國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
39
discipline the students. If Lisa found students not concentrated in class, she walked to them and reminded them individually. “She talked to the students individually, not like us, yell at students directly.” (Mei, 10/02/2013)
With the NNEST’s help to manage the class in Chinese, Lisa felt it is better to control the students because NNEST can use students’ first language. Lisa indicated that she can try to discipline the students but students cannot understand what she said.
In practice, the researcher found students were all quite well-behaved in Mei and Lisa’s team teaching classes. Students were very engaged in the activities and worked in harmony. Lisa credited this to Mei’s classroom management skills. “I think she has a good relationship with them, and like Mei keeps them in line.” (Lisa, 01/13/2014)
4.3 NEST and NNEST’s adjustments to team teaching program
Various factors affected how the NEST and NNEST adjusted themselves to the team teaching program, which included the NEST’s in-service training such as orientation and workshops, other resources and support, NNEST’s help, interaction with other colleagues and students, and the language ability.
4.3.1 In-service Training
Since most of the Fulbright teachers had no teaching experience, they were required to participate in the orientation in August, soon after they arrived in Taiwan and before the semester began. The orientations were designed to help these NESTs to obtain more understanding about the culture and the current teaching situations in Taiwan, which covered the topics from living in Taiwan to lesson plans and teaching activities. Various speakers were invited to give lectures about TESOL theory, games and activities and introductions to schools and English village in Kinmen, etc..
(Fulbright handbook, 2013) Some of the speakers are in-service elementary school
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
40
teachers and some are professors from local universities.
At the end of the orientation, NNESTs joined and worked with the NESTs for teaching demonstrations. The NESTs met and greeted their co-teachers and cooperated with each other. The NNESTs also got acquainted with the NESTs before they started to team teach in schools.
NESTs not only had orientations in the beginning of the program, they also had to go to workshops during the semester. The workshops provided them with the opportunities to discuss with experienced teachers and other NESTs. There, they could share issues and concerns that they have in the teaching. The experienced teachers can share possible solutions to help them. The other NESTs can also share their teaching ideas and activities in the workshops. “They came in and gave workshops about all kinds of things, like what it is like to teach in Taiwan versus in America. How we can come up with games, and make it fun and interesting to the students, and like things to keep in mind.” (Lisa, 08/30/2013)
Besides trainings and workshops, the NESTs were also required to write weekly reports to their TEFL advisors. The reports include their living and cultural
experiences and teaching reflections, which help the NESTs to record their life and teaching in Taiwan. The advisors also gave them feedbacks and provided practical solutions. “Every two weeks about, we have to write a report, on life and teaching, so if I have problems, I can write it there, and my advisor gives some advice. And then like other ETAs are helpful, I think cuz they're more familiar with the situation than some of the people who visit from wherever.” (Lisa, 01/13/2014) The advisors also visited schools and observed classes to see whether the NEST’s team teaching classes ran smoothly. After the observation, the advisors talked to the NNEST and the NEST to discuss their teaching and gave feedback. Both of the NEST and the NNEST learned from the observations. These training, workshops and feedback from other
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
41
fellows help enhance the NEST and the NNEST’s team teaching.
4.3.2 Other resources and support
In addition to the teaching advisors and workshops that aimed to enhance their teaching skills, the NESTs also relied on good administrative systems soon after they arrived in Taiwan. Fulbright arranges a coordinator to help the NESTs in each city.
Before the NESTs had the orientation, they had a day of post-arrival service to help them settle everything down in Taiwan, such as ARC and mobile application. And then the former ETAs shared their lives in Kinmen to help the new ETAs have some basic ideas about the teaching job and living environment. Then they had
introductions on TESOL theory and lesson planning. They were also guided to learn how to ride scooters and get licenses. It helps them to get accustomed to the life in Kinmen more easily. After they were placed to different schools, NESTs who belonged to the same school district lived together in the same apartment, so that they were able to share what they experienced at schools and forge their relationship.
This helps these NESTs feel connected and supported during their stay in Kinmen.
The NESTs can have regular meetings after school and receive practical advice from their roommates.
As for Mei, the NNEST, the Kinmen County Elementary English Advisory Panel provides a lot of trainings and workshops for her and other in-service teachers.
