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The Small Class Concept

Students Teaching Students + English Language Development 1

 

Suzanne Sharif experimented with two small classes in the same room in the fall of 2009. She taught a section of English Language Development 1 alongside Students Teaching Students. Her vision was to teach students how to teach, and then have them work in pairs or small groups with her ELD 1 students. While she was teaching the Students Teaching Students, Maria Holloway, a language aide, worked with the ELD 1 students. When they were ready, the two sets of students were combined so the ELD students received 1 on 1 conversational language practice with the native English speakers in the STS class. The results have been phenomenal! (Though data would be helpful in our research-driven world.) Both sets of students enjoyed working with one another, and Suzanne achieved her goals of teaching the ELD students more interactively, and each of them having more conversation with native English speakers. She also broke down the barriers between the English only students and the English Learner students. Boiling her work down to the basics, she had (a) a credentialed teacher splitting her time between two groups, and (b) a language aide splitting her time with the opposite group. They were then brought together for joint activities, and also continue to have separate learning activities.

What does this do for the school and the ELD program?

It allows us to run two small specialized classes, and to address some very specific needs in the ELD program.

What do you need to run the small classes?

A teacher who is willing to work very hard, and a language assistant who can competently run and manage at least one of the small classes are needed to run the small classes. Ideally the aide can run both sections of the class. For example, if the teacher is credentialed for both Manadrin Chinese and Anthropology, he/she could run them as small classes if the aide can run either the Mandarin Chinese or the Anthropology section for a significant portion of the class period. It helps significantly if in one or the other of the two classes students are capable of working independently, either as part of a course based on programmed instruction, on student research, on writing, or on some other type of production.

What types of courses could be offered?

We would offer courses based on the needs of the target clientele. For example: CAHSEE English Test Preparation CAHSEE Math Test Preparation Human Development History of the Americas Russian for Native Speakers Punjabi for Native Speakers Business Marketing Graphic Design Media Production Problem Solving and Communication Computer Applications for Communication Digital Connectors (Computer Repair)