APPENDIX 1

Class 'post-it' feedback on answering questions addressed to the whole class
Thanks for all your comments - I had fifteen 'post-it' notes back from you, which have proved to be very interesting and enlightening. I've decided to reproduce the comments here, grouped into rough categories, as your own words say far more eloquently what your reactions are than any summary I could make. (There are more than 15 comments here in total, because some people managed to squeeze a whole list of points onto their 'post-it'!) There were a couple of comments that said nice things about the classes in general - thank you for these! But I haven't included them here, as I want to focus on the specific issue of whole class Q & A. I've added my responses in italics.

Confidence / shyness / embarrassment
…with language

• I have no problem when you ask questions but sometimes I'm afraid to express my opinion because I feel I'll make mistakes when speaking. I don't want to feel embarrassed!
• Lack of confidence to speak L2 in front of native speakers.

I'm sorry that some of you are not proud of your English. I've been nothing but impressed by this - and you certainly all speak English far better than I can speak French, which is the only other language I can really communicate much in!

… that response will be valued

• Sometimes I am not sure whether my opinion is valuable, so I will wait until other students have given their answer and get some inspiration.
• Maybe I am afraid of the evaluation (on myself) from others.
• Shy because of lack of relative experience.
• Some people lack confidence, sometimes I don't think my answer is interesting enough.

It's interesting that even at this stage of the programme you are quite worried about whether others will think your contributions are worthwhile. Maybe you should ask yourself: Do you find your classmates' opinions worth listening to? Do you or your classmates or Corony ever dismiss or disapprove of the contributions that others make, or are they generally interested and positive about these? If you think that the class responds positively to the opinions of others, then why should they react any differently to yours? I'd love to hear your ideas, and I'm sure other people would too!

… with shy personality

• Being shy in the class depends on cultural contexts and personalities. Thus the teachers should try to know students' characters in advance.
• Sometimes it's easy to answer your question, but sometimes I feel shy.

Of course, if you are just shy by nature, that's different. Anyone who doesn't feel comfortable speaking in front of the class shouldn't be forced to, although I hope that the times when we do group work give the less extrovert class members a chance to say something.

… with ideas

• Sometimes, simply because of lack of ideas to give you, or few examples of what you want

Of course, no-one expects you always to have ideas! As long as you sometimes do, that's fine.

…with understanding the question

• Sometimes I don't understand clearly what I'm expected to do

If this happens, please ask me to clarify. You probably aren't the only one who's confused!

One person asked: 'Would calling on students by name be effective, or more intimidating?' I'm not sure I know the answer - in fact I think I'll ask you next week!

Also, one of the comments above suggests that it might help if 'teachers … know students' characters in advance'. I tend to agree, and I'd welcome any ideas for how we could achieve this, given the fairly limited time we have together in class (maybe we need more social events!)

Previous experience / background

• When I was in primary / secondary school, I had to say 'right' answers to teachers when nominated. So normally, we hated to be nominated …. I think that's why I still feel uncomfortable when I have to say something in front of all my classmates.
• Cultural difference: people from some countries are more conservative.

As we've learned on this course, previous experience and cultural expectation are hugely influential. I think that if people from some cultures appear to be more conservative it's because their society has taught them to be like that - it's not a genetic characteristic! And negative experience in school can be just as powerful in affecting how you are as a student and teacher. Perhaps by being aware of these reasons for your current way of reacting to whole class Q & A is the first step towards changing this, assuming you want to!

Group work

• I like the group activities
• The group work you give helps me to realize what I think and what I haven't noticed

These two comments weren't accompanied by anything about whole-class question and answer, so I'm taking this as a very tactful way of saying that you prefer group work to whole class Q & A! Don't worry, we'll keep doing group work, and it's good to know that some of you find it useful.

Positive views of whole-class Q & A

• Personally I'd like to talk and give my opinion about different subjects.
• Good interaction. The class Qs help you to think about and personalize issues.
• Questions are usually open-ended, addressed to the whole class. I like it because you always have the time and chance to answer. But sometimes they are very specific and very much terminology is used. This can be helpful but also limiting.
• I think asking the whole class to answer gives every student a chance to hear what others think - that's great.
• Actually, I have tried to be an active participant in the class. More practice is expected.

The first comment is hard to interpret - I'm not sure if you meant that you are happy with the way I invite you to give your opinion, or whether you would like to have more invitations to talk on other subjects too. Maybe you could tell me!

The last comment here made me realize that another question I should have asked you was, 'are you happy with the amount you contribute in class, especially in response to my whole-class questions?' (I was tending to see relatively low levels of responses, especially those times when I ask a question and no one volunteers an answer, as a problem - maybe it isn't!) Am I just putting pressure on you to live up to my expectations of classroom interaction, instead of me living up to your expectations? Which of these two approaches do you want me to take?

Follow-up questions:

1. Are you happy with the amount you contribute in class, especially in response to my whole class questions? Or would you like me to do something to help you to contribute more? What?
2. Would you like me to nominate people to answer questions? Please explain.
3. Have you got any suggestions for helping everyone to get to know each other better, to reduce the embarrassment factor and to help me appreciate individual personalities better?
4. What is your reaction to me asking for this kind of feedback, and responding to you with this kind of summary and comment? Would you like to do more of it? Please explain.

If you've got answers to any of these Q's please tell me, or write me a note.

Thanks!

APPENDIX 2

Allwright's Criteria for Exploratory Practice