Fostering A Positive Psychological Classroom Atmosphere
It is important to establish a kind of "classroom community", in which students feel free to communicate using the foreign language. An important thing to bear in mind is that you should create a classroom atmosphere in which language errors are considered a natural part of the process of learning a foreign language (Dornyei (2001: 42). If errors are ridiculed, some students may suffer from communication apprehension, that is, they will be unwilling to communicate using the target language. The following techniques are intended to create a friendly, non-threatening class classroom climate:
Ø In speaking activities avoid excessive, "on the spot" correction. This can discourage students from speaking and experimenting with new language (Lightbown and Spada, 1999).
Ø In writing tasks, adopt a correction code. Prompt students about the location and the nature of errors rather than correcting every mistake (Lee 1997:466). When students get back any piece of written work with too many corrections, their confidence is undermined, and they experience frustration and demotivation (Edge, 1989:50)
Ø Establish a set of classroom rules and enforce them fairly and consistently with all students. For example, make it clear to all students that ridiculing a wrong answer, not completing homework, or misbehaving is not acceptable behavior.
Ø Incorporate collaborative work in your English classroom. Short-term, or long-term projects can make students personally involved in the language learning process, and increase motivation (Lee, 2002). They help students feel that their language output is not constantly assessed. As a result, they are more likely to participate and focus on communication, rather than on accuracy. An additional advantage of project work is that students have an active role in the implementation of project work, which can both boost their confidence and also teach them collaborative skills.
No comments:
Post a Comment