TOWARDS AUTONOMY VIA PEER TEACHING AND TASK-BASED EXERCISES
In A Recent article, Finocchiaro (1988) recognized some of the hallmarks of super teachers. Hallmarks 21 (out of 24) was about "utilizing the strengths of older Students while giving them the feeling that they are responsible human beings by having them help in the numerous tasks of the classroom." This pedagogical attitude is all the more justified as most secondary school type language classes, all over the world, are large and heterogeneous. Often some of the pupils are repeaters who suffer from what could be called the "still-harping-on-that” syndrome: anything taught by the teacher has a deja vu quality that automatically makes it fit for new listeners only. Besides, those pupils who repeat their classes do not necessarily do so because of poor results in English. Their experience and knowledge capital can be tapped by the teacher for the benefit of the whole class.
"peer teaching," or what finocchiaro calls "buddy system," is a motivation factor because it places extra responsibility on the shoulders of the more able students by having them cooperate with the teacher in his attempt to establish meaningful communication between all.
Originally, this article was meant only to illustrate how peer teaching could be associated with task based exercises geared towards acquiring communicative ability. But another component of the course namely, how to learn to learn by oneself also appeared compatible with the overall teaching procedure. The autonomy component can, in fact, be present in all teachung activities, if this is the course of action selected by teacher and or institution, in addition to meeting short term educational requirements. Contrary to what is usually done in communicative language teaching, the teacher or advisers must then make the rationale behind their teaching as explicit as possible. It is indeed necessary for the learners, who will ultimately become their own teacher or advisers, to have a clear picture of what goes on behind the scenes of pedagogical act.
Coupling peer teaching with specific explanations and advice from the teacher on how to work alone, in parallel with taking part in conventional class activities, can be a good way of preparing students to become and remain autonomous language learners long after they have left school.
At this stage one point must be brought home: what specialists call "peer teaching" or "buddy system" is only one among many possible means towards real autonomy, i.e., the ability to direct one's own learning entirely. Autonomy is a complex process that includes a recognition of one's own needs, the self-assignment of goals, and the choice and application of the most suitable learning method, together with carrying out a self-evaluation procedure.
In A Recent article, Finocchiaro (1988) recognized some of the hallmarks of super teachers. Hallmarks 21 (out of 24) was about "utilizing the strengths of older Students while giving them the feeling that they are responsible human beings by having them help in the numerous tasks of the classroom." This pedagogical attitude is all the more justified as most secondary school type language classes, all over the world, are large and heterogeneous. Often some of the pupils are repeaters who suffer from what could be called the "still-harping-on-that” syndrome: anything taught by the teacher has a deja vu quality that automatically makes it fit for new listeners only. Besides, those pupils who repeat their classes do not necessarily do so because of poor results in English. Their experience and knowledge capital can be tapped by the teacher for the benefit of the whole class.
"peer teaching," or what finocchiaro calls "buddy system," is a motivation factor because it places extra responsibility on the shoulders of the more able students by having them cooperate with the teacher in his attempt to establish meaningful communication between all.
Originally, this article was meant only to illustrate how peer teaching could be associated with task based exercises geared towards acquiring communicative ability. But another component of the course namely, how to learn to learn by oneself also appeared compatible with the overall teaching procedure. The autonomy component can, in fact, be present in all teachung activities, if this is the course of action selected by teacher and or institution, in addition to meeting short term educational requirements. Contrary to what is usually done in communicative language teaching, the teacher or advisers must then make the rationale behind their teaching as explicit as possible. It is indeed necessary for the learners, who will ultimately become their own teacher or advisers, to have a clear picture of what goes on behind the scenes of pedagogical act.
Coupling peer teaching with specific explanations and advice from the teacher on how to work alone, in parallel with taking part in conventional class activities, can be a good way of preparing students to become and remain autonomous language learners long after they have left school.
At this stage one point must be brought home: what specialists call "peer teaching" or "buddy system" is only one among many possible means towards real autonomy, i.e., the ability to direct one's own learning entirely. Autonomy is a complex process that includes a recognition of one's own needs, the self-assignment of goals, and the choice and application of the most suitable learning method, together with carrying out a self-evaluation procedure.
