Practice of Writing Skills in the Classroom
6.3 Role of Teachers
A language teacher has to play a number of roles in the classroom. The following tables reflect that how far the teachers of SSC and O levels perform their responsibilities as language teachers.
6.3.1 Monitoring the Activities of Students
‘Monitoring’ is one of the major functions of a language teacher. S/he is supposed to monitor the ongoing task the students perform in the classroom. The following table reflects to what extent the language teacher performs his/her duties.
Table 6.3
Monitoring the Activities of Students Verifiable
indicator Tools used
Levels Responses Descriptive
Statistics
Monitoring
Observation Checklist (Item 16)
1 2 3 4 5 Mean SD SSC Level, N=16 0 4 10 2 0 3.00 .894 O Levels, N=16 0 1 1 10 4 4.06 .771
CIE, N=8 0 1 0 5 2 4.00 .925
Edexcel, N=8 0 0 1 5 2 4.12 .64 Difference of Mean between SSC
and O levels –1.06
Source: Field Survey, 2010 (Scaling: 1= Not at all; 2= Rarely; 3= Sometimes; 4= Very Often; 5= Always; SD=
Standard Deviation;)
Though the mean score is comparatively low (3.00) at the SSC level, a positive trend towards monitoring of students’ work is observed; the score is just on the verge of touching high. The very high mean score (4.06) of O level is suggestive of teachers’
constant vigilance of students’ work. In communicative language teaching, monitoring is highly important for the successful completion of a task (similar to Littlewood, 1981).
6.3.2 Creating Fun in the Classroom
A teacher has to enliven students in the classroom so that they may feel at ease while doing a task. He has to elicit different techniques to make the lesson effective, and creating fun can be an option.
Table 6.4
Creating Fun in the Classroom Verifiable
Indicator Respondents
Levels Responses Descriptive
Statistics
Good humoured class
Observation Checklist (Item 20)
1 2 3 4 5 Mean SD
SSC Level, N=16 0 8 4 2 2 2.87 1.087 O Levels, N=16 0 2 4 10 0 3.50 .73 Cambridge, N=8 0 1 2 5 0 3.50 .756
Edexcel, N=8 0 1 2 5 0 3.50 .756
Difference of Mean between
SSC and O levels –. 63
Source: Field Survey, 2010 (Scaling: 1= Not at all; 2= Rarely; 3= Sometimes; 4= Very Often; 5= Always; SD=
Standard Deviation;)
The score suggests that the teachers of O level are more good-humoured compared to the teachers of SSC level. One possible reason, detected during the classroom observation, might be the timidity and shyness of SSC level students. They enjoy humour passively and there is a gap in relationship between the teachers and students. Unlike SSC, the students of O level were discovered creating humour quite spontaneously in the classroom.
6.3.3 Helping Students in Difficulties
A language teacher is expected to be available for supervising the students when a task carries on. He plays a number of roles of which one is to emerge as a resource person to stay always ready with suggestions and information to answer queries of the students (Harmer, 2001).
Table 6.5
Helping Students in Difficulties
Verifiable Indicator Tools used
Levels Responses Descriptive Statistics Helping students in
difficulties
Observation Checklist (Item 22)
1 2 3 4 5 Mean SD SSC Level, N=16 2 6 4 4 0 2.62 1.024 O Levels, N=16 0 0 4 8 4 4.00 .73 Difference of Mean between SSC
and O levels
–.1.38
Source: Field Survey, 2010 (Scaling: 1= Not at all; 2= Rarely; 3= Sometimes; 4= Very Often; 5= Always; SD=
Standard Deviation;)
It is evident from the table that the teachers of SSC level are unavailable when the students face any difficulty. Instead of being a constant source of knowledge and information, s/he stays away and rather adopts an indifferent attitude. The low mean score of SSC level is contrasted with the relatively high mean score of O level. The teachers of O level are ready to assist students if they face any difficulty, and they have developed a culture in which students hardly hesitate to ask their teachers for help.
6.3.4 Allowing Students to Ask Questions when Writing Carries on
A language teacher is expected to be a facilitator and resource person in the classroom, and it is his duty to be always ready with answers for the queries of students (Harmer, 2001).
Table 6.6
Allowing Students to Ask Questions when Writing Carries on Verifiable Indicator Tools used
Levels Responses Descriptive Statistics Allowing students to ask
question
Observation Checklist (Item 18)
1 2 3 4 5 Mean SD SSC Level,
N=16 2 12 2 0 0 2.00 .516
O Levels,
N=16 0 1 11 4 0 3.18 .543
Difference of Mean between SSC and
O levels –1.18
Source: Field Survey, 2010 (Scaling: 1= Not at all; 2= Rarely; 3= Sometimes; 4= Very Often; 5= Always; SD=
Standard Deviation;)
The table above shows that the teachers of O level are more lenient towards students than the teachers of SSC level. The teachers of SSC level are unwilling to allow students to ask questions in the classroom when ‘writing’ carries on. This is evident in the high mean score (3.18) of O level against the low mean score (2.00) of the SSC level.
6.3.5 Opportunity for Students to Express Personal Ideas and Opinions
The students are expected to play some major roles as active participants in the classroom under the supervision and guidance of the teachers. It is expected in CLT that the teachers should allow students to express themselves freely in the classroom, but in reality the students are often ignored and the teachers do not encourage them to express their ideas.
Table 6.7
Opportunity for Students to Express Personal Ideas and Opinions Verifiable
Indicator Tools used
Levels Responses Descriptive Statistics Scope of
expressing personal ideas and opinions of students
Observation Checklist (Item 19)
1 2 3 4 5 Mean SD
SSC Level,
N=16 4 2 6 4 0 2.62 1.147
O Level, N=16
0 0 5 8 3 3.87 .718
Difference of Mean
between SSC and O levels –1.25
Source: Field Survey, 2010 (Scaling: 1= Not at all; 2= Rarely; 3= Sometimes; 4= Very Often; 5= Always; SD=
Standard Deviation;)
The mean score of SSC is 2.62. The mean score of O level (3.87) is comparatively high. The statistics are suggestive of O level teachers' tendency to allow students more freedom in the classroom.