SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT:
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT -
TECHNIQUES AND REFLECTIONS ON PRACTICE

GENERAL INFORMATION:

The subject assignment consists of reflecting on two readings and two issues from the materials. This assignment must be done individually and fulfil the following conditions:

-   Length: 5 pages (without including cover, index or appendices –if there are any-).

-   Type of font: Arial or Times New Roman.

-   Size: 11.

-   Line height: 1.5.

-   Alignment: Justified.

The assignment has to be done in this Word document and has to fulfil the rules of presentation and edition, as for quotes and bibliographical references which are detailed in the Study Guide.

Also, it has to be submitted following the procedure specified in the “Subject Evaluation” document. Sending it to the tutor’s e-mail is not permitted.

In addition to this, it is very important to read the assessment criteria, which can be found in the “Subject Evaluation” document.

 

Assignment:

Take any two readings and two issues from the materials – for example:

·         segregation of low-track students,

·         the usefulness of web-quests,

·         group dynamics (the 6 types),

·         the relevance of the new ‘key competences’ to language teaching and classroom management,

·         the way in which the market shift to young and very young learners has changed the way we think and teach,

·         Multiple intelligences,

·         any other which has attracted your attention.

and discuss them separately:

1. Say why you have chosen them from a personal perspective.

2. Explain their importance with reference to the general framework of classroom management.

3. And try to predict how the topic will evolve in the future.

Important: you have to write your personal details and the subject name on the cover (see the next page). The assignment that does not fulfil these conditions will not be corrected. You have to include the assignment index below the cover.

Name and surname(s): Manuel Moreno Tapia

Group: FPTEFL 2017 - 06

Date: September 24^th, 2017

Techniques and Reflections on Practice

1. The use of mother tongue in the classroom

2. Discipline problems

3. Multiple Intelligences

4. Teacher cognition and prior knowledge experience

SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT: CLASSROM MANAGEMENT- TECHNIQUES AND REFLECTIONS ON PRACTICE

1. The use of mother tongue in the classroom

This article -written by John Harbord- talks about a topic that non-native-speaker teachers frequently argue about. When I started teaching English as a second language, experienced teachers used to tell me not to allow students to use L1 in the classroom. It was a must to speak only and exclusively English in the classroom settings and outside in the different areas of the institute I used to work for.

It was really important to expose students to as many opportunities as possible to practice their L2, to listen, read, speak and write without allowing the interference of L1. However, as the years went by, the use of L1 became an issue advocated by some teachers who claim that in some levels – beginners and pre-intermediate - this happens in the students’ minds unconsciously.

It was really a surprise when I first used a course book where the translation of some words was requested in a few exercises. Then, I realized that wanting or not students would use their mother tongue to understand instructions or to ask for the meaning of a word using the famous question, “How do you say……….in English?” What was completely wrong at the beginning now had become a habit in some classroom settings.

It is important to bear in mind that the use of L1 cannot replace L2 all the time. Consequently, the teacher must control this situation in his/her classroom to avoid the excessive and abusive use of it. The use of L1 should be restricted specifically to the explanation of words and expressions that are difficult to understand even though the teacher uses mimics or gestures or any other strategy in so doing.

If L1 is used excessively the students may get used to translating every moment of the class and the opportunities to use L2 will be diminished at so lower levels that the objective of learning a second language will disappear. I don’t agree with a teacher that underestimates their students saying that if they don’t translate the class into L1 their students won’t understand anything. I strongly believe that communication in the classroom should take place as much as possible in English. The boundaries of using L1 must be clearly established and the students have to understand that the more they use L2 the better for them in every aspect of the process of acquiring a second language. If the use of L1 in certain moments of the class and with some specific levels is sometimes really necessary it will be also important to consider that the use of L2 in most of the class will enable students to get a better command of it.

There is another aspect that I would like to mention regarding the use of L1 in the classroom. As I mentioned above the use of L1 is accepted at certain levels and in saying so I considered the basic and pre-intermediate level. Nevertheless, I also have used the translation with some advanced levels where some words are impossible to be understood especially when they refer to abstract issues. The use of L1 facilitated the understanding and saved time in accomplishing the task. The idea is the students learn to transfer meaning to L2 instead of translating word for word.

The use of L1 also facilitates to have a better rapport with the students and thus to have a better classroom environment. I have to admit that sometimes the use of L1 may provoke more attention from the students and less disruptive behaviour, however, teachers should predict in their lesson plans the arising of these moments in order to limit the use of L1 and save time effectively. In my opinion, teachers should learn in their future training courses how to control the use of L1 and find the right balance to create an environment, which fosters the acquisition of the target language using all the necessary strategies including the use of the mother tongue.

2. Discipline problems

Another article that drew my attention was the one about Discipline problems. These kinds of problems may happen at any age group and in each case, they are manifested in different ways. It is important to have some strategies to cope with them and that is why talking about this should be of relevant interest for teachers. What I usually do at the first classes is to establish a set of rules that in case of young students is a written document where they agree with the norms of conduct during each session of class. However, if any disruptive behaviour comes up what I usually do is first identify the causes. Sometimes, I realized, it could be my attitude to the class especially referring to the times when I give boring classes because I didn’t prepare my class well. The students may also be another cause because of their own family problems; they are tired of being at school so many long hours or they come from a difficult test. And finally the institution itself may be another cause when it doesn’t have clear policies to handle severe discipline problems and teachers feel alone in their relationship with these students.

