Eslefl teacher at a school or university, there are times when you will have to teach large classes. University of maryland boston university school of. How can you use group work to help learning in a large class. It can be seen that a large class is a relative concept. As a result of this work we have created a toolkit for staff, to help improve the teaching provision in large classes. Best practices teaching development ryerson university. A strategy that improves learning outcomes in a large introductory biology class. Lets start by talking about the advantages of teaching large classes. Effective teaching in large classes mais flaieh hasan abstract. Using online environments for teaching large classes case. With less oneonone time with small groups and individual students, teachers need to keep that large number of kids talking and being listened to. Centre for applied linguistics, university of warwick. To present teachers of the language department the different types of teaching aids that can be used in the teaching learning process of a foreign language.
It is not easy to manage large classes especially when noise levels go out of hand. With suggestions for additions to the faculty handbook or with corrections, notification of broken links, ideas for better indexing or other improvements, please contact associate provost dennis slavin from this page, the find command can locate a listing in the index, but locating text within a particular page requires. This oneyear project was carried out during 20012002 as part of. This also indicates that teachers need more technical strategies in large class.
The way you engage students on the first day sends powerful messages about the level of involvement and interaction you expect from students. The main focus of this paper is the teaching conditions in large classes today. Strategies for teaching large undergraduate classes in this report, hanover research explores common strategies and guidelines used by universities to best teach highenrollment undergraduate classes, including an outline of the many new technologies that are increasingly being used to teach these classes in the united states and around the world. The big challenges of teaching large classesand some of the reasons senior faculty often choose not to teach these classesinclude finding ways to engage. C the u s studentcentered teaching in large classes with. The effect of large classes on english teaching and learning. May 20, 2012 home teaching resources esl classroom tips 10 tips for teaching large classes teaching large classes can be daunting if youve never stood in front of that many students before. Large classes present special challenges to the teacher. The effect of large classes on english teaching and. In this module, faculty learn how to effectively plan and facilitate active learning in a large class. In addition, the module includes techniques for using formative assessment and leveraging technology to inform and improve.
Almost all teachers think that their own classes are too large, even in europe where classes usually have 2040 pupils. Whats more, time flies in a large class and you are. The effect of interlocutor proficiency on the collaborative dialogue between korean as a second language learners. The toolkit is divided into three parts depending on how much time you can invest. Using online environments for teaching large classes.
He gives a description of advantages and limitations of the lecture and considers that the lecture is as good as the lecturer, not as a crowdpleaser, but as a scholar. Teaching, learning, and professional development center texas tech university. Teachers need to view large classes from a different perspective and recognize that despite a lot of disadvantages they can also provide many opportunities for teaching and learning. In the classroom, large enrollments can promote student disengagement and feelings of alienation, which can erode students sense of responsibility and lead to behaviors that both reflect and promote lack of engagement. Here are a few tips to cope with the challenges of teaching a large class. An excellent overview of assessment techniques and strategies in u. Effective teaching methods for large classes jason m. This guide offers tips for utilizing many of the teaching strategies described on the crlt website e. Using the same techniques, ask them about the pace of lectures, use of presentation tools, clarity of examplesexplanations, flow of the course or anything else you would like to know about. Teaching large class sizes in physical education guidelines. Teaching for longterm retention and transfer, halpern and hakel. Lessons learned from teaching large classes introduction teaching large classes can be intimidating, especially for new faculty who may have never taught before. The book also draws attention to a number of different platforms for student learning in. The toolkit is divided into three parts depending on.
Synthesizing the earlier views, locastro 2001 summarizes the problems of teaching large classes as pedagogical, managementrelated and affective. Ideas for effective largegroup learning and teaching enhancing student learning in large classes arrive early to the first and other classes so you can greet students. You can do a turn and talk even for just 27 seconds. Concurrently, enrollment in family and consumer sciencesrelated programs is growing. Studentcentered teaching in large classes with limited resource. Many teachers think that because the class size is so big, they are limited in what they can do. Strategies for teaching large classes strategiesforteaching largeclasses 3 strategies for teaching large classes tableofcontents. University education is often performed in large groups with more than 100 students present. The module teaches faculty to use an active learning cycle to pique student interest, build foundational knowledge, and then require students to apply new concepts. This teaching tip is presented by two faculties in the department of agricultural and applied economics aaec at virginia tech vt. Teaching large classes teachingenglish british council. Unfortunately, due to budgets, space or lack of teachers, many esl schools only offer large classes. On the bright side large classes are fun and exciting. Cselt, project largeclass teachinglearning 3 how largeclass teaching could be enriched is discussed by biggs 1999, among others.
