Asha
Asha
on
"Teacher-Students Interaction in EnglishClassroom"
1. Background
The trainee teacher of T.P.D. training,who has to complete the research work of any
specific topic that's why I have prepared this action research on "Teacher-Students
Interaction in EnglishClassroom" which is totally different from other Englishmedium
classes. During my past two years of teaching, there have been many challenges that I have
encountered, from learning a new school system, materials, and strategies for learning the
structure and regimentation through my own personal experience. The one thing that I have
found to be the most challenging though is finding my own individual teaching style and
structure for making classroom more interactive in a trial and error process. Most Nepalese
students especially from the government aided schools are usually found to be quiet in the
Englishclassroom, as they have a little experience in classroom interaction with the teacher.
Traditionally Nepalese classrooms are dominated by the lecture method that does not
encourage students to participate in the classroom activities. The other reason behind the
students’ inactivity is the poor Englishbackground and lack of exposure in Englishin the
lower level. So, teaching Englishwith students interaction is quite challenging. This paper,
employing action research, attempts to explore this problem and suggests some possible
ways to create a more interactive classroom. This paper is divided into the following
sections: (1)Background (2) Introduction to Action Research (3) Classroom
Description (4) Problem Identification and Investigation (5) Strategies/plan (6) Plan
Implementation (7) Outcome (8) Conclusion
3. Class Description:
The class observed was a group of 42 students of class-9 section (B) at Saraswoti
Higher Secondary School , G.M.N-7, Ahale ,Gorkha. The level of the students in the
class was beginners or under-intermediate. The students were from the heterogeneous
backgrounds in regard of their social, economic, cultural as well as cognitive aspects. Out of
42 students, the teacher was a student-teacher with several years teaching experience at
secondary level. The goal of this required class is to teach the students reading and writing
skills aloud including listening when the teacher reads the passage.
5.Strategies/Plans:
After the preliminary investigation of the classroom, it was surfaced that the problem
was quite serious and needed to be coped immediately. In order to make the class more
interactive and participatory, certain hypotheses were made based on some fundamental
ways of doing action research. To clarify the relation of a teacher with students the teacher
has used a particular term 'rapport' which refers to the relationship the students have with the
teacher and vice-versa. When there is a positive, enjoyable and respectful relationship
between teacher and students, and students themselves, the environment for the interaction
will be set up. According to my concept on action research successful interaction with
students depends on following four characteristics: Recognizing students with their
names: Students want their teacher to know who they are. They would like their teacher to
know their names and characters. There is no easy way of remembering students’ names yet
it is extremely important that we do so if good rapport is to be established. Listening to the
students: Nothing demotivates the students more than when the teacher is dismissive or
uninterested in what they have to say. Of course, no one can force us to be genuinely
interested absolutely in everything and everyone, but it is part of teacher’s professional
personality that we should be able to convince students that we’re listening to what they say
with every sign of attention. Respecting the students: Correcting students is always a
delicate event. If we are too critical, we risk at demotivating them. Whichever method of
correction we choose, and whoever we are working with, students need to know that we are
treating them with respect, and not using mockery or sarcasm- or expressing despair at their
efforts. Respect is vital, too, when we deal with any kinds of problems . Teachers who
respect students do their best to see them in a positive light. They are not negative about
their learners or in the way they deal with them in class. Being even-handed: What usually
happens in the classroom is that many teachers react well to those who take part, are
cheerful and cooperative, who take responsibility for their own learning, and do what is
asked of them without complaint. Teachers seem less interested in those who are less
forthcoming and prospective. In fact some students may not be quite extrovert or expressive.
It is due to their shyness or their cultural or family backgrounds. Sometimes students are
reluctant to take part overtly because of their language deficiency. In the light of these facts
treating all students equally not only helps to establish and maintain rapport, but is also a
mark of professionalism. To cope up the students’ inactivity and lack of interaction in the
classroom, the best way the teacher may apply is to dividing the class into groups. When
teachers design group work, they need to introduce the students the simple group work
strategies, such as showing that they are listening to the speaker by making eye contact and
nodding, and by saying such things as ‘What do you think?’ or ‘I like that idea’ in between
the discussions. These skills are simple but important, as they allow all students an
opportunity to effectively participate in group discussion. To enhance the quality of
discourse in group work, the teacher should, sometimes, move way from routine activities
and exercises that filled time but did not encourage the students to become independent
learners. This entailed carefully choosing activities that can only be accomplished with
collaboration and serious conversations, including comparing and contrasting information,
summarizing readings, debating and argument essays, composing biographies and
autobiographies, conducting interviews, and making presentation..
