teacher and allows them to use language as a genuine attempt to solve problems rather
than a means to demonstrate their learning. It should be stressed, however, that in the
few cases when teachers ask from their students to work together in groups or pairs,
they assign them with roles which are cooperative rather than competitive (see
appendix IV, p. 128, table 77). This is something Crookes and Schmidt (1991)
consider as one of the prerequisites for a successful collaborative activity, as it makes
each one participant’s contribution essential for the completion of the task and thus
increases their self-confidence and motivation.
Concerning the way teachers respond when a student seems unable to answer
a question, it is worth stressing that, as it is shown in figure 17 below, 51% of them
either nominate another student, or they answer the question themselves (see appendix
IV, p. 126, table 66). Two things need to be discussed in relation to this finding. The
first refers to whether students are given appropriate time to think as, according to
Wood (1988: 144), an increased ‘wait time’ allowed to children can result in ‘…more
frequent, relevant, thoughtful, and ‘high level’ responses to the teacher’s questions’.
As Lightbown and Spada (1999: 102) claim, teachers ‘…often give students a fraction
of a second to answer before they move to another student or answer the question
themselves’. The second thing which needs to be considered is that, by nominating
another student to answer, teachers do not make their help contingent upon the needs
of the particular student to whom the question is addressed thus depriving her of the
appropriate help (scaffolding) which would not only help the student develop within
her ‘zone of proximal development’ (see section 1.1.3.1) but also become more
motivated as a result of her achievement (Harmer 1983).
When a student is unable to answer a question I
nominate another one or I answer the question
myself
Never Always
Rarely 3%
19%
24%
Sometimes
22%
Usually
32%
Figure 17. How teachers respond when a student seems unable to answer a question
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