Classrooms at Work Chapter 1

Classroom Snapshot How are the learners seated /standing in the room? What is happening? (e.g. “Teacher is explaining something”) Who is talking? Who is doing any other things? Describe: atmosphere levels of engagement in the room

To relate past educational experiences with different types of teaching

When you picture “a teacher” in your head, what images first come to your mind? blah ,blah ,blah,…. To discuss the role of a teacher

Traditional Teaching Spends a lot of class time using the board and explaining things (transmitting knowledge) with occasional questions to or from the learners After explanations, teacher has students do some practice exercises to test whether they have understood Keeps control of the subject matter Students listen, concentrate, and take notes

Teacher Learner Knowledge is poured from one receptacle into an empty one. The teacher is the knower passing over knowledge to the students. What is explained or demonstrated by the teacher leads to students’ learning.

TEACHING = LEARNING Teaching does not necessarily lead to learning. Learning demands energy and attention from the learner. Is it possible for a teacher to be putting great effort into his/her teaching and no learning to be taking place? To recognize the difference between teaching and learning

How useful are explanations? Language learning doesn’t benefit from long explanations. Language learners need: to play with and communicate with the language in safe ways to get feedback on their performance To examine the importance of explanations in a class Ability to use language is more of a skill you learn by trying to do it = playing soccer, riding a bicycle, etc.

The Experiential Learning Cycle To recognize the difference between teaching and learning (the experiential learning cycle)

Teaching and the Experiential Learning Cycle “Information, feedback, guidance and support from other people may come in at any of the five steps of the cycle, but the essential learning experience is in doing the thing yourself.”

There is rapport between teachers and students. What makes the difference between a room where people are defensive and anxious, and a room where people feel able to be honest and take risks? To devise ways to create/maintain rapport and a positive learning environment There is rapport between teachers and students.

understands students’ problems Teacher’s characteristics that help to create an effective learning environment respect empathy authenticity listens to his/her students trusts people does not complicate things unnecessarily is fair inspires confidence understands students’ problems

Three Kinds of Teacher Involver   Subject Matter Methodology People Explainer  Involver   Enabler    To recognize and compare the 3 major types of teacher (based on Underhill’s classification – explainer, involver, enabler) It is important for the methodology students to know that every teacher has elements of Underhill’s three categories of teachers depending on the day, the class, the aims of a lesson, and the nature of the activities.

Teaching” Methodology I by C. Moscoso Designed as a companion for “Learning Teaching” Methodology I by C. Moscoso Office of Academic Research - ICPNA