6. Plan Implementation:
On the basis of techniques and skills mentioned above, the teacher was facilitated to
adopt new environment to enhance the classroom interaction. First of all, the teacher
decreased the intensity of the lecture in the classroom. Instead of the lecture method, he
adopted the students centered method. For that he divided the class into the groups and
instructed the students about the basic rules of the group work. The group work is the
classroom activity which demands the students to involve in the discussion in finding the
answers of the questions. Its basic norm is the discussion and collaboration. He, then, tried
to remember the names of each student so that they could feel intimacy with the teacher. It
took a whole week for him to remember their names successfully. As the teacher’s activities
encouraging students’ participation got intensive, the classroom environment got more
comfortable. He listened to the students’ minor queries with great importance so that they
could feel that he was giving due attention to their problems. He never used oppressive and
humiliating language in the classroom since the above plan was launched. Realizing the fact
that a student is an independent, creative and talented individual, he provided them the
creative environment to express his/her ideas naturally. In the group work he always
encouraged the participation of each student for discussion respecting him/herself.
7. Outcomes:
In the eighth week of the term, the class was observed again. A lesson similar to the
one in the third week was presented. In the beginning, the teacher read the text aloud, and
then he began talking about the text explaining the new vocabulary. This went on for about
twenty minutes and included general comprehension check questions such as 'do you
understand?' and 'are you okay?' as well as specific questions about the text. Regarding
general comprehension questions, most of the students nodded in response and a few
answered 'yes' to these questions. And it was believed that they did, in fact, understand.
With the specific questions, however, something unexpected happened. When the teacher
asked a question, he was usually responded with confused-faced stares, as before. But when
he moved closer, looked specifically at a student, or pair of students, and repeated the
question, the students usually tried to answer. In general, it was noted, the instructor was
paying much more attention to the students, moving closer to them, and looking at specific
students and trying to make a better connection with them. Instead of asking questions with
the feeling that they really weren't going to be answered anyway, as before, the teacher
made a greater effort to communicate the questions, and acted as if he expected to get
responses. Also, toward the end of the student teacher's talk on the text, two students,
without being encouraged from the teacher, asked questions before the class. Although the
questions were not related directly to the text, the fact that the questions were asked before
the entire class was considered a breakthrough.
8. Conclusion:
In the brief span between observations some remarkable improvements were seen.
The students interacted with the teacher by nodding and showing gesture in approval; some
answered the teacher's questions, and few, on their own initiation, even asked questions
before the class several times. Many of them could raise simple questions on the difficult
aspects of the text. In the course of discussion, the class seemed a bit noisier but the teacher
showed amicable temperament to each student with cooperation and encouragement. On the
whole the students became more interactive and initiative in the classroom activities. They
seemed more confident and attentive in the subject matter. This action research was
basically focused on the students’ improvement, but after having implemented the plan, the
improvement on teacher’s performance became more distinct. The unanticipated result of
the teacher becoming more concerned with the interaction was a pleasant surprise and
contributed to the improvement of him himself. He became softer and friendlier with the
students. In total the challenges of teaching Englishwith interaction in the Nepali medium
Englishclassroom were covered optimistically.
Action research
On
1. BACKGROUND
It is often said that most of the students studying in government schools go
through various problems for learning Englishlanguage. I also found
students quite weaker in Englishsubject compared to other subjects, so I
have thought to find out those problems that have created some obstacles
for students to learn Englishas their second language.
Due to those problems left unsolved by the concerned authorities and
persons involved in teaching field, learning Englishlanguage for students in
government schools might have been really difficult in so many aspects.
And on the other hand, language learning happens only with the proper
learning of all the language-skills. That is to say the proper learning of
language skills is what makes students able to learn language very well.
Pondering up on the progress made by the students studying in class-5,
here in Shree Pashupati school, I happen to be excited to search for some
insights regarding the causes of these problems pulling our students back
for learning Englishand find the solutions to them in time. I found our
students being lack of reading skills making their learning very slow. So, the
content for my actions research report is the way forward to the problems
for one of the reading skills, I found to be dealt with.
