Monday, April 23, 2012
Learner-centered classroom for higher achievement
Masum Billah
When the students take on greater responsibility for their own learning and gain greater independence is known as the learner-centered approach to instruction. We often focus more on how we teach than on how our students learn. In learner-centered classroom we should be careful about what our students do to facilitate their won learning. Here both the teacher and the students must share the responsibility of learning. Student centered teaching lies at the core of any effective classroom. Any teaching method or any instructional material must be evaluated on its use of student centered principles if we want these methods, materials to teach students effectively. In this approach teachers’ planning, teaching and our assessment center round the needs and abilities of our students. The main idea behind the practice is that learning is most meaningful when topics are relevant to the students’ lives, needs and interests and when the students themselves are actively engaged in creating, understanding and connecting to knowledge. Students will have a higher motivation to learn when they feel they have a real stake in their own leaning. In a learner-centered classroom the students don’t just memorize information, but they are allowed to work with and use the information alone or with peers. The students are given choices and are included in the decision -making processes of the classroom. Learners are treated as co-creators in the learning process.
‘Most children in school are scared most of the time’, says John Holt in his book ‘How children fail’. “Schools are designed on the assumption that there is a secret to everything in life that the quality of life depends on knowing that secret, that secrets can be known only in orderly succession, and that only teachers can properly reveal these secrets.” Ivan Illich. “ says in his book “ De-schooling society”. In the average class-room someone is talking for two-thirds of the time, two-thirds of the talk is teacher-talk, and two thirds of the teacher-talk is direct influence.” N.A. Flanders.
‘We need to see English as essentially an educative subject, linked to the cognitive development of learners, rather than as something isolated from the rest of the curriculum. Unfortunately, in many classrooms throughout the world, little true education talks place. Instead, there is rote-learning of material irrelevant to the learner’s interests. We need to be aware of the educational potential of English in such circumstance’-Alan C. McLean (English Teaching Forum Volume 50, Number 1, 2012). And the classrooms of Bangladesh in terms of English teaching say the same or show the worse picture. Still in Bangladesh school is a place of fear for most students. They are coerced by various means to produce answers that are acceptable to their teacher rather than to engage in practical thinking. The threat of withdrawal of love or approval is, in fact, often much more powerful than the threat of physical punishment. We need to end unnecessary coercion in class and minimize defensive learning. There is a clear need for the teacher to endeavor to get into the learner’s consciousness much more than he/she usually does at present. Not only in Bangladesh but also in many countries the typical teaching style is authoritarian. It is very threatening for most learners when it is assumed that the teacher is the custodian of the secret and source of all wisdom. It vital for the teacher to show that there are many things of which he/she is ignorant , he/she can make mistakes and he is not, superhuman. Only when the teacher’s authority recedes the learners can be thrown back on his own resources.
Teaching is not so much a process of cramming outside knowledge into the learner’s mind as if drawing out the knowledge that each of our students has within him. We should believe that learning is something only the learner can do. The teacher cannot learn for the pupil, he can only provide good conditions within which learning may take place. So, the teacher should be consciously more silent so that the learners may become more vocal. ‘Learning is most effective when the learner is the initiator of the learning process’- Bruner tells in his book ‘ The relevance of education’.
Student centered teaching is adaptable to meet the needs of every student and it helps us design effective instruction for every member of the classroom, no matter with his or her diverse learning needs. It is felt that students’ needs receive consideration. It increases student motivation which is very essential in fruitful teaching learning situation. When students’ needs are considered in a class, they can retain more materials for longer periods. When students use the language, they retain it more than if they would simply hear it. They get practice in actively producing meaningful conversation and they take a more direct route to fluency than they would take. It removes the boredom of students as this kind of class is creative and new surprise attaches to it. Even beyond learning what they need to know, students benefit from a less academic side, effect of student-centered teaching-they learn how to feel good about themselves. As they take on new responsibilities and succeed with these responsibilities, they come to gain confidence in themselves as competent problem-solvers. Confidence brings higher achievement as different researches reveal.
