Gossamer threads

1
Gossamer threads

• Developing sustaining interpersonal connections
  in language classrooms
• Rose Senior

2
Focus of presentation

• Description of previous research study and major
  findings
• Current notions learner diversity, identity,
  classroom culture
• How and why teachers weave webs of connectivity
  in their classes
• Conclusion, questions/comments

3
The good language class Teacher perceptions
(Senior 1999)

• Longitudinal qualitative study using classroom
  observation weekly teacher interviews,
  triangulated by student questionnaires
  interviews
• Objective to document the social evolution over
  time of 8 English language classes in order to
  identify factors likely to enhance or inhibit the
  development of social cohesion within each class

4
Nature of classes

• Intensive English language classes
• Classes adult migrant/ELICOS
• 10-week intensive courses (averaging 18 hrs p/w),
  from beginners to advanced
• Average class size 16 Ss
• Multicultural (balanced or unbalanced)
• Characterised by diversity in every possible way

5
Major findings

• Teachers value classes that function cohesively
• Experienced teachers have an intuitive
  understanding of group dynamics principles and
  seek to teach in line with them
• Evidence-based teacher assumption Correlation
  between quality of class groups quality of
  teaching learning that occurs within them
• Notion of class-centred teaching (Senior 2002)
• Formulation of socio-pedagogic theory of
  classroom practice (Senior, 2006)

6
Learner diversity and difference

• Awareness increased by exponential growth in ELT
  worldwide expansion of client base, contexts and
  purposes for learning
• Identification of individual differences in terms
  of language aptitude, learning style, strategy
  use, personality, motivation levels, learner
  beliefs, etc. (psychological factors)
• Recognition of influence of social factors
  gender, class, ethnicity, cultural background,
  etc.
• Assumption diversity is a problem

7
Additional variable social context of language
learning

• Learners develop speaking skills in variety of
  contexts
• Language learners and language speakers bring
  individual identities to social contexts (Norton
  2000)
• Often a power imbalance exists between learner
  and speaker identities
• This power imbalance can affect the rate and
  quality of second language acquisition
• Nortons theory of identity foregrounds the
  influence of context, bringing it into the
  language learning equation

8
Kramschs third place hypothesis (1993)

• Notion that migrants living within unfamiliar
  cultures develop third places for themselves
• Third places are like special nooks, crannies
  or niches unique cultural spaces occupied by
  language learners that are somewhere between the
  cultures with which they are familiar and the
  culture(s) of the target language
• Within these third places migrants can forge
  new identities for themselves

9
The language classroom as the third place (1)

• There should exist a border zone between the
  target language cultures and local cultures . . .
  which all parties can meaningfully inhabit and
  within which everyone can interact on equal
  terms.
• Effective language learning will take place . . .
  when teachers and learners are constantly
  engaged in creating a culture of a third kind
  through the give-and-take of classroom dialogue
  (Kramsch 1993 23)

10
The third place classroom
S
S
Safe haven Diversity welcomed used to build
culture
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
11
The language classroom as the third place (2)

• One of the defining characteristics of a social
  group is the shared world which its members
  accept, and they in turn are accepted as members
  because they subscribe to the beliefs, behaviours
  and meanings of that shared world. (Byram 1997
  17)
• Being allowed and encouraged to make friends
  among classmates can create a real-time learning
  community that thrives on its own energy
  (Murphey et al. 2004 92)
• The need for a sense of a common shared world
  which has to be created in interaction with other
  people (Gudykunst 1994, quoted by Byram 1997 17)
  
• The shared world not a static condition.
  (Byram, op.cit)

12
The unique culture of each language class

• As a course evolves over days, weeks, and
  months, a culture emerges through the interaction
  of personalities and events. Without an
  understanding of that culture, many of the events
  which occur in a particular lesson will be
  meaningless to the outside observer (Nunan 1996
  44).

13
Definition key features of classroom cultures
(Senior)

• Collection of mutual understandings shared by
  members of the class community
• Each classroom culture is unique can never be
  replicated
• Classroom cultures are dynamic, fluid entities
  that develop evolve organically
• Classroom cultures can be positively or
  negatively related to learning (depending on
  their nature and degree of dominance)

14
Shared classroom understandings developing over
time (Senior 2006)

• Relate to
• The teacher and their accustomed interpersonal
  class management behaviour
• The teachers teaching approach, level of
  knowledge, expertise, etc.
• Behavioural patterns degrees of proficiency of
  individual students
• Classroom seating, friendship patterns
• Behavioural norms of class as whole, e.g.
  spontaneous collective behaviour such as
  willingness to laugh at jokes
• Shared class history knowledge of past
  incidents, events, etc.

15
Sea of faces
T
S S S S S S S S S
S S S S S S S S S
Day One Student identities are unknown Q How
should teachers behave?
16
Options available to the teacher

• Ignore student differences/identities?
• Get to know and understand the the identities of
  all individual class members?
• Encourage students to reveal identities by
  engaging authentically with learning tasks?
• Respect students right to keep aspects of their
  identities hidden from the class group?
• Allow/encourage student identities to emerge
  naturally?
• Use student identities to enhance the shared
  culture of the classroom?

17
The invisible web of the language classroom
18
Developing human relationships in the classroom

• Success as a teacher does not depend on the
  approach or method that you follow so much as on
  your integrity as a person and the relationships
  that you are able to develop in the classroom.
  The ability to build and maintain human
  relationships in this way is central to effective
  teaching. (Sowden 2007 308)

19
Notion of rapport

• Just as important as the teaching itself is the
  relationship that we develop with our classes
  (Senior 2008 4)
• Rapport empathy, understanding where others are
  coming from, appreciating their point if view,
  seeking to develop maintain a connection with
  them, reaching out, (frequently used to refer to
  relationship between people with unequal levels
  of power) (Senior 2008 5)
• Experienced teacher stated that rapport was
  foundational to her teaching, establishing
  rapport her primary goal on entering the
  classroom (Senior 2006 265)

20
Teachers develop invisible web by

• Developing relationships with individuals with
  the class as a whole
• Valuing respecting all students (including
  their right to retain a low profile if they so
  wish)
• Acknowledging the unique contribution that each
  individual can make to the learning social
  well-being of the class as a whole
• Being encouraging drawing people out
• Responding to student initiatives
• Not behaving in repressive or authoritarian ways

21
How diversity enhances class cohesion

• Range of class members contribute to social
  evolution of class group (accords with
  established group dynamics principles)
• Development of multi-faceted, all-embracing
  classroom culture that values difference,
  individuality, uniqueness of individuals
• Unexpected synergies occur (e.g. Ss from
  different cultures making friends, working
  together, sharing experiences, discovering
  commonalities, etc.)

22
Can diversity impede the development of class
cohesion?

• Yes disparate goals, hidden agendas of
  problematic individuals, persistent cliques,
  interpersonal/ intercultural/ intracultural
  tensions, etc., can sometimes negate all teacher
  efforts
• But, experienced teachers are normally able to
  use diversity to build class cohesion
• And, positive outcomes can result from negative
  situations (e.g. ethnic tensions being diffused
  by positive shared learning experiences)

23
Conclusion

• Teachers seek to weave webs of connectivity in
  their classes
• To accommodate diversity/ a range of student
  identities within their classes
• To develop class cohesion/ a third place
  classroom culture
• To make teaching easier and more satisfying
• To enhance student learning

24
Thats all!

• Questions and comments, please
• Feel free to email Rose Senior
• with additional comments or observations
• rsenior_at_iinet.net.au