a. What are
the challenges and disadvantages of teaching large classes?
b. How can these challenges/disadvantages be overcome so as to maximise learning?
1. a) Problem – lack of individual attention : The larger the class the less individual attention each learner can receive from the teacher, and the more difficult it is for the T. to identify individual problems. The definition of a large class can be anything from the 20-30 learners often found in state school classes, to over 100 in some university contexts (eg Italy).
b) Solution: When eliciting, nomination may be preferable to “open” questions. This allows the T. to ensure that stronger learners don’t dominate by answering before others have had “thinking” time and to ensure each L. is asked to contribute. Problems of embarrassment potentially caused by nomination can be overcome by i) allowing Ls to confer in pairs before eliciting an answer in full class format, ii) gearing the level of difficulty of the questions to the L’s ability and level of confidence, or ii) using a a “hands up” system.
2. a) Problem- Unsuitable environment: Some
very large classes (eg in universities) may be held in traditional lecture
theatres, with learners sitting in long rows. This can preclude the use of
activities such as mingles, and also make pair changes difficult.
b) Solution : This does not make pair changes impossible however. Ls can be asked to speak to the person on their left, on their right, or the person in front of or behind them (if the T. pairs rows accordingly).
3. a) Problem – Marking (1): The larger the class, the more time the T. has to spend on marking any written activities which are given to the group.
b) Solution:
This may lead to the T. giving more “controlled” activities where an answer key
can be distributed, or the activity can be done on and marked by a computer,
using sites such as Quia.com. These can
then just be followed up in class.
a) Problem –
Marking (2): However, if the course has a writing component, eg most exam
preparation classes, this will inevitably mean that direct tests of writing
need to be administered both for practice and formative assessment.
b) Solution: It may therefore be worth spending some class time training the Ls in the skills of peer assessment – probably using checklists provided by the teacher. The Ls can first peer assess, while the T. monitors, and the teacher follows up some of the peer comments at class level. S/he can then take a reasonable number of scripts (from different Ls each time) to assess before the next lesson.
4. a) Problem-
L engagement: The larger the class the more difficult it is to ensure full engagement
of all learners. Ls may be distracted by their phones, start having side
conversations, or just stop concentrating on the lesson. In addition, Ls who
are not particularly interested in learning have the chance to “hide” at the
back where they hope the T. will not notice them.
b) Solutions:
i) Class rules can be established (possibly after
discussion and negotiation with the Ls) such as that all phones are turned off
during the lesson, or that ls don’t talk to each other when the group is in
T/class format but listen to both the T and the other learners. With
particularly problematic classes (eg disruptive YLs), these might be written up
on a poster and kept on the wall.
ii) The T. can ensure the Ls continue listening by using techniques such as asking a L to repeat what another has just said. If they weren’t listening, they won’t be able to, but knowing the T is liable to do this helps keep them focused.
iii) If s/he sees the less engaged Ls at the back, the T. can change the seating arrangement at the beginning of the lesson – eg by each asking all the learners in the last row(s) to change places with those in the first, second or third rows.
5. a) Problem
– Checking Ls are on task : The
larger the class, the more difficult to check that everyone has understood the
instructions for an activity. Whilst in
a small group the T. can – apart from checking understanding – quickly monitor
groups at the beginning of an activity to check they are on task, in larger
groups the T may not reach the last groups for some time – which if off-task they
will have wasted.
b) Solution: As well as checking instructions as normal, the T can often ask a pair or group of stronger learners to demonstrate the start of the activity. This gives everyone a model of what they should be doing.
6. a) Problem
– Monitoring and Feedback: Additionally, with a “lecture theatre style”
seating arrangement, it may be impossible for the T to get close enough to the
Ls “in the middle” to monitor at all. And the amount of noise made by a large
class whilst working on a task may make it difficult for the T to hear enough
to monitor effectively. Even if this is possible, there will not be enough time
to give feedback on everything overheard.
b) Solution: One of the Ls can be given the role of “monitor” of the group. Their job is to note down any questions the group have, anything they didn’t know how to say, anything that didn’t seem correct, and any other problems that arise. The T. can then ask the groups to prioritise the questions/problems and take one or two (as time allows) from each group in the follow up.
7. a) Problem
- Resources: Large classes may
be particularly common in third world contexts, where the difficulty may be
compounded by lack of funds to provide adequate resources for the number of
learners – eg textbooks, recorded materials, technological solutions etc.
b) Solutions:
i) If learners can sit together around tables, one textbook per group may suffice.
ii) A “Dogme style” approach can be taken which is
materials free and dependent only on T/S and S/S interaction.
8. a) Problem - Summative assessment. Because of the marking time involved summative assessment is difficult for both oral and written work, and may push the T. into adopting indirect, discrete item testing methods (which as mentioned above can be done and marked on computer if the technology is available, but are in any case more practical than direct testing).
b) Solution
: There is no ideal solution for this, particularly with extremely large
classes. However, in a class of say 30 learners and one hour lessons, the Ls can
be divided into three groups of ten. In
the last three lessons, each group does one of the following (obviously
alternating so that they complete all three) : an indirect test, a direct test
of writing, a direct test of speaking – done in pairs with the T, giving each
pair 12 minutes of speaking time. This
spreads the marking load for the T over three lessons and ensures all Ls are occupied in each lesson.
To ensure reliability which could be affected by Ls telling each other about
what they did, the items in the indirect test should be changed slightly, and
the tasks in the direct test – though obviously all remaining within areas
covered by the course to ensure content validity.
