THA MANAGEMENT OF A LARGE CLASS

The management of a large class creates a big challenge. Teachers have to consider goals and objectives of every course, the characteristics of the students, for instance: different abilities, and needs, different learning styles, and also the responsibility to keep discipline. However there are many effective ways to teach and learn in large classes.

Teachers often associate large classes with lack of student-teacher interactions, difficulty to maintain discipline, lack of control and interest, and then, lack of efficiency and effectiveness. They are usually concerned about the attention that the students need, the material for the class which it is always not enough, and the time required checking students’ works.

Nevertheless, not all English teachers think that the class size is a problem. If appropriate strategies are used the classes may have a great success. In fact, adjusting methodology of teaching, planning a variety of activities, organising the class in groups according to students’ abilities, assigning responsibilities to each group and for each leader, teachers could make their practice very effective.

Nathalie Hess, an ESL researcher, points out how important it is to create and respect rules and routines. Establishing the rules together with the students and being consistent make students responsible for their own learning; in addition, using more capable students as monitors, providing extra individual help when it is needed, and giving extra work to faster students, demonstrate that you care about your students' success.

In conclusion, there are many advantages teaching in a large class. Students become more responsible, they are more interested in learning, and students share responsibilities and help each other. Furthermore classes vary and teachers become more creative.

The management of a large class effectively is hard work, but it is possible to be successful.

GLORIA N. HERNANDEZ. PFPD UNIVERSIDAD DE LA SABANA -GROUP 6. 2008