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers’ Association ( BELTA)
Monday, April 16, 2012
Receiving TESOL President Award
Masum Billah
Any kind of recognition to any innovative work works as a guiding force to go forward for any individual and organization. It’s an incentive as well. When it happens in the field of education it brings more pleasure for those who belong to this field. I have been in this line for quite a long time first as a practicing teacher and now as teacher educator/administrator have become elated to see any positive change and recognition to Bangladesh education .It invokes greater pleasure when I see and experience any global recognition to the field I belong to. My present attachment to BRAC Education Program, PACE which works for the overall development of secondary education with particular emphasis on English language and the way of its working for the rural teachers has drawn the attention of some global entities. TESOL is the acronym of
Teachers of English to speakers of other languages which refers to the professional association, the profession, and the field itself. This global professional association has now picked up the case of BRAC Education program, PACE and rewarded it with its prestigious award. TESOL’s headquarters is in Alexandria, Virginia, in the United States, having more than 13,500 members in over 140 countries. The mission of TESOL is to ensure excellence in English language teaching to speakers of other languages.
To engage its members and colleagues in ongoing discussion of current issues, ideas, and opportunities in the field of English language teaching, TESOL publishes two serials: a scholarly, refereed journal and a magazine offering articles of interest to teachers across the profession. Books, professional papers, and other resources on a wide range of theoretical and practical topics sustain sound professional development. TESOL’s electronic resources include an extensive web site, an overview of employment opportunities, and a newsletter with timely links related to the field of TESOL connections. TESOL’s annual convention, usually held in March in North America, is regarded as the foremost professional development opportunity for practitioners and other English language teaching professionals. Each year, 6,000 – 8,000 participants gather for this weeklong event, which offers full-length papers, workshops, poster sessions, materials exchanges, plenary speakers, product exhibitions and networking opportunities. Throughout the year, TESOL conducts professional development symposia, workshops, and online sessions for participants around the world. This year (2012)TESOL’s annual convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA from March 28 to 31. The writer was invited by Dr. Christine Coombe, the president of TESOL, to receive the TESOL President Award for making valuable contribution in the field of education in general and its promotion of English language in particular throughout Bangladesh in secondary education along with primary and post secondary. The TESOL President Award is selected annually by TESOL’s Executive Committee in recognition of individuals or entities who have supported efforts for the field in line with TESOL’s values.
How do the activities of PACE ( Post-primary basic And Continuing Education) Program of BRAC go in line with TESOL’s values? BRAC –PACE training adores and practices innovative ways so that the English teachers can make difference by making the subject very interesting, easier and life oriented to the students in the classrooms. They also learn how to teach this subject to the learners of Bangladesh without teaching them the set grammatical rules and sticking to the traditional method. The field of TESOL involves a professional activity that requires specialized training. The fact that someone speaks English does not by itself qualify that person to teach it, especially to those who are learning English as an additional language. TESOL focuses on how to use English as a world language and how to understand and become comfortable with the various cultural practices of English-speaking people.
English language educators work all over the world, in various contexts in the public and private sectors. They work in countries where English is the dominant language, as in Australia, Canada, England, and the united States, as well as in countries where English is spoken as a foreign language, such as Japan, Saudi Arabia and India .In English-speaking countries, English as a second language teachers work with immigrants and refugees at all levels of the education system – primary, secondary, higher – as well as adult education in community colleges and community-based programs. In higher education settings, ESL teachers work with international students in intensive and semi-intensive English language programs. In countries in which English is an additional language, English as foreign language teachers also work at all levels of education. Their special charge is to find creative ways to build English into the lives of learners outside the classroom. BRAC English training tries to implement just this thing driving the teachers from the usual classroom teaching and preparing the students just to cross the stairs of examination. It aims at making language study meaningful even in daily life communications which our English teachers hardly seemed to foster before receiving BRAC training.
Ways to improve English, dealing with students’ learning, an introduction of CLT, familiarization with the syllabus textbook and test types, large classroom management, lesson planning, teaching vocabulary, teaching four language skills, micro-teaching, teaching grammar communicatively get reflected in BRAC English training. BRAC possesses twenty-three well equipped training centers scattered across the country with the capacity to accommodate five thousand teachers/trainees at a time. It has the root level officials to contact the village teachers and school authorities to motivate them to receive English training. The field level officials follow up the classes of trained teachers to ensure that the teachers use the techniques and skills they have gained from training in the classrooms.
