Speaker
ABSTRACT
Student reticence and non-participation are common issues in a language learning classroom, particularly so in Japan where students are culturally conditioned to avoid “standing out from the crowd” even when “standing out” may be necessary for learning. To facilitate classroom participation, it is not uncommon for university English curricula to include a participation grade that is assessed at the teacher’s discretion. However, classroom participation can be an abstract concept that students may not fully understand without concrete criteria or feedback, which then increases teacher workload when deciding and assessing that criteria. Additionally, new teachers may have difficulty developing their own assessment criteria for participation due to lack of experience. This poster presentation explains a somewhat unique method, adapted from a grading system ("Greenie board") used by the US Navy to assess and maintain pilot qualifications, that is easy for teachers to implement, easy for students to understand, and is flexible in its application. This paper will also explore the results and possible merits from utilizing such a system in the classroom across multiple university English classes over the course of a semester.
KEYWORDS
classroom participation, student reticence, positive reinforcement
| TITLE | Adapting the US Navy's "Greenie board" to assess classroom participation |
|---|---|
| RELEVANT SIG | Teachers Helping Teachers (THT) |
| FORMAT | In-person interactive poster session |
| First-time presenter? | First-time presenter |
