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Teach English in Jinyang Zhen - Wuwei Shi

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Unit 5: Summary Unit 5 addresses the several ways that a teacher can keep order but still encourage student to enjoy the learning process. After studying this lesson it is easy for me to see that the teacher must continually be aware of how the use of the eyes, the use of gesture, and the use of voice, enter into the picture. For example: there are times when direct eye contact would be helpful for ?encouragement? or to ?maintain discipline.? On the other hand, eye contact should be avoided whenever the focus is on any part of the lesson that is not ?teacher-centered? as at that time the focus is to be on ?student talk time and participation? and not on the teacher. If the teacher uses gesture as classroom management tool they should make certain that the meaning of the gesture is clear to the student so to avoid misunderstanding. Gestures can be used for such things as ?adding visual interest, ?,?increasing the pace of the lesson,? or ?reducing the need for verbal expression.? Concerning the use of voice: The teacher?s voice will probably change naturally according to the circumstances. However, it is crucial that the teacher speak clearly and concisely no matter the age level or language level of the student. Remembering to use the student?s name is another very essential point to make note of as it can be an aide when it comes to managing the lessons; and, it will also help to build report with the students. This unit also taught me that the way that students are grouped in the classroom is essential for effective classroom management and achieving the sort of atmosphere that is desired. Usually the way the groupings will depend upon such things as the age of the students, the size of the classroom, the materials available (such as desks), etc. The groupings might consist of the entire class, pairs, small groups, or individuals. Each sort of grouping can have positives and negatives to it. Some positives for whole class groupings are: ?creates a sense of belonging? and allows ?students to interact with other class members.? The negatives are that it might reduce student talk time or might be intimidating to the shyer students who find it embarrassing to say anything in a large group. Positives for working in pairs: it can be less intimidating for the shyer students to try out their ideas before presenting it to the larger group and it allows stronger students to assist the weaker ones. Along with that: it can be easier for the teacher to organize and it allows them to work with certain pairs while the others continue on with their work. Drawbacks to this sort of grouping is that it can get rather noisy and sometimes the students will revert back to their native language; rather than speaking English. Lastly, sometimes the two students that have been paired don?t get along. If they refuse to communicate it defeats the purpose of the activity. Working as individuals can be positive in the sense that it encourages the student to be more self-reliant. However, the negative aspect is that the student will not be able to interact with other students. Working in small groups: while this has many positives the negatives are that the classroom can become noisy and it can be harder to organize. Along with that, some students may tend to dominate the activities. The positive is that it is less intimidating than the whole class organizational structure as students can chose how much they would like to participate. There will likely be less personal issues than in working with pairs. The way the classroom itself is organized can sometimes have a big effect as it will often determine if the classroom atmosphere is more formal or more intimate. So, whenever possible, when setting up the classroom the teacher should consider this as they try to determine whether to arrange the classroom in orderly rows, circles and horseshoes, or separate tables. The teacher?s position in the classroom and what part they are going to play in that activity or lesson should likewise be well-thought-out prior to setting up the classroom. Lastly, with any ESA lesson it is crucial to always seek to maintain a balance between TTT (?teacher-talk time?) and STT (?student-talk time).
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