Classroom Management

Classroom Management is defined in this course as the skill of organizing and managing the class, having a friendly relax manner and maintaining discipline.

I believe that Classroom management is a key component to being a successful teacher. It has everything to do with your attitude and interaction in the classroom. Most every new teacher struggles with Classroom Management in the in the beginning because they fail to focus enough on establishing their role as the ‘Boss’ in the classroom. If you don’t take control of your classroom, your students certainly will. Some teachers often worry that their students will not like them, because they are too strict. They fail to realize that you can be friendly and firm with their students without relinquishing control of the classroom. Usually if your students respect you they will behave in class and the results are, you will be able to teach, and learning can take place.

Classroom Management can also be subdivided into several sections. These are sections that are important to me:

a)     Giving instructions or teaching strategies-Ideas & techniques

b)    Using the board

c)     Encouraging the interaction between students

d)    Arranging Seating

Giving instructions/teaching strategies-Ideas and techniques

This area of teaching can be rewarding because if you are connecting with your students you can quickly see the results. Before starting your classes make sure you have everyone’s attention before teaching. Giving good clear instructions ensures your students know what the lesson is about and how to accomplish the assignments. Knowing your subject is important.You can be interesting by bringing fresh ideas and creativity into the classroom. Always monitor your students to see if they understand what you are trying to teach. This technique works for me; keep the lesson moving, if you have a 50 min class you have enough time to plan and complete 3 different exercises. This will keep their attention longer than any lecture. In addition try not to lecture for the entire period try to have hands-on activities during the lesson. Another technique is to get a good understanding of the culture, education systems, and traditions of the country where you will be teaching. This will enable you to be more creative in lesson planning for your class.

Using the board

This tool has many useful benefits, but it also has its drawbacks. The major drawback is during board work you have to turn your back to the students. The board can be used by students to practicing their spelling, (white board) use as a overhead projector screen, if the teacher can draw, they can illustrate their point by sketching on the board, explanation of games, and vocabulary quizzes.

Encouraging the interaction between students

From the first day of class, as a teacher you should be observing your students. When you are teaching you should be aware of your students’behavior, body language, facial expressions, and how well they are participating in class. These are indicators telling you that they understand /or not what you are trying to teach them. Find out how to get your class talking for example playing games, splitting the class into teams for role play exercises always increases conversation (in English of course). In addition always compliment your students when they have completed their assignments.

Arranging seating

For me the best seating arrangement for small classes (12 or smaller) is the U shaped. This provides a non-threating and relaxing atmosphere that is very good for learning. In addition small classrooms are much easier to keep under control      with less discipline problems.

Assign seating is important for it is to make sure your students hear, see,and understand what you are teaching.

Motivation in the Classroom

Students are motivated in different ways. Students are usually motivated themselves when they took the course as a choice. However, other students are made to take the course and therefore may need to learn to earn a reward or avoid punishment. It is the job of the teacher to make sure that the classroom is set up to ensure student success. The teacher motivates the student by using relevant material, creating a comfortable environment, and maintaining a good teacher- student relationship.

Not every student comes running to class excited to learn and enthusiastically participates in all activities and discussions. Nearly anybody can stand in front of a class and put words and sentences on the board, however, without knowing how to motivate the student it won’t work. If the student is motivated then he/she will perform much better in the classroom.

To motivate the student, the teacher must capture the student’s attention and develop the desire within each individual to learn and succeed. To do this, the teacher needs to use and create material that is interesting and relevant to the individuals being taught. If the student is able to relate to the material that he/she is learning, then he/she is more likely to take in the information. Not only will the student take in the information, but he/she will also concentrate on the task. The material given to the student should be challenging but not impossible to complete. Tasks that are too difficult for the student will lead to frustration and discourage further participation. In the classroom there should be constant positive feedback.

Praise students appropriately. If you are struggling to motivate a child, be careful to not praise him for a non-achievement. Praise him for a job well done. Rewards and praise should not be handed out left and right, instead, they should be selective and appropriate in order to motivate your students.

It is also important to create a comfortable environment in which the student does not feel threatened or intimidated. Feeling comfortable in the classroom will lead to increased student participation and student confidence. The classroom atmosphere should be inviting, open and secure.

