In my frequent visits to our English teachers in their classrooms I tend to see some ineffective teaching practices which have been done so repeatedly and more often “unconsciously”. Therefore, my main concern here is to shed some light on the not so good aspects that are taking place in the classroom to help our teachers get rid of them.
1. Not checking the previous homework
Some teachers start the new lesson as soon as they enter the classroom taking away from the students a chance to get to know how well they have done the homework and if their answers were correct. Checking the previous homework will give you an immediate feedback on how much your students are taking in from what you taught them earlier and subsequently how successful your teaching was.
2. No proper introduction for the new lesson.
Because of keenness to finish the new lesson before the bell rings, some teachers miss a vital component of a good lesson, i.e. “the introduction”. Starting the lesson with an attention-grabbing introduction not only paves the way to more structured learning but it also helps students be in a receptive frame of mind. Using pictures, graphics, real objects, or role-play has proven to be a good technique to start up the lesson.
3. Not reviewing the previous lesson/s
Some teachers seem to be more concerned with the new lesson and less concerned with the previous one. However, it is believed that reviewing some important points from previous lessons reinforces learning and makes students remember things for a long time. If you ensure that the first three or four minutes of every lesson are allocated for reviewing and setting up varied oral and written activities, many benefits will come through.
4. Lesson lacks structure
Lessons which are not structured well are often those which are not planned well. Studies have shown that the more organized the teacher is, the more effective the teaching. In fact, when a teacher comes into the classroom with clear and specific objectives not only on paper but more importantly in her mind, she is most probably going to achieve satisfying outcomes.
5. Lesson lacks variety.
When lessons are administered in the same way over and over again and with almost the same tools, the chances are the students will quickly become bored and teaching will ultimately become fruitless. Variety awakens the students’ involvement and motivation. Integrating a variety of teaching methods: role-playing, brainstorming, cooperative learning teams, debates, presentation, etc. can break the routine.
6. No use of visuals or teaching aids.
The use of instructional aids in the language classroom cannot be emphasized more. A lesson where the teacher uses pictures, posters, drawings, graphics, audio, maps, magazines, real objects, encyclopaedia or technology is far more exciting than another without.
7. Teacher talks too much.
Some teachers talk too much and turn their lessons into lectures which consequently deprive the students from using the language. The fact that should always be remembered is that the students need the practice, not you. Creating a balance between your talk and the students’ should be present in your mind to move from teacher-centred to students-centred learning.
8. Teacher mispronounces or misspells some words.
It is so frustrating to see the teacher mispronounces or misspells some words and teaches the students wrong pronunciation or spelling. If you are not sure how to pronounce or spell a certain word learn the habit of using the dictionary well ahead of time to save yourself any embarrassment in front of your students.
9. Teacher uses Arabic.
When an English language teacher resides to the students’ native language to explain new input, this gives a clear indication to the weak teaching skills the teacher has. You can easily get your message across by using pictures, gesture, facial expression or rephrasing instead of lapsing into quick explanations in Arabic every now and then which will undermine your role.
10. Teaching is focused on content not skills
Language is the most important thing in the English lesson and the information provided in the textbooks is only the medium to convey language. Unfortunately, some teachers get a bit carried away and focus too much on the content. Emphasize ‘mastering’ not ‘covering’ the material and pace the instruction to match the students’ rate of learning.
11. Students have limited language production
Limiting the students’ responses to “Yes”, “No” or one or two word answer does not actually help students to increase their language production. They have to be taught to elaborate and to form complete sentences when responding to questions. One has to remember that it is the students’ right to use the target language in class, which is for some their only opportunity to do so.
12. Ineffective classroom management
Good classroom management is nearly invisible; that is because good classroom management allows students to focus on the activities and what they are learning rather than on what the teacher is doing to control and manage the activities. Setting classroom rules and having the students learn the procedures of every activity could save a lot of time.
13. The affective aim is not achieved
In the midst of busy schedules and long working hours, some teachers forget the influential impact they have on the students’ lives. Most students value what teachers say about a certain topic, therefore you need to take advantage of any opportunity in or outside class to instil the Islamic teachings and values.
14. Weak students are left behind
Some teachers tend to focus on good students and ignore those who are not so good. It is normal that there are individual differences between students. Not all students have the same skills or abilities, thus your job as a teacher is to present input in varied ways to accommodate for all the differences in abilities as well as intelligences.
15. Students get little reinforcement and encouragement
Reinforcing the students’ positive responses and active participation either verbally or non-verbally has a tremendous effect on the students’ self esteem and motivation. Whenever the students get ample praise for the work they achieve brilliantly, they will absolutely gain confidence and be motivated to work harder.
16. The board is not used efficiently
Perhaps the only teaching aid which you do not have to carry around or spend too much time to prepare is the board. If used effectively, it can really liven up your lessons and add more interest. Yet, remember to let your students use it too.
17. Little or no evaluation tasks
When you ask “Do you understand?” most probably the answer you will get is “Yes”. This answer does not always yield on complete understanding. To measure the students’ comprehension, you need to set tasks (verbally and in writing) for them to do in class. Yet, before administering these tasks you have to make sure that the students fully understand what they have to do.
18. Not assigning homework for next lesson
Giving frequent and regular homework assignments provide students with the opportunity to practice what they learned and deepen understanding. Make sure to assign homework that is interesting and most importantly different from what they had in class. Getting the students to answer questions that are answered and repeated in class will only promote memorization.
Finally, always bear in mind that only by acknowledging our faults and weaknesses can we start to adopt new practices and look for solutions.
