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The Language Teacher | |
Assistant English Teachers (AETs) working in the Japanese school system often ask themselves what their purpose in the classroom is. We want to believe that it is our job to teach students to "speak" English. This is also what is expected of us. However, we often fall short of this goal. Most times, the problem lies not in whether we taught the material well, but that we simply expected too much both of ourselves and of our students. After all, we cannot reasonably expect to teach our students the formidable task of learning a language when we see them for only 30 hours over the year. Add to that large classes, lack of student motivation, and inappropriate textbooks, and we can understand why we accomplish so little. This article describes an approach I use in my role as an AET at Japanese high schools to overcome many of these obstacles. The Motivation Approach (TMA) suggests spending less effort teaching students tangible spoken English, such as grammar functions, and focusing more on motivating students to want to learn English. Large-scale studies (Oller, Baca, & Vigil, 1978; Oller, Hudson, & Lui, 1977) of the relationship between attitudes and language success compared the relationship between Japanese, Mexican, and Chinese students' attitudes toward the target language group (U.S.-Americans) and their success in learning English. These studies showed that learners benefit from positive attitudes toward the target language group, not exclusively the language itself. The Motivation Approach works upon this fundamental: by nurturing a positive attitude in the classroom, we set our students off in a positive direction toward language learning. The Seven Principles of TMA(1) No textbook is needed. Most textbooks are inappropriate in a class where there is only enough time to cover bits and pieces of it. Most course books demand some degree of continuity and progress, two things which are difficult to accommodate in AET-taught lessons. Furthermore, TMA suggests not spending time teaching students the grammar and function points most textbooks work through. (2) Introduces western culture. Japanese students associate western culture with freedom and individuality. Propagate this notion in your classroom. Allow students to choose their own seats and sit with whom they like. Let them choose their own partners and form their own groups. Let them know that speaking out in class (in either language) is allowed. Tell students they are embarking on a journey not to learn English but to learn about the world in which English is spoken. (3) English is not required. TMA teachers should help foster a positive interest in English-speaking people, not force students to make mistakes. Setting a "no Japanese" rule restricts students' freedom of expression and increases their chances of making mistakes, which they do not like to do. Do not require them to speak at all. Putting shy students on the spot is detrimental to their motivation. It is, of course, difficult to enter into a free discussion in a 40-student Japanese high school class. But, in a class of girls, try writing "Leonardo DiCaprio" on the board. Say nothing. A discussion will follow. (4) Dispels the notion that you must "teach" something in every lesson. Many teachers believe that the success of a lesson depends solely on whether or not the students learned what they were taught. Instead, a year-long goal of motivating students to communicate in English is preferable. (5) Purports that learning should be fun. Use games in the classroom. They are a legitimate form of teaching and, more importantly, learning. (6) Urges teachers to understand their students. Being in tune with students' interests (i.e., music, fashion, celebrities, etc.) helps teachers plan interesting and relevant lessons. Japanese high school students are also interested in high school students in other countries, what they wear and what music they listen to. Encourage students to teach you about what they know. (7) Urges teachers to understand their situation. TMA proposes only one goal: to encourage students to continue studying English. Since many teachers do not have the luxury of 150 hours of teaching time, small classes, or motivated students, teachers must set realistic goals. ActivitiesSince there is no textbook, TMA relies heavily on teacher-produced games and activities. Activities which teachers can try in the classroom are as follows: (1) Class brainstorming (discussion). Making lists on the board often leads to free discussion and a lot of questions from the students. At the beginning of class, write the brainstorming topic on the board and ask students to shout their answers. Possible categories include: famous Japanese people who can speak English, English movie titles and what they are called in Japanese, countries/cities students have been to, English words (good and bad) which students know, famous places in the world, foreign people students have met, foreign bands, English words they hear on TV or see in the newspaper, things students know about the teacher's country, Japanese words which come from English, foreign products, etc. Anything that shows a relationship between Japan and the rest of the world is good. (2) Music. Lesson plans based on music do not need to be elaborate. They can be as simple as listen and enjoy, listen and read the lyrics, listen and find the title, listen and fill-in-the-blanks, listen and arrange the words, listen and discuss, listen and translate, listen and sing, listen to ethnic music and find its origin. Although introducing new music is a good idea, make your selections appropriate for your audience. (3) Video. Like music, video-based lessons need not be complicated. Anything you can do with music, you can do with video. Use the music ideas above with clips of foreign TV commercials, English interviews with famous Japanese people, Japanese TV commercials with English words, short animation clips, sports broadcasts (see how many English words Japanese sports casters use), short documentaries, MTV clips, etc. (3) Games. All of the above activities can be made into games. Divide the class into groups and score points for any response. There should be no wrong answers. Give points for answers and no points for no answer. Develop quizzes based on countries of the world, famous people, food, popular history, and western holidays. Adopt the style of Japanese TV quiz shows. They are popular for a reason. ConclusionTMA offers teachers an opportunity to try and do anything. The number of activities a teacher can use in the TMA classroom is infinite, as long as there is a cultural or motivational purpose. TMA is not an escape from accountability. We are responsible for what we teach and how we teach it. TMA suggests that the social purpose of a language class is to broaden the student's awareness of the world and the languages used in it and to form positive attitudes towards the target language group. This will lead to a desire to know more, which leads to the learning of the language itself. TMA is perhaps not for everyone. But, for those who look to overcome the obstacles of few class hours, large classes, lack of student motivation, and inappropriate textbooks, it may be worth giving a try.
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