Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
Joseph J. Lee
josephjlee1@gmail.com
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2005 CATESOL Northern Regional Conference Joseph Lee
Building and Maintaining a Community in the ESL Classroom November 5, 2005
“Success depends less on materials, techniques and linguistic analyses, and more on what goes on inside and between
the people in the classroom” (Stevick, 1980, p. 4)
A. Introduction:
¾ A community is a “group” of people who interact with each other and have common interests.
¾ The ESL class is a community as it displays all of the characteristic features of a real “group”
(Dörnyei & Murphey, 2003).
1. There is some interaction among group members.
2. Group members perceive themselves as a distinct unit and demonstrate a level of
commitment to it.
3. Group members share some purpose or goal for being together.
4. The group endures for a reasonable period of time (i.e. not only for minutes).
5. The group has developed some sort of a salient ‘internal structure’, which includes:
the regulation of entry and departure into/from the group;
rules and standards of behavior for members;
relatively stable interpersonal relationship patterns and an established status hierarchy;
some division of group roles.
6. Finally, as a direct consequence of the above points, the group is held accountable for its
members’ actions.
(Erhman & Dörnyei, 1998, p. 72)
B. Research Methodology:
¾ Participants:
24 ESL teachers (CaZada College, College of San Mateo, CCSF, SFSU ALI, SFSU)
¾ Instrument:
Questionnaire: 6 open-ended questions
D. Findings:
¾ Students display active and equal participation in lively pair/group work and whole class
discussions.
¾ Students support and encourage each other, especially shy students or those new to an
interactive classroom.
¾ Students invite each other to speak, are curious to learn about each other’s opinions and
ideas, and respectful of each other.
¾ Students display individual accountability in pair/group work, as well as interdependence.
¾ Students help each other to learn.
¾ Students enjoy working together with various members: multicultural, multilingual, and
multi-proficiency.
¾ Students joke and laugh together, not at each other.
¾ There is an audible “buzz” before, during, and after class.
¾ Pair/group work is started quickly and easily.
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2005 CATESOL Northern Regional Conference Joseph Lee
Building and Maintaining a Community in the ESL Classroom November 5, 2005
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2005 CATESOL Northern Regional Conference Joseph Lee
Building and Maintaining a Community in the ESL Classroom November 5, 2005
¾ Whole class:
Circle
Semi-circle/U-shape
* Double U-shape (individual desks; class size: >25)
¾ Small Group Work (3-6 students)
Triangle
Square
Small circle
¾ Pair Work
Students face each other
¾ To ensure students work with different classmates:
Assign groups – multilingual, multicultural, multi-proficiency
Count off (1-4) students
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2005 CATESOL Northern Regional Conference Joseph Lee
Building and Maintaining a Community in the ESL Classroom November 5, 2005
1. Use icebreakers and other group building activities from day one.
2. Create a class “roster” with names and email addresses, and a class photo.
3. Lead by example - Model friendly and supportive attitude and behavior.
4. Provide explicit rationale for collaboration and cooperation.
5. Establish class norms by discussing and agreeing on a mutually accepted set of expectations
of the students and teacher.
6. Use group “role cards” to encourage equal participation in small group work. (See p. 8 for
sample)
7. Teach and use classroom language for working together in pairs, groups, and whole class.
8. Regularly start off the class with pair work leading to group or whole class discussions.
9. Regularly integrate games/activities/projects which require collaboration and cooperation.
10. Mix up the groups regularly to avoid cliques from developing.
11. Have students sit close and in an arrangement where they can see each other.
12. Show genuine enthusiasm and praise for students’ contributions, and don’t make a big deal
about incorrect responses.
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2005 CATESOL Northern Regional Conference Joseph Lee
Building and Maintaining a Community in the ESL Classroom November 5, 2005
References:
Dörnyei, Z., & Murphey, T. (2003). Group dynamics in the language classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Ehrman, M. E., & Dörnyei, Z. (1998). Interpersonal dynamics in second language education: The visible and
invisible classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kagan, S. (1995). We can talk: Cooperative learning in the elementary ESL classroom. ERIC Digest
Reproduction No. ED 382 035. Retrieved April 1, 2005, from
http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-1/talk.htm.
