TEFL Lima Michigan

Whether you are a seasoned teacher or just starting out in the profession, you are obliged to expose yourself in a potpourri of pedagogical practices to engage learners in meaningful academic learning. Classroom management, sometimes called classroom discipline, has been a priority in the world of education for as long as I can remember. Bereft of class discipline, a well-written lesson plan is rendered useless. A notable approach is Dr. Spencer Kagan's engagement theories via cooperative learning techniques. A pioneer in the cooperative learning movement, Dr. Kagan has provided us with books and articles on active engagement activities, with little or no special preparation. Evolving in efficiency and effectivity, teachers are armed with practical tools they need to make high levels of student engagement. As tefl instructors, we also face similar problems with classroom management. Learning a foreign language may be more challenging and frustrating for the students. Hence, they can become bored, uninterested, unmotivated, withdrawn making it harder to reach their desired esl goals. In this case, classroom management will help you prevent discipline problems and at the same time with current discipline problems. Below are sample Kagan structures that may be of help with managing an esl class. 1. Timed Pair Share - A student talks for specified time and the other listens. Then they switch roles. 2. Team Interview - Each student on a team in turn is interviewed by his/her teammates. 3. Numbered Heads Together - After the teacher asks a question, students write their own answer, discuss it in their groups, signal they are ready, and the teacher calls a number. Students with that number respond using a range of simultaneous response modes. 4. Boss/Secretary - One student (“Boss”) dictates to another (“Secretary”) who records the answer. The boss receives praise and then students switch roles. 5. Mix-N-Match - Students circulate in the room with cards, quizzing each other and then finding their match. For example, the person who has the picture of a shoe searches for the one who has the word “shoe.” There are many ways where an english language leaner can benefit Kagan structures. 1. Greater comprehensible input – students can adjust their speech according to the level of their partner. 2. Natural Context – real-life language is used through functional interactions 3. Negotiation of meaning – since students adjust their speech, they understand each other more. 4. Lowered affective filter – talking to a partner will be less stressful for them rather than speaking in front of the entire class. 5. Peer support – students can encourage and support each other using english 6. Enhanced motivation – students are more motivated to speak and listen for comprehension because of engaging structures. 7. Greater language use – when in pairs, students have more airtime in speaking english compared to a teacher-centered class. Designed to increase student engagement and cooperation, Kagan structures can be inserted at any point in any lesson. They are carefully designed to reinforce positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation, and simultaneous interaction. Kagan structures can be adapted to the different levels of language development. 1. Pre-production – since students at this level have low to limited knowledge of the english language kinesthetic responses can be utilized to engage students. Kagan structures in this level make use of gestures, actions, and facial expression to communicate effectively. 2. Early production – Kagan structures suggested for this level employ repetition. It may involve the entire class reading and reciting essential language. Time-pair-share, Mix-N-Match can be used at this level. 3. Speech emergence – Although students at this level have the basics, they still make mistakes. They may give brief responses that lack details. Numbered Head Together can be used here. 4. Intermediate fluency to Fluency – At this point, all Kagan structures can be used, depending on how and where the teacher will insert it. There are over 150 Kagan Structures. Structures have different functions. Some are designed to produce master of high consensus content, others to produce thinking skills, and yet others foster communication skills. What's good about it is it focuses on the higher order thinking skills allowing students to maximize retention achieve application of the language. Through the course of lifetime teaching, you will find your own style derived from various theories. However, each class is different so the teacher must not stick to one theory only. Resources Kagan Publishing & Professional Development. 2012. Kratochwill,, Tom. “Classroom Management.” American Psychological Association. Marzano, Jana, Marzano, Robert, Pickering, Debra. Classroom Management that Works: Research –based Strategies for Every teacher. US: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve, 2003.