There must be a positive relationship between the student and teacher. It is important for the student to trust and feel comfortable with the teacher. To promote a good student-teacher relationship, the teacher should be enthusiastic, caring, and positive. During each lesson, the teacher needs to give constant positive feedback encouraging students. Student participation and enthusiasm will increase if the teacher is personable and interacts with the students.

Every teacher desires to have a classroom full of self-motivated and enthusiastic students, however it does not always begin that way. The teacher should invest the time and effort to motivate all students. The teacher needs to learn about the students as individuals and their likes and dislikes. Not only do motivated students perform better in the classroom, but there are also generally fewer behavioral problems. If teachers can successfully motivate his/her students, he/she will notice an increase in classroom productivity and control.

Lastly I think two of the most important things are to remain positive and to be passionate about your learning techniques. Yelling and threatening students is not an effective way to motivate. Remaining positive and focusing on achievement will motivate students and help to create mutual respect for each individual and for learning. The more excited you are about something, the more excited your students will be. If you find the topic you are teaching boring, so will your students, so find creative ways to teach the most boring lessons.

AUTHENTIC MATERIALS IN TEFL

Introduction

Authentic materials and their use in teaching English as a foreign language has been a topic of discussion over the years. Research has been conducted stating that authentic materials are linked to the motivation of learners. Yu Hsiao-Chen (2006) suggests that such materials motivate learners as they create interest and are more stimulating. However, some studies have shown a different view and have claimed that authentic materials have the opposite effect on learners since they can be difficult to understand (Yu Hsiao-Chen, 2006). The purpose of this study is to address the different types of authentic materials and their use in the TEFL environment, focusing on their advantages and disadvantages. 

Authentic Materials Definition

According to the article Authentic Materials: An Overview (2002) by Alejandro G. Martinez, authentic or contextualized materials are defined as real-life materials “that a student encounters in everyday life but that weren’t created for educational purposes” (Martinez, 2002). The different types of authentic material include newspapers magazines, and Web sites, as well as driver’s manuals, utility bills, pill bottles, and clothing labels (Martinez, 2002). Authentic materials are written texts that are created for the native language speaker in its original form without making any changes to the document (Martinez, 2002). However, it must be noted that authentic materials are not the same as created materials, which are specially created for use in the classroom and have been changed and adapted to suit the lesson.

Advantages

The use of authentic materials in a TEFL classroom has many positive points that are beneficial to a student’s learning process. One advantage when using authentic texts, according to Martinez (2002), is that students are exposed to real language, compared to textbooks that do not contain incidental or improper English. Video clips of interviews or movies are some examples that give students that exposure to the language in its everyday form. Authentic materials also give students an insight to current world events; therefore, they contain a fair amount of educational value (Martinez, 2002). As educators, it is the teachers’ responsibility to ensure that education and general development are a part of the students’ learning process (Sanderson, 1999, as cited in Martinez, 2002). Another advantage of incorporating authentic materials in TEFL classrooms is that the same text is not limited to one purpose but can also be used for a number of activities and tasks (Martinez, 2002) which supports a more creative approach to teaching (Richard, 2001, as cited in Kilickaya, 2004). For example, a newspaper clipping can be used for a reading exercise during the study stage of a lesson, or for an activate stage activity where students can create their own advertisements. Authentic texts contain a wide range of text styles, genres, and language styles that are not commonly found in standard teaching materials (Martinez, 2002), so students remain interested and motivated to continue learning. Lastly, authentic materials also encourage students to read for pleasure as they may include topics that interest the students (Martinez, 2002), as well as expand their range of vocabulary. We can see that including authentic texts in a TEFL environment proves to have various advantages to a students learning development, however, there are some unavoidable problems to this topic as well.

