ESL Classroom: Learners’ Perceptions
Abstract
In a banking system where the teacher is the
depositor and learner is the depository, the learners’ role and his needs are designed
by teachers based on popular beliefs and canonical methodologies. Any learning
involves two parties and the perceptions of both the parties needs to be taken
into consideration to achieve the objective of the course. In a multi-cultural
ESL classroom it’s challenging to have a uniform set of perceptions because the
problems and solutions are intersectional in nature. This paper aims to look at
the learners’ perceptions in an intersectional ESL classroom and find some
commonality in the problems in learning a language.
Keywords: ESL Classroom, Learner centered pedagogy, ESL
student
Introduction
English as Second language (ESL) is
the use of English by speakers with different native languages. Second Language
Acquisition (SLA) unlike the mother tongue mostly is acquired by methods rather
than instinct. In this crucial juncture in learning a language it is the
classroom that acts as the mother’s lap where learners’ acquire/learn the
second language. ESL students constitute only a half or quarter in native
English speaking countries whereas the Indian English medium classrooms are ESL
classrooms in absolute. Several methodologies competed to claim to have the
best approaches for teaching or learning a language but no methodology is
absolute.
Any
teaching methodology/pedagogy is born out of the error correction of the
existing methodologies and mapping neoteric methods. The method and the
approaches should fulfil both the financer (teacher) and the stakeholder
(learner). ESL classrooms are majorly multi-cultural and the researchers
yielding a competitive methodology have many intersectional elements. To map a
new method, the perception of the ESL learners should occupy the first place
but unfortunately, that has been ignored in the mapping process. Even the
reasons why Learners’ perception is given less heed also has intersectional
answers.
The Scope
The need or the necessity of Learners’ perception in
designing a curriculum would be more important to devise the scope of the area.
Learner beliefs may influence teachers' classroom activities (Borg, 2003;
Burgess & Etherington, 2002), and unrealistic beliefs or misconceptions
about language learning can impede the learning process (Sawir, 2002). Learner
beliefs, which have been described as learners’ meta-cognitive knowledge about
learning (Wenden, 1999), have, in general, received less attention than teacher
beliefs. In this banking system of
education where the teacher is a depositor and the student is depository the
learners’ perception has been titular in designing the curriculum. Allwright
(1984) says that “very many teachers seem to find it difficult to accept their
learners as people with a positive contribution to make to the instructional
process” (p.167), and Rudduck (1991) refers to ignoring learners’ views as “our
blind spot. Mori (1999) found those language learners' beliefs about general
learning and language learning more specifically were independent
constructs.
NCERT Position paper says, “The level of introduction of
English is now a matter of political response to people’s aspirations rather
than an academic or feasibility issue”. Though the prime source of ignition may
be political, English has been acquired by the learners’ objectives which are
diverse; career, Research, Job, Language proficiency, etc,. In such a
Classroom, the individual perceptions and beliefs needs to be addressed with a learner-friendly
curriculum which brings solution to many mutual problems of the different group
or different problems in a mutual group in learning a language.
We cannot completely portray Teachers as the reasons for
the curriculum The hidden message in
technical conceptions of teacher education is that teachers are merely
implementers of instructional systems; there is no room for teacher questions,
decisions, or the generation of knowledge. Teachers complain skill development
being preferred to Critical questioning and problem solving. Technical
conceptions serve to de-skill many teachers because they were never taught to
make instructional decisions or directed toward viewing decision making as an
integral part of their role (Ginsburg, 1988). The main tool for accountability
is the standardized test. And although standardized tests are not necessarily
linked to what is actually taught, test scores are used to rank, reward, or
most often punish students, teachers, and schools. Teachers have been pressured
to teach to the test. So, mending the curriculum is dealing with a two edged
sword where the beliefs and perceptions of both have to taken into regard but
that should second the scrutiny and it is this group which should be given
space in scrutinising the learners’ belief to mend the curriculum
Since, we cannot discuss the perceptions of all the
methodologies, for the sake of our research let’s divide the language
acquisition instruction into two types – one is form focussed and the other is
meaning focussed. Meaning-focused instruction is based on the assumption that,
like first language (LI) acquisition, L2 acquisition occurs unconsciously and
implicitly. The theorists believe that there is little or no benefit in
directing learners’ attention to form and its proponents argue that exposure to
comprehensible input is sufficient for L2 learning and that grammar will take
care of itself. Only the availability of comprehensible input and low affective filter in the learner are
necessary for language learning. Any
overt attention to linguistic form is unnecessary, and any corrective feedback
is ineffective (e.g., Krashen, 1981; Newmark &: Reibel). Counterevidence
to the effectiveness of purely meaning-focused instruction has been raised,
particularly by the research in Canadian (e.g., Swain, 1985) immersion
programs, which suggests that even after many years of exposure to the target
language (TL), L2 learners' production is still grammatically inaccurate.