5. RESEARCH DESIGN
After having identified the problem faced by the students in regarding skill
which is utmost essential skill in the absence of which one can’t learn any
language better, And considering the limitation as well. This action
research was decided to be conducted on the basis of the conversation
made with students by the teacher, daily observation, and other interaction
made with students by the researcher. So, question answer or interaction,
daily observation, and other conversations meant to evaluate the progress
made by the target students in their reading skill in Englishhave primarily
used as the tools in this study. And, with the bid to improve the skill
deficiency in students mentioned above, students have been exposed with
the listening activities and other activities to be done for improving reading
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skills. Then, on the basis of the activities that done as mentioned above and
reflection made after having implemented the strategic actions or strategic
interventions, conclusion have been made accordingly.
6. STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS/ACTIONS
STAGE-I
a. Plan
For making students read out some words and taking actions to improve
their reading skill accordingly, the researcher had discussion with some
senior teachers from respective field. After having consulted with some
persons and professionals in the related field, the researcher decided to
bring the activities into effective as below.
b. Action/Implementation:
Some words were written on the board and then each of the students was
made to read those words as correctly as possible. But, in an average, only
5 students out of 45 were found to have been able to read the written
words correctly. Then the teacher himself made the students follow him by
reading those words written on the board. The teacher went on repeating
the same activity for several times. And then, again, the students were
asked to read the same words already written on the board on which they
had already done drilling for several times. Now, almost fifty percent
students were found to have been able to read those words written on the
white board correctly.
c. Reflection:
Only the drilling method taken up by the teacher couldn’t be the sole and
absolute solution to the problems regarding the reading skill of students
reading in class five at Shree Pashupati School. On the other hand, teacher
couldn’t stop doing the activities though the achievement made was not as
expected that is to say as the teacher (I) was unable to take up other
alternatives for the solution of the problems mentioned above due to
various reasons.
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STAGE-II
a. Plan
As per the activities mentioned above couldn’t make my self
(The teacher) able to help the students develop reading skill, it was
compulsion and equally essential to make the plan of activities for the
improvement of the reading skill in students. So, again, the researcher (I)
decided to make the students do drilling by themselves one by one
standing by the white board and looking at those words on the board.
b. Action/Implementation
As per the plan made for the further improvements, students were focused
on the activities for two days in the very close observation of the
researcher. Then, the researcher did some interactions with the students to
check how well and how many of them understood to read the words
correctly. And then, seventy percent of students were found to have
understood.
c. Reflection
Having made the students do the activities as mentioned above, the
researcher found all those activities not enough to help the students
develop their reading skill to learn Englishlanguage? So, the researcher
decided to use other possible techniques on the basis of trial and use
method because some students were still unable to read the longer words
correctly.
STAGE-III
a. Plan
After having decision to take up further actions to improve the reading skill
in students, again, I conducted several discussions with the senior language
teachers teaching in this school. Then, I decided to help the students to
learn reading longer words by making them do drilling the words breaking
into more small words as far as possible.
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E.g. Underdevelopment as under+ development, underquality as Under+
Quality. Moreover, I decided to give them more examples of words having
the same rhyming pattern like Cut, But, Hut for Nut and so on.
b. Action/Implementation
After I have done several discussions with my senior staff working in this
school for some years, I came up with some techniques to help my
students improve reading skill. Then, I did as according to the plan I have
made. Then, I made a kind of evaluation on the basis of the observation
and the interaction as well as question-answer between students and
me. Through the observation and other activities made and done as
closely as possible to evaluate the learning outcome in the students,
almost eighty five percent of students were found to have been able to
read the words correctly and doing the activities in a funnier way than
earlier.
c. Reflection:
After these all activities I came to know that the activities I made my
students do in the III stage supplement the gap left even after doing the
activities and making the required efforts in stage I and II.
7. CONCLUSION:
To sum up, if we use only the techniques we are used to, to facilitate the
students in their learning, we can’t get the outcome of our effort as per the
expectation we made after having put our energy into those efforts. So, it’s
better to use all the possible techniques than depend up on only the
techniques we are familiar with. In other words contextualizing the
teaching techniques as per the situation is must especially in the case of
language teaching. It means that we cannot fit the situation with the
teaching techniques but we must fit our teaching techniques with the
context and situation.
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It’s better to use variety of techniques in our classroom as our classroom
might be full of varieties in terms of the language deficiency; our students
have in the same class. In other words, using the varieties of language
teaching techniques is always better to address the heterogeneous types of
language deficiency that the students might have.
Prepared by
Tanka Bahadur Gurung
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