Disadvantages

Though there may be various advantages to using authentic materials in TEFL, there are a few negative aspects as well. Martinez (2002) states that one disadvantage of this practice is that authentic texts may be too culturally biased, therefore, learning these materials outside the language community would be quite difficult. Another disadvantage that Martinez (2002) mentions is that some vocabulary used in authentic texts may not be suited to the language level or needs of the students. Lower level learners may find it difficult in understanding the many structures of the text (Martinez, 2002). When using authentic texts for listening exercises, the different accents of the speakers may be hard to understand and decipher as well (Martinez, 2002). Therefore, when using authentic materials it would be wise to consider these negative points before choosing the type of text to use.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear to see there are a variety of both advantages and disadvantages concerning the use of authentic in TEFL classrooms. However, I think that the positives outweigh the negatives in that authentic materials are more interesting and motivating for students, allowing them to experience the ‘real’ language of English.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language in a Kindergarten

Teaching English as a foreign language has become very popular in today’s society, as lots of parents want their children to learn English from a young age and grow up bilingual. Thus the demand for ESL teachers has gone up and lots of parents put their children into English classes at a young age so that they pick up English along with their own mother tongue, so that they have the ability to speak English as fluently.

Children, especially kindergarten, are at the developmental stage of expressing themselves and have an innate curiosity. They, at this age, are eager to learn and enjoy classroom environments because they are able to interact with other children, play games and sing songs, and seek praise from the teacher. Their minds are still being shaped and they tend to pick up language very fast at this age, while maybe not completely correctly, they aren’t afraid to try speaking in English nor are they fazed when they say something wrong. In my experience, if a teacher corrects a young learner’s language, the child will simply repeat it the right way and be pleased when they get praised. Generally then, next time, the child will say the phrase or sentence, or even word, the correct way due to the earlier positive reinforcement from the teacher. This is also because at kindergarten, their minds are still so young and thus will automatically register that this way is the correct way to say it. As I said before, children this young are still having their minds shaped by the world and their parents.

However, a big part of the way children see the world falls upon their teachers, whose job it is to teach them the language of the world. It is no different whether the teacher is an EFL teacher, because they are still teaching the young child another way to look at the world and the language that is that world. Thus children look to teachers for guidance, acceptance, encouragement and advice and at such a young age trust the teacher inexplicably to point them in the right direction, and lead them down the right path. On this matter though, as it is EFL, the parents of the children sometimes don’t speak fluent English, and might not speak English at all. In my experience, most of my young learner’s parents speak some level of English – some are fluent and some are not – but in lots of other countries this probably wouldn’t be the case. A lot of the parents, as well as their children, look to the teacher for guidance and advice and trust the teacher on what their child needs. Thus the teacher has a big responsibility when teaching kindergarten, with not only ensuring that the child learns English, but also that the child is happy, engaged and enjoys coming to the lessons.

Teaching EFL to kindergarten differs immensely to teaching teenagers or adults, due to children’s short attention spans. Therefore, because of this, the lessons should be about engaging the children and ensuring that they have a good time, by not spending too much time on a particular topic in case they get bored, and by focusing on topics that are interesting to the children. In my experience, when teaching kindergarten, it is more about encouraging the children to use the language automatically rather than teaching them verbs and tenses and the trickier parts of learning English. Instead, with children this age, as they learn to speak English, as with any native English speaker, the language should just come naturally to them and they would learn as others do. Similarly, in my experience children learn the best through play, songs and games and one of the most rewarding experiences in teaching kindergarten is when you realize that the children playing on the floor next to you with the blocks or toys, are conversing with each other in English rather than their native language.

Games in the classroom

Wikipedia(1) defines ‘game’ as a structured activity undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. In this paper I am going to look at the use of games in the classroom as an educational tool. I will look at why we might want to use games and some of the advantages, how to use games and when to use them and finally a few tips to consider when playing games.

Why use games?

