Source - Bangkok Post (Eng)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008  10:08

My university was lucky to host the fifth International Conference on Science, Mathematics and Technology Education in conjunction with Curtin University of Australia. The event gave educators the opportunity to talk about their research and the problems they face in their respective fields.

There were presenters from all over the world who taught mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and computer science. For staff at my Language Center, the conference offered the chance to listen to people who teach subjects different than our own. However, I was amazed at how much common ground we shared despite the different disciplines.

One presenter, Tarntip Chantaranima, informed us that students did not feel personally connected to physics, so they had become disinterested in the subject. Physics seemed irrelevant to students when they could not place scientific information into the context of their daily lives.

The same idea can be said about English. If our students can't place learning into context, they won't be able to relate to what is being taught. In turn, teachers will have great difficulty motivating students to learn.

Standard methods

Duangmanee Ya-amphan questioned whether the standard method for teaching mathematics was effective, and discussed if it was time to consider methodologies used by countries outside of Thailand.

Different methods work with different students. As teachers we have to be adaptable and flexible in how we teach in order to reach out to a variety of students. Lesson plans should not always be scripted in finite detail, and teachers should have the freedom to use their judgment to alter curriculum.

In some cases, Western methodologies may be more effective. Just as some English teachers experiment with learner-centered methods, so can instructors in subjects such as math and science. Likewise, English teachers could deeply benefit by observing some of strategies employed by their counterparts in the sciences.

Standard methods and rote memorization may have lived past their expiration date, so flexibility in teaching techniques has become vital. The difficulty is in persuading teachers to be confident enough to experiment with new styles, but it would ultimately stimulate students to learn more.

Constructivism

There was a heavy focus on "constructivism" at the conference. Constructivism is a theory that knowledge is not passively received; it is built up and adapted to fit the life of the student.

One presenter, Chokchai Yuenyong, described the philosophy of constructivism in connection to the blending of scientific and pedagogical knowledge. It would be advantageous for many English teachers to take this to heart.

In my opinion, teachers should open their eyes to other disciplines and the problems that are being faced by teachers in general, not just teachers of English. Discussion among teachers from all professional backgrounds and countries will lead to better understanding of the problems that our students face.

Steve Graham is an English language teacher at the Language Center, Udon Thani Rajabhat University in northeast Thailand. If there are any comments or areas for debate that you would like to discuss, you can contact Steve at: shedchelsea@hotmail.co.uk .