Personally, human should not stay stagnant in this life. Life has many more to offer than entertainment, delicacies and sleeping! There is always “knowledge explosion” occurring every single day around us and it is up to us to gain them and to make our life more passionate and colourful with all the knowledge that we have acquired. Isn’t it fantastic to be able to share our intelligence; talking about your latest discovery in physics or maybe sharing your latest work update in building a flying car for instance? Life is fun and has always been about learning and enriching our “knowledge bank”. Like the saying of the Chinese, “Learning is a process that we end only after our death.” In other words, we should be lifelong learners. All of us have that gift and thus, to expand the capability of our generation of learners, teaching approaches shares crucial role in providing a favourable learning environment to stretch learners’ learning to the maximum.
There are indeed various types of teaching approaches. However, the usage or choice of it should be based on the type of learners that a teacher has. In this case, we will discuss on the teacher-centered and learning-centered teaching approach.
First of all, based on the lesson plan shown, it is more of a teacher-centered teaching approach that applies the notional-functional syllabus. This particular type of syllabus divides its syllabus according to functions of subject. For instance, the elements of English are pulled and integrated together. The new teacher attempts to teach pronouns through a bigger or major theme which is People. This is good as the traditional element of this approach is modified compared to its initial strong teaching prescription that organise all teaching contents traditionally according to the structural syllabus. For example, instead of teaching pronouns based on real-life context or theme such as people, pronouns are taught dryly; within its own category.
Back to the term teacher-centered teaching, it is a conventional approach whereby the teacher controls over the entire class and lesson. Teachers are the giver while students are the receiver; they are spoon fed. Philosophically, the purpose of education here is just to maintain social order by passing down knowledge and culture to the generation; teaching or learning for its own sake (Prof. Dr. Raja Fauzi: Language and Teaching Methodology Notes) Looking at the teaching plan, teacher starts off the class by going straight into briefing the topic of the day. It seems to be that the teacher are teaching deductively without having the students to jog their mind and brainstorm whether they have at least any previous knowledge or encounters with pronouns before. Besides that, students are seen as empty glasses where they are expected to receive input and not showing output. Students are also to be taught in a lock-step way which is one of the main characteristic of teacher-centered teaching techniques in which all students perform the same activities. In other words, students are treated as homogeneous group. This is actually not recommended as we would normally deal with a diversity of students: none of them are alike. Additionally, students are also required to complete the worksheet individually in development Stage II. This technique may be appropriate as a take home assignment but as a class activity, it would be more motivating if students have the opportunity to share and voice out their opinion about what they have learned from the lesson by discussing interactively with their classmates; they will be able to construct the knowledge conveyed by the teacher more meaningfully.
Well, in comparing all the different teaching approaches that we have, I prefer the constructivist way. Why?
In the point of view of a constructivist, learning is like a building blocks or scaffolding whereby meaning towards a phenomenon is interpreted and construed through learner’s active participation and anticipation in constructing them through new experiences and which is based on their personal pace and learning comfort.
Education in this context is about maximising the potential of individuals. And the process of maximisation is carried out by having the individuals constructing and reconstructing meaning to phenomena through new experience (Prof. Dr. Raja Fauzi: Language and Teaching Methodology Notes).
To illustrate, in a constructivism context of learning and teaching, teachers play the roles as managers of the learner’s learning experience whereby they only manage, coach and guide students through their journey of seeking knowledge. Learners on the other hand are knowledge seekers. Their knowledge is gradually gained when they experience a phenomenon and construct its meaning over and over again until they understand all those phenomena around them. In analogy, in a baseball field, teachers are the coach while learners are the players. As a coach, he/she can only guide the players how to hit the ball with strategic positions and maybe the rules and regulations as well. However, whether all those teaching or knowledge makes sense, it depends entirely on the players’ reception towards the knowledge. They are basically the one that experience the hitting and sensing any achievements or improvements. And if they fail to hit correctly, they may ask for more explanation practice and guidance from the coach and construct better on the previous knowledge that they have gained. Step by step, they get the best out of it: The knowledge and the experience as well!
This constructivist theory is often the theory applied in a learning-centered teaching. How does this type of teaching approach differs from other approaches? Well, the term states it all. It is a teaching approach that accommodates learner’s natural learning capability. In other words, it means developing student responsibility for their own learning and meaning (Pyhllis Blumberg: Learning-centered Teaching). As every single learner is unique by him/herself, this teaching approach caters best in helping them fit into learning according to their own single velocity. Linking to this statement, the two main effective highlights of learning- centered teaching techniques are differentiated and informed teaching.
There are indeed various types of teaching approaches. However, the usage or choice of it should be based on the type of learners that a teacher has. In this case, we will discuss on the teacher-centered and learning-centered teaching approach.
First of all, based on the lesson plan shown, it is more of a teacher-centered teaching approach that applies the notional-functional syllabus. This particular type of syllabus divides its syllabus according to functions of subject. For instance, the elements of English are pulled and integrated together. The new teacher attempts to teach pronouns through a bigger or major theme which is People. This is good as the traditional element of this approach is modified compared to its initial strong teaching prescription that organise all teaching contents traditionally according to the structural syllabus. For example, instead of teaching pronouns based on real-life context or theme such as people, pronouns are taught dryly; within its own category.