There are many advantages to using games in the classroom while ESL Teaching and a lot of research has also been done in this area. It is important here just to mention those who learn. Students can come from all different backgrounds from young and old and each will also have different motivation for learning. Whatever the reason they are in the classroom it is our job as a teacher I believe to cultivate a climate where maximum learning can take place. It is important that the teacher gathers as much information about the learner so that effective planning can then take place and appropriate games then can be selected. (Wright, Betteridge and Buckly 1984)(2) believe language learning can be hard work, it takes effort and that games help and encourage many learners to sustain their interests and work. (Ersoz)(3) also agrees with this that learning a language requires constant effort and can be tiring, so games offer a distraction he outlines two reasons why games should be played in the classroom; firstly that game’s are amusing and challenging are highly motivating and secondly games allow meaningful use of language content. The Hindu online newspaper in an article looking at ‘achieving communicative competence in English’ believes that games are good because they involve active participation and that games can help students in productive skills (speaking and writing) and in receptive skills (listening and reading). As well as enthusiasm (Jane Rauschenberg)(6) believes games are good for recruitment, retention, keeping student’s enthusiasm high. Learning another language difficult but a game everyone likes to play. So a teacher can use a game to teach a daunting topic like grammar. A good grammar game can help children not only gain knowledge but be able to apply and use that learning. (Saricoban and Metin 2000)(7) authors of ‘Songs, verse and games for teaching grammar’.

In summary (Robert J. Marzano)(9) who has been involved in research on using games in the classroom, has found that studies showed that using games to teach has led to a 20 percentile gain in student achievement.

When and how to use games.

Choosing the right game is crucial. (Ayden Ersoz)(3) say’s that well chosen games are invaluable as they can give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. (Rauschenberg 2005) (6) believes

there are many different stages when to use games, during the engage, or review or just to help students relax when you have finished a major assessment.

Make sure there is a reason for playing. Make sure there is an objective a purpose for playing. It is important to consider what do you want students to achieve by playing. Teaching time is precious so it is important that you use all your time in classroom wisely. So selecting an appropriate game is important.

(Hon Lin)(8) suggests thinking about the following questions when selecting a game

1.      Which skills do the games practice?

2.      What type of game is it and what is its purpose?

3.      Does the game require maximum involvement by the students?

4.      Do the students like it?

Tips for using Games in the classroom.

I personally think and from my own experience think that the use of games in the classroom are an amazing educational tool if used correctly. I would like to recommend some tips to consider before playing games. These points will help you maximize learning through the use of games in your classroom. (These are not in any order) There are so many tips but these are just a few.

1. Think about the objective of the game. What is your reason for playing? What will your students benefit from playing.

2. Is the game fun? Is it relevant to the age group you are teaching.

3. Make sure game involves all students. Maybe think about dividing your group into smaller groups so that all can be involved.

4. Think about time. (Do you have enough time to play the game, explain the game and then follow up. In (Marzono’s)(9) research they found the most successful games were ones with follow up after)

5. What equipment do you need? What resources do you need to use?

6. Give simple clear instructions. If the game is a competition do not start until all are ready and understand what they have to do.

7. Do you have space in your classroom. Does the game involve moving round or working at tables. If you need students to move around or carry equipment think about Health and safety.

7. Be creative and think about different ways you can adapt a game to your target group.

8. Monitor the game. If you need to stop the game or give more instructions or adapt the game then do not be afraid of jumping in if needed. You want the students to get the most of the game.

9. Think about reward. What is the incentive for playing the game?

Problems for Learners in China

One of the major problems that ESL teachers have is the transference of the students native grammar rules to English. Many students, if they don't know the rule of English will automatically fall back to the rule of their first language. The result is a poor form of English, sometimes referred to as "Chinglish".

One of the areas that this is commonly noticed, is in Chinese they don't have to worry about gender except when writing. In English we use the pronouns "he" and "she", "him" and "her" to distinguish who we are talking about in a conversation, whereas in Mandarin it is not as important to keep track of the gender. The result is, if this part of English speech is not clearly understood, even intermediate students can get mixed up with which pronoun to use in a sentence. This can make even well enunciated speech hard to follow.

The complexity of the English language is probably partly to blame for the difficulty faced by many Chinese learners of English. This may be exacerbated in that many teachers find it difficult to teach the rules of English when there are so many exceptions to them. Many native speakers of English know how to speak English well, without being able to explain the rules of grammar easily. To them it just "sounds right that particular way".

Another problem can be phonology. Most aspects of the English phonological system cause difficulties for Chinese learners. Some English phonemes do not exist in Chinese; stress and intonation patterns are different. Unlike English, Chinese is a tonal language. So whereas in English, changes in pitch are used to emphasize or express emotion, in Chinese it changes the meaning of the word.