The “Form-focused instruction” is an umbrella term. It
was coined by Spada and consists of two broad types: focus-on-forms (FONFS) and
focus-on-form (FONF). Long (1996)
agreed with Krashen with focus – on – form that the overriding focus of L2
classes should be on meaning but he acknowledged the need for some focus on
grammar. It should occur spontaneously in reaction to learners’ needs, be brief,
and preferably implicit. The FonFs alternative advocates a proactive
approach to grammar and is often associated with traditional grammar-based L2
instruction, where the typical sequence of instruction is presentation of rules
of preselected grammatical structures, followed by drills and then some
controlled practice in the use of these structures. By these methods we can
find out that the major considerations of language learning is about learning through
grammar or without a grammar and we shall bring two important surveys in which
learners’ opinions are recorded abou the same
BALLI Studies & MSU survey
Interest
in L2 learner beliefs was stimulated by Horwitz's (1988) creation of the
well-known Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) questionnaire,
which triggered the so- called "BALLI studies". Howritz opines that Learning a foreign language is mostly a matter
of learning a lot of grammar rules. Results from the BALLI studies (e.g.,
Peacock, 2001; Samimy & Lee, 1997) seem to suggest that most learners agree
with this statement. Of the students, 90% thought it imperative to be corrected
while speaking in class, whereas only 34% of the teachers thought this to be
so, showing some discrepancies between student and teacher beliefs about oral
error correction. Despite the discord between teachers and students regarding
oral correction, around 90% of teachers and students agreed that errors should
be explicitly corrected in written work. Bang (1999) found that most students
felt that oral correction was necessary for language learning, but they
disagreed on when and how it should be done. Thus, although students may
believe that error correction is essential for language learning, there is no
consensus on how this error correction should be implemented.
Like
BALLI studies, the researchers here in a questionnaire survey was conducted at
Michigan State University (MSU) by Shawn Loewen, Shaofeng Li, Fei, Amy
Thompson, Kimi Nakatsukasa, Seongmee Ahnand Xiaoqing Chen (2015) focussed on
learners perceptions particularly from the BALLI studies’ results i.e., on
Error Correction and Grammar.
Majority of the Foreign language learners opined about grammar learning as complicated,
but very interesting (Arabic) but English language learners blow up the opinion
that they don't like memorizing grammars, to be given a list of grammar rules
and then memorizing them. The interesting thing to say that learners are aware
an mature is that despite the difficulties in learning English they feel that it
is basic for academic success.
ESL
learners were less convinced about the need for grammar instruction and error
correction and were more enthusiastic about improving communicative skills than
were foreign language learners. English learners were living in an English-speaking
context, they were more likely to have more opportunities for communicating in
the TL, and for this reason, they may have placed a higher priority on such
communication rather than on grammar instruction. Error correction was viewed separately, and
somewhat negatively, by the participants. It is interesting to note that
learners viewed error correction and grammar instruction as distinct
categories, whereas researchers might view error correction as a type of focus
on form and, thus, a type of grammatical focus (Ellis, 2001; Long, 1996) It is
almost clear by this that the learners’ pay no heed to the theoretical
approaches that are drafted to distinguish between form and communication in a
diversified ESL classroom. In Gardener’s socio-education model of SLA argues
that language attitudes (to the target language group, to the target language,
to learning the language, and to the language learning situation) determine the
level of motivation, which in turn leads to various linguistic and non-linguistic
outcomes as a result of acquiring language in formal and informal contexts. So,
ending up with a distinct method would suffice nothing.
Observations
The
modern ESL classrooms have been (majority) dominated by worksheets and little
instructional interaction, all students suffer at a double disadvantage. They
often sit silently in these classrooms while teachers talk, and their language
and academic development are therefore impeded. Typical classroom language
follows a pattern where teachers initiate the conversation, students respond,
and teachers evaluate the students' responses. This model of classroom language
was referred to by Mehan (1979) as IRE (initiate, response, evaluate). The
problem with IRE is that it is dominated by teacher talk and its narrow
framework does not encourage students to use language to learn. KNOWN- ANSWER questions in these are in
majority in this case too. An instructional method that inculcates reflex in
communication has been a petition from the Learners’ side.
