Chapter 4. The classroom pedals

Chapter 4. The classroom pedals

    One of the matters we discussed in our 5th class was the distinction between time and pace of activities, which made me think about how these should be handled in class, especially from student to student.

    So, being 'time' related to the length of each part of the class and 'pace' connected with its rhythm, during this session, we looked at some activities that can stir or settle the pace of the class. I've found this extremely useful for my future career since getting a good balance between these two kinds of dynamics in the classroom is a crucial step to thriving in reaching the students in the learning process. Therefore, we verified that by selecting lively activities, such as oral works or competitions, teachers could hold the risk of stirring the class up too much, causing inattention and behavioral issues throughout the lesson. On the other hand, maintaining solely still and slow-paced activities, like reading, writing, or reading activities, could pull the motivation away from the learners, making them associate learning with feelings of boredom instead of fun or curiosity. "A lesson that is conducted at the same pace throughout can risk students switching off and losing focus. Rushing through stages of the lesson can also lose learners and mean that you have to teach remedially later on because they missed key points" (joannemilesconsulting, 2013). Thus, it's essential to maintain harmony in the class by being aware of which tasks stir up the class and what will settle them afterward.

    According to a relevant online source, "When you consider the flow of stages in your lesson, it’s worth asking yourself these questions. They can also be used by coaches who are working with staff to reflect on lesson plans or an observed lesson:

• How does pace vary in this lesson?
• Do I have a lot of static, sit down activities that may drain learners? How can I break them up with relevant activities that have more pace changes and movement?
• Where might I need to increase pace and energy and how could I do that in an appropriate way for learning?
• Is there a complex, challenging stage that would benefit from a slower, more reflective style of delivery?
• How can I use roles within group work to keep up a good pace and help learners stay on track?" (joannemilesconsulting, 2013)
  

    As a future teacher, I expect to have these questions in mind to effectively organize the lesson plans considering the disposition and attitude of the learners.

    Another view I took from this topic is the significance of working with the personal paces of each pupil. We need to understand that everyone has their own speed at everything. Some people are slower than others, and that goes for learning a language as well. Thus, teachers must be patient and encourage students to help their classmates instead of judging their personal rhythm. The same should occur with quick-learners. In these cases where students apprehend contents fast and finish activities much earlier than the rest of the class, the teachers must be prepared with, for instance, extra tasks to stimulate them. Another tactic could be to motivate them to help the remaining classmates with their work. Efforts like these will create a more positive atmosphere for everyone in the classroom, and I hope to achieve that with my future students.

    References

• joannemilesconsulting. (2013, January 2). Managing pace in lessons: some reflections and suggestions. Joannemilesconsulting.
  https://joannemilesconsulting.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/managing-pace-in-lessons-some-reflections-and-suggestions-2/