Oyster, C. K. (2000). Groups: A user’s guide. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
Senior, R. (1998). How to make your classes more cohesive. In B. Black and N. Stanley (Eds.),
Teaching and learning in changing times. Proceedings of the 7th Annual Teaching Learning Forum,
The University of Western Australia, February 1998. Perth: UWA. Retrieved April 1, 2005,
from http://lsn.curtin.edu.au/tlf/tlf1998/senior.html.
Stevick, E. (1980). Teaching languages: A way and ways. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Tinzman, M. B., Jones, B. F., Fennimore, T. F., Bakker, J., Fine, C., & Pierce, J. (1990). What is the
collaborative classroom? Oak Brook: NCREL. Retrieved April 1, 2005, from
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/rpl_esys/collab.htm.
Useful Activities:
Coelho, E. (1994). Learning together in the multicultural classroom. Markham, Ontario: Pippin Publishing
Limited.
Hadfield, J. (1992). Classroom dynamics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Web sites:
¾ Nellie’s Icebreakers for classrooms and group dynamics:
http://www.nelliemuller.com/Icebreaking.activities.and.group.dynmamics.htm
Links to various icebreaker and group energizing activities web sites.
¾ Icebreakers/Mixers: http://www.bbyo.org/bbg/ideas/mixers.html
A collection of icebreaker and mixer activities.
¾ teAchnology: http://www.teach-nology.com/ideas/ice_breakers
A collection of icebreaker activities offered by teachers across the U.S.
Sample Icebreakers:
1. Name Game
Materials: None
Procedure:
2. Cocktail Party
Materials: Index cards (or 8 1/2 X 11” paper); Scotch tape; markers (or pen)
Procedure:
3. Snowball!
Materials: Paper
Procedure:
1. Have the students write down at least 3 (or more) facts about themselves.
2. Instruct the students to crumple up the papers on which they have just written their facts
on each other.
3. Then shock them by telling them that now, they get to have a one minute 'snowball' fight
and let them stand up and throw the crumpled fact papers at each other for a minute
4. At the end of the minute, students grab whichever snowball is closest to them. Reconvene
the class and then you can either:
a) have the students read the facts on the snowball they have and guess which student in
the class the snowball belongs to.
b) Or have the students read aloud the facts on the snowball they have and whoever
wrote those facts has to tell the class it's theirs, rather than having the students guess.
Source: http://www.eslcafe.com/ideas/sefer.cgi?display:1064523042-32209.txt
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2005 CATESOL Northern Regional Conference Joseph Lee
Building and Maintaining a Community in the ESL Classroom November 5, 2005
WRITER
• Can you repeat that?
- Writes down the
• Can you spell that word?
group’s answers to
questions • Can you explain that more clearly?
• I can’t hear you. Can you speak more loudly?
CHECKER
• Can you repeat that?
- Checks the grammar in the
• Can you spell that word?
writer’s notes
• Can you explain that more clearly?
- Checks the grammar of
• I can’t hear you. Can you speak more loudly?
information the writer
writes on the board
REPORTER/SPEAKER
• OK, we only have a little time left. What am I
- Reports the group’s answers going to say?!
to questions
• What should I say for/about ___________?
Language for reporting:
• Our group decided that _____________.
• In our opinion, ____________________.
• We think ________________________.
COORDINATOR
• OK. Let’s get started!
- Keeps group members
• OK everybody: Stay focused!
working on the assignment
• What do you think, (classmate’s name)?
- Makes sure all group
• Does everyone agree?
members participate
• The time is almost up!
- Watches the time
• We only have 1 minute left, so let’s _______.
Source: ALI Level 42 Listening & Speaking: Skills for Listening & Speaking Course Book (2005)
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