 years old. Moreover, when I devided them to work with peers or groups, I walked around and monitor them very carefully. One more thing, I did care of their homework and asignment. It was very effective with that methodology. Students will never forget their tasks that I had provided to them. They're happy to study with me even they've passed in my class. They did not want to continue their level because they wanted to study with me again. Finally, I explained them that you have to go on your level. However, you could come to visit me when you have a break time.
This kind of active engagement of students in their learning and use of
English for genuine or simulated acts of communication is, as I have
seen, rewarding and enjoyable. The whole class is using English to
communicate and is focused on a topic they are all interested in and
even excited about. This, after all, is why English medium instruction
is so effective. Language acquisition studies have shown that when
students are wrapped up in a topic which interests them, that is when
they absorb the language.
An effective way of encouraging
students to speak in English is to give them some language games. They
enjoy the games and, naturally, this makes them feel more relaxed so
that they are able to practice their English without becoming
self-conscious. A game I have used in my own teaching is Bingo. I write
some of my favorite fruits on the board and then give the students a
few minutes to write 3 or 4 words in their notebook. Finally, they will
speak the words that they have written when the game starts. It is easy
for them to find their words and they have to say them individually.
Even if their word is right or wrong, they will try to say the correct
one. I remember one student who was so silent and shy, but I noticed
that when we played this game, he grew very excited and spoke the words
so loudly. I was very surprised when I saw him like that and I felt that
it was a good thing that I could make him speak up in class. So I found
that this method was effective in helping Cambodian secondary school
students to say some words in English.
Another activity I have
found effective is role-play, which can be based on just about any
topic. I give my students a role and a problem to solve. Roles can be
given on cards so the students can choose one, which makes it more like a
game. The kind of roles and situations given are: (i) two neighbors
discussing a barking dog; (ii) a customer speaking to a call center
staff member about a problem; (iii) a parent explaining something to
his/her child. In such dramatic situations I have found that students
are happy to speak and perform their role, because they are performing a
part in a drama, they don't feel they are being themselves and that is
2. Create an *Interactive* Power Point: I usually use Power Point to teach my lessons. Because it's very useful
and effectively. My students could see the lessons very clear. They
could copy some notes to their books. One more thing, I can keep those
files to teach my students for the next class. It helped me to save my
time. So using Power Points slide is one of the best way in teaching
students.
3.PROJECT STEP: Implement the Change: For instructors who have never experienced such a learner-centered
classroom, however, this situation can be off putting, even
intimidating, and for several reasons. Firstly, more activity in the
classroom produces more noise, with students often working in pairs or
groups. Other teachers might feel critical about this situation, because
they mistake the noise of lively class discussion with ill discipline.
Secondly,
an increase in student participation and activity requires more
management, while, thirdly, this management requires more preparation
time. While teachers might not have either the experience or the
confidence to manage such a lively class, they might also be unwilling
to have their workload increased – not to mention the increased marking
required. When the students are activated, the teacher may feel that his
class is getting out of control. While the students are working in
pairs or small groups, the classroom can become noisy. The teacher might
also not be comfortable with the idea that students are making mistakes
which, moreover, are neither heard nor corrected. In this situation,
the teacher who is not used to a learner-centred environment, begins to
feel he is losing control.
Students, however, need to make
mistakes, because that is how languages (including our mother tongue)
are learnt. We learn by our mistakes, although, unfortunately, in a
teacher-centred classroom this is not appreciated. There this
exaggerated focus on grammatical correctness actually inhibits foreign
language learners from using the language, from communicating in it,
from speaking it. They are afraid of making mistakes, because their
teachers have subjected any student who makes a mistake to constant
criticism in front of their classmates. If, however, we want our
students to use English to communicate, to speak without constantly
monitoring for grammatical correctness, they must feel comfortable about
speaking and not feel embarrassed or self-conscious about their ability
or inability to speak fluently. They may be naturally shy, in which
case the teacher needs to create an atmosphere in the classroom where
students can feel relaxed and, through such activities as role play and
drama, overcome such natural inhibitions. In the learner-centred
classroom, the teacher's role is to facilitate and give encouragement
and support.
In order to change what goes on in the classroom
from a teacher centered to a more learner-centered methodology will take
time, because it is not easy. More teachers need to be trained in
learner-centered methodologies and such training also needs to be
available for practicing teachers. In-service professional development
courses and follow-up support from teacher training institutions will
help teachers to bring about change, but the teachers themselves need to
be exposed to different ways of teaching and learning. Hopefully this
will happen during their university or college course.
We have seen that learner-centred classrooms are lively and can be quite noise.
That is because the students are enjoying themselves; it isn’t a sign of ill
discipline. Actually the students are using English enthusiastically during an
enjoyable activity and this is the way they will learn the language
effectively, especially with regards spoken English. Teachers, however, may
feel intimidated by the energy and liveliness of students in such
learner-centred classrooms. This is why they need support: support from their
trainers, support from their head teachers and support from their colleagues.
If such support is made available, it will help to bring about change and move
the teacher centered type of classrooms that are to be found throughout
Cambodia towards a more effective, learner-centred approach. The result will be
that students in Cambodia will be able to improve their language acquisition,
including their spoken English.
Cheers,
Davith Vann (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
