Oct
16
Teacher-Students Interaction: An Evaluation of an EFL Classroom
Filed Under Languages | Comments Off
M. Enamul Hoque asked:
Introduction
According to Powell, “He who has no inclination to learn more will be very apt to think that he knows enough.”
Classrooms are social settings; teaching and learning occur through social interaction between teachers and students. As teaching and learning take place, they are complicated processes and are affected by peer-group relationships. The interactions and relationships between teachers and students, and among students, as they work side by side, constitute the group processes of the classroom.
Group processes are especially significant in twenty-first century schools. Group projects and cooperative teamwork are the foundations of effective teaching, creative curriculum, and positive classroom climate. Interpersonal skills, group work, and empathy are important ingredients of modern business, where employees must communicate well for their business to be productive and profitable. Group processes are also significant in modern global communities, where citizens must work together for a safe and secure world. Thus, along with teaching academic curriculum, teachers are expected to help students develop the attitudes, skills, and procedures of democratic community.
Teacher-student relationships provide an essential foundation for effective classroom management—and classroom management is a key to high student achievement. Teacher-student relationships should not be left to chance or dictated by the personalities of those involved. Instead, by using strategies supported by research, teachers can influence the dynamics of their classrooms and build strong teacher-student relationships that will support student learning.
Literature Review
Wubbels and his colleagues (Wubbels, Brekelmans, van Tartwijk, & Admiral, 1999;
Wubbels & Levy, 1993) identify appropriate dominance as an important characteristic of effective teacher-student relationships. In contrast to the more negative connotation of the term dominance as forceful control or command over others, they define dominance as the teacher’s ability to provide clear purpose and strong guidance regarding both academics and student behavior. Studies indicate that when asked about their preferences for teacher behavior, students typically express a desire for this type of teacher-student interaction. For example, in a study that involved interviews with more than 700 students in grades 4–7, students articulated a clear preference for strong teacher guidance and control rather than more permissive types of teacher behavior (Chiu & Tulley, 1997). Teachers can exhibit appropriate dominance by establishing clear behavior expectations and learning goals and by exhibiting assertive behavior.
Class Description
The present study observed a class of thirty students of Sylhet Women’s College. The teacher was a Bangladeshi male with several years teaching experience at Bangladeshi government colleges. The goal of this class is to teach the students’ conversation, reading, listening and writing skills. Their English ability level is intermediate. During the observation period, the students appeared motivated and attentive, and they seemed to be enjoying the class. The researcher observed class being out of the notice of the students.
Identification of Problem
It is observed that the students didn’t respond willingly to the teacher’s questions and did not participate in class discussions. Students also never asked the teacher questions outside one-on-one situations. Thus the teacher received little oral feedback Most of the learners sit looking straight ahead using minimal ****** expressions, gestures and verbal utterances. The teacher said, “I want the students to be more demonstrative and more overtly communicative in their feedback. I want these behaviours: I want the students to ask me questions, make comments and to respond with nods and shakes of the head, with sounds of agreement or sounds of understanding. Also, I want them to be both reactive and proactive”.
Investigation
The present researcher observed the 2nd year of Higher Secondary Class. In the first 30 minutes, the class went through an intermediate level oral dialogue. The students first listened to the dialogue read out by the teacher with their books closed, then again with the books opened. Next, they did a dictation exercise consisting of 15 short sentences based on the dialogue. The teacher then talked about the sociolinguistic and grammar points of the exercise and went on to probe for comprehension:
Teacher: Do you have any questions? Do you understand everything? Students: (no response from the students) Teacher: Okay, how many people were speaking? Students: (no response) Teacher: How many people were speaking? Students: (no response) Teacher: There were two. Two people. Were they friends or strangers? Students: (no response) Teacher: Should I read out the dialogue again? Students: (no response from any body) Teacher: Should I translate the dialogue into mother tongue? Students: ( looking at one another)
The teacher asked a few other questions which also drew no response or reaction from the students. The students then had to answer some questions about the conversation in their book. Most of the students seemed to have little trouble doing this, and if there were any questions, they readily asked the student sitting next to them. The second half of the class was devoted to pair work using the phrases and vocabulary from the taped dialogue in role play. The students seemed to enjoy this, and most tried to create their own dialogues. The teacher circulated the room checking on the progress of each pair. The class atmosphere was markedly different from the first half of the class, with chatter and occasional laughter filling the air. The students answered most of the teacher’s questions with alacrity, and some even asked their own questions.
Analysis of the Observation
It is found that the students of the reviewing class generally understand the teacher’s questions; it was felt that there was something else that kept the students from responding voluntarily in the class-teacher dialogues. Since most Bangladeshi students are taught to listen and not to question a teacher in class, Bangladeshi students have little or no experience in in-class interaction with the teacher, such as questioning or commenting or giving feedback. Students are usually taught to be quiet and respectfully listen to the teacher. By teaching the students that class interaction with the English teacher is not only acceptable, but normal, useful and beneficial, it was believed that the students would become more interactive with the teacher in teacher-class interaction.
Suggestions for the Teachers
1. How do you encourage students to be active and interested?
From the first day, demonstrate and talk about your own enthusiasm for the course material, and how it helps you personally. Look for ways to connect the material to the lives of your students. Use current event articles, editorials from local newspapers, or examples from your own life that illustrate your points. Solicit these examples from your students. Create a “need to know.” As you are preparing your lesson plans, ask yourself - why would a student need to know this? This helps you think about material in terms of its relevance to students’ lives.
2. How do you deal with apathetic students?
Try to build a personal relationship with these students, and take an interest in them to find out what is at the bottom of the “perceived apathy.” Learning students’ names and using names in class can help students understand that you are interested in them and in their success in your course. Consider e-mailing a student who seems disinterested or unresponsive and let him/her know that you would like to help them in any way that you can. Oftentimes their apparent apathy has nothing to do with the course. There may be personal matters that are dominating their attention. Some students are going through a period of depression which disconnects them from their studies. Showing a little concern can be very helpful.
3. How do you get my students to prepare for class?
Give students some kind of assignment. They often need this structure. They also need accountability. Make sure the assignment is not just busy work. Design it to be relevant and use whatever the students have prepared directly in class. Some teachers ask a few study questions, some give a short quiz, some ask students to write a response to the reading. You can require a short assignment with each reading, but they do not all have to be graded. You can tell students that out of the 8-10 assignments they will turn in, X will be graded. These will be done at random so it is important that each assignment is completed. This will help with your grading workload. When assigning reading, give the students a few questions on which they must take a stand (debate) at the next class meeting.
4. How can you recognize different learning abilities and work with them individually?
In order to recognize different learning abilities, you must observe your students carefully and make written records to help you see any patterns that may be occurring in the child’s learning. You might notice different ability levels in the way they think, the product they produce, and the way they interact with others. These are all differences which affect student learning. Be sure that you offer a variety of different learning experiences in your class. Provide some creative/artistic activities, book work, skits, real-world scenarios, music, discussions, etc. that will both challenge some students and make others feel a higher level of success. It is hard to find time to work one-on-one with students. However, you might be able to find parent or community volunteers who are willing to come into your class and work one-on-one with different students. Another way is to spend some extra time with those students while monitoring during individual work time. Pairing a higher ability student with one who needs extra help is an excellent way to provide peer tutoring. This should not be done every single day, but on an as-needed basis. Lastly, before and after-school tutoring is an excellent time to work one-on-one with those students who need extra help. Find out about your students’ interests, experiences, hobbies, career goals… As often as you can, relate the content to students’ interests. Use lots of examples, illustrations, anecdotes, stories. Use humor. Use appropriate self-disclosure. Be a “real” person. Let students know some things about you. Admit mistakes, lack of knowledge. Don’t try to be THE authority. Instead, model where students can find the information. Knowing where to find the answers is just as important as knowing the answers. Talk less than your students do. Encourage interaction among students. Use group work, encourage discussion, try brainstorming, role playing, whatever you feel comfortable with. Try something Give positive feedback, verbally (praise) and non-verbally (make eye-contact, smile, nod). Make sure that the level of teaching matches students’ background, ability, and experience. Check that the relevance of what you’re doing is clear to the students. Use as much VARIETY in your methods and materials as possible. Be clear about what’s going to happen. Use an agenda. Encourage students to make decisions about their own Learning — give them CHOICES, act on their suggestions. If possible, encourage students to have input into how they will be evaluated. Ask students how the sessions could be made more interesting! Engage students in their learning. Activity is much more motivating than passive listening or passive responses. The more students DO, the more they will learn.
Conclusion
There were some areas where the results of this action research were not as successful as hoped. For instance, the students needed to be prompted with eye contact and a repeated question from the teacher to answer a question, and when they did not understand something, they still did not interrupt the teacher with a question. And yet some progress was definitely made, especially when the brief span between observations is considered. The students did interact with the teacher by nodding, some did answer the instructor’s questions, and two, on their own initiation, even asked questions before the class. The unanticipated side effect of the teacher becoming more concerned with the interaction was a welcome surprise and contributed to the improvement. There seems to have been some success in instructing and reminding and then expecting the students to become more interactive with the teacher.
Reference
Aronson, Elliot, and Patnoe, S. 1997. Cooperation in the Classroom: The Jigsaw Method. New York: Longman.
Cohen, Elizabeth G. 1994. Designing Groupwork: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom, 2nd edition. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.
Dewey, John. 1916. Democracy and Education. New York: Macmillan.
Good, Thomas, and Brophy, Jere E. 1997. Looking in Classrooms, 7th edition. New York: Harper and Row.
Johnson, David W., and Johnson, Roger T. 1992. Learning Together and Learning Alone, 3rd edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Lewin, Kurt. 1948. Resolving Social Conflicts. New York: Harper.
Miles, Matthew. 1981. Learning to Work in Groups, 2nd edition. New York: Teachers College Press.
NOAH
Introduction
According to Powell, “He who has no inclination to learn more will be very apt to think that he knows enough.”
Classrooms are social settings; teaching and learning occur through social interaction between teachers and students. As teaching and learning take place, they are complicated processes and are affected by peer-group relationships. The interactions and relationships between teachers and students, and among students, as they work side by side, constitute the group processes of the classroom.
Group processes are especially significant in twenty-first century schools. Group projects and cooperative teamwork are the foundations of effective teaching, creative curriculum, and positive classroom climate. Interpersonal skills, group work, and empathy are important ingredients of modern business, where employees must communicate well for their business to be productive and profitable. Group processes are also significant in modern global communities, where citizens must work together for a safe and secure world. Thus, along with teaching academic curriculum, teachers are expected to help students develop the attitudes, skills, and procedures of democratic community.
Teacher-student relationships provide an essential foundation for effective classroom management—and classroom management is a key to high student achievement. Teacher-student relationships should not be left to chance or dictated by the personalities of those involved. Instead, by using strategies supported by research, teachers can influence the dynamics of their classrooms and build strong teacher-student relationships that will support student learning.
___________________________________________________________________
Literature Review
Wubbels and his colleagues (Wubbels, Brekelmans, van Tartwijk, & Admiral, 1999;
Wubbels & Levy, 1993) identify appropriate dominance as an important characteristic of effective teacher-student relationships. In contrast to the more negative connotation of the term dominance as forceful control or command over others, they define dominance as the teacher’s ability to provide clear purpose and strong guidance regarding both academics and student behavior. Studies indicate that when asked about their preferences for teacher behavior, students typically express a desire for this type of teacher-student interaction. For example, in a study that involved interviews with more than 700 students in grades 4–7, students articulated a clear preference for strong teacher guidance and control rather than more permissive types of teacher behavior (Chiu & Tulley, 1997). Teachers can exhibit appropriate dominance by establishing clear behavior expectations and learning goals and by exhibiting assertive behavior.
Class Description
The present study observed a class of thirty students of Sylhet Women’s College. The teacher was a Bangladeshi male with several years teaching experience at Bangladeshi government colleges. The goal of this class is to teach the students’ conversation, reading, listening and writing skills. Their English ability level is intermediate. During the observation period, the students appeared motivated and attentive, and they seemed to be enjoying the class. The researcher observed class being out of the notice of the students.
Identification of Problem
It is observed that the students didn’t respond willingly to the teacher’s questions and did not participate in class discussions. Students also never asked the teacher questions outside one-on-one situations. Thus the teacher received little oral feedback Most of the learners sit looking straight ahead using minimal ****** expressions, gestures and verbal utterances. The teacher said, “I want the students to be more demonstrative and more overtly communicative in their feedback. I want these behaviours: I want the students to ask me questions, make comments and to respond with nods and shakes of the head, with sounds of agreement or sounds of understanding. Also, I want them to be both reactive and proactive”.
Investigation
The present researcher observed the 2nd year of Higher Secondary Class. In the first 30 minutes, the class went through an intermediate level oral dialogue. The students first listened to the dialogue read out by the teacher with their books closed, then again with the books opened. Next, they did a dictation exercise consisting of 15 short sentences based on the dialogue. The teacher then talked about the sociolinguistic and grammar points of the exercise and went on to probe for comprehension:
Teacher: Do you have any questions? Do you understand everything? Students: (no response from the students) Teacher: Okay, how many people were speaking? Students: (no response) Teacher: How many people were speaking? Students: (no response) Teacher: There were two. Two people. Were they friends or strangers? Students: (no response) Teacher: Should I read out the dialogue again? Students: (no response from any body) Teacher: Should I translate the dialogue into mother tongue? Students: ( looking at one another)
The teacher asked a few other questions which also drew no response or reaction from the students. The students then had to answer some questions about the conversation in their book. Most of the students seemed to have little trouble doing this, and if there were any questions, they readily asked the student sitting next to them. The second half of the class was devoted to pair work using the phrases and vocabulary from the taped dialogue in role play. The students seemed to enjoy this, and most tried to create their own dialogues. The teacher circulated the room checking on the progress of each pair. The class atmosphere was markedly different from the first half of the class, with chatter and occasional laughter filling the air. The students answered most of the teacher’s questions with alacrity, and some even asked their own questions.
Analysis of the Observation
It is found that the students of the reviewing class generally understand the teacher’s questions; it was felt that there was something else that kept the students from responding voluntarily in the class-teacher dialogues. Since most Bangladeshi students are taught to listen and not to question a teacher in class, Bangladeshi students have little or no experience in in-class interaction with the teacher, such as questioning or commenting or giving feedback. Students are usually taught to be quiet and respectfully listen to the teacher. By teaching the students that class interaction with the English teacher is not only acceptable, but normal, useful and beneficial, it was believed that the students would become more interactive with the teacher in teacher-class interaction.
Suggestions for the Teachers
1. How do you encourage students to be active and interested?
From the first day, demonstrate and talk about your own enthusiasm for the course material, and how it helps you personally. Look for ways to connect the material to the lives of your students. Use current event articles, editorials from local newspapers, or examples from your own life that illustrate your points. Solicit these examples from your students. Create a “need to know.” As you are preparing your lesson plans, ask yourself - why would a student need to know this? This helps you think about material in terms of its relevance to students’ lives.
2. How do you deal with apathetic students?
Try to build a personal relationship with these students, and take an interest in them to find out what is at the bottom of the “perceived apathy.” Learning students’ names and using names in class can help students understand that you are interested in them and in their success in your course. Consider e-mailing a student who seems disinterested or unresponsive and let him/her know that you would like to help them in any way that you can. Oftentimes their apparent apathy has nothing to do with the course. There may be personal matters that are dominating their attention. Some students are going through a period of depression which disconnects them from their studies. Showing a little concern can be very helpful.
3. How do you get my students to prepare for class?
Give students some kind of assignment. They often need this structure. They also need accountability. Make sure the assignment is not just busy work. Design it to be relevant and use whatever the students have prepared directly in class. Some teachers ask a few study questions, some give a short quiz, some ask students to write a response to the reading. You can require a short assignment with each reading, but they do not all have to be graded. You can tell students that out of the 8-10 assignments they will turn in, X will be graded. These will be done at random so it is important that each assignment is completed. This will help with your grading workload. When assigning reading, give the students a few questions on which they must take a stand (debate) at the next class meeting.
4. How can you recognize different learning abilities and work with them individually?
In order to recognize different learning abilities, you must observe your students carefully and make written records to help you see any patterns that may be occurring in the child’s learning. You might notice different ability levels in the way they think, the product they produce, and the way they interact with others. These are all differences which affect student learning. Be sure that you offer a variety of different learning experiences in your class. Provide some creative/artistic activities, book work, skits, real-world scenarios, music, discussions, etc. that will both challenge some students and make others feel a higher level of success. It is hard to find time to work one-on-one with students. However, you might be able to find parent or community volunteers who are willing to come into your class and work one-on-one with different students. Another way is to spend some extra time with those students while monitoring during individual work time. Pairing a higher ability student with one who needs extra help is an excellent way to provide peer tutoring. This should not be done every single day, but on an as-needed basis. Lastly, before and after-school tutoring is an excellent time to work one-on-one with those students who need extra help. Find out about your students’ interests, experiences, hobbies, career goals… As often as you can, relate the content to students’ interests. Use lots of examples, illustrations, anecdotes, stories. Use humor. Use appropriate self-disclosure. Be a “real” person. Let students know some things about you. Admit mistakes, lack of knowledge. Don’t try to be THE authority. Instead, model where students can find the information. Knowing where to find the answers is just as important as knowing the answers. Talk less than your students do. Encourage interaction among students. Use group work, encourage discussion, try brainstorming, role playing, whatever you feel comfortable with. Try something Give positive feedback, verbally (praise) and non-verbally (make eye-contact, smile, nod). Make sure that the level of teaching matches students’ background, ability, and experience. Check that the relevance of what you’re doing is clear to the students. Use as much VARIETY in your methods and materials as possible. Be clear about what’s going to happen. Use an agenda. Encourage students to make decisions about their own Learning — give them CHOICES, act on their suggestions. If possible, encourage students to have input into how they will be evaluated. Ask students how the sessions could be made more interesting! Engage students in their learning. Activity is much more motivating than passive listening or passive responses. The more students DO, the more they will learn.
Conclusion
There were some areas where the results of this action research were not as successful as hoped. For instance, the students needed to be prompted with eye contact and a repeated question from the teacher to answer a question, and when they did not understand something, they still did not interrupt the teacher with a question. And yet some progress was definitely made, especially when the brief span between observations is considered. The students did interact with the teacher by nodding, some did answer the instructor’s questions, and two, on their own initiation, even asked questions before the class. The unanticipated side effect of the teacher becoming more concerned with the interaction was a welcome surprise and contributed to the improvement. There seems to have been some success in instructing and reminding and then expecting the students to become more interactive with the teacher.
Reference
Aronson, Elliot, and Patnoe, S. 1997. Cooperation in the Classroom: The Jigsaw Method. New York: Longman.
Cohen, Elizabeth G. 1994. Designing Groupwork: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom, 2nd edition. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.
Dewey, John. 1916. Democracy and Education. New York: Macmillan.
Good, Thomas, and Brophy, Jere E. 1997. Looking in Classrooms, 7th edition. New York: Harper and Row.
Johnson, David W., and Johnson, Roger T. 1992. Learning Together and Learning Alone, 3rd edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Lewin, Kurt. 1948. Resolving Social Conflicts. New York: Harper.
Miles, Matthew. 1981. Learning to Work in Groups, 2nd edition. New York: Teachers College Press.
NOAH
Sep
27
Under-utilization of French Graduates in Secondary Schools in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State of Nigeria
Filed Under Languages | Comments Off
ebi asked:
Introduction
While the learning and use of English Language was compulsory for Nigerians because of their colonization by the British colonial government, the teaching and learning of French was not significant to Nigerians. The French government was not encouraged by the British because of their economic interest in Nigeria. French is actually rivaled by English as the international language of trade, diplomacy and science.
In Africa for instance, Equatorial Guinea in 1997 declared French as their official language along with Spanish. The small islands of Cape Verde and Sao tome and Principe are also members of La Francophonie and as a result, French is getting more widely spoken there as well. Nigeria shares its borders with francophone speaking countries namely: Chad, Republic of Benin and Cameroun. No wonder in 1996, the late General Sanni Abacha, the former head of state of Nigeria in Ouagadougou declared the new status of French as the nation’s second official language. French as a modern language is spoken, written and used like other modern languages of the world. Therefore for Nigerians to interact effectively with francophone countries locally or internationally, they should be able not only speak the language fluently but also be able to attend international seminars and conferences without much problem. According to Adekunle (1976), the language policy of every country should make provisions for the following areas of communication: Internal communication, international scientific or technical communication. French is one of the international languages most widely used in commerce, scientific and technological research, administration, education, literature etc. With the knowledge of French, Nigerians and Francophone countries will be able to work together in areas of science and technology. This however cannot be achieved if French teachers are not employed or if those employed are not encouraged to teach the language.
Statement of the problem
There is a growing concern about the attitude of Nigerians towards the study of French in our schools. A good number of them are not sufficiently informed about the usefulness of French in our educational system or its importance as an international language. They feel that people should not waste their time studying it. This feeling has often misled some secondary school teachers so much so that they fail to:
(a) Include the subject in the school time-table.
(b) Allow French graduates teach French. Rather preferring them to teach
other subjects.
(c) Assign enough number of periods to the teaching of French.
(d) Provide adequate teaching/learning materials for the teaching of French.
Purpose of the study
Much has been said about the need for French in Nigeria and also the teaching and learning of French in Nigerian educational institutions. That is to say that the importance of French in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. The purpose of this study therefore is to:
(a) Find out if French is being taught in secondary schools in Makurdi Local
(b) Find out if French graduates teach French.
(c) Determine if there are enough teaching/learning materials.
Research Question
The study was to provide answers to the following research questions:-
(1) Is French language taught in your school?
(2) Are there enough French teachers in your school?
(3) Do French graduates teach other subjects other than French?
(4) Are there adequate teaching/learning materials?
(5) Do French teachers attend seminars and workshops?
Significance of the study
The need for French in our secondary schools cannot be over-emphasized. Nigeria’s geographical, economic, diplomatic as well as her educational and research needs makes it imperative for her to give adequate attention and priority to the learning of French. In view of the above it is hoped that this research will throe more light on the importance of French language to our society. It is also hoped that the study will inform education managers on the importance of engaging French graduates fully in teaching French in our secondary schools.
The importance of teaching French in Nigeria
French is one of the world’s greatest languages which is rivaled only by English as the language of international society and diplomacy, a position it has now lost to English. Katzner (1975), records that French is the mother tongue of about 75million people, with millions more familiar with it in some degrees as a second language.
The planning and implementation of a national language on the adoption of French as the nations second official language is of utmost importance. The status of languages forms an important part in language policy in francophone countries. According to Moruwawon (2004), The republic of Cameroon was made up of two former colonies; French and English speaking. The republic consists of eastern Cameroon who were predominantly French while the western Cameroon were English speaking. At present, French and English are today being used as official languages but French is dominating. Bimbo Fisayo an educationist speaking to the Daily Champion African News (2005), stressed the importance of speaking and understanding a second international language, especially the French language. From the above accounts so far given, the real need for French in Nigeria according to Emordi(1986), is Nigeria’s geographical, economic and diplomatic as well as her educational research, makes it imperative for her to give adequate attention to the teaching and learning of the French language. It could be said that the first attempt at the Franco- Nigerian co-operation started from the teaching of French in Nigerian secondary schools. For many years the, the efforts at establishing sound basis for the teaching of French in Nigeria and the provision of facilities in French universities for the “one year abroad” training of students of French in Nigerian Universities remained the hallmark of Franco-Nigerian co-operation. According to Ojo (1997), French would better prepare the Nigerian child who is planning to move into the future with self assurance, hope and sense of belonging. He wil discover that even in the Nigeria of tomorrow, French will serve as a linguistic visa that would open better professional prospects for him.
Like with the teaching of most foreign languages, teaching French in Nigerian secondary schools is not problem-free. Some of these problems are highlighted by Emordi (1986), who complains that there are lack of qualified teachers and teaching materials for effective teaching of the language. Emordi recommends the teaching of only the oral aspect of French.. Asobele (2004), states that for French to succeed in Nigeria, French must be taught as a language of culture. It is therefore of great importance for parents and guardians to allow their children and wards to learn the language as it would open wider doors of opportunities to them. It therefore behooves all of us to speak more than one language. If we can speak an international language like French, definitely we will have certain immeasurable concessions. It will expose us to several meetings and seminars outside the shores of this country.
Methodology
The method used is the survey method. It is descriptive research based on the information gathered through the questionnaire. The population sampled where thirteen (13) secondary schools which were randomly selected in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State where we had French graduates. Thirty-five French Language graduates teaching various other subjects were the respondents to the questionnaire that was administered. Ten principals of secondary schools were also interviewed. Frequency and percentage were used to analyze the data.
Findings and discussions
The study was designed to investigate the extent to which French graduates of secondary schools in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State are under-utilized. The presentation, analysis and interpretation are based on research questions formulated for this study.
Research Question One
Is French taught in your school?
Out of the thirteen school used for this research, French is taught in only six of these schools. 46% of the schools visited indicated that French was taught in their schools while the remaining 54% of the schools did not have French in their school time tables. The six schools that offer French only teach it at their JSS level. From the above analysis one can infer that French is not included in most schools time-table. This is very sad indeed as none of these schools offer it at their SSS level. From the above analysis one could therefore infer that French is not included in the time-tables of most schools.
Research Question Two
Are there enough French teachers in your school?
There are thirty-five French graduates in the thirteen schools visited. This figure shows that there are enough French graduates in these schools. Every year, hundreds of French graduates are turned out into the work market. One then wonders why principals of schools will not include this subject in their time-tables. Ministries of education in each states have to re-educate themselves on the importance and usefulness of French as a subject in secondary schools.
Research Question Three
Are French graduates made to teach other subjects rather than French?
In the schools visited there are thirty-five French graduates. Of the 35 of them, only ten of them which make up 28.6% teach French in their respective schools while the remaining twenty-five which make up 71.4% of the respondents are forced to teach other subjects rather than French..88% of these teachers agree that they regret not teaching French. While the rest which make up 12% of these teachers do not regret their not teaching French.. Reasons given for their not regretting include lack of encouragement by their principals in terms of equipment textbooks and other teaching materials to aid in the teaching/learning of French. The disadvantage in this unfortunate circumstances is that these French graduates lose interest and cannot pursue the course at a postgraduate level. Dusai (1995), in a survey found out that most graduates of French language especially from the colleges of education tends to pursue the alternate subject combination in the university to the detriment of the French language.
Research Question Four
Are there adequate teaching /learning materials in schools?
In the schools where French language is taught, 94% of the respondents agree that there are no adequate teaching/learning materials. The teachers complain that there are no text- books in their libraries. Even in schools where they have very few books, the books are not utilized by the students. None of the schools visited have audio-visual aids. This lack of text-books and equipment hinders effective teaching and learning of the French language which in turn hinders motivation of the teachers.
Research Question Five
Do French teachers attend seminars and workshops
Out of the 35 respondents, 29 of them which represent 82.9% have never attended any seminars or workshops. Only 17.1% of them have attended seminars. They sponsored themselves to attend these seminars. It would be encouraging for educational managers to organize lectures, symposia and seminars to enable French teachers to update their knowledge.
Conclusion and Recommendations
This study was designed to investigate the under-utilization of French graduates in French subject in secondary schools in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State. The study revealed that lack of knowledge of the importance of French language by educational managers, lack of incentives and motivation of French graduates, inadequate teaching/learning materials, absence of text-books which hinders effective teaching/learning of French and adversely kills student and teachers interest in the French subject are some of the causes of the under-utilization of French graduates in our secondary schools. It was also revealed that because principals fail to include the subjects in their time table, most French graduates posted to the different secondary schools are forced to teach English language, Literature and other arts subjects other than French. This negative attitude has therefore limited the scope whereby students could expand on their choice of future career. Limitations brought about by this kind of constraints affect the expansion of the educational horizon of Nigerians in the francophone speaking states of the world.
To alleviate some of the aforementioned problems that have caused the under-utilization of French graduates in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, Educational managers need to be educated on the need for French in Nigeria in general. Apart from the geographical location of Nigeria which is surrounded by French speaking countries, Nigeria is a member of the African Union (A.U.), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and very many important world organizations where French is used as one of the principal official languages. Nigeria also tends to gain economically and commercially by encouraging the teaching/learning of French. Still on the importance of French, Kwofie (1984), has this to say: “The national and international relevance in of French is further emphasized by the adoption of the language by non-French-speaking countries of the world” It is therefore necessary to make Nigerians realize the importance of French in our country. The fact that we see a lot of highly placed Nigerians rushing to study French in the different offices of Alliance de Francaise in the country shows that the need for this language exists. Government should therefore take adequate steps to motivate the teacher and the learner so that a lot of progress could be achieved and we will be in a position to reap the full benefits of improved teaching of French.
References
Adekunle, M.A., (1976), “National Language Policy and Planning: The Nigerian Situation” in West African Journal of Modern Languages, No. 1, January Pp23-29
Asobele, S.J. (2004), Prolegomena to a legislation of official languages acts in Nigeria with particular reference to French Language in Francophone Heritage in Africa.
Daily Champion African News Feb. 16, 2005
Ibanga E.E. (1995), L’importance de la langue française au Nigeria’ Unpublished PGDE Project, Benue State University, Makurdi.
Emordi, F.I. (1986), Report on the French programme inspection of the Bendel State University Primary and Secondary Schools Ekpoma.
Katzner,K.(1975), The Languages of the world. London, Routledge and Kequan Paul.
Moruwawon, B.S.(2004), Prospects of the adoption of French as a second official language in Nigeria. A journal published in the faculty of education, University of Ado-Ekiti, Ondo State.
Ojo, A. (1997), French Language and Nigeria, The Guardian Monday 5.
SYDNEY
Introduction
While the learning and use of English Language was compulsory for Nigerians because of their colonization by the British colonial government, the teaching and learning of French was not significant to Nigerians. The French government was not encouraged by the British because of their economic interest in Nigeria. French is actually rivaled by English as the international language of trade, diplomacy and science.
In Africa for instance, Equatorial Guinea in 1997 declared French as their official language along with Spanish. The small islands of Cape Verde and Sao tome and Principe are also members of La Francophonie and as a result, French is getting more widely spoken there as well. Nigeria shares its borders with francophone speaking countries namely: Chad, Republic of Benin and Cameroun. No wonder in 1996, the late General Sanni Abacha, the former head of state of Nigeria in Ouagadougou declared the new status of French as the nation’s second official language. French as a modern language is spoken, written and used like other modern languages of the world. Therefore for Nigerians to interact effectively with francophone countries locally or internationally, they should be able not only speak the language fluently but also be able to attend international seminars and conferences without much problem. According to Adekunle (1976), the language policy of every country should make provisions for the following areas of communication: Internal communication, international scientific or technical communication. French is one of the international languages most widely used in commerce, scientific and technological research, administration, education, literature etc. With the knowledge of French, Nigerians and Francophone countries will be able to work together in areas of science and technology. This however cannot be achieved if French teachers are not employed or if those employed are not encouraged to teach the language.
Statement of the problem
There is a growing concern about the attitude of Nigerians towards the study of French in our schools. A good number of them are not sufficiently informed about the usefulness of French in our educational system or its importance as an international language. They feel that people should not waste their time studying it. This feeling has often misled some secondary school teachers so much so that they fail to:
(a) Include the subject in the school time-table.
(b) Allow French graduates teach French. Rather preferring them to teach
other subjects.
(c) Assign enough number of periods to the teaching of French.
(d) Provide adequate teaching/learning materials for the teaching of French.
Purpose of the study
Much has been said about the need for French in Nigeria and also the teaching and learning of French in Nigerian educational institutions. That is to say that the importance of French in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. The purpose of this study therefore is to:
(a) Find out if French is being taught in secondary schools in Makurdi Local
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(b) Find out if French graduates teach French.
(c) Determine if there are enough teaching/learning materials.
Research Question
The study was to provide answers to the following research questions:-
(1) Is French language taught in your school?
(2) Are there enough French teachers in your school?
(3) Do French graduates teach other subjects other than French?
(4) Are there adequate teaching/learning materials?
(5) Do French teachers attend seminars and workshops?
Significance of the study
The need for French in our secondary schools cannot be over-emphasized. Nigeria’s geographical, economic, diplomatic as well as her educational and research needs makes it imperative for her to give adequate attention and priority to the learning of French. In view of the above it is hoped that this research will throe more light on the importance of French language to our society. It is also hoped that the study will inform education managers on the importance of engaging French graduates fully in teaching French in our secondary schools.
The importance of teaching French in Nigeria
French is one of the world’s greatest languages which is rivaled only by English as the language of international society and diplomacy, a position it has now lost to English. Katzner (1975), records that French is the mother tongue of about 75million people, with millions more familiar with it in some degrees as a second language.
The planning and implementation of a national language on the adoption of French as the nations second official language is of utmost importance. The status of languages forms an important part in language policy in francophone countries. According to Moruwawon (2004), The republic of Cameroon was made up of two former colonies; French and English speaking. The republic consists of eastern Cameroon who were predominantly French while the western Cameroon were English speaking. At present, French and English are today being used as official languages but French is dominating. Bimbo Fisayo an educationist speaking to the Daily Champion African News (2005), stressed the importance of speaking and understanding a second international language, especially the French language. From the above accounts so far given, the real need for French in Nigeria according to Emordi(1986), is Nigeria’s geographical, economic and diplomatic as well as her educational research, makes it imperative for her to give adequate attention to the teaching and learning of the French language. It could be said that the first attempt at the Franco- Nigerian co-operation started from the teaching of French in Nigerian secondary schools. For many years the, the efforts at establishing sound basis for the teaching of French in Nigeria and the provision of facilities in French universities for the “one year abroad” training of students of French in Nigerian Universities remained the hallmark of Franco-Nigerian co-operation. According to Ojo (1997), French would better prepare the Nigerian child who is planning to move into the future with self assurance, hope and sense of belonging. He wil discover that even in the Nigeria of tomorrow, French will serve as a linguistic visa that would open better professional prospects for him.
Like with the teaching of most foreign languages, teaching French in Nigerian secondary schools is not problem-free. Some of these problems are highlighted by Emordi (1986), who complains that there are lack of qualified teachers and teaching materials for effective teaching of the language. Emordi recommends the teaching of only the oral aspect of French.. Asobele (2004), states that for French to succeed in Nigeria, French must be taught as a language of culture. It is therefore of great importance for parents and guardians to allow their children and wards to learn the language as it would open wider doors of opportunities to them. It therefore behooves all of us to speak more than one language. If we can speak an international language like French, definitely we will have certain immeasurable concessions. It will expose us to several meetings and seminars outside the shores of this country.
Methodology
The method used is the survey method. It is descriptive research based on the information gathered through the questionnaire. The population sampled where thirteen (13) secondary schools which were randomly selected in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State where we had French graduates. Thirty-five French Language graduates teaching various other subjects were the respondents to the questionnaire that was administered. Ten principals of secondary schools were also interviewed. Frequency and percentage were used to analyze the data.
Findings and discussions
The study was designed to investigate the extent to which French graduates of secondary schools in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State are under-utilized. The presentation, analysis and interpretation are based on research questions formulated for this study.
Research Question One
Is French taught in your school?
Out of the thirteen school used for this research, French is taught in only six of these schools. 46% of the schools visited indicated that French was taught in their schools while the remaining 54% of the schools did not have French in their school time tables. The six schools that offer French only teach it at their JSS level. From the above analysis one can infer that French is not included in most schools time-table. This is very sad indeed as none of these schools offer it at their SSS level. From the above analysis one could therefore infer that French is not included in the time-tables of most schools.
Research Question Two
Are there enough French teachers in your school?
There are thirty-five French graduates in the thirteen schools visited. This figure shows that there are enough French graduates in these schools. Every year, hundreds of French graduates are turned out into the work market. One then wonders why principals of schools will not include this subject in their time-tables. Ministries of education in each states have to re-educate themselves on the importance and usefulness of French as a subject in secondary schools.
Research Question Three
Are French graduates made to teach other subjects rather than French?
In the schools visited there are thirty-five French graduates. Of the 35 of them, only ten of them which make up 28.6% teach French in their respective schools while the remaining twenty-five which make up 71.4% of the respondents are forced to teach other subjects rather than French..88% of these teachers agree that they regret not teaching French. While the rest which make up 12% of these teachers do not regret their not teaching French.. Reasons given for their not regretting include lack of encouragement by their principals in terms of equipment textbooks and other teaching materials to aid in the teaching/learning of French. The disadvantage in this unfortunate circumstances is that these French graduates lose interest and cannot pursue the course at a postgraduate level. Dusai (1995), in a survey found out that most graduates of French language especially from the colleges of education tends to pursue the alternate subject combination in the university to the detriment of the French language.
Research Question Four
Are there adequate teaching /learning materials in schools?
In the schools where French language is taught, 94% of the respondents agree that there are no adequate teaching/learning materials. The teachers complain that there are no text- books in their libraries. Even in schools where they have very few books, the books are not utilized by the students. None of the schools visited have audio-visual aids. This lack of text-books and equipment hinders effective teaching and learning of the French language which in turn hinders motivation of the teachers.
Research Question Five
Do French teachers attend seminars and workshops
Out of the 35 respondents, 29 of them which represent 82.9% have never attended any seminars or workshops. Only 17.1% of them have attended seminars. They sponsored themselves to attend these seminars. It would be encouraging for educational managers to organize lectures, symposia and seminars to enable French teachers to update their knowledge.
Conclusion and Recommendations
This study was designed to investigate the under-utilization of French graduates in French subject in secondary schools in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State. The study revealed that lack of knowledge of the importance of French language by educational managers, lack of incentives and motivation of French graduates, inadequate teaching/learning materials, absence of text-books which hinders effective teaching/learning of French and adversely kills student and teachers interest in the French subject are some of the causes of the under-utilization of French graduates in our secondary schools. It was also revealed that because principals fail to include the subjects in their time table, most French graduates posted to the different secondary schools are forced to teach English language, Literature and other arts subjects other than French. This negative attitude has therefore limited the scope whereby students could expand on their choice of future career. Limitations brought about by this kind of constraints affect the expansion of the educational horizon of Nigerians in the francophone speaking states of the world.
To alleviate some of the aforementioned problems that have caused the under-utilization of French graduates in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, Educational managers need to be educated on the need for French in Nigeria in general. Apart from the geographical location of Nigeria which is surrounded by French speaking countries, Nigeria is a member of the African Union (A.U.), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and very many important world organizations where French is used as one of the principal official languages. Nigeria also tends to gain economically and commercially by encouraging the teaching/learning of French. Still on the importance of French, Kwofie (1984), has this to say: “The national and international relevance in of French is further emphasized by the adoption of the language by non-French-speaking countries of the world” It is therefore necessary to make Nigerians realize the importance of French in our country. The fact that we see a lot of highly placed Nigerians rushing to study French in the different offices of Alliance de Francaise in the country shows that the need for this language exists. Government should therefore take adequate steps to motivate the teacher and the learner so that a lot of progress could be achieved and we will be in a position to reap the full benefits of improved teaching of French.
References
Adekunle, M.A., (1976), “National Language Policy and Planning: The Nigerian Situation” in West African Journal of Modern Languages, No. 1, January Pp23-29
Asobele, S.J. (2004), Prolegomena to a legislation of official languages acts in Nigeria with particular reference to French Language in Francophone Heritage in Africa.
Daily Champion African News Feb. 16, 2005
Ibanga E.E. (1995), L’importance de la langue française au Nigeria’ Unpublished PGDE Project, Benue State University, Makurdi.
Emordi, F.I. (1986), Report on the French programme inspection of the Bendel State University Primary and Secondary Schools Ekpoma.
Katzner,K.(1975), The Languages of the world. London, Routledge and Kequan Paul.
Moruwawon, B.S.(2004), Prospects of the adoption of French as a second official language in Nigeria. A journal published in the faculty of education, University of Ado-Ekiti, Ondo State.
Ojo, A. (1997), French Language and Nigeria, The Guardian Monday 5.
SYDNEY
Sep
21
My son/daughter doesn’t like their Hebrew school – what should I do?
Filed Under Languages | Comments Off
Roni Rosenthal-Gazit asked:
"My daughter doesn’t like going to her Hebrew school. Tough we have tried another religious school, she keeps complaining that it’s too boring, that she learns nothing there and that as a result, she will never be able to read the Parasha for her Bat Mitzva. What should I do? Should I force my kids to go to Hebrew school? Should I hire a tutor instead?"
As a Hebrew and a religious school teacher and as a mother I can assure you that you are not the only one facing those dilemmas.
Here are a couple of do’s and don’t do’s tips from the book award winning author Roni Rosenthal-Gazit, who had recently published the book: 101 Let’s Have Fun (www.101letshavefun.com).
* First of all, DO NOT blame your child (or yourself) - there can be many reasons why he or she feels reluctant to go to Hebrew school. Maybe they don’t get along with other kids in class? Maybe they feel behind in Hebrew reading/writing skills? Or it could be that they want to play outside with other friends who do not go to a religious school?
* Talk to your child honestly. Let your child know how you feel about Hebrew school. Share from your own experience and engagement to Judaism. Listen to your child and try to find out what’s really bothering them.
Try to remember how you felt when you went to Hebrew school. Was it always so fun? Wouldn’t you (as a child) rather do something else instead? And what did you gain from attending religious school.
Be positive about Hebrew school. Encourage your child by emphasizing other fun or interesting activities in Hebrew school, other than learning Hebrew. How about interesting Torah stories? the weekly Parasha?, Arts and craft projects for Jewish Holidays?
DO NOT blame the teacher/s - In my experience, I have met some great teachers at work who faced "unhappy" students and vice versa.
DO talk to the teacher to explore other options for getting the student more involved and challenged in his school activities. It is possible that drama and acting the Torah story will be more appealing for your child; maybe the student can compose or play an instrument to show their understanding of the main idea of the Parasha? Modern dances can be interesting too and reflect students’ understanding.
How do YOU get along with Hebrew? Get more involved in learning the Hebrew language yourself. How about getting a tutor for both- you and your child- to learn together?
Unfortunately, we can’t all spend a year in Israel right now (although it may be interesting and challenging), but there are many other things you can do to help your child be motivated toward his Hebrew school studies. The important thing is to listen to your child, talk to their teacher, try to make certain concessions, be positive and supportive about your child’s learning.
Keywords: Learning Hebrew, learn a language, Jewish schools, religious schools, Judaism, reading Torah, Hebrew, Hebrew schools, teachers, Ulpan.
About the author
Roni Rosenthal-Gazit is a published author, a Jewish and Hebrew school teacher and a mother. Roni holds a Master degree in counseling and Education.
BRENT
"My daughter doesn’t like going to her Hebrew school. Tough we have tried another religious school, she keeps complaining that it’s too boring, that she learns nothing there and that as a result, she will never be able to read the Parasha for her Bat Mitzva. What should I do? Should I force my kids to go to Hebrew school? Should I hire a tutor instead?"
As a Hebrew and a religious school teacher and as a mother I can assure you that you are not the only one facing those dilemmas.
___________________________________________________________________
Here are a couple of do’s and don’t do’s tips from the book award winning author Roni Rosenthal-Gazit, who had recently published the book: 101 Let’s Have Fun (www.101letshavefun.com).
* First of all, DO NOT blame your child (or yourself) - there can be many reasons why he or she feels reluctant to go to Hebrew school. Maybe they don’t get along with other kids in class? Maybe they feel behind in Hebrew reading/writing skills? Or it could be that they want to play outside with other friends who do not go to a religious school?
* Talk to your child honestly. Let your child know how you feel about Hebrew school. Share from your own experience and engagement to Judaism. Listen to your child and try to find out what’s really bothering them.
Try to remember how you felt when you went to Hebrew school. Was it always so fun? Wouldn’t you (as a child) rather do something else instead? And what did you gain from attending religious school.
Be positive about Hebrew school. Encourage your child by emphasizing other fun or interesting activities in Hebrew school, other than learning Hebrew. How about interesting Torah stories? the weekly Parasha?, Arts and craft projects for Jewish Holidays?
DO NOT blame the teacher/s - In my experience, I have met some great teachers at work who faced "unhappy" students and vice versa.
DO talk to the teacher to explore other options for getting the student more involved and challenged in his school activities. It is possible that drama and acting the Torah story will be more appealing for your child; maybe the student can compose or play an instrument to show their understanding of the main idea of the Parasha? Modern dances can be interesting too and reflect students’ understanding.
How do YOU get along with Hebrew? Get more involved in learning the Hebrew language yourself. How about getting a tutor for both- you and your child- to learn together?
Unfortunately, we can’t all spend a year in Israel right now (although it may be interesting and challenging), but there are many other things you can do to help your child be motivated toward his Hebrew school studies. The important thing is to listen to your child, talk to their teacher, try to make certain concessions, be positive and supportive about your child’s learning.
Keywords: Learning Hebrew, learn a language, Jewish schools, religious schools, Judaism, reading Torah, Hebrew, Hebrew schools, teachers, Ulpan.
About the author
Roni Rosenthal-Gazit is a published author, a Jewish and Hebrew school teacher and a mother. Roni holds a Master degree in counseling and Education.
BRENT
Aug
12
Denver Language School
Filed Under Languages | Comments Off
Denver Language School asked:
Denver Language School: Follow These Easy Steps to be Part of This Multicultural World and Explore Far Beyond Average Knowledge
So you want to find a a Denver Language School? Imagine being able to master a foreign language and opening your eyes to a complete new and interesting culture. There are about 195 countries in the world, each with unique costumes, sceneries, ideologies and native languages. Linguists calculate that there are about 5,000 to 6,000 forms of communication that allow humans to communicate to others their thoughts and feelings.
You’re probably thinking that English is the most spoken language. Well, please think again. It’s mandarin Chinese, yes this beautifully complex speech is pronounced most often around the world than others. In Denver Languages School the noise of foreign intrinsic words jump right off the walls of students who every day chose to more involved in this global community.
Spanish, Chinese, German, Italian, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, English, among others are all taught in the most effective ways. Each element of a language like grammar, speaking, listening and writing are all included in personalized classes at Denver Language School.
So next time you sit across from a visitor and see the expression on his face, you’ll understand. Some day, you’ll live those same feelings you can only perceive if you comprehend more aspects of the new culture. You can also experience the bliss of guiding him around in his native language. How is this possible? By mastering a new languages, of course. Imagine all the new people you can talk with if you study more.
The rewards of mastering a second language could be used all around, from personal to professional growth, they are limitless. There are many careers that would benefit from this extra knowledge. For example, if you’re a marketing consultant and a company wants to sell their products in other countries. To make this possible you need to understand their culture and to do that you should master their language.
You can realize all this and fulfill your thirst for knowledge of diverse cultures that make up the human race. Accompany one of the numerous students at Denver Language School that have chosen to transcend far beyond the average knowledge people have.
Follow These Simple Steps to be Part of This Multicultural World and Transcend Far Beyond Average Knowledge: Denver Language School- www.LanguagesLCI.com
WILFRED
Denver Language School: Follow These Easy Steps to be Part of This Multicultural World and Explore Far Beyond Average Knowledge
So you want to find a a Denver Language School? Imagine being able to master a foreign language and opening your eyes to a complete new and interesting culture. There are about 195 countries in the world, each with unique costumes, sceneries, ideologies and native languages. Linguists calculate that there are about 5,000 to 6,000 forms of communication that allow humans to communicate to others their thoughts and feelings.
You’re probably thinking that English is the most spoken language. Well, please think again. It’s mandarin Chinese, yes this beautifully complex speech is pronounced most often around the world than others. In Denver Languages School the noise of foreign intrinsic words jump right off the walls of students who every day chose to more involved in this global community.
Spanish, Chinese, German, Italian, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, English, among others are all taught in the most effective ways. Each element of a language like grammar, speaking, listening and writing are all included in personalized classes at Denver Language School.
So next time you sit across from a visitor and see the expression on his face, you’ll understand. Some day, you’ll live those same feelings you can only perceive if you comprehend more aspects of the new culture. You can also experience the bliss of guiding him around in his native language. How is this possible? By mastering a new languages, of course. Imagine all the new people you can talk with if you study more.
The rewards of mastering a second language could be used all around, from personal to professional growth, they are limitless. There are many careers that would benefit from this extra knowledge. For example, if you’re a marketing consultant and a company wants to sell their products in other countries. To make this possible you need to understand their culture and to do that you should master their language.
You can realize all this and fulfill your thirst for knowledge of diverse cultures that make up the human race. Accompany one of the numerous students at Denver Language School that have chosen to transcend far beyond the average knowledge people have.
Follow These Simple Steps to be Part of This Multicultural World and Transcend Far Beyond Average Knowledge: Denver Language School- www.LanguagesLCI.com
WILFRED