Dear everyone, as teachers, I think we can be helped by our brighter students. Is it right to ask them to teach something to their peers, and how can they do that?
This question is from Imran Khokhar
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Comments
mel h
I think it's motivating for students who are ahead of others to be able to peer coach; it helps them to consolidate what they know and keeps them engaged when they might otherwise be waiting for others to 'get it'. We need to be very careful not to over-rely on this though, especially by making sure that the students we use to coach others really know what they're talking about, and aren't teaching mistakes!
The question of how we can do this is more difficult I think. I'd be interested to hear what ideas and techniques other teachers use.
Helena Meyer
If you believe that knowledge is constructed rather than passed on from teacher to students, as I firmly do, then asking students to learn from each other is more than right -- it's essential for their learning. And I would add that the 'not-so-bright' students also have a lot to contribute. How to do this? Having a flexible lesson plan in which the teacher is not the only provider of knowledge and students have a voice. The teacher also needs to have eyes and ears open to grab every opportunity in the lesson to let students show what they know, even if it is not directly connected to the lesson plan or to the text book in use. Demonstrating knowledge gives students a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, which is crucial for keeping their (and our, as well) motivation at high levels.
Helena Meyer
ELT Teacher and Teacher Trainer
Salvador, Brasil
Nik Peachey
TE Team
Is it right to ask them to teach something to their peers, and how can they do that?
I think it's absolutely right to do this and very empowering and confidence building for your students. There are a number of quite quick and simple ways you can do this:
paula_bello
After many years of teaching children and teenagers I have discovered that more advanced students can be useful to the teachers’ objectives and help guide those classmates who might be working at a slower pace or having difficulties in understanding different topics or tasks.
Last week I had given an assignment to my 13 year olds, in which they had to report orally the information they had heard in a CD and which had been discussed in class appropriately. I offered the more advanced learners to volunteer to be the first to accomplish the task, while the others (the great majority of this group) offered several excuses for not having prepared the oral task.
When time arrived for these last ones to speak, I asked the advanced ones to help them in small groups, by repeating the sentences that should be reported, and helping them pronounce difficult words. The experience was very positive and it really helped the weaker students repeat the sentences and gain security to speak up.
This might seem quite a simple solution, but it might mean a great step forward in a classroom in which the majority of the students have difficulties in their learning processes. Therefore it is also rewarding that those who stand out thanks to their personal effort to overcome difficulties, feel a sense of achievement by being appointed class "helpers".
I hope other colleagues can also find this idea useful and easily applicable to their classrooms realities.
Best wishes,
Paula Bello
Teacher of English and MA in ELT
Tucuman, Argentina
markbain
Hi all
I feel that collaborative learning is essential, and, as teachers, we have to encourage it to happen.
One way in which I have been able to do this is through using Google Documents to enhance collaborative writing projects. It's essentially a word-processing application, but several writers can work on the same document, at the same time.
I get learners to build up a creative piece of writing over a number of weeks, providing them with feedback after each phase. I've set the writing tasks as homework, but this could be done equally well if you have access to a number of computers at school.
Hope this is of interest!
http://docs.google.com
Cheers
M a r k B a i n | English teacher & teacher-trainer
website: http://www.teachertrainer.es
blog: http://www.teachertrainer.es/blog
Nik Peachey
TE Team
One way in which I have been able to do this is through using Google Documents to enhance collaborative writing projects. It's essentially a word-processing application, but several writers can work on the same document, at the same time.
Hi Mark,
I tried something like this, but didn't find Google Docs so user friendly for students, so I started using a Wetpaint Wiki, which is much simpler to administer and for students to use.
There's an example here which is open to anyone who wants to be involved.
http://cinderella-their-story.wetpaint.com/
It's based around the consept of examining a story from multiple perspectives.
Hope you and your students enjoy it.
Best
Nik Peachey | Learning Technology Consultant, Writer, Trainerhttp://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/ http://quickshout.blogspot.com/
Visit my office in Second Life at: http://tinyurl.com/ytz5go
yuvaraj32
Hi,
Peer teaching, no doubt, has its own benefits. But the success of peer teaching and learning depends largely on the attitude of learners. If they are not willing to learn form their peers, then it will not be really successful and effective. Some learners never want to accept the fact that thier peers are more knowledge than them, on certain aspects, atleast.
IMAM ALAM KHAN
Hi Yuvaraj
I strongly recommend the peer teaching in any teaching. The condition is that students should be involved in such a fashion and manner that they get motivated to teach and learn. I think a small chapter is given to one of the students to teach the peers on an stipulsted time frame, and others are enouraged to attend, listen, understand and then ask questions. hence a 10miniutediscussion should go on. This way all students should be encouraged and motivated to teach their peers one by one. If, in any case, someone doesn't bother to learn, let him be present in the class. Oneday he'll be motivated.
Thanks.
IMAM ALAM KHAN
I strongly recommend the peer teaching. Students should be encouraged in the beginning only. Later, they will be motivated by watching their peers teaching so magnificently. Students will be benefited, too. It will be good idea.
Students should be selected on the bases of the motivation and learning apppeal. Stipulated time should be framed. They should be encouraged to attend the class. The selected student must be highly motivated, praised and encouraged as well as helped. This will create a motivational environment for all the students.
Ido use it in my teaching every semester. It's wonderful, exciting and novel approach.