Identifying students who cause problems is something teachers have to do to devise activities for them in order to control the disruptive behaviour. It is possible for teachers to detect these students because they are usually the same one in every class and we have to be ready to deal with them. Once they have been spotted there are a number of things a teacher can do to control indiscipline. A teacher can talk to the student at the very moment of the disruptive behaviour, stop the class to let them know that they are behaving badly or to reseat the students especially to the front of the class. When I consider that it is not necessary to interrupt the class I ask students to meet me after the class to talk about their behaviour in class.

There have been times when I felt that the entire class was getting bored and out of control. In those moments I change the activity maybe into writing, reading or listening which are quieter ones than others such as role-play, which involve them more. There are other times when motivation is the answer. I usually praise them when they finish doing any activity, in so doing they feel that they are able to accomplish the task well.

It is not necessary to be a dictator to control a class but it is important to let the students know who the authority is in the classroom. A teacher can be friendly but not the students’ friends. It is mandatory to provide the boundaries, especially with younger students, to avoid later misunderstandings. If the students feel that you are the boss in the classroom then indiscipline will disappear.

In my opinion, teachers should get well prepared to cope with these problems and one of the first things he/she has to do is to know well his/her students. As I see it the ability to control a class depends to a large extent on the personality of the teacher, this makes easier for some teachers to control a class better than others.

3. Multiple Intelligences

One of the issues that I consider important to talk about is the application of MI theory with ESL learners. We know that this theory provides us with a frame to observe students and understand how they learn and process information. It is important for us teachers to recognize our students’ intelligences to develop classroom activities that provide learning experiences, which include a variety of teaching and learning strategies that will appeal to the learners.

In so doing, there are four ways of using MI theory in the classroom. As a tool to help students recognize their strengths and learning preferences. Students realize that they can get better results in their learning process if the know their areas of strength, which will increase self-awareness and confidence, and identify areas that they need to target for growth.

As a tool to develop a better understanding of learners’ intelligences. Teachers should be aware that our diversity is our strength. We as teachers have to be good observers when our students work and interact in the classroom, which helps us to know them better. As we know better our students’ learning styles we will be able to design learning experiences attractive to our students’ different needs and interests. Therefore MI theory can be used a guide to provide a greater variety of ways for students to learn and to demonstrate their learning. Finally, MI theory can be used, as a guide to developing lesson plans that address the full range of learner needs. The objective of the lesson can be achieved through different activities that provide opportunities to the whole class, so through writing, drawing, making a time line, song writing and others we can lead our students to use their preferred way of processing and communicating new information. In other words, MI offers many options students can use to learn and to show what they know in many ways.

In my opinion using MI and giving students the chance to select and use their multiple intelligences can provide a better classroom environment because students will be busy in doing what they like to learn, which will diminish the possibility of disruptive behaviour during the lesson and will yield better results.

In the future, there won’t be any teacher who won’t consider the use MI to plan their classes because they will realize that it is not what they as teachers like to do in the classroom but more important the way in which their students learn and can be assessed.

4. Teacher cognition and prior knowledge experience

Another issue that I consider important to talk about is how the way in which we were taught affects the way in which we teach. Teachers learn a lot about teaching through their experiences as learners, Lortie (1975) called this the “apprenticeship observation”.  However, everything learned in this period should not be so useful now in their current practice. It is well known that it is very difficult to change old habits especially in the case of teachers who are reluctant to leave their comfort zone. I have observed teachers who go to several seminars on new techniques and strategies that finish doing exactly the same things that they are used to doing instead of applying these new techniques.

In my opinion, these teachers are afraid to implement these new ideas because they do not know how they will turn out. They try to stick to the way in which they were taught because it is the best way according to their experiences. If we think in this way, we are not thinking about our students and we are shaping our class according to our likes but not according to our students’ needs and interests.

It is important to bear in mind that we as teachers have to use all the resources we have gotten to give our students positive experiences in learning a second language. In so doing, our personality can influence more than our methodology, our caring, commitment, respect and a positive classroom environment will facilitate learning. We cannot expect to be a 21^st century teachers using the same strategies and techniques that were used at the time we were learners.

A 21^st century teachers face a lot of demands from their students and their educational institutions. As I mentioned above it is important to consider our students as the centre of our objectives, in so doing we have to have students-centred classrooms and provide them with the opportunities to produce their own knowledge. Teachers should give them the chance to use the nowadays-technological devices to create and innovate things. I usually say to my students that we do not know what professional careers may appear in the near future however, there are three important features they should have: to be collaborative, to have critical thinking and to be creative. Having this in mind we as teachers should design classes in which these aspects are learned to fulfil our students’ needs. In order to be able to offer students choices, we as teachers have to learn about these new technologies, something that is not difficult at all with all the tutorials we can find in different search engines.

In conclusion, a teacher nowadays is a life-longer learner, is a person that must keep learning. As new ways and new technology keep emerging, learning and adapting is essential.

References

Ball, P. (2015). Classroom Management-Techniques and Reflections on Practice. Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana.

Harbord, John (1992). The use of mother tongue in the classroom. ELT Journal Volume 46/4 October 1992. Oxford University Press 1992.

Christison, M.A. et al (1999). Multiple Intelligences: Theory and Practice in Adult ESL. ERIC Digest in http://www.ericdigest.org/2001-1/multiple.html

Nina M. Koptyug, PH.D. Discipline problems in https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/discipline-problems