Stephen van Vlack

Sookmyung Women`s University

Graduate School of TESOL

Discourse Analysis

(Spring 2006)

Week 15 - Bailey (2005), Chapter 5, pp. 158-187 - Answers

1. How do you think about using students` first language in the English speaking class? (B5)

There are pros and cons on this matter and some factors to consider before you decide whether you use L1 or not.

Let`s see the pros reasons why they believe that using L1 in English class is necessary. The first is to take advantage of cognition in L1. Unless you teach a little baby who has not yet learned L1, almost all students have already learned their L1 and have developed their cognition in L1 quite a lot, so pros say teachers need to use it especially when they have to explain abstract ideas, words or grammar. The second is to clarify tasks and goals. To make our speaking activities successful, pros say the first thing we should make sure is that every student understands what the task is, what the goal is, what the texts, pictures or whatever resources you use are for. However, there are some reasons like your students` proficiency is too low to understand them in English, the some vocabulary is difficult for their level, or the content is not familiar with them. Then probably it is better to use Korean a little bit to make sure every student understands what they are. The third is to manage classroom. Probably you have this experience in your class. When the class is too noisy, if you say please be quiet. it never works. It is much better for you to say . In class, Stephen pointed out that these were not the same from the view of pragmatics. In this case, he suggested it would be better for teachers to say quiet in really angry manner to send the message clearly to students. He worries that classroom language is too formal not realistic. I think the problem is that I am not used to saying any English in angry manner.

The next is the cons reasons why they do not agree to use L1 in English speaking class. First, cons say that there is no language to be translated to another directly, so using L1 in English class is simply wrong. Second, they say in EFL environment, input is really lacking and teachers should give as much as input in classroom, so using L1 in English class is like wasting time. Third, they insist there are much better ways instead of using L1 to help students understanding like writing some hits on the board, acting out, demonstrating, using pictures or drawing etc.

While keeping in mind each sides ideas, we should consider our situations to decide whether we use Korean or not in our English speaking class. There are some factors we consider. First, we should consider whether the class is monolingual or multilingual. In case of multilingual, there is no point to use particular L1 because only few students who understand that language will know what the teacher says. However, for monolingual like Korea, every student has the similar learning background and cultural experience. Furthermore, they have the same pronunciation and grammar problems. In a situation like, we may be able to save a great deal of time by using Korean wisely. Second, we should consider the proficiency of our students because input should be comprehensible, so if the students level is too low, probably it is better to use L1 more than for the advanced students to help the students understanding. Third, we should think of the age of the students too. As you know, the matter of concern or interest is different according to age. The older they are, the more complex they are, so they want to talk more complex things. For example, usually beginning level adult learners want to know or express things than are higher then their proficiency level, in this case, it could be better for them to use Korean to make sure what they really want to say. Therefore, the guideline for the using L1 is to save communication meanings. If communication meanings can not be delivered correctly, it is better to get help from L1. Furthermore, teachers can use their cognition in L1 to explain abstract words or difficult things to teach. Again, here Stephen added the really important point. There are much more common things between languages, so since our students have already learned Korean, it means they have already built the strong ground to be able to learn other language. Use it as base!. We should help our students transfer as much as from Korean to English by letting them find equivalence between them. We also should think of students affective factors and precious English learning environment. When the students had have English class where using L1 was accepted. Probably banning using L1 too strictly will make students frustrated. In this case, it is better to take time and gradually reduce the amount of L1. Lastly, there is pedagogical policy of the institution. Some institutions insist English only class. In that case, there is not much choice left to us.

After considering these factors in our situations, we can say using L1 is partially OK because we live in monolingual society, most our students proficiency is not high enough, we need to use their cognition in L1, sometimes we need to lower their affective barriers, and they are not familiar with only English class. Like this, there are times we need to use L1 even though we all agree that teachers should provide a lot of good input, so the important issue is when and how we use L1. It really depends on you and your situations. Again, Stephen emphasized that teachers should be consistent and be a model. When teachers use Korean time to time in class, there is no point the teachers ban their students from using Korean. Dont make students confused. You should be a model first.

