The class of students (grade 11) returns to the classroom after a short break that is scheduled after two classes. As students walk in, they are all dressed in the Jigang uniform - purple pants and white/green light zip up jackets. Their hair length is uniform per school rules. All male and female hair must be cut above the shoulders with no styling of the hair permitted.
As the students come in, they gingerly move into their assigned seats as the rows are packed very tight. There are eight rows of nine small desks and students fill every one for a total class of 72. There are two aisles for walking dividing the columns into three groups of three. The front of the classroom is very narrow and consists of a raised area on which the teacher can stand to be seen by all students. On the raised area is included a computer console/podium for the teacher to present PowerPoint slides to the class. The back of the room allows for a narrow passageway.
Students do not change classrooms for their classes. The teacher comes to them for instruction. As there are no lockers, students keep all of their materials on the top of their desk and in a shelf under their desk. All of the books are workbooks, which are stacked 15-20 high on desks, with more stacked underneath. Some students have dividers or organizers to stack their workbooks vertically and some have cups with pencils and pens. Each student does seem to have established their own little personalized area, though there is very little room for students to have anything but school materials.
Before the bell rings for the start of class, students take out the materials for English class and begin to study the lesson. All workbooks are open to the lesson, which focuses on English terms centered on a theme of Global Warming. The teacher walks in and there is still no movement. A tone sounds and the teacher says, “We will begin class.” The students all stand. The teacher says in English, “Good morning class.” The students in a group unison say, “Good morning teacher.” There will not be one word of Chinese for the next 40 minutes.
The class begins with a staged “play” that a group of students has prepared on global warming based on readings and vocabulary from this unit of the English workbook. Ten students come to the front of the classroom and put on “hats” to indicate which part they will play. They maneuver on and around the computer podium, but are loud enough for the students in the class to hear.
The English spoken by the students is very good. The students are even able to capture the dramatic inflection as required by the part! The class laughs and enjoys the presentation by the class.
Upon completion of the play, the teacher places on the PowerPoint screen eight questions. The students are asked to read the sentences quietly at their desk and then indicate whether the statement is true or false. She gives them a few moments to read and complete the work at their desks and then calls the attention of the class to review the answers. The teacher asks if anyone would like to answer the first question. She calls on one of the students, who then stands at their desk, reads the sentence and indicates that the sentence is “true.” The teacher asks the class if she is correct and they respond in “yes” in English.
After the students read together, the teacher asks the students to read the section of the text together based on the questions to practice speaking. In unison, all 72 read the material out loud a together.
After all questions are completed, the teacher puts several longer questions on the board. She explains that the students are to spend 5 minutes reading the questions aloud at their desk and preparing an answer that they should also practice reading aloud. The students then begin to read aloud. Seventy-two students begin speaking quietly at their desk. Even with 72 students speaking, there is still an intense level of concentration on the part of students. The teacher walks up and down the aisles leaning into the rows to hear certain students speak. After five minutes, she takes volunteers who stand and read the question and give an answer to the question.
The next PowerPoint screen lists three characters from the play presented earlier in the class. The students are asked to work with a partner and indicate their position on global warming. The class members turn in all directions (as much as possible with the tight space) and begin to work in groups of two. Once again, with 72 students talking and working in pairs, the noise level rises, but is manageable for all to communicate. After another block of time, the teacher calls for the students’ attention. She asks them to indicate the positions of the characters. Students stand to respond. Other students are asked to comment or contradict statements.
It can be difficult at times for the students in the back of the room to hear students who stand, face the teacher, and answer questions. When the teacher is directing an activity, she is, out of necessity in the front of the class. The students speak English well and are not afraid to answer; however, with the size of the room and the number of students, the volume of answers made by students facing the teacher does vary.
The teacher then hands out review sheet for the students to complete. At the top of the sheet is a paragraph that she asks the students to read together. They read in unison as was done earlier in the class. Seventy-two students stay perfectly together. The students then are given a few minutes to complete the questions.
Following this activity, the teacher asks the students to work in groups to prepare a statement about global warming as if being interviewed by the press. The students manage to turn in varying directions (as none of them can physically move) and discuss the issue. Whether all students are included in the group activity is hard to tell as students have turned in all directions, with neighbors possibly working in different groups. A student is called on to be the “reporter” and is handed a microphone to go to each group area. One student stands up and makes a statement. Most are a synopsis of the issues discussed in class with a person. Some students are quite animated.
The bell rings to end class. Not one student shifts attention away from class. The teacher announces that homework is to do Internet research on Global Warming and be prepared to discuss and support an issue. The students are asked to stand. They prepare to go out to the front of the building where the field is located for the morning group exercises.