“These lecturers provided lots of ideas and resources to us. It saves time for us to look for these materials online. ” (Mei, 10/02/2013) However, Mei also complained that sometimes these workshops were too ideal to put into practice.
For example, a teacher suggested that we should teach the textbook less and focus on the picture books. She thought the English teaching should focus on picture books instead of textbooks. It was a shock to me. After all, we need to test students’ understanding of the textbook. Maybe we can try the idea without the pressure of tests. Moreover, the lecturer told us not to explain the
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
42
picture books thoroughly to the students. Reading picture books should be a guessing game for students. Like when we learned our first language, no one told us we need to repeat three times to memorize. I started to reflect on my own teaching because of her. (Mei, 10/02/2013)
Considering the students’ level, Mei thought these ideas can serve as a guideline to keep in mind and they weren’t always practicable. These workshops help her to reflect upon her own teaching and come up with more ideas for teaching.
4.3.3 NNEST’s help and guidance
Though Lisa had trainings and workshops before teaching, she still felt hesitated to teach in the classroom. In the beginning of the semester, she asked Mei if she could observe her teaching at the back of the classroom. Considering Lisa’s lack of teaching experience, Mei agreed to take the leading role in team teaching. “Sometimes I’ll try to let her lead the teaching, but she felt intimidated by teaching because of not having much experience.” (Mei, 10/02/2013) Mei tried to add some teaching skills to
facilitate their teaching, and she found Lisa look more confident when she uses these skills in her own teaching.
For example, when Lisa teaches tongue twisters, she just makes students read line by line without adding some tempo, so students cannot feel the rhythm. I will lead the students to read the tongue twisters with clapping hands, and students can understand they need to read the tongue twisters with rhythm. I think she learned this and used it in her teaching. (Mei, 10/02/2013)
In practice, every observed class started with a tongue twister to help students be more aware of the phonics. At the beginning, Lisa taught the tongue twister by leading students to read through it line by line. Students just repeated what Lisa taught.
The following excerpt depicts how Lisa taught tongue twister in the beginning of the semester.
(Lisa wrote down the lines of the tongue twister on the blackboard before the
‧
Lisa: Last week, we learned a tongue twister, yes? Last week it went “she sells seashells by the sea shore.” She sells seashells by the sea shore. (Clapped hands and students followed Lisa) One more time.
Students: She sells seashells by the sea shore.
Lisa: Good, so today, this week, we’ll learn this one. We surely shall see the sunshine soon. (Pointed to the blackboard word by word) We surely shall see the sunshine soon.
Students: We surely shall see the sunshine soon. (repeated after Lisa) Lisa: Two times more!
Students: We surely shall see the sunshine soon. (Lisa mouthed and pointed to the words )
Lisa: One more time!
Students: We surely shall see the sunshine soon. (Lisa read with the students) Lisa: Ok, good.
(Mei asked Lisa to read it again.)
Lisa: Two more times! Ready? Set, go! We surely shall see the sunshine soon.
(Lisa read with the students) One more time! We surely shall see the sunshine soon. Ok, tomorrow we’ll try again.
(Class 601, 09/16/2013)
In the excerpt, Lisa taught students to read the tongue twister by repeating again and again. Mei suggested that Lisa clap hands with the students while they read the tongue twisters. After Mei helped Lisa review the tongue twisters with the students, students read along with the teachers and clapped their hands. In the second
classroom observation, Lisa led the students to read the tongue twister and encouraged them to clap their hands while reading the tongue twisters.
Lisa: OK, who remembers the tongue twister? I…
Students: I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
Lisa: OK, (clapped hands) I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
Again and faster.
