Friday, November 9, 2007

Having different programs side by side

1 August 2007 4:31 PM
Surely it is possible to have content-based classes side by side (but not necessarily following on from) with other kinds of classes, lets say grammar translation, a small free talking tutorial, or an extensive reading type program. All require different approaches, but could fit within a school program. The students themselves may be able to transfer aspects of one system over to another. Just because English is the commonality btw both, it doesn't mean that the kind of class/approach to the class is/should be the same. It's the transfer of the ball in the football game (as Savignon puts it in "Teaching English as a second or foreign language"), not the actual ball itself, in this case English. We are talking about competence in using English overall. Students just adapt to a new system, transferring knowledge and skills from one activity to another. Variety! Doesn't that more closely resemble real life? Though students may like one style better than another. They may be a little confused in the beginning, but for the sake of individual differences, shouldn't we expose Ss to a variety of learning and teaching styles. If handled right, the program may in fact stimulate students...
Imagine studying 10 subjects with exactly the same teacher in exactly the same style. Wouldn't you get bored?
Do I make any sense? Probably not...

No comments: