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
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