(Mei and Lisa clapped hands and recited the tongue twister together.) (Class 601, 09/27/2013)
Mei thought that Lisa looked more confident in teaching after she adopted some
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
44
techniques Mei used in class. Lisa felt the same way and stated that “I feel the co-teachers help me feel confident [in the classroom] because I can watch them teach and then learn from them, and I feel safe in the classroom with the co-teacher, and like when the class goes well, um I really feel like it's the collaboration, and that feels good.” (Lisa, 10/08/2013)
4.3.4 Interaction and relationship with colleagues and local residents
Besides interacting with Mei, Lisa also has good rapport with other teachers and colleagues in the school under research. Lisa felt that “everyone's very nice and laid back, in a good way. Everyone is very helpful.” (Lisa, 10/08/2013) Because Lisa can speak basic Mandarin Chinese, it is not difficult for her to interact with other colleagues on campus, who were also surprised at Lisa’s Mandarin Chinese at the beginning. Some of them even wondered whether Lisa took a long time studying Mandarin Chinese. In addition to regular class, Lisa also helped some important events of the school under research like boy scout and sports day.
Lisa not only interacted with Mei at work but also outside school. To help the NESTs and the NNESTs know more about each other, the MOE held a beach party on weekend. The Fulbright NESTs made friends with Kingcar teachers and other
NNESTs through the party. They also shared their lives and experiences in Kinmen.
The NNESTs also used the opportunity to interact with the NESTs and get a better rapport.
In addition to regular interaction with the colleagues of the school, Lisa also went to the community college with other teachers to attend aerobic and Qui-Gon class as Lisa was very interested in Chinese culture.
4.3.5 Language ability
Both of the NEST and the NNEST indicated that language proficiency plays an
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
45
important role in the team teaching process. For Lisa, her ability to speak basic Mandarin Chinese benefits her in various ways. Firstly, she had taken some Chinese courses in college, so she knew the difficulties of speaking a new language. She was able to understand why Mei felt uneasy about speaking English with her. It also helps Lisa have more empathy of the students’ English learning and understand their difficulties, “I think it helps to have learned a foreign language. I’m constantly trying to remember what it is like, not being familiar with what someone is saying, so I think it's good to be able to put yourself in the shoes, of the kids, from your
experiences.” (Lisa, 01/13/2014) Third, the language ability assists Lisa to interact with colleagues and people. The researcher observed that sometimes Lisa talked to other teachers in the office and even joined other teachers in ordering drinks in the afternoon.
For Mei, Lisa’s ability to speak basic Chinese helps her to communicate with Lisa. She felt less intimidated to speak English to Lisa and Lisa still can understand what she meant. From Lisa’s point of view, she can communicate with Mei with a mixture of English and Mandarin Chinese. “It’s fun. We switch between Chinese and English, so yeah that helps her feel less scared to speak English to me, because I’m working on my Chinese, too. So it's like we both know how it feels stupid to be in another language. I know in the beginning she said she was nervous to speak English, so I think that got better.” (Lisa, 01/13/2014) But Mei still indicated that she hoped to improve her English,
I think I need to improve my English. Sometimes I feel I’m afraid of westerners because of my terrible experience in college. Sometimes I know what I want to say but I will blab, ungrammatically, have no ideas what I’m talking about. So I think I need more practice, sometimes I found myself cannot understand what Lisa said immediately, and I need to repeat to her again to make sure my understanding is right. (Mei, 10/02/2013)
‧
國立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
46
4.3.6 Interaction with students
The students were accustomed to American teachers because they had one period of English class taught by an American teacher prior to this semester, which positively influenced Lisa’s assimilation into her new role as a teacher. The students liked to greet NESTs with hi or hello. In the beginning of this semester, students were excited and curious to see an American teacher in the office. Though they felt shy to say hello to Lisa, Lisa said hi to them first. Over the course of the semester, Lisa developed good rapport with the students. Lisa indicated that students Mei see her as a friend instead of an authority, which might result in Lisa’s challenge to manage the class. “I like being their friend but it becomes difficult when I need them to cooperate and have no leverage, because I can't.” (Lisa, 11/22/2014)
Lisa also insisted on not speaking Mandarin Chinese to students because she wanted to provide students with more English input. Lisa indicated that “in the beginning I pretended that I couldn't speak Chinese, so now I speak more Chinese, and talk to them more, um yeah I started to love them, like I gonna miss them, and yeah, I more easily forgive them and yeah I mean it's nice to watch their growth.”
(Lisa, 01/13/2014) Considering the students’ levels, sometimes Lisa talked to the students who came into her desk in the office in Mandarin Chinese. But when Lisa was team teaching with Mei, she did not speak Chinese.