OP 10 The ways to compensate for the large classroom size

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Among many problems English education in Korea are currently confronted with, the high student to teacher ratio is undoubtedly regarded as a crucial part to be modified for the implementation of effective English language instruction in our schools. However, I think by adopting other teaching approaches that can compensate for the limitation derived from a large classroom size, we could expect more effective classroom teaching and lead our students to a better learning environment.

First, providing more student-centered approaches in the form of group activities, teachers would possibly make up for the constraints that large classroom size imposes on the effective classroom teaching. In group works among three to four members, students would be conferred the opportunities to practice their communicative skills through the interaction and cooperation with peers as well as a teacher. When conducting conversation class, for instance, even though ideal number of students for the lesson is usually lower than 12 people, with interesting tasks which students can enthusiastically be involved in, however, teachers can perform effective lessons regardless the size of the classroom.

Second, by using on-line teaching methods, such as news reports on the internet and other visual aids, a teacher can draw students' attentions to the lesson more effectively. One of the primary reasons the large classroom size is avoidable in a language teaching class is that it makes hard to elicit students interest just by lecturing one-side from a teacher. However, visual images tend to be stronger stimuli than the simple instruction with a blackboard, and there are numerous source that can be manipulated for language teaching classes. Based on this, teachers can more effectively induce students' attention to the class.

Besides the methodological concerns to make the lesson more effective one, most importantly, teachers' high qualifications in terms of knowledge and teaching skills are required for successful implementation of the lesson, regardless the size of classes. Suppose all class should be taught in English, yet teachers' speaking fluency level is not enough to handle the class, the results are so obvious: lack of communication between a teacher and students and a silent class. In addition, if teachers do not dedicate themselves to the class and not show their affection to students, effective lesson would not take place whether the class size is small or not.

The number of students in current language classroom definitely needs down-sizing for the effective implementation of classroom instruction. Nevertheless, we can find out other alternatives to consider if current volume of the class do not undergo any changes. Group activities, visual aids via the internet ,and qualified teachers would complement the deficiencies the high teacher to student ratio in Korean English education classes.

Good point! I've never thought of using multimedia in class, even though I had took multimedia in English teaching course last semester. Interesting materials would certainly draw many students' attention and make it easier for the teacher to conduct an English class with a large number of students.

Before I did teaching practicum, I mustered my imagination to write something for English education. I have thought that group work is always good to have students take part in an activity. However, I found some weak points of group work while I carried out group work in the actual classroom.
Since there are 40 students in a class, I witnessed that some students at the back of the classroom didn't participate in the group work. They just chatted with other students. Some students thought that they liked the group work because they could talk with peers. I found that class management was very difficult with just one teacher in a large classroom. It is inevitable to see students who don't take part in class even though the activity is very fun.

You are right. We can't change the class size smaller right away. Rather, it's better, feasible to approach with different methods of teaching English. Group works and online studying are also important and effective ways in teaching English. I just have had though about Korean English class size negatively, but your essay makes me think in a different way. Thanks! Gabri!!

Though many people generally think it is hard to teach English effectively in big class size, you suggest some way to overcome limitation of it. So it was interesting. However as younghee pointed out, there are lot what we consider such as students' chattering in group. I twice realized teaching is not an easy one and what we think is different when we adap it to real class situation.