Let Your Students Teach Their Class
Naoyoshi Ogawa
Dennis E. Wilkinson

This paper presents a step-by-step description of a student-centered teaching technique for assisting students to a higher skill level by challenging them to teach their class. First, as a foundation for the technique, four topics of current theoretical interest are introduced: Neo-Vygotskian learning theory; research on the application of cognitive psychology to education; evaluation of communication strategies; and teachers` reports as instruments of assessment. Next, practical explanations for having students teach are covered in the Rationale section. The technique is then given in a prescriptive paradigm with examples. Finally, three students` reports are analyzed to demonstrate how reflection on teaching experiences raises students` consciousness beyond mere memory of communication strategies to self-understanding and empathy with both the teacher and other learners.
Theoretical Basis
Most modern language teachers want their students at the center of communication. As Savignon stated, "communicative competence is acquired through communication" (1983, p. 65) and more recently Brown characterized teaching students to communicate in the second language as "the single greatest challenge in the profession" (1994, p.15). Unfortunately, during the communicative process of instruction, it is the teacher who occupies the central role of imparting information and checking comprehension, releasing his students into student-centered learning exercises when he is certain that his lesson has been understood. Even his most carefully structured exercises, however, may be treated by the students as mere practice rather than a situation where the communication of something real is at stake.
Vygotsky (1962) introduced the concept of a zone of proximal development but did not provide guidance for its use in instruction, although he did claim that the larger this gap between the students` current ability and the problem their teacher assists them to solve the better they learn. Neo-Vygotskian learning theory asserts that effective learning takes place when teachers facilitate solutions for challenges beyond the students` current skill level (Driscoll, 1994) and that a teacher can model the appropriate solution, assist in finding the solution, and monitor the student`s progress (Tharpe & Gallimore, 1988). Bearing in mind Brown`s challenge to our profession, we are inclined to respond by challenging our students to communicate at the top of their zone of proximal development by replacing us at the center of communication and teaching their class themselves.
After considering applications of cognitive psychology to education, Anderson, Simon, & Reder (1996) conclude that, "Among the processes that have been shown by recent research to have considerable power in speeding the learning process and encouraging the learner to achieve deeper levels of understanding are learning from examples and learning by doing." Thus, according to both the Neo-Vygotskians and Anderson et al., when we provide an appropriate example of teaching and assist the students with suitable communication strategies, they should learn well by doing it themselves.
As defined by Dörnyei and Scott, communication strategies must be problem solving devices exhibiting three aspects of consciousness: "consciousness as awareness of the problem; consciousness as intentionality; and consciousness as awareness of strategic language use" (1997, p. 187). They also recount that there has been a considerable amount of research over the past two decades with practical implications "focusing, in particular, on the teachability of communication strategies" (p. 174.) In our exposition below we have specifically emphasized two strategies from their inventory. The first is their strategy number 19, mime, "describing whole concepts nonverbally, or accompanying a verbal strategy with a visual illustration" (p. 190) and the second is strategy 31, comprehension check, "asking questions to check that the interlocutor can follow you" (p. 192).
Synthesizing the above concepts and keeping to Gattegno`s (1976) division of responsibilities (The students` job is the material, the teacher`s job is the students.) we first exemplify teaching and analyze our model as communication strategies, then challenge our students to teach the class. This conforms to Stevick`s advice that an adaptor`s "most creative contribution will probably lie in suggesting how the learners can make early and convincing use of what they have just learned to manipulate" (1971, p. 63) as he later points out, "in a connected and communicative way" (p. 91). Of course some students might be nervous, but Stevick (1976) demonstrated that students master material best and deeper memories result when they invest more personal effort into learning. Furthermore, Stevick has documented that successful language learners "take an active approach to the learning task" and "are willing to take risks" (1989, p.19).
As a means of monitoring the students progress, having students write a report on their experience afterwards raises their consciousness beyond merely remembering communication strategies to reflecting on the teaching and learning processes (Antonek, et. al., 1997). This window into students` thinking affords their teacher a basis in addition to classroom observations for assessing how students are making sense of what they are learning (Johnson, 1996).
Rationale
Explaining the above theoretical basis to students would neither be easy nor a convincing argument that it is worthwhile for them to teach the class.