From student to teacher and (not really) changing your views

General discussion about learning languages
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mrwarper
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From student to teacher and (not really) changing your views

Postby mrwarper » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:15 pm

I guess we all have had moments when somebody else formulated a thought that we had before, maybe an obvious one, albeit in such a well-suited or rounded form that it resonates and gets ingrained in our brains with that exact wording.

"The laboratory is for doing what needs a laboratory; everything else should be done, before and after, at home." is apparently something obvious that I said and quickly forgot about that my aunt, who is a Biology professor at my alma mater, however liked, and had hung by their practice laboratory door in a frame. I always get a chuckle when I visit and see it -- I was simply expressing what to me is the most rational thing to do when managing learning activities, theoretical or practical, in a classroom.

To summarize, when taking classes of any kind there is stuff that you can do on your own, and stuff that you can only do in the class. On the other hand, class time tends to be rather scarce if only because it costs you money (or the facilities must be shared with other user groups, or you name it). So, if given the choice, it should be clear enough what to do where: basically, you should not let what you can do on your own eat into your class time just because you didn't do it -- it is only detrimental to yourself.

But apparently things are not so clear for many a student (and some teachers!) -- so much so that a professor needed the feel to give them an ever-present reminder using my words.

Now, what I find interesting is that, when I was a student, I always thought we spent too much time reviewing homework exercises (of the most boring kind) in our language classes, instead of getting more stuff covered. So maybe that was an early 'trauma' that I carried and tried to reverse in my own classes once I started teaching.

Of course, reviewing in class like that was the only means our teachers had to ensure we did a minimal amount of much needed practical work -- who would have guessed my peers didn't like homework. Flashforward to the present, and as an independent teacher I would rather earn less money than sit to watch paint dry, er... lazy students do what they should have done at home*. When teaching in academies, I don't have that choice. You can imagine what I like the best.

*I am OK with people who really do not have any time for independent work, or simple homework -- I just make sure they know how this will impact their progress.

Any related experiences? What do you/would you prefer to do in your classes to optimize time use? Did your views change over the years? How, and why?
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Re: From student to teacher and (not really) changing your views

Postby BeaP » Sun May 01, 2022 11:42 am

I haven't taught for a long time, but I remember I had the feeling that teaching methodology is moving along trends. Flipped classroom is a very trendy concept, but it only works with intelligent and motivated students who are already trained at searching for and organising information. Even on the lowest levels students need to know how to ask well-aimed questions if they don't understand something. In order to teach with this method a lot of work has to be done in the primary school. And it has to be done efficiently.

A teacher should know various methods and always choose the best suited for the group. In my experience teacher training is trend-based (especially in the case of languages, economically connected to coursebook publication). Enthusiastic new teachers often have to face a lack of success, and because they don't know other methods to turn to, they go back to the way they were taught at school. When students have zero learning skills, everything needs to be done in the classroom. They need to learn how to learn.
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Re: From student to teacher and (not really) changing your views

Postby mrwarper » Wed May 04, 2022 11:36 am

BeaP wrote:I haven't taught for a long time, but I remember I had the feeling that teaching methodology is moving along trends. [...] A teacher should know various methods and always choose the best suited for the group. In my experience teacher training is trend-based (especially in the case of languages, economically connected to coursebook publication).
It is so in general, from what I hear, and I am glad I didn't try to teach at a high school or university, and that none of my teachers underwent teacher training -- I had enough with the "communicative approach" training to become certified as a language teacher. Michael Swan showed thirty years ago how most of the underlying concepts should be taken with a bucketload of salt, and Wilfried Decoo also documented why we should be suspicious of any and all language learning 'approaches' and 'methodologies'.
Enthusiastic new teachers often have to face a lack of success, and because they don't know other methods to turn to, they go back to the way they were taught at school.
When I asked my own language teacher how to do it some ten years prior to getting an official certificate, she wrote more useful information in the single letter she sent me than I could ever have learned from my 'training' :D
Any teaching of methods should only come after ensuring teachers know their stuff (what would they be teaching otherwise?!), which I understand is not 'trendy' any more. It is fine to learn some useful teaching techniques, but for the most part teachers will do well enough if they're just willing to listen and adapt to their students...
When students have zero learning skills, everything needs to be done in the classroom. They need to learn how to learn.
... speaking of which, and regarding students, I have met a few with zero learning skills. One might be inclined to think something could be done even so, but that would still require some will to learn, which was not the case -- one of them told me once "why would I have to learn any new words" -- and she didn't mean in our foreign language class.
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Re: From student to teacher and (not really) changing your views

Postby MaggieMae » Sun May 15, 2022 1:14 pm

This concept is often used in group music. You practice at home, alone. You rehearse with the group. Rehearsal time is precious, and to be used for learning how your part should intertwine with the others. You learn how to play it at home.

Language learning is the same. You use class time to practice speaking with others, get explanations of confusing concepts, learning why two similar words can't be used interchangeably, etc. At home is where you do the homework, practice flash cards, read books, write papers, etc. Class time is precious.
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