Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF in China

1. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF in China Zhang Yan and Howard Scott May,2007

2. Index • Bilingual Teaching Environment • Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF • A Key Language Tool • Unanswered Questions

3. Bilingual Teaching Environment Chinese cultural straight-jacket • Students shyness • Students silence • Students lack of confidence • Students embarrassment

4. Bilingual Teaching EnvironmentOur Survey • 95 percentage of the teachers wanted to master the bilingual teaching methodology • 80 percentage wanted to improve their oral English • 15 percentage wanted to extend their professional relationships with colleagues.

5. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUFThree Stage Process • Stage 1---Introduce Socratic Method • Stage 2---Theory and Practice of Socratic Method • Stage 3---Advanced Practice

6. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUFTwelve Teaching Tools • a. What interested you in the reading? • b. Give me a summary of what I have said? • c. Open discussion which is very informal and the whole process is driven by questioning • d. Pairs. Each trainee explains to their partner what they have read • e. Presentation • f. Seminar • g. Debate • h. Lecture • i. Tutorial • j. Role-play • k.Case study • l. Book review

7. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF Questioning • Shyness---What interested you in the reading? • ---Give me a summary of what I said? • ---Can anyone else add to that? • Silence ---when questioned---demands directed questioning • Sequential questions---adding to the knowledge pool • Building academic excellence in English

8. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF Pairs • Students repeat learning • Students do the work • Students become teacher assistant • Revision partners---put • strong students with weak students • Switch the pairings and small groups • Confidence building

9. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF Role Play • Break students shyness and silence • Get students talking • Make it fun • Start a process of logical thinking in English • Start the presentation process

10. M B E Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUFPresentation • Preparation---sit in circle, appoint a chair, apply the 3 T’s (time, task, team) • Over-arching---BME (beginning, middle, end) • Competitive presentations---enhance student competency

11. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF Seminars • Prepare, present, question,argue • 3T’s (task, team, time) • Reading selecting---to broaden cross disciplinary knowledge • Keep discussion alive • Don’t rely on brightest students • Don’t leave weak students behind • Use brightest students as co-teachers---to keep them involved

12. Socratic Methodology: Training at GDUF Open Discussion • 4 Responsibilities of a speaker • 5 Responsibilities of a listener • Driven by questioning • Overcome the fear of mistakes and embarrassment • Increase student talk time to more than 80% • Drive to concepts and philosophies rather than facts • Open discussion---a management process

13. A Key Language ToolLanguage Signposts • Place language signposts strategically through discussion • ---where are we now • ---where are we going • ---how do we get there • In this discussion I will… • The three main points are… • We found that… • This guides both speaker and listener

15. Unanswered Questions • Reading material selection • The percentage of English and Chinese used • How effective is Socratic methodology in larger classes • The relationship between Students English language competency and effectiveness of Socratic methodology • How to evaluate the success of the Socratic methodology

16. Wish you happy for ever!!!