Classroom Interaction Patterns: Advantage & Disadvantage

                                   Classroom Interaction Patterns: Advantage & Disadvantage

 

There was a time when the traditional approach of teaching was adopted by most of the teachers, where the learner used to be dependent only on the lesson delivered by teachers. They were not exposed to enough practice of speaking on their own and hence the interaction among the students in classroom was almost absent. But as the Teaching method changed with time so has the education system. Teaching method now demands more of students interaction rather than just to listening to the teachers. Hence the classroom interaction is very essential in today, teaching methods.

Classroom Interaction is a practice that enhances the development of the two very important language skills which are speaking and listening among the students.

                                 Types of Classroom Interaction

 

Classroom Interaction can be categorized under these main headings such as:

                     ------ Collaborative Learning

                     ------ Discussions and Debates

                    ------ Interactive Sessions

                     ------ Loud Reading

                    ------ Story-telling

                   ------ Soliloquies

                   ------ Conversation with learners

                 ------- Role Play

                    Advantages & Disadvantages as Individual work:

 

Advantages Time to think Time to plan what say/do Learner can work at own pace

Disadvantages No ideas Feeling insulted Feeling nervous

 Advantages & Disadvantages as Pair work:

Advantages Practices communication All participate Learner can help each other Can learn from each other and generate more ideas Makes them independent learners Boots confidence as they practice in pairs before the whole class

Disadvantages Frustrating and difficult if partners are at different level or don’t enjoy working together Difficult if one partner dominates Fear they will learn partner’s mistakes May speak in mother tongue”Urdu/Punjabi not English Can be noisy!

                       

 

  Advantages & Disadvantages as Group work:

Advantages Practices group discussion Develop team work Promotes peer learning Listening to and respecting others’opinions Can learn from each other and generate more ideas Makes them independent learners Develop sense of responsibility of individual roles in group

Disadvantages Learners may feel shy to speak in a group Others may be more likely to speak in L 1in group Difficult to organize room space Some learners may dominate and do all the work Some may be shy or lazy and do no work More likely they will speak in Urdu/ Punjabi instead of English

                

 

  Advantages & Disadvantages as Teams work:

Advantages Fun and competitive Everyone engaged as want to win As a wormer or filler to energize Good way to revise work Develops team spirit

Disadvantages Some may be dominate so they can win Others will be less confident so not participate Some less competitive than others Can be very noisy as competition

                          

 

Advantages & Disadvantages as Mingle work:

Advantages Getting to know each other to overcome shyness Speaking to many different people Every one participant Helps consolidate language and develop skills Develop confidence Fun and engaging

Disadvantages Noisy! Difficult to organize with large classes Not enough space unless taken outside the classroom Shy learners may not participate Learners may speak in mother tongue: Urdu/Punjabi not English

                        

 

Advantages & Disadvantages as Whole class work:

Advantages Useful when teacher needs every one’s attention, e. g. instruction and feed back To elicit from class and not pick on individuals Learners feel less pressured

Disadvantages Some learners feel shy about giving answers in front of others Some learners may not do anything