Back to the term teacher-centered teaching, it is a conventional approach whereby the teacher controls over the entire class and lesson. Teachers are the giver while students are the receiver; they are spoon fed. Philosophically, the purpose of education here is just to maintain social order by passing down knowledge and culture to the generation; teaching or learning for its own sake (Prof. Dr. Raja Fauzi: Language and Teaching Methodology Notes) Looking at the teaching plan, teacher starts off the class by going straight into briefing the topic of the day. It seems to be that the teacher are teaching deductively without having the students to jog their mind and brainstorm whether they have at least any previous knowledge or encounters with pronouns before. Besides that, students are seen as empty glasses where they are expected to receive input and not showing output. Students are also to be taught in a lock-step way which is one of the main characteristic of teacher-centered teaching techniques in which all students perform the same activities. In other words, students are treated as homogeneous group. This is actually not recommended as we would normally deal with a diversity of students: none of them are alike. Additionally, students are also required to complete the worksheet individually in development Stage II. This technique may be appropriate as a take home assignment but as a class activity, it would be more motivating if students have the opportunity to share and voice out their opinion about what they have learned from the lesson by discussing interactively with their classmates; they will be able to construct the knowledge conveyed by the teacher more meaningfully.
Well, in comparing all the different teaching approaches that we have, I prefer the constructivist way. Why?
In the point of view of a constructivist, learning is like a building blocks or scaffolding whereby meaning towards a phenomenon is interpreted and construed through learner’s active participation and anticipation in constructing them through new experiences and which is based on their personal pace and learning comfort.
Education in this context is about maximising the potential of individuals. And the process of maximisation is carried out by having the individuals constructing and reconstructing meaning to phenomena through new experience (Prof. Dr. Raja Fauzi: Language and Teaching Methodology Notes).
To illustrate, in a constructivism context of learning and teaching, teachers play the roles as managers of the learner’s learning experience whereby they only manage, coach and guide students through their journey of seeking knowledge. Learners on the other hand are knowledge seekers. Their knowledge is gradually gained when they experience a phenomenon and construct its meaning over and over again until they understand all those phenomena around them. In analogy, in a baseball field, teachers are the coach while learners are the players. As a coach, he/she can only guide the players how to hit the ball with strategic positions and maybe the rules and regulations as well. However, whether all those teaching or knowledge makes sense, it depends entirely on the players’ reception towards the knowledge. They are basically the one that experience the hitting and sensing any achievements or improvements. And if they fail to hit correctly, they may ask for more explanation practice and guidance from the coach and construct better on the previous knowledge that they have gained. Step by step, they get the best out of it: The knowledge and the experience as well!
This constructivist theory is often the theory applied in a learning-centered teaching. How does this type of teaching approach differs from other approaches? Well, the term states it all. It is a teaching approach that accommodates learner’s natural learning capability. In other words, it means developing student responsibility for their own learning and meaning (Pyhllis Blumberg: Learning-centered Teaching). As every single learner is unique by him/herself, this teaching approach caters best in helping them fit into learning according to their own single velocity. Linking to this statement, the two main effective highlights of learning- centered teaching techniques are differentiated and informed teaching.
As stated by Tracey Hall, Nicole Strangman and Anne Meyer in their report “Differentiated Instruction and Implications for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Implementation”, differentiated teaching can be defined as the differentiation of instruction by recognizing students’ varying background knowledge, readiness, and language, preferences in leaning and interests and to react responsively. To make it simpler, it is a teaching and learning process for students of different abilities that are in a same class; students do different task at the same time based on their own pace. The authors also agreed that the intention of differentiated teaching or instruction is to maximize each student’s growth and individual success by assisting in the learning process. Thus, in classroom context, students may be given multiple options for taking in information and making sense of the ideas.
Informed teaching on the other hand, uses a variety of purposeful use of teaching techniques based on the needs or requirements of students. The difference between this and the former is that in this teaching technique, students are informed of the goals and learning outcomes of particular strategies and activities (Francesca Pouwer: Learning to learn). As quoted by Francesca Pouwer, research on learning-to-learn conducted by Wenden (1987) indicates that students are more likely to transfer the skill they acquire from a practice activity to a new situation if they are informed of what skill they are actually learning and why. Besides that, she added further by quoting Gawith (2000) that research also shows that students do not sufficiently transfer skills from one leaning context to the next. By giving at least a gist of what students should be expecting in the lesson, they would gradually be aware of how they can actually improve their own learning (which is the main purpose of this technique).
But of course, instead of expecting all the learners to be a lifelong, self-directed, self-initiated learners and leaders plus possessing excellent problem-solving abilities, teachers also need to provide a conducive environment by analysing the physical class environment and having infrastructure and dedicated resources in educating, orienting and encouraging learners.
