How to make your classroom more dynamic

How to make your classroom more dynamic! Alan S. Mackenzie Head of Professional ELT Development British Council, Thailand How to make your classroom more dynamic! Alan S. Mackenzie Head of Professional ELT Development British Council, Thailand For VTTN Conference 8 th – 9 th December 2006 What is this? Destroy the order! Increasing interaction • Ask five people… – How long they have been teaching – Where their family lives – If they are enjoying themselves • Find someone who… – likes the same kind of movies as you – has been teaching for the same length of time as you – was born in the same month as you Re-structuring is change with a purpose • Have a clear reason for the change • Give clear, easy instructions • Make the language to be used clear and check that students use it • Give feedback on language use if needed • Change the task a little and repeat • Stir and settle Stir: You are calm in the centre of chaos Settle: You are active while tasks are being completed Paired Heads Together are better than one • Why is it good to find people who are the same as you? – Humans love sharing similar experiences – Common understanding is comfortable – Bridges between two people – Something to talk about [...]... Texts on the same topic with different information about it • Slightly different pictures • Different pictures of the same type • Same questions to different people • Opinion role-plays How does group size change interaction patterns? • More people, – more ideas – less confidence speaking in front of the group – more structure needed • Less people, – more talking time – more groups – more noise? Task... traditional classroom? • Imagine I am an alien from another planet! I have never seen a traditional classroom on earth • Explain to me what happens in them The traditional classroom Changing the physical setup, changes the interaction • Students can move around more • Boys and girls are mixed so can communicate more with each other • The teacher can move around more • Students can talk to each other... Students can talk to each other and may be more likely to volunteer • Different people have different ideas to share How much attention do the students at the back really get? Teacher and students are getting closer! Roles are useful • • • • • • Leaders Questioners Recorders Reporters Motivators Rotate the roles so that everyone can try everything • Choose the roles to suit the task Moving group members... need to design situations that elicited cooperation among students • at every moment in the classroom, there is always a structure! Another useful resource • Oxford Resource Books for Teachers: Jill Hadfield: Classroom Dynamics This presentation is available at: http://access.britishcouncil.or.th Resources • http://www.kaganonline.com • Oxford Resource Books for Teachers: Jill Hadfield: Classroom Dynamics... communication • For more equal participation and learning, teachers need to structure the interaction • Can be integrated into any lesson, not just English language • A structure is a content-free sequence of steps designed to structure the interaction of students with each other and/or the curriculum Content + Structure = Activity • A good lesson is a series of activities carefully sequenced to reach an... Really listen carefully to what students are saying • Note language difficulties • Only encourage students • Talk about what they are doing well • Make changes to what the group is doing if necessary • Interfere as little as possible • Observe what students are doing and how they are communicating M O N I T O R Structure is Key • Unstructured interaction in a group almost always leads to unequal participation,... objective Motivation • Give individuals and groups opportunities to earn Points • Acknowledge all contributions from students • Praise students when they do a good job or give a good answer, and have them praise each other • Highlight particularly good work • Make sure you give clear Yardsticks so that students have a target to work towards and measure their work against •H A P P Y Spencer Kagan: www.kaganonline.com... everything • Choose the roles to suit the task Moving group members 1 2 3 4 1 3 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Use language points to set up groups: • • • • • • • I’m a 1! Are you a 1? Yes, I am Oh, Good! No, I’m a 3 OK, bye! Sorry, I have a group! Why is it good to talk to different people? • Different people have: – Different experiences – Different opinions – Different vocabulary • Changing the group... chaos… Other ways to change group members • What’s your favourite ice-cream flavour? – Group leaders are the first 4 different flavours Others chose what flavour they want • Adjectives – Four adjectives: good, beautiful, fantastic, great! Tell the students who is who • Animals – Are you a dog? No I’m a cat! 1 1 1 1 g r e ta ta sf ita cn e ita fu lub w n rd fe luo 4’s! The teacher is active: How? What does . How to make your classroom more dynamic! Alan S. Mackenzie Head of Professional ELT Development British Council, Thailand How to make your classroom more dynamic! Alan S other • The teacher can move around more • Students can talk to each other and may be more likely to volunteer • Different people have different ideas to share How much attention do the students. people – Something to talk about 4’s What happens in a traditional classroom? • Imagine I am an alien from another planet! I have never seen a traditional classroom on earth. • Explain to me what