Intelligence
has been confined to be a body of experts and this body has been deciding the
curriculum.. The Corpora of texts
that are selected for ESL classroom mandates the learners’ growth. Jabbour
(2001) points out that ‘‘a corpus approach befits teaching second language
reading and writing, since both activities are text oriented and make use of
words and word combinations, or lexical patterns, within the confines of
discourse’’ (p. 294) Tao (2001) observes, of its ‘‘potential to make explicit
the more common patterns of language use’’ (p. 116)
But, some texts may not be compatible with the cultural background of a
student but it has been an obligation. This cult of expertise in designing a
dominant curriculum which aligns to a particular culture may be considered as
the hindrance in learning a language
Conclusion
No curriculum can claim to be truly learner - centred unless the
learner’s subjective needs and perceptions relating to the processes of
learning are taken into account”. It is hard for a diversified ESL classroom to
have a significant pedagogy or methodology for teaching language.
Flexibility in the syllabi shall be the best answer to tackle such indifference
can be the major findings from the Learners’’ perceptions. Critical thinking
and independent learning should be the major takeaway of language learning
process. The learners should not be made completely dependent on teachers or
worksheets. Signature pedagogy needs to be brought where the students are
allowed to draft or take part in making the curriculum where the students
should turn depositors in the system and teachers shall mend and evaluate the
curriculum amendments made by the student.
LOEWEN, SHAWN & Li, Shaofeng
& FEI, FEI & Thompson, Amy & Nakatsukasa, Kimi & AHN, SEONGMEE
& CHEN, XIAOQING. (2009). Second Language Learners' Beliefs About Grammar
Instruction and Error Correction. The Modern Language Journal. 93. 91 - 104.
10.1111/j.1540-4781.2009.00830.x.
Ahmadi, Faezeh & Shafiee,
Sajad. (2015). L2 TEACHERSʼ AND LEARNERSʼ BELIEFS ABOUT GRAMMAR. IJLLALW. 9.
245-261.
Clair, N. (1995). Mainstream Classroom Teachers and ESL
Students. TESOL Quarterly, 29(1), 189-196. doi:10.2307/3587817
Barkhuizen, G. (1998). Discovering
Learners' Perceptions of ESL Classroom Teaching/Learning Activities in a South
African Context. TESOL Quarterly, 32(1), 85-108. doi:10.2307/3587903
Storch,
N. (2018). Meaning-Focused Versus Form-Focused Instruction. In The TESOL
Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (eds J.I. Liontas, T. International
Association and M. DelliCarpini). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0690
Krashen, S. (1981). Second language
acquisition and second language learning. Oxford: Pergamon.
Ellis, R. (2001). Investigating
form-focused instruction. Language Learning, 51(Suppl. 1), 1–46.
Horwitz,E.(1988).The beliefs about
language learning of beginning university foreign language students. Modern
Language Journal, 72, 283–294.
Jabbour,
G. (2001). Lexis and grammar in second language reading and writing. In D.
Belcher & A. Hirvela (Ed.), Linking literacies: Perspectives on L2
reading–writing connections (pp. 291–308). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan
Press
Tao,
H. (2001). Discovering the usual with corpora: The case of remember. In R.
Simpson & J. Swales (Eds.), Corpus linguistics in North America: Selections
from the 1999 symposium (pp. 116–144). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Peacock,
M. (2001). Pre-service ESL teachers’ beliefs about second language learning: A
longitudinal study. System, 29, 177–195
Samimy,
K., & Lee, Y. (1997). Beliefs about language learning: Perspectives of first-year
Chinese learners and their instructors. Journal of the Chinese Language
Teachers Association, 32, 40–60
Bang,
Y. (1999). Reactions of EFL students to oral error correction. Journal of
Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, 3, 39–51
Long,
M. (1996). The role of linguistic environment in second language acquisition.
In W. Ritchie & T. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition
(pp.413–468).SanDiego,CA:Academic Press.
Newmark,
L., & Reibel, D. A. (1968). Necessity and suf- ficiency in language
learning. International Review ofAppliedLinguisticsinLanguageTeaching,13,35– 40
Swain,
M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and
comprehen- sible output in it development. In S. Gass & C. Madden (Eds.),
Input in second language acquisi- tion (pp. 235–252). Rowley, MA: Newbury House
Borg,
S. (2003a). Teacher cognition in language teaching: A review of research on
what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, 36,
81-109
Burgess,J.,&Etherington,S.(2002).Focus
on grammaticalform:Explicitorimplicit?System,30,433–458.
Wenden,
A. (1999). An introduction to metacognitive knowledge and beliefs in language
learning: Be- yond the basics. System, 27, 435–441
Allwright,
R. L. (1984). The importance of interaction in classroom language learning.
Applied Linguistics, 5, 156–171.
Mori,
Y. (1999). Epistemological beliefs and language learning beliefs: What do
language learners believe about theirlearning? Language Learning,49, 377–415.
Ginsburg,
M. (1988).Contradictions in teacher education: A critical analysis. Washing-
ton, DC: Falmer Press