By applying this teaching approach, teachers do not only able to build a strong knowledge foundation in learners and helping in developing learners’ learning skills and self-awareness, their facilitative teaching may also create a balance of power (Maryellen Weimer’s: Learner-centered Teaching). This equal power is generated when teachers share some decision about the topic or subject with the class and let students have a certain control over the class or subject policies such as assignment’s deadlines, methods of learning and assessment (informed teaching) for instance but definitely not the content of the lesson. Besides that, with teachers’ creativity and effort in preparing and supplying a great motivational learning environment, learning may as well become even more effective in this teaching and learning approach since all these knowledge seekers need to be responsible over their own learning.
Thus, in accordance to the discussion above, I would again strongly like to recommend the application of learning-centered teaching approach in improving and carrying out the lesson as prepared by the new teacher.
Specifically in improving the lesson plan that is prepared by the new teacher, first of all, I would like to state that even though the lesson plan is based on teacher-centered teaching, it is indeed a good effort of teaching pronoun in notional-functional syllabus where the content organisation is not so rigid and need to be followed as prescribed.
However, I personally think that the lesson should be taught inductively. Instead of the teacher leading in straight to the topic during the set induction, deliberation should come before explanation. Like what have been mentioned above, teacher should have the student jogging their mind and arousing their interest through a small activity for instance. To illustrate, besides of briefing the students straight about the topic and tell out the answer, teachers should start pointing to the students and maybe use the class (furniture, students etc.) as examples in introducing pronouns. It would be better off to use real-life background or example instead of diving straight to the core of the topic. Plus, this little introduction would kick start their anticipation towards the lesson. They can be informed of what slight knowledge on the topic that they have through deliberation process and what they need to improve on and expect throughout the lesson. Now, percentage of students going to have a fun-learning experience would be higher and may also be even more effective.
Moreover, teacher should always bear in mind that the main learner in a class setting is the student. Thus, instead of being the classroom’s controller and “knower” or “transmitter” of knowledge, students themselves should be able to participate actively. And to be active in class, students should be the one that voice out the most especially in class discussion or even presentation. Only then, they will be able to use and process the knowledge received from the teacher. So, instead of being an empty glass, students should be seen as “knowledge seeker”. They should be free in constructing every single data that they have received and experience the phenomenon themselves meaningfully. Therefore, in the lesson plan’s activity, students should be given a more constructive and interactive activity such as group discussion and presentation or even role play instead of an individual work. Let the class setting be more conducive and not deal in the conventional and traditional way. Right after the students have shared all the things that they have learned during the interactive discussion, then an individual assignment can be given. At least teacher needs to know, measure and follow-up the level of the students’ understanding.
Another crucial highlight that has also been mentioned above is that none of the students are alike. Thus, in such a diverse setting, students should be accommodated and catered with the best learning method which is the differentiated teaching and learning and not lock-step teaching. As students are unique in their own way, a lesson may sometime need to be modified in terms of its Support, Task, Approach, Mode, Pace, and Source (STAMP). Thus, the class activity in the lesson plan should be stated and differentiated based on the students’ ability. For instance, the weaker students may be given a slightly easier article to enable them to at least get the basic meaning or rules right while the better ones are given a slightly intermediate or hard one. Or maybe the pace of the lesson can also be slower down. At the end of the day, teaching can be even more effective and every student would be able to gain and learn something from the lesson and experience success. Barriers that frequently limit student access to materials and learning in classrooms can be decreased (Francesca Pouwer quoted: Rose & Meyer 2002). So, the lesson plan’s activities column should be best differentiated and divided into two: the teacher’s roles and the student’s roles.
In a nutshell, educational curricula and teaching methods are changing (Audrey Gray: Constructivist Teaching and Learning). From the conventional curriculum where only the teachers transmit information and students being the passive listeners and acquirer, today’s learning should be based more on the learners themselves. According to Audrey Gray, Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (1993) tell us that learning in all subject areas involves inventing and constructing new ideas. They suggest that constructivist theory be incorporated into the curriculum, and advocate that teachers create environments in which children can construct their own understandings. Besides that, Twomey Fosnot (1989) also recommends that a constructivist approach be used to create learners who are autonomous, inquisitive thinkers who question, investigate, and reason. Therefore, like what have been discussed above, the constructivist approach seems to be more beneficial compared to the traditional way. Thus, teachers need to modify their teaching approach as well to ensure that the students can learn the best out of their lesson.
References:
From Internet
Retrieved on 3 November 2008 from http://amps-tools.mit.edu/tomprofblog/archives/2005/03/604_learning_ce.html
Retrieved on 3 November 2008 from http://academic.pgcc.edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/weimer.htm
Retrieved on 3 November 2008 from http://www.usp.edu/teaching/Learner-Centered/Implementing%20lct.pdf
Retrieved on 3 November 2008 from http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/learntolearn/basic.html
Retrieved on 3 November 2008 from The Access Center: Differentiated Instruction and Implications for UDL Implementation.
Retrieved on 3 November 2008 from Constructivist Teaching and Learning by Audrey Gray
