Themes derived from the student interviews were organized and discussed in terms of the undergraduate students’ concerns about the GTAs’ instruction: teaching techniques and strategies, GTAs’ lab skills, the role of GTAs, and course design. Code names of E1 to E12 are used in this study to represent the 12 interviewees.
Teaching Techniques and Strategies
Previous studies (Norris, 1991; Park, 2002) have indicated that the most important qualification of GTAs is a positive attitude. GTAs are generally well-motivated and highly committed to teaching. There is no doubt that their enthusiasm and vitality can significantly lead to pedagogical innovation and reflective practices crucial in promoting excellence in teaching. The GTAs are particularly valuable in that they can provide approachability to undergraduates and invaluable teaching labor to departments and universities (Ross, 2003; Stepp-Greany, 2002). Although the students surveyed in this study recognized the GTAs’ positive qualities aforementioned, they still expressed concerns in the interviews about the GTAs’ ELL teaching performance. A student remarked, “Even though our GTA was always fully prepared and enthusiastic, his handouts obviously lacked organization, sequence, and consistency of topics and paper sizes” (E3).
Another student expressed similar opinions: “The GTA would
consider its relevance to the target topic. Although he prepared plenty of instructional material, the learning outcome was not as what had been expected” (E5). On the other hand, some other students recognized the GTAs’ well-preparation of the course material: “The GTA collected news excerpts for us to learn the vocabulary for English proficiency tests” and “I learn the vocabulary that the GTA supplemented to the material, especially some technical terms” (E7). The students were generally satisfied with the GTAs’ being well-committed to ELL instruction, but they were concerned about GTAs’
abilities for organizing the course materials and activities for achieving the ELL goals.
In discussing classroom interaction for enhancing English communicative skills, Rivers (1987) suggested that the instructor should speak English in class for the students to
“exploit the elasticity of language” (p. 5). Unfortunately, some students in this study expressed that their GTAs failed to provide sufficient opportunities for interactive learning. As a student mentioned: “There were not enough opportunities for speaking English in class; the GTA did not encourage class participation or discussion” (E10). Another student said, “We had expected more opportunities for speaking English in class, but our GTA provided only listening exercises. Nevertheless, I did not think my listening abilities improved much either” (E9).
Another central issue in English teaching is to foster learners’ learning motivation. In reviewing related literature (Brown, 2001; Deci, 1975, Dornyei, 2001; Dornyei & Csizer,
1988; Raffini, 1996), intrinsic motivation stands out as a powerful drive for effective learning. Learners with intrinsic motivation perform classroom tasks because it is interesting and challenging, and not because they anticipate extrinsic rewards from the teacher. The consequence of extrinsic motivators causes students to depend exclusively on material rewards. Therefore, GTAs should learn to foster students’
intrinsic motivation and use rewards appropriately. It was found in the interviews that not all ELL students agreed with the GTAs’ grading and rewarding system. As a student stated:
I did not like it that the GTA gave bonus points to those who volunteered to answer questions. If I know the answer, I would volunteer even without the bonus points. It turned out that I would not raise my hand to answer the GTA’s question even when I knew the answer. I did not want others to think I volunteered just for the bonus points (E10).
Therefore, rather than relying on extrinsic rewards, GTAs must learn how to facilitate learning, particularly for adult learners, by developing classroom activities, that capitalize students’ intrinsic worth, autonomy and independence.
GTAs’ roles and rapport with students can influence teaching and learning effectiveness (Brown, 2001; Harmer, 2001). GTAs’ should show respect and interest in all students as people, irrespective of how well they perform in class (Davies & Pearse, 2000). In this study, the GTAs failed to adjust to their new roles as teachers or to show respect for the
interacting with the GTA stated that, “The GTA instructor should respect different opinions of students. They should not criticize or try to change students’ opinions” (E12). Other students commented on the GTAs’ taking a leave without notice in advance and addressing himself Xue Zhang (the senior fellow student). The GTAs’ teaching behaviors indicated in the students’ remarks above can influence the GTAs’ relationship with their students. In students’ views, the GTAs obviously failed to balance between exercising control and encouraging a friendly atmosphere, which can result in losing students’ respect for them and class control. As Gower, Phillips, and Walters (2005) cautioned, “Sometimes you may feel that you have to sacrifice popularity for respect but in the long run teachers who are not respected are not generally popular either” (p. 60). Thus, GTAs also need to learn to be more comfortable with and consistent in being an authority figure in the classroom.
Lab Skills
A Language lab can play a facilitating role in second language learning, if an instructor can implement appropriate activities conducive to all positive learning outcomes (Brenes, 2006; Danaher & Danaher, 1998; Rivers, 1970). Lorge (1964) emphasized that a lab instructor’s ease in handling equipments can significantly influence learning results. The language laboratory equipments should be utilized optimally in various instructional activities and practices for maximizing language
learning effectiveness. Listening skills, in particular, can be strengthened if the learning opportunities of the language lab provided are fully seized. Unfortunately, it was noticed in this study that the GTAs seemed to lack adequate skills for operating the lab equipment to maximize learning effectiveness. The GTAs’ lab skills were mentioned in a student statement: “The GTA had problem operating the lab machine. Sometimes it took her half of the class time just to get the machine to work” (E6).