Another problem Chinese learners face is finding it difficult to hear the difference between l and r , and sometimes "l and n" and may mispronounce words like "river" to "liver". Although this may be humorous to native English speakers, it can be a source of frustration and a roadblock to good communication for the Chinese student.

Alphabet also raises a hurdle. The Chinese language does not use an alphabet but uses a logographic system for its written language. Each character represents a particular meaning, unlike English where words are made up of individual letters with no meaning, but are sounds. Because of this fundamental difference, Chinese learners may have great difficulty reading English texts and spelling words correctly.

Phrasal verbs can also cause problems because English has a number of short verbs that very commonly combine with particles (adverbs or prepositions) to form expressions such as "take on", "give in", "make do with" and "look up to". This kind of lexical feature does not exist in Chinese. So Chinese learners may find it hard to comprehend these when they come across them in written texts and spoken speech. One way we may be able to make it easier for the Chinese learner is to explain they work in a similar way to their 4 character idioms. In the Chinese language, 4 characters can make up an expression that is a based on a short story. This adds meaning and depth to the spoken and written language. In the same way, these English phrasal verbs mean more than the individual meaning of each word; they combine to add extra meaning.

Although the problems teaching English may be varied, a resourceful TESOL teacher can use knowledge of the students' native tongue to be able to teach in an effective way. Knowledge of these problems could address potential roadblocks to the students language acquisition, and give them the best possible outcome.

TEFL Course in Spain

With its year round good weather Spain has long been a popular holiday destination for northern European holiday makers looking for a bit of sun in their lives. And the coasts are generally full of Brits trying to make a little bit of Britain in the sun, taking with them their cups of tea, bangers and mash and Sky TV cards. But there is much more to Spain than the beaches and tourist ghettos. From the Pyrenees in the north to the islands in the sea, the geography in Spain is as varied as its history. It is a history that can be experienced by visiting ancient Roman ruins such as the magnificent aqueduct in Segovia or the ruins of Italica in Seville. Spain’s Islamic history can also be experienced at the Great Mosque of Cordoba, although this is now a Catholic cathedral it is a wonderful example of Moorish architecture in Spain with its awe inspiring prayer hall. Then of course there are the famous Spanish festivals with the running of the bulls in Pamplona perhaps the most famous as well as the tomato throwing festival La Tomatina in Valencia.

So what about teaching English in Spain? Is it a viable option? The simple answer is yes, it is. There are thousands of private language schools throughout the country and opportunities are plentiful n the major cities. Although there are jobs in state schools for language teaching assistants the majority of work is to be found in the private language centres. The best way to go about job hunting is to actually be in Spain rather than applying for jobs from abroad. Preference will always be given to someone who is already in the country and employers do like to meet potential employees face-to-face. Another great way to get into the job market is to take your TEFL course in Spain, this way you’ll benefit from the local knowledge and contacts of your school and trainers and will also be in a better position when it comes to deciding where to teach.

ITTT offers in class TEFL course at four schools in the north and south of Spain. In the north there’s Barcelona, while there are three options in the Andalucía region; Seville, Granada and Malaga. If you decide to take the course in Barcelona, in your time you will be able to steep yourself in the local culture during the day and bustling nightlife after sundown, or refresh yourself with a chilled day a the beach. For those who really appreciate history and the arts the course in Seville will be perfect. This ancient town is more than 2000 years old and is the home of the Flamenco. The course in Granada is ideally located for those interested in the Moorish history of the country and it is the home of the magnificent Alhambra Palace. Granada’s location in the Sierra Nevada mountains means there’s skiing in the winter while the beaches are not too far away. Another one for the art lovers, Malaga is the birthplace of Picasso and its museum hosts the largest collection of his works. Whichever place you choose to do your TEFL course in Spain you will benefit from the advice and experience of qualified professional trainers who will guide you to becoming the best English teacher you can be. Whether you are into culture, sport, food, night life or beach life Spain has a lot to offer the TEFL trainee and newly qualified TEFL teacher.

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