By: Amy Lingenfelter Senior English Language Fellow

1. What is considered a large class size? 2. Why do teachers generally dislike large classes? 3. What are some common problems teachers face in teaching a large class? 4. Name/guess five essential teaching strategies to succeed with a large class? 5. Which conclusions can you make about large classes? In groups of 3, please discuss answers to the following questions:

Depends on the type of class: Writing class Reading class Speaking/Listening class According to a survey done in 2008 (in more than 30 countries): Its purpose: find out teachers’ perceptions on how many students constitutes a large class Conclusion: around 30 students or more

Assessment Challenge Grading written assignments and individual presentations are time-consuming! Classroom Management Difficulties controlling improper behavior Difficulties keeping track of all students Extreme frustration! Differentiation Different learning styles and intelligence types are not considered Wide range of learning paces and English levels

1) Classroom management Hard to maintain students’ concentra- tion and attention Not easy to learn students’ names Cheating is prevalent Lack of attention to individual issues Not sufficient material/resources Lack of physical space 2) Assessment Feedback to students takes longer Grading turns into a complicated issue Easy to resort to multiple choice and avoid assigning large writing assignments Teacher can’t identify students’ flaws No chance to correct every mistake 3) Differentiation Difficult to attend to differences among students (learning styles, multiple intelligences, learning pace, and English levels) Teachers can’t dedicate time to help weaker learners (individual attention impossible) Not all the students have the chance to participate according to their abilities

A structured group is an organized team with a task allocation for every member. The teacher supervises each group while it’s working to achieve a common goal, “butterfly style.” Using structured groups is a great option to manage large classes since within the group, students have the chance to interact in English and learn, and are held accountable for their own work. Working in groups allows: More time for practice Students to manage both themselves and their group mates Individual vs. group accountability- both are key Practice without teacher’s continuous monitoring Better student support for struggling students (due to groups of mixed ability) Students can teach each other!

Assigning responsibilities to each student group member is beneficial because: It improves class discipline It keeps students constantly busy It makes every student as well as the group accountable Suggestions: Assign team leaders to support their team members and assign ongoing roles Have students monitor themselves. Have students monitor (and support) each other. Require students to record in writing what their group mates are doing or saying at all times (take notes)

Be very organized ahead of time (e.g. create student folders, notebooks, etc.) that have the same location and function for every class Students are responsible for handling their own work and materials in a routine/structured way Teacher periodically checks students self-managed folders and notebooks Make “buddy system” so buddies motivate each other to complete work within a time frame, organize their work, and relay homework in case of absence Peer and self-assessment is key IF task is easy enough

Routines enable students to: Work with less specific guidance Operate more independently Teachers should: Emphasize the goal and steps of instruction at the beginning of every class. Establish explicit procedures for how students should behave in groups and in other class activities Dedicate a lot of time to establishing routines in the first month of school- you won’t regret it! Write all rules/procedures down and make visible in classroom!

Build habits of good behavior in students Create a “good behavior” culture in the classroom Make sure you explicitly distinguish between “good behavior” and what´s unacceptable for a variety of example behaviors Praise/offer rewards for “good behavior” for others to imitate (e.g. “point system) Make consequences of unacceptable behavior very clear and follow through on them Have students create their own rules that the teacher approves. This increases feeling of student “ownership” Be consistent: respond to the same type of behavior in the same way!

It doesn’t mean students grade each other instead of the teacher! Students only assess each other on points they already should know that have been covered in class (the rest the teacher corrects). The students are given checklists/graphic organizers to complete with their peers. Students learn from their peers and while they’re assessing others. The students are able to demonstrate their abilities by sharing with others. Teacher corrects papers that have already been revised by students.

Working with large groups isn´t easy, but if the teacher uses effective strategies, they can be just as effective as smaller classes. In order to manage large classes with success, it is essential for the teacher to be clear on academic and behavioral expectations, rules, procedures, routines, consequences, rewards, and means of assessment. When working with large classes, the teacher should create a state of balance between autonomy/freedom, routine/structure, and group collaboration to maximize learning!

THE END! THANK YOU!