At that, the teacher announces that class is over. English class has ended for the day.
As the students come in, they gingerly move into their assigned seats as the rows are packed very tight. There are eight rows of nine small desks and students fill every one for a total class of 72. There are two aisles for walking dividing the columns into three groups of three. The front of the classroom is very narrow and consists of a raised area on which the teacher can stand to be seen by all students. On the raised area is included a computer console/podium for the teacher to present PowerPoint slides to the class. The back of the room allows for a narrow passageway.
Students do not change classrooms for their classes. The teacher comes to them for instruction. As there are no lockers, students keep all of their materials on the top of their desk and in a shelf under their desk. All of the books are workbooks, which are stacked 15-20 high on desks, with more stacked underneath. Some students have dividers or organizers to stack their workbooks vertically and some have cups with pencils and pens. Each student does seem to have established their own little personalized area, though there is very little room for students to have anything but school materials.
Before the bell rings for the start of class, students take out the materials for English class and begin to study the lesson. All workbooks are open to the lesson, which focuses on English terms centered on a theme of Global Warming. The teacher walks in and there is still no movement. A tone sounds and the teacher says, “We will begin class.” The students all stand. The teacher says in English, “Good morning class.” The students in a group unison say, “Good morning teacher.” There will not be one word of Chinese for the next 40 minutes.
The class begins with a staged “play” that a group of students has prepared on global warming based on readings and vocabulary from this unit of the English workbook. Ten students come to the front of the classroom and put on “hats” to indicate which part they will play. They maneuver on and around the computer podium, but are loud enough for the students in the class to hear.
The English spoken by the students is very good. The students are even able to capture the dramatic inflection as required by the part! The class laughs and enjoys the presentation by the class.
Upon completion of the play, the teacher places on the PowerPoint screen eight questions. The students are asked to read the sentences quietly at their desk and then indicate whether the statement is true or false. She gives them a few moments to read and complete the work at their desks and then calls the attention of the class to review the answers. The teacher asks if anyone would like to answer the first question. She calls on one of the students, who then stands at their desk, reads the sentence and indicates that the sentence is “true.” The teacher asks the class if she is correct and they respond in “yes” in English.
After the students read together, the teacher asks the students to read the section of the text together based on the questions to practice speaking. In unison, all 72 read the material out loud a together.
After all questions are completed, the teacher puts several longer questions on the board. She explains that the students are to spend 5 minutes reading the questions aloud at their desk and preparing an answer that they should also practice reading aloud. The students then begin to read aloud. Seventy-two students begin speaking quietly at their desk. Even with 72 students speaking, there is still an intense level of concentration on the part of students. The teacher walks up and down the aisles leaning into the rows to hear certain students speak. After five minutes, she takes volunteers who stand and read the question and give an answer to the question.
The next PowerPoint screen lists three characters from the play presented earlier in the class. The students are asked to work with a partner and indicate their position on global warming. The class members turn in all directions (as much as possible with the tight space) and begin to work in groups of two. Once again, with 72 students talking and working in pairs, the noise level rises, but is manageable for all to communicate. After another block of time, the teacher calls for the students’ attention. She asks them to indicate the positions of the characters. Students stand to respond. Other students are asked to comment or contradict statements.
It can be difficult at times for the students in the back of the room to hear students who stand, face the teacher, and answer questions. When the teacher is directing an activity, she is, out of necessity in the front of the class. The students speak English well and are not afraid to answer; however, with the size of the room and the number of students, the volume of answers made by students facing the teacher does vary.
The teacher then hands out review sheet for the students to complete. At the top of the sheet is a paragraph that she asks the students to read together. They read in unison as was done earlier in the class. Seventy-two students stay perfectly together. The students then are given a few minutes to complete the questions.
Following this activity, the teacher asks the students to work in groups to prepare a statement about global warming as if being interviewed by the press. The students manage to turn in varying directions (as none of them can physically move) and discuss the issue. Whether all students are included in the group activity is hard to tell as students have turned in all directions, with neighbors possibly working in different groups. A student is called on to be the “reporter” and is handed a microphone to go to each group area. One student stands up and makes a statement. Most are a synopsis of the issues discussed in class with a person. Some students are quite animated.
The bell rings to end class. Not one student shifts attention away from class. The teacher announces that homework is to do Internet research on Global Warming and be prepared to discuss and support an issue. The students are asked to stand. They prepare to go out to the front of the building where the field is located for the morning group exercises.
At that, the teacher announces that class is over. English class has ended for the day.