2. How do you make sure that every student participates actively in your class? (B5)

There are things we should think of carefully before we ask students to speak in front of whole class. First, we should consider students` proficiency. We should assign tasks or ask questions according to their level. Second, we also should consider cultural issues. Generally, Korean students are not used to asking questions while their teachers speak or they don`t know how to show disagreement properly, so teachers should let Ss feel free to ask Qs, teach them how to show disagreement and how to respond to disagreement because there are many cases when students feel embarrassed or uneasy when they listen to disagreement. It ultimately makes the students lose their interests in class. Lastly, we should think of each students` personality. In speaking class, emotional issue is the most important we should be careful. We as teacher really want every student to take part in class and to have fair chances to speak. However, usually in class, there are few students who dominate the class and the others look like just sitting there. The reasons why they are so passive could be that some are just very shy, some have no or little self confidence, so always say I can`t, or some are not interested in the class at all, so always look like they don`t care. Whatever the reasons for their passive behaviors, you are the person who should observe them carefully and find the ways to help them.

There are some tips.

1. The shy

- Gently urge, but don't force participation.

- Respect the emotional privacy

- Public praise will embarrass this child, so compliment him/her privately.

- Be patient. The shy student needs time to respond

2. I can`t

     - Don't assign a difficult task until he/she has had success with simpler ones.

     - Never criticize a failure to achieve. Rather, praise the student's efforts.

- Do something physical to get things started and take their minds away from the issue of trying.

3. The dominant

- Give responsibilities as notetaker or timekeeper

- Explain individually that everyone needs to a chance to talk

These are just some of examples. Since every student has their own characteristics and all are different, probably there is no clear answer for your students. However, we can get some general ideas from other experienced teachers or web sites too. The followings are the web sites you could get some advices on classroom management.

http://www.disciplinehelp.com/teacher

Click whatever behaviors you are looking for help then, click action, you can find some advice there.

http://www.ez2bsaved.com/class_manage.htm

http://www.nea.org/tips/manage/behavior.html

3 How do students vary in a multi-level speaking class? and what are some ways of dealing with these? (B5)

Learner variance is generally considered in terms of language proficiency, in the aspects of accuracy and fluency. And while some placement tests can minimize ability gaps, it could be said that every class is multilevel, including those that have placement tests in place, as learners progress at different rates in each of the language skills (Shank & Terrill, 1995) and add to the fact that some placement tests don`t evaluate the students` speaking ability (Bailey, 2005). In addition, there are non-language differences, such as learning styles and previous experiences. Groupwork is one solution where level differences can be remedied. Ways to group students fall in two categories: homogeneous (same level) and heterogeneous (mixed). Generally speaking, heterogeneous grouping is preferable, as lower-level students aren`t, in a sense, dumbed down. Also, mixed-level grouping allows higher-level students to help their peers, in that cross-ability tutoringhas the potential to significantly raise the achievement of the tutors as well as those students being tutored (Glass, n.d.). Cooperative learning activities, jigsaw activities in particular, can be done in a multilevel speaking class. As Bailey (2005) mentions, assigning roles to group members can help you encourage the quieter students, distribute talking turns, and provide opportunities for balanced interaction.

http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/SHANK.html (grouping)

http://www.asu.edu/educ/epsl/EPRU/documents/EPRU%202002-101/Chapter%2005-Glass-Final.htm (cross-ability grouping)

www.jigsaw.org (detailed explanation of the jigsaw process with expert and home groups

4. What is your strategy when you have speaking activities in large classes?(B5)

It happen several problems while doing speaking activities in large classes. When you as a teacher have difficulties in monitoring work and giving feedback, it is helpful a strategy as follow. Set up a clear system for self-checking and/or peer-review of homework and in-class exercises. For example, you may give an assignment for next class. If they do not do assignment, they would have a difficulty in involving speaking activity. It brings learners to be sure to do their homework before attending their class.

Second, problems related to individualizing work, you may design a simple process of gathering students` ideas. For example, give out stripes of paper at the end of a week the say, The next thing I want to work on is ______. Another difficulty is that setting up communicative tasks in pairwork and groupwork is kind of bothersome to execute. The solution is establishing routines for groupwork and pairwork. Then make them understand how much valuable the pairwork or groupwork. High noise level even affecting neighboring classes is hardly ignored. You may talk to neighboring teachers. Then explain that speaking classes entail a certain amount of noise. Talk to class members about keeping their voices low. Finally conduct some pairwork or groupwork activities in whisper mode. One more, we might consider as a problem in large classes, difficulties in attending to all students during class time. Decide what attending to students means. If you cannot spend much time during class with all the students, try to establish another way of connecting. For example, arrive early and greet every student as he/ she enters the room.