‘Assessing the Atmosphere’ EAL Strategy: Explanation and Rationale

Getting the atmosphere right in the classroom is a fine art, not least when you’re making good use of speaking and listening.

Talk and discussion nearly always leads to more transitions between activities.

Learners work independently, in pairs or groups, using talk to create knowledge, to refine ideas, and to develop understanding.

This means the teacher cedes a good deal of control.

Interactions move from learner-teacher to learner-learner.

While the teacher can circulate to assess and regulate learning, responsibility is given to learners to lead themselves and meet the expectations that have been set out.

By attending to the atmosphere that prevails in your classroom, you can help to ensure that when learners are working independently, there is a greater chance of them being successful.

Your speaking and listening goals are more likely to be met when the atmosphere is positive, and learners see respect of other people’s opinions as a given.

Continually working to develop such an atmosphere helps create a norm.

Learners come to expect that this is the way things are – whoever is leading the learning.

If you persist in this, and remain consistent in promoting the atmosphere you want, then your learners are more likely to internalise the behaviours that go towards engendering such an atmosphere.

This is a step on from recognising what the norms of a classroom are, because it involves learners assimilating those norms and coming to see them as a part of themselves, not just a temporary way of acting to which they consent when necessary.

This whole approach benefits your EAL learners as well as everyone else.

Here are some methods you can use to make it happen.

Assessing the Atmosphere: Example One

Setting up rules and expectations with a class is a strategy familiar to most teachers.

A development of this is to set up specific speaking and listening rules.

These can take account of the requirements of successful speaking and listening, as well as the different responsibilities that learners will have when taking part in classroom talk.

Agreeing on these with your class helps add weight to the authority the rules possess.

You can use them in a variety of ways.

For example:

• Asking learners to model the rules for newcomers (like EAL learners who join midway through a year).
• Referring groups to the rules when they are not working in the way you want.
• Giving specific praise that highlights individuals who are following the rules (including an explanation of why this is leading to positive outcomes for them).
• Praising EAL learners when they successfully meet the expectations embedded in the rules.

Assessing the Atmosphere: Example Two

Discuss the purpose of speaking and listening as it relates to learning.

Talking with learners about why you use speaking and listening provides a rationale for why they should take it seriously.

Knowing the meaning behind something makes it comprehensible.

This means it is more likely that learners will accept the importance of a positive atmosphere when they are talking with one another.

Admonishing inappropriate behaviour with sound reasoning, of which learners are already aware, is also a powerful means of getting learners back on track.

Unlike appeals to good nature and so forth, it is exceptionally difficult to argue with.

Assessing the Atmosphere: Example Three

Use learners as peer practitioners.

This method sees the class policing its own behaviour and therefore working independently to regulate the atmosphere.

Identify two or three learners who can act as ‘Speaking and Listening Champions’.

They monitor the behaviour of their peers and model excellent speaking and listening.

You may want to rotate who it is that takes on these roles. This gives you the opportunity of encouraging learners to try and earn the right to be a Champion.

Ways in which you can use Speaking and Listening Champions include:

• Circulating and regulating behaviour according to rules and expectations.
• Supporting EAL learners.
• Checking in on how EAL learners are doing.
• Acting as buddies for EAL learners.
• Identifying them as speaking and listening specialists who anyone (including EAL learners) can go to for support, help or guidance.