English Language Skills
Cullen (2001) considered non-native English teachers’
language skills essential for maintaining authority in the class.
However, Medgyes (1994) noticed that non-native English teachers are especially vulnerable because of their language deficiencies. Furthermore, Horwitz (1996) found that non-native English teachers tend to use the target language less in the classroom. A reason may be that some non-native teachers are afraid of losing face, and they often lack self-confidence due to their self-perceived inadequate knowledge of English. Corresponding to the aforementioned research, indeed, the students in this study also believed that English teachers need a full command of English in order to teach and that the teachers should use English as the medium of instruction. Unfortunately, the GTAs may have lacked adequate English skills and failed to meet the students’
expectation of more English exposure and use. As a student
English” (E1). Another student also commented that “The GTA’s English lacked fluency, so it was painful to listen to him. The GTA spoke in Mandarin for most of the class time. I expected him to speak English only” (E6). Based on the aforementioned students’ opinions about the GTAs’ English inadequacy, the GTAs need to be aware of their areas of English difficulties in order to find ways for improving, in particular, the oral skills.
Course Design
Intrinsically motivating classroom activities should be able to elicit interest from the students’ intellect being (Ur, 1996). On the other hand, classroom activities lacking challenge may cause boredom among students, which can lead to learner inattention, low motivation, and ineffective learning.
Although, based on the quantitative results in this study, the students generally felt moderately positive about the course being challenging enough to be stimulating (M = 3.27, SD
= .90), however, a student in the interview thought that the class activities were not motivating enough to maximize their language learning opportunities or to foster active participation in class. As the student remarked, “Our GTA instructor did not follow the course syllabus. For example, he played a movie in class that lasted for a few weeks without any discussion. We were just watching the movie” (E6).
Another student, however, responded positively to the GTAs’
playing of movies in class by saying, “He would play movie
clips for focused listening, then he would explain the idioms used in the movies. I liked his movie activity and could see his enthusiasm for teaching this course” (E4). These statements indicate that the GTAs in this study need to improve their classroom design skills for enhancing students’ intrinsic motivation for learning.
As the name suggested, a main objective of the ELL is to help students improve their aural skills. Therefore, the ELL equipments should be integrated into instructional techniques for providing the students with opportunities for practicing both extensive and intensive listening on their own or in pairs/groups.
In addition, researchers have emphasized that the course content and objectives should appeal to the students and should be relevant to their lives to enhance intrinsic motivation for learning (Brown, 2001; Ur, 1996). In this study, a student pointed out that
“The course content could have been more relevant to life in Taiwan, not to American high school students. It could also be more relevant to my learning needs and major” (E8). This student’s concern confirms with the researchers’ claim.
Another key pedagogic concern is textbook selection.
Rivers (1970) contended that selection of teaching materials can affect the use of the language lab, and its effectiveness in helping students acquire the target language. GTAs, therefore, need to take into consideration students’ learning needs and course objectives when choosing the textbook. A student in this study brought up the issue of textbook selection: “Most students in my class did not buy the assigned textbook,
Finally, classroom-based assessment should be able to measure students’ progress in a course. Achievement tests, in particular, should be related directly to classroom lessons so students can perform to their best abilities on tests. Based on the student interviews, it was found that one of the GTAs’ tests was adopted from the listening sections of a standardized test, so there was no way of preparing for the test. As a result, a student cautioned that “I don’t think the course grades could reflect our class performance, since the tests were irrelevant to the course content and those who intentionally miss classes could also get a good grade” (E5). In terms of overall impression of the GTAs’ instruction of the English lab course, a student reacted somewhat negatively: “I would take this course again only for easy credits, though I would not expect to learn much from it” (E6).
Roles of GTAs
Another key concern of students was the role the GTAs played in the ELL. Pratt (1991) contended that, especially in Asian culture, standard-based performance and formal relationships between teachers and students are mostly valued.
Similar to Pratt’s 1991 finding, the participating students displayed their preference of an authority figure that the GTAs presented. As a result, the GTAs’ taking on a relatively informal role in the ELL may induce students’ aversive feelings. As a student indicated, “The GTA tried hard to be friends with us, but he should have acted as an instructor
instead of a fellow student” (E1). Another student was concerned about the informal role of the GTAs, which inevitably affected learning: “Our GTA lacked authority. More than half of the class was chatting or eating in the back of the classroom without restriction” (E7). In addition, when trying to be friends with the students, the GTAs need to find an optimal balance between formality and informality. Otherwise, the GTAs may appear friendly in class but lose respect of the students. A student was concerned that: “The GTA often discussed personal matters in class. For example, he would talk about how late he had gone out drinking with his friends the night before, or how his advisor treated him” (E12). Other students may find GTAs sharing English learning experience with the students meaningful, as in: “Sometimes he would try to stimulate our thoughts by talking about his own experience”
(E11).