By Christian Tiplady (adapted by Sarah Howarth)
Ever heard of the ‘flipped classroom’? Chances are you have, as it’s currently generating quite a buzz in training and education. You might guess from the name that it requires some shaking up of the traditional classroom. And you would be right: the approach centres on reversing the usual order of training and self-study.
The central idea is that students are given the resources (often in the form of a video or presentation) to review the main content for the lesson in advance of the class. In the context of language training, this might mean that the students review particular grammar points or lexical sets during self-study time. Or they might practise a receptive skill by watching a video or reading a blog, for example. They would then attend the next lesson armed with knowledge to be activated in class with the support and guidance of a teacher. This maximises the time available in the lesson to practise the language and receive precise and targeted encouragement and correction from the trainer.
The flipped classroom is arguably a way of teaching/learning that could benefit language learners and teachers. It is particularly relevant for professional language training as it places responsibility for proactive self-study on the student and encourages learning autonomy: something that is to be expected in professional training environments. It provides a purpose and motivation for self-study, and engages and prepares learners for training so that they can maximise time available with their expert trainer in class.
The flipped classroom also allows trainers to exploit the wide range of high-quality learning technologies readily available in today’s growing market of language-learning apps. Blending face-to-face training with digital learning in this way can accelerate progress. The trainer might, for example ask the learner to review a unit of a particular language-learning platform or a set of vocabulary uploaded to digital flashcards – then, in class, practise the language covered using a series of interactive activities and role plays based on real-work scenarios.
Don’t be daunted by the challenge of flipping the classroom. As a teacher, you don’t need to learn how to create professional video content overnight or to wholesale swap to this method of training. Instead, experiment with the approach, using technology and materials you feel comfortable with at first, such as PowerPoint, perhaps. As with all teaching approaches, they should be introduced in ways that you think will benefit your students. Remember: it’s all about variety, tailoring your approach to your students’ needs and preferences – and continuing your professional development by practising new and valuable methods.
Search on Google Scholar for academic articles such as:
Explore teaching blogs with posts on the flipped classroom, like this one from the British Council.
References
| http://dailygenius.com/how-flipped-learning-works/ |
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