Among the trained teachers the potential ones have been identified to develop them into trainers through special training. Their hidden potentials have been bloomed through this process and they have been amply empowered and highly encouraged to do the job. A competition has developed among other English teachers to become Master Trainers. Actually, the teachers are getting professionally developed in disguise and this initiative of BRAC has received positive response from all corners. The development of Master Trainers is a milestone indeed in BRAC English training. BRAC has proved that rural teachers can show their potentials and contribute to the greater perspective of the nation if opportunities can be extended towards them. These teachers have developed their confidence through imparting training in different parts of the country and many of them have gone abroad for higher level training through BRAC initiatives. Students are not attentive to what is being said in a lecture 40% of the time. Students retain 70% of the information in the first ten minutes but only 20 in the last ten minutes (Meyers and Jones 1993.) Trained teachers have now started focusing activity based classes instead of lecture based ones as they find in the training centres how the trainers involve them in various activities. These things were unknown to them before completing the training.
The positive outcome of BRAC English training manifests itself in various forms. Rural students who now exchange greetings with their English teachers in English meaning they are gaining confidence and the teaching learning scenario has started changing. It also means that the shyness of the students has started disappearing. These positive changes in the schools in which BRAC works have been appreciated by TESOL authorities and took decision to honour us with the prestigious TESOL President Award. It was my proud privilege to receive the ‘TESOL President Award 2012’ for our contribution to the field of teaching and improving the situation of English of rural English teachers. Fife Macduff, Regional English Language Officer, who is in charge of improving English in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives played a significant role to make the world know what BRAC Education English Team is doing in Bangladesh. Ryan Bradeen, the cultural officer of American Center in Bangladesh, US Embassy also did valuable contribution to this field. Finally as a representative of Bangladesh in general and BRAC Education in particular I must offer my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Christine Coombe, the president of TESOL International who made the world community know what BRAC Education is doing in Bangladesh and what sort of improvement has been made by BRAC. Rosa Aronson, the Executive Director, TESOL kept me updated about the whole event from time to time and hence deserves thanks from Bangladesh and BRAC. Several thousand spectators from eighty-seven countries learnt about Bangladesh and BRAC Education. Finally the writer had the rare opportunity to address those distinguished guests and participants and offer them the thanks on behalf of Bangladesh and BRAC.
Program Manager and Team Leader (English): BRAC Education Program, PACE and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA)
Cell: 01714-091431, Email: masumbillah65@gmail.com
Any kind of recognition to any innovative work works as a guiding force to go forward for any individual and organization. It’s an incentive as well. When it happens in the field of education it brings more pleasure for those who belong to this field. I have been in this line for quite a long time first as a practicing teacher and now as teacher educator/administrator have become elated to see any positive change and recognition to Bangladesh education .It invokes greater pleasure when I see and experience any global recognition to the field I belong to. My present attachment to BRAC Education Program, PACE which works for the overall development of secondary education with particular emphasis on English language and the way of its working for the rural teachers has drawn the attention of some global entities. TESOL is the acronym of
Teachers of English to speakers of other languages which refers to the professional association, the profession, and the field itself. This global professional association has now picked up the case of BRAC Education program, PACE and rewarded it with its prestigious award. TESOL’s headquarters is in Alexandria, Virginia, in the United States, having more than 13,500 members in over 140 countries. The mission of TESOL is to ensure excellence in English language teaching to speakers of other languages.
To engage its members and colleagues in ongoing discussion of current issues, ideas, and opportunities in the field of English language teaching, TESOL publishes two serials: a scholarly, refereed journal and a magazine offering articles of interest to teachers across the profession. Books, professional papers, and other resources on a wide range of theoretical and practical topics sustain sound professional development. TESOL’s electronic resources include an extensive web site, an overview of employment opportunities, and a newsletter with timely links related to the field of TESOL connections. TESOL’s annual convention, usually held in March in North America, is regarded as the foremost professional development opportunity for practitioners and other English language teaching professionals. Each year, 6,000 – 8,000 participants gather for this weeklong event, which offers full-length papers, workshops, poster sessions, materials exchanges, plenary speakers, product exhibitions and networking opportunities. Throughout the year, TESOL conducts professional development symposia, workshops, and online sessions for participants around the world. This year (2012)TESOL’s annual convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA from March 28 to 31. The writer was invited by Dr. Christine Coombe, the president of TESOL, to receive the TESOL President Award for making valuable contribution in the field of education in general and its promotion of English language in particular throughout Bangladesh in secondary education along with primary and post secondary. The TESOL President Award is selected annually by TESOL’s Executive Committee in recognition of individuals or entities who have supported efforts for the field in line with TESOL’s values.
