learning from experience

learning around and outside the classroom

Racheal, a pre-service student, wrote about one of her early experiences in schools that had a profound impact on her learning, and which she now sees was a significant part of her learning to teach.

I was one of very few Australian born students. The school population was largely made up of immigrants and refugees. There were Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Chinese and Turkish students, just to name a few. …. From Grade 1 to the beginning of Grade 5, I spent a great deal of time teaching other students how to speak English. …. I was often given a group of about four or five students and sitting either in class or in the yard we would recite the alphabet using picture cards or alphabet books. …. As part of the school’s commitment to encouraging these students to communicate, performance became a major part of the curriculum. Every other day we were able to put on a performance of any kind. Between classrooms there was another small room that was defined by partition doors and during the afternoon these doors would be open and the two classes would come together to watch students perform. Many of the students would perform traditional dances wearing their traditional costumes. As for myself and my Australian friends, we would shake away to Prince’s Raspberry beret or Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Beat It, complete with the glove. I loved this part of the day, everyone was happy and we all cheered the performers on.

Racheal Minos
[Click here for more of Racheal’s reflections]

Of course, not everyone has such vivid or clear memories of learning and teaching with our peers. This particular experience is interesting because it presents a model of teaching and learning where the distinction between teacher and learner is blurred and problematised. It’s worth reflecting on the ways in which such a blurring can be positive in English teaching and learning.