Teaching english to large classes teaching tips englishclub. Print version by adam wilsman, cft graduate teaching fellow teaching a large class poses many challenges, both in and out of the classroom. While some faculty responsible for teaching large classes have adopted the use of highly choreographed powerpoints. Use a background knowledge probe to get a picture of students prior knowledge and understanding this is a simple questionnaire. In a large class children in pairs and groups can help each other and learn from each other. The author, richard felder, is a chemical engineering professor at north carolina state university, and an active researcher on the topic of how people learn. Abstract class size is one of the mostly concerned factors to any educational system for the success of teaching and learning process. A standard reference on large efl classes, focusing primarily on large class activities. Need to get their response throughout the whole session. Teaching large classes teachingenglish british council bbc.
If you are an esl teacher working for a language school, you will probably have to teach large classes. With suggestions for additions to the faculty handbook or with corrections, notification of broken links, ideas for better indexing or other improvements, please contact associate provost dennis slavin. This zip file includes 36 shape and pattern flash cards in 2 pdf files for printing large and small cards. It develops student motivation, interest, participation and student responsibility through a range of activities. Detailed resource from university of maryland for approaching large classes, including a set of ideas and suggestions to use. If only you would give us fewer students in our classes, they argue, we would do much better. As part of the campus initiative on continuous quality.
Providing tools to address the difficulty of teaching large classes is thus an. Easy to follow and rich in techniques, it will energise a classroom. Lessons learned from teaching large classes introduction. Large group teaching is a most challenging one for everybody. The use of teaching aids in the teaching learning process. Tips for teaching large classes jenny lloydstrovas, ph. The results of the national heritage language survey. Teaching and educational development institute 20022006. Effective teaching in large classes lists inclass activities, outofclass group exercises, and other ideas for keeping students engaged in large classes. August, 2015 introduction teaching large classes can be a daunting experience. Browse over 570 educational resources created by donalds english classroom in the official teachers pay teachers store. In addition we have conducted focus groups with students and interviewed staff members involved in large class size teaching.
Large classes packed with students provide more opportunities for personality conflicts, tension, and general disruptive behavior. The use of teaching aids in the teaching learning process of large classes. However, there are significant disadvantages to large classes, including strained impersonal relations between students and the instructor, limited range of teaching methods, discomfort among instructors teaching large classes, and a perception that faculty who teach large classes are of lower status at the. The british council was established in 1934, and one of our main aims has. Effects of large class size on effective teaching and learning 322 quality of teaching and learning, but also affect their stress levels. Then the paper finds out problems that teachers faced when teaching such large classes. This pdf file includes 12 lower case abc bingo game boards in two sizes and 26 images for use as draw cards. The eos sei times raising university of british columbia. Solutions to these problems are recommended in hope of assisting. For example eosc 114 has about 40% science students, 40% arts students, and the remaining 20% everywhere else. Donalds english classroom teaching resources teachers.
Large class sizes are often associated with teaching at university level in many subject areas. In this respect, large classes are viewed as problematic and in a negative light. Strategies for teaching large undergraduate classes membership. A teaching guide preface this guide to teaching large classes was first sponsored by the office of the vice president for academic affairs. Accessed july 22, 2016 from the center for teaching and learning, university of minnesota web site. Considering teaching english in large classes as a great problem and a real world issue which is worrying saudi english teachers of all levels in general and secondary teachers in particular, this study aims to investigate the effect of large english classes on the teaching and learning process and suggest some useful strategies to cope. Discussion, grading, interaction, large classes, management, rubric description. However many teachers around the world have over 40 pupils, and some have over 100. Canvas for large classes with laura widenor and kathleen hosscruz. Teaching large multilevel classes provides practical advice for teachers who work with large mixedability classes. Problems and difficulties of teaching associated with large classes can also be found in smaller classes. Initially the text sheds light on aspects brought up in the international and brazilian literature that reveal the. Issues and options this very practical and teacherfriendly publication was produced following a hornby workshop on teaching large classes in ethiopia in 2006.