How do the activities of PACE ( Post-primary basic And Continuing Education) Program of BRAC go in line with TESOL’s values? BRAC –PACE training adores and practices innovative ways so that the English teachers can make difference by making the subject very interesting, easier and life oriented to the students in the classrooms. They also learn how to teach this subject to the learners of Bangladesh without teaching them the set grammatical rules and sticking to the traditional method. The field of TESOL involves a professional activity that requires specialized training. The fact that someone speaks English does not by itself qualify that person to teach it, especially to those who are learning English as an additional language. TESOL focuses on how to use English as a world language and how to understand and become comfortable with the various cultural practices of English-speaking people.
English language educators work all over the world, in various contexts in the public and private sectors. They work in countries where English is the dominant language, as in Australia, Canada, England, and the united States, as well as in countries where English is spoken as a foreign language, such as Japan, Saudi Arabia and India .In English-speaking countries, English as a second language teachers work with immigrants and refugees at all levels of the education system – primary, secondary, higher – as well as adult education in community colleges and community-based programs. In higher education settings, ESL teachers work with international students in intensive and semi-intensive English language programs. In countries in which English is an additional language, English as foreign language teachers also work at all levels of education. Their special charge is to find creative ways to build English into the lives of learners outside the classroom. BRAC English training tries to implement just this thing driving the teachers from the usual classroom teaching and preparing the students just to cross the stairs of examination. It aims at making language study meaningful even in daily life communications which our English teachers hardly seemed to foster before receiving BRAC training.
Ways to improve English, dealing with students’ learning, an introduction of CLT, familiarization with the syllabus textbook and test types, large classroom management, lesson planning, teaching vocabulary, teaching four language skills, micro-teaching, teaching grammar communicatively get reflected in BRAC English training. BRAC possesses twenty-three well equipped training centers scattered across the country with the capacity to accommodate five thousand teachers/trainees at a time. It has the root level officials to contact the village teachers and school authorities to motivate them to receive English training. The field level officials follow up the classes of trained teachers to ensure that the teachers use the techniques and skills they have gained from training in the classrooms.
Among the trained teachers the potential ones have been identified to develop them into trainers through special training. Their hidden potentials have been bloomed through this process and they have been amply empowered and highly encouraged to do the job. A competition has developed among other English teachers to become Master Trainers. Actually, the teachers are getting professionally developed in disguise and this initiative of BRAC has received positive response from all corners. The development of Master Trainers is a milestone indeed in BRAC English training. BRAC has proved that rural teachers can show their potentials and contribute to the greater perspective of the nation if opportunities can be extended towards them. These teachers have developed their confidence through imparting training in different parts of the country and many of them have gone abroad for higher level training through BRAC initiatives. Students are not attentive to what is being said in a lecture 40% of the time. Students retain 70% of the information in the first ten minutes but only 20 in the last ten minutes (Meyers and Jones 1993.) Trained teachers have now started focusing activity based classes instead of lecture based ones as they find in the training centres how the trainers involve them in various activities. These things were unknown to them before completing the training.
The positive outcome of BRAC English training manifests itself in various forms. Rural students who now exchange greetings with their English teachers in English meaning they are gaining confidence and the teaching learning scenario has started changing. It also means that the shyness of the students has started disappearing. These positive changes in the schools in which BRAC works have been appreciated by TESOL authorities and took decision to honour us with the prestigious TESOL President Award. It was my proud privilege to receive the ‘TESOL President Award 2012’ for our contribution to the field of teaching and improving the situation of English of rural English teachers. Fife Macduff, Regional English Language Officer, who is in charge of improving English in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives played a significant role to make the world know what BRAC Education English Team is doing in Bangladesh. Ryan Bradeen, the cultural officer of American Center in Bangladesh, US Embassy also did valuable contribution to this field. Finally as a representative of Bangladesh in general and BRAC Education in particular I must offer my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Christine Coombe, the president of TESOL International who made the world community know what BRAC Education is doing in Bangladesh and what sort of improvement has been made by BRAC. Rosa Aronson, the Executive Director, TESOL kept me updated about the whole event from time to time and hence deserves thanks from Bangladesh and BRAC. Several thousand spectators from eighty-seven countries learnt about Bangladesh and BRAC Education. Finally the writer had the rare opportunity to address those distinguished guests and participants and offer them the thanks on behalf of Bangladesh and BRAC.
Program Manager and Team Leader (English): BRAC Education Program, PACE and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA)
Cell: 01714-091431, Email: masumbillah65@gmail.com
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