S00143593- Jess Bellingham

2014

EDFD220- Assessment 2: Essay

Effective classroom teachers often use a range of strategies to

get students to collaboratively interact in classroom discussions,
which is known as the Community of Practice. Discuss the value
of strategies such as questioning, peer teaching and homework in
relation to student involvement and engagement within the
classroom setting.
Student participation within the class is an important factor of any
classroom, especially in the modern model. Effective teachers use a range
of instructional strategies to involve and engage the students in classroom
discussions, and in the curriculum as a whole. Strategies such as
questioning, peer teaching and homework all have merits to which they
can successfully enhance learning and allow students to fully participate
in the classroom setting. A teacher who is able to effectively enforce these
strategies in a meaningful way, will create a class environment in which
students have the necessary knowledge and skills to feel comfortable to
share with their peers. Teachers need to consider the issues and
considerations involved within these strategies in order for them to
implement them in a way that will benefit the students and encourage
engagement within the classroom setting.

Smart and Marshall (2013) state that teacher questioning has been
identified as a critical factor in facilitating effective discourse in the
classroom, especially in the area of supporting students cognitive
engagement (p.250). Here, Smart and Marshall are emphasising the
importance of a teacher facilitating enhancing conversation within the
classroom. The writer agrees with this statement, believing that it is up to
the classroom teacher to enable such a discussion, creating a community
of practice. A community of practice is a model which is based on social
interaction and communication around a particular interest (Olitsky,
2005). Within a classroom setting, this community is often seen in the
discussion of a particular topic. The writer contends that the teacher must
be prepared to facilitate such a discussion, by planning specific questions
in advance (Smart & Marshall, 2013, p.265). However, it is not just the
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EDFD220- Assessment 2: Essay

teacher enabling this conversation, it is important that students are

involved and engaged to give themselves a voice. By both groups
participating in the discourse, all involved will be able to take personal
ownership of the topic, enhancing their learning and engagement. The
questioning would then need to come back to the students, as they begin
to use their inquiry skills and discuss with their peers. The issue that many
teachers face is stated by Foster (2014) as they write that the discourse
would crumble if students went off topic or the teacher didnt know the
answer (p.28). Foster also argues that questioning techniques are good,
but students also need to develop their ability to askquestions (p.26).
As Foster doesnt completely disagree with the merits of teacher
questioning, the writer agrees with this statement. It is important for
students to learn how to ask questions such as those which are openended, which require further research. Teachers must take into
consideration the importance of developmental thinking, as well as
develop their own ability to encourage higher thinking, prompting the
students own interests and engaging them in a topic that can become
their own.

Questioning as a strategy is only valuable if the questions themselves are

stimulating and engaging to the students. Questions that result in
chorused responses (Shahrill & Clarke, 2014, p.12) are based at a low
cognitive level which stimulates no enriched or explorative thinking from
the students at all. On the other end of the spectrum, questions that are
hard, tricky or confusing are likely to lower students interest and
motivation to learn (Shahrill & Clarke, 2014, p.3). It is therefore
imperative that teachers are able to find a balance between the two
levels. Shahrill and Clarke (2014) declare that questioning needs to
motivate and challenge students (p.3). The writer believes that
teachers, when preparing questions, need to think about and understand
their students. If a teacher knows how their students think about issues or
problems, they will know how to motivate and challenge this thinking,
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EDFD220- Assessment 2: Essay

without over extending or presenting the task at a low cognitive level. This
is the evidence of an effective