Tips for teaching large classes texas tech university. How do you keep students engaged and active without losing control of the classroom. Teaching large classes can be daunting if youve never stood in front of that many students before. Cselt, project largeclass teachinglearning 3 how large class teaching could be enriched is discussed by biggs 1999, among others. Carpenter university of south carolina colleges and universities in the united states are experiencing significant growth in student enrollment u. Discipline is easier, and you can devote more resources and time to. The book was put together by the workshop tutors, drawing on the materials and activities generated by the workshop trainers and participants. As we hear this lament, it is worth noting that the correlation between class size and teaching quality is tenuous at. Teaching large classesmost teachers agree that teaching a small group of students is easier, more enjoyable, and lesstime consuming than teaching a large group. Large classes resource teaching and learning support service. Unfortunately, due to budgets, space, or lack ofteachers, many esl schools only offer large classes. Never underestimate the importance of the first class. In this paper, a large class refers to a college class with the number of students ranging from 60 to 150. Strategies for teaching large undergraduate classes.
As we know, with large class sizes, quiet students tend to get even less airtime. Students downloaded the worksheet pdf file, handwrote their answers, and submitted their assignment digitally as a scanned image or digital photo. Instructing large cohorts can be challenging, and it can be difficult with increasing student diversity to create an inclusive and effective environment. Holding effective, engaging discussions in large classes can be a challenge. There are innumerable station ideas such as skills, fitness. Home teaching resources esl classroom tips 10 tips for teaching large classes. Sei times raising the standards in undergraduate education. Even the best teachers find it difficult to manage an overcrowded classroom successfully and can find themselves spending more time managing their classroom than they do teaching. At a recent tesol teachers of english to speakers of other languages c anada and the united states susan renaud, elizabeth tannenbaum, and phillip stantial studentcentered teaching in large cla sses with limited resources we cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. However, they provide an opportunity for online students to engage with each other and the instructor in a way not possible with other kinds of assessments. However, they provide an opportunity for online students to engage with each other and the instructor in a. This article suggests ways to help discipline, to use group work and to cope with limited resources. Ideas for effective largegroup learning and teaching. Aug 21, 2012 here are a few tips to cope with the challenges of teaching a large class.
Teaching large classes can be a daunting experience. They can inspire fear in even the most experienced instructor. Even the best teachers find it difficult to manage an overcrowded classroom successfully and can find themselves spending more time managing their classroom than they do. In some schools, large classes may consist of up to 50 or more students. Organise the groups to suit the childrens abilities teachers of large classes have tried different strategies. Teaching large classes introduction to the topic teachers in different countries have different opinions about what a large class is. Student diversity is one of the most challenging parts of teaching large classes.
To give teachers suggestions on the use of teaching aids in large. This book is for english language teachers in a variety of teaching environments. For us, one of the biggest plusses is the dynamic nature of such classes. Teaching large classes center for teaching vanderbilt. Individualized instruction preassess and identify student placement in an established sequence of learning tasks in which students can progress at an. Teaching large classes this collection of pages contains a variety of information on teaching large classes, including active learning pedagogies for large classrooms and a browse of examples of introductory courses with 150 students or more. What are the best methods available to teach large classes. By following the advice below, you will find your large classes a lot more enjoyable and manageable. Teaching these classes requires careful planning and a range of strategies, including. Considerations for large lecture classes center for. Large classes can be fun and exciting, but they are also a whole lot more demanding. At university, it is considerably acceptable for a teacher to teach a. Maximizing learning in large classes teachingenglish.
The use of teaching aids in the teaching learning process of. Most teachers agree that teaching a small group of students is easier, more enjoyable, and less timeconsuming than teaching a large group. Discussions large classes teaching online pedagogical. How do you keep students engaged and active without losing. Besides that, they emphasized that large class size makes it hard to deal with behavioral problems and give individual support to those students on the sen register in large classes. University of maryland center for teaching excellence large classes. Pdfs are best viewed with adobe acrobat reader, which you can download for free from the adobe website by clicking here please note that in most cases, you wont be able to edit a pdf. For us, one of the biggest plusses is the dynamic nature of. How the class culture develops in the first few classes dictates how students will act for the rest of the term. Large class teaching challenges and possible responses. Strategies for teaching large classes strategiesforteaching largeclasses 3 strategies for teaching large classes.