How to Apply the Critical Incidents Technique in my Classroom

In this paper, you will find a practical sample event of my personal experience and the application of Critical Incidents. I am really looking forward to reading your comments, your similar personal events and critiques.

As Moon (2000) pointed out, adults tend to be influenced by their peers’ opinions, the methods used in the classroom and the feelings for the teachers. The role of the teacher seems to be very important in selecting the appropriate learning materials and creating a positive learning atmosphere. This is sometimes not enough to enjoy the process of learning. I have a group of five adult students at a pre-intermediate level. They started last year, with an elementary level course. They got good marks; they enjoyed the classes, always did their homework, and had fun with songs and a karaoke party they participated in. Moreover, they had a fabulous final oral exam in which they prepared a mini-play to present the majority of the topics.

 Everything seemed perfect and this year they continue with this rhythm and enthusiasm. But there is a thirty-four year old woman who is shy and hardly ever participates. Her sister, who attends the same class, told me that she did not like the presence of one of her partners, so I talked to her and we could deal with the problem. I made her understand that it is positive to learn from others’ weaknesses and strengths; learning a language has a main purpose and it is to communicate within a society.

 Then I was told she did not like being with one of the other boys since he talked a lot and she felt distracted. I had a serious conversation with the boy so as to solve this issue and things appeared to be stable again. After some time, one of the women of the class decided to start a one-to-one course since she had a grave argument with this student (because they were close friends and had a row as regards personal problems) and the group felt relieved after she left because the atmosphere had ceased to be pleasant. In conclusion, she had had problems with three out of four (without including her!).

Last week we underwent another of the series of crisis: she gave me the progress test empty. She argued it had been utterly difficult for her and she waited for the group to finish it in silence. She added she had been studying for the test for several days and we had done revisions and mock exams, but nothing seems to be enough. The group has had a normal outcome in the test and she felt upset with this piece of information. Needless to say, she was absent the following class and she told her sister she was thinking of abandoning the classes since the pace of them are not coherent with hers. She wants to attend classes alone. Can you imagine those classes? Will she want to argue with me as there is not anybody else?

I have been taught that adults are not as enthusiastic as children, but I have also seen that adult learners are not sent to classes, they come because they are really interested in learning. It does not seem to be the case with the one I described above. I truly believe she comes to classes because her two other sisters come to learn and enjoy this process. I have tried everything I considered convenient to keep her and the rest of the pupils motivated; for example I used language at their level, gestures or pauses to give them time to think. As Harmer (2001)explained,  a clear feedback on their responses was given, visual support to show I understood what they say, modeling for them to do activities, and most importantly, moving from concrete to abstract, from known to new.

Some of the questions that come to my mind are: Does she have a problem to socialize with people that impedes the development of English? Can I find a solution or wait until she wants to find a way of undertaking this inconvenient situation? Must she take individual classes? Must she try to learn from others? My challenge is to develop the ability to observe the way they are working to plan and provide support more sensitively and flexibly based on their constantly changing needs. It is helpful to discover the students’ expectations about the role of the teacher as these may be different from what we predicted. Finding out more about the pupils helps to create a more harmonious working atmosphere. Creating a sense of confidence and self-esteem will be useful to create a better environment in this group and they will feel free to experiment and take risks.

References

Harmer, J (2001).The practice of English language teaching. Longman.

Moon, J (2000). Children learning English. Macmillan Heinemann.