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Teach English in Baoshan Zhen - Qingdao Shi

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When studying to become a teacher, there are a number of aspects of the job that seem trivial at first, but turn out to be rather important down the line. Seating is one of these. Students study in different ways and all have their own idiosyncrasies. However, the classroom environment always has a significant effect on their attention and motivation. Individual differences can make certain situations hard to control, but creating an environment that encourages the students to want to participate is a great start. The Young Learners course goes into a bit of detail in Unit 2 about how to effectively use seating arrangements. Different seating styles are suited to different activities, and each creates a different atmosphere in the classroom. The basic styles – small group, circle, semicircle, etc. – were well-explained in the text, and I agree with the usage examples given. There are other arrangements that also work well in particular situations, though. One alternative seating arrangement I have used is what my colleagues and I referred to as the “pair-row” arrangement. This involves creating a single long row, two desks wide and as long as the classroom allows. In practice, in smaller classrooms it works better split into two or three shorter “long” rows. A quick and easy-to-understand way to arrange it is to combine the usual group tables into rows. The pair-row is set up so that there is a series of pairs on either side of the long row. The students face each other and ask questions or do a role play activity. After a signal (I prefer a whistle), the students on one side shift down one, so that all students are faced with a new partner. The activity then resets. This arrangement is excellent for pair work in which the teacher wants to encourage students to have as much practice as possible with as wide a variety of partners as possible. In some classes, particularly with ages 12-15, students tend to stay in cliques even when given free rein to roam around in an activity. Girls will not ask boys, boys stay away from girls, unpopular students cluster in tiny groups, and so on. The pair-row allows for a wide variety of pairings. It is also quite fun, as the students feel the excitement and tension of waiting for the next signal to move (which could come at any time). Other alternatives can help a CLT or situational lesson feel more real: - I have led many class debates in which we arranged the desks in the style of a courtroom. - When practicing ordering at a restaurant, the teacher can arrange the tables either in the style of a fancy restaurant, or in the style of a fast food burger chain. - When teaching directions, it can be fun and challenging to arrange the desks as if they are buildings or other obstacles, and have one student guide a blindfolded partner through it. The students are only allowed to issue verbal advice, and the tables provide real physical feedback when the blindfolded students makes a mistake, or follows incorrect advice. In short, the possibilities for table arrangements are practically endless. Using a little imagination, the teacher can add a whole new dimension to the learning experience, and make the study more communicative and more effective, all at no extra cost and with very little effort.


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