Team-teaching and the Application in the Course English Teaching Methodology by Sino-English Teachers in China

1. Team-teaching and the Application in the Course English Teaching Methodology by Sino-English Teachers in China Wang Dianjian Liz Van Wijk (Lanzhou Jiaotong University Lanzhou Gansu China 730070)

2. Abstract: • Based on our experiences of team teaching the course English Teaching Methodology to 2 classes of adult in-service teachers in a teacher training university in China for one year, this paper intends to discuss the concept of the term team teaching, summarize how we team taught the course English Teaching Methodology and provide team teachers with specific tips on how to function effectively as equal partners working together in the same classroom

3. 1.Introduction • The term team teachingis often used to describe the situation in which two general education teachers combine classes and share instruction. • In team teaching, both teachers are delivering the same instruction at the same time. This implies that each speaks freely during large-group instruction and moves among all the students in the class.

4. II. Team teaching and co- teaching • Co-teaching seems to be an approach for meeting the educational needs of students with diverse learning abilities, may also be a way of stimulating thought about teaching practice.

5. Team teaching is one of the forms of co-teaching. Team teaching usually happens during a lesson in which instructional conversation is appropriate, in team teaching situations in which the teachers have considerable experiences and a high sense of comfort, or when the goals of instruction include demonstrating some types of interaction to students.

6. Team teaching approach is affected more than any other by individuals’ teaching styles and it is the most interpersonally complex team teaching approach. If you look at the theory of co-teaching, there are various forms of co-teaching:

7. 1) One teach, one support • With this model, one teacher has the primary responsibility for planning and teaching, while the other teacher moves around the classroom helping individuals and observing particular behavior. For example, one teacher could present the lesson while the other walks around, or one teacher presents the lesson while the other distributes materials

8. 2) Parallel teaching • In parallel teaching, the teachers plan jointly but split the classroom in half to teach the same information at the same time. For example, both teachers could be explaining the same grammar point in two different parts of the room. Each half of the class could be involved in a literature study group. After the material is presented, the groups can get together to share ideas and skills.

9. 3) Alternative teaching • In alternative teaching, one teacher manages most of the class while the other teacher works with a small group inside or outside of the classroom. The small group does not have to integrate with the current lesson. For example, a teacher could take an individual student out help her catch up on a missed assignment. A teacher could also work with an individual or a small group for assessment purposes, or to teach social skills. A small group of weaker or advanced students could work together.

10. 4) Team teaching • Both teachers are responsible for planning, and they share the instruction of all students. Both teachers who teach the lessons are responsible for the work, leading in turns. The teachers interact with each other, engage in conversation, give examples, demonstrate points, and help students. Both teachers are actively involved in the management of the lesson, and in discipline.

11. 5) Station teaching • In station teaching, teachers divide content and students. Students rotate from one teacher to another and also to an independent station so that each teacher repeats instruction three times and each student access both teachers and the independent station. If appropriate, the third station could also be set up to require that students work in pairs instead of independently.

12. III. Application 1.Background • Classes: Class A and Class B, Grade 03 in English department in Gansu United University, Lanzhou , China • Students: adult in-service teachers (most of them are the English teachers in the different middle schools in Gansu province, China) • Major: English education • Course: English Teaching Methodology • Textbook: “A Course in English Language Teaching” by Cheryl Moen and Bob Adamson • Team teachers: Wang, the Chinese English teacher, Chinese L1, English L2 and Liz, the native speaking English teacher, English L1. • Time: 2003.9-2004.7

13. 2. Instructional planning • Firstly, the whole process of team teaching has to be planned. In order to ensure the planning work successfully, both team teachers need to get administrative support and the agreement of leaders in scheduling common planning periods, and permission to apply team teaching in certain courses, and must then schedule once or twice a week to use part of a period for planning.

14. Secondly, carefully co-planned lesson plan must be completed. At the outset, we had to sit down and work out how we would divide up the syllabus

15. Based on our experiences, we have identified several issues that team teachers should address when they are planning if they want to be successful:

16. • Whose classroom management rules do we use? • Most team teachers know the types of academic and social behavior they find acceptable and unacceptable. Over the years, both Chinese English teacher and foreign English teacher have established their own ways to deal with students’ inappropriate behavior. Teachers should discuss their classroom management styles and the roles they expect of each other in maintaining a smoothly running classroom.

17. • What do we tell the students? • The students should be informed that they have two teachers and that both teachers have the same authority. It is our experience that students willingly accept the idea of having two teachers and like it very much. In interviews we have conducted, many students who have participated in team teaching classrooms tell us that having two teachers is better because everyone gets more help and they can benefit from two teachers.

18. How can we find time to co-plan? • The most pervasive concern of both teachers in team teaching situations is obtaining sufficient time during the school day to plan and discuss instruction and student progress. Planning often comes on our own time. Even when a designated period is established for co-planning, this time gets taken away to be used for meetings and other school management activities. Teachers need a minimum of 45 minutes of uninterrupted planning time each week if they are likely to have a successful team teaching experience.

19. 3. Instructional presentation

20. 4. Assessment

21. Implications • 1. Team-teaching personal relationship • Team teachers’ personal characteristics, common knowledge, and skills and attitudes will influence the process of team teaching. • • Team teachers should have personal characteristics that enable them to work effectively with another instructor. • • Team teachers should have sets of common knowledge and skills. • • Team teachers should have discipline-specific knowledge and skills. • • Team teaching should be voluntary

22. 2. The professional relationship • Team teachers need to have unique professional relationships. • • The professional relationship is built on parity, communication, respect, and trust. • • Team teachers make a commitment to building and maintaining their professional relationship

23. 3. Co-planning • Team teachers must discuss the following issues when they are planning together before beginning to teach together to help to prevent conflict later and make the team more efficient at the outset: • • What kind of materials, books and supplies will you choose? • • Which materials are mine, which are yours, and which are ours? • • How can you set aside several hours of joint planning per week? • • Which content should each of us teach? • • What content should be divided? • • What content should be taught jointly? • • How will you keep records? What is the grading system? • • What are the strength and weakness of both team teachers?

24. • What are the things you have in common? • • What are the things that make you different? • • Do you both have the same level of expertise about the curriculum and instructing students? • • How will you ensure that you both are actively involved and neither feels over- or underutilized? • • What feedback structure can you create to assist in your regular communication? • • How can you ensure that this schedule will be maintained consistently so that both team teachers can trust it? • • How will you maintain communication between team taught sessions? • Additionally, team teachers also need to discuss and then make decisions about the following issues: • • How will you make best use of mutual planning time, how to evaluate progress, grades? • • How will you develop class rules and behavior management? • • How will you communicate with other personnel? • • How will you get to know your partner?

25. 4. Classroom dynamics • The interactions in a team taught classroom are unique to this teaching arrangement. Team teachers need to discuss the following issues: • • Team teachers should clearly define classroom roles and responsibilities. • • Team teachers’ instructional interactions should reflect their professional relationship. • • The curriculum in team-taught classes should explicitly address academic, developmental, and compensatory criteria, and should reflect the needs of students in the class. • • Team teachers should monitor their efforts.

26. VI. Advantages and disadvantages of team teaching in universities /colleges • 1. Advantages • • Chinese teachers can give foreign teachers a better insight into Chinese life and customs. • • Foreign teachers will be better integrated into the English Departments. • • Chinese teachers can see the communicative way of teaching in practice. • • This could be an opportunity for Chinese teachers to try the communicative approach in more detail with the help of a teacher with experience with the communicative approach. • • More English will be used in the classroom, i.e., both teachers will be speaking English.

27. • Students will benefit from the knowledge and skills of two teachers. • • Chinese teachers will have access to more material and ways of teaching. • • Chinese teachers can explain in Chinese when there is a need. • • Chinese teachers can help foreign teachers understand Chinese students’ difficulties when learning English. • • According to the New English Curriculum for China (2002), in the future Junior and Senior English at schools the teaching methods are going to be more student-centered and task-based. Both teachers at colleges and students need to learn and practice the communicative teaching method. • • Planning lessons together means that teachers will share knowledge and skills.

28. 2. Disadvantages • There may be a shortage of teachers. • Planning lessons together are time-consuming. • The skills of team teaching may not have the chance to be used in the future. • The system of having to finish the textbook or a certain amount of work rather than teaching skills puts the teachers under pressure to work quickly and so teachers may feel that team teaching will waste time

29. V. Conclusion • Team teaching in EFL is a new area to study. It can be an extremely beneficial and professionally rewarding experience if all goes well. In order to team teach successfully, both the Chinese English teacher and the foreign teacher need to cooperate and to maintain respect for each other, both inside and outside the classroom. As discussed above, team teachers also need to develop and establish a special relationship, both personally and professionally. Based on our experience of team teaching, we can only provide some basic tips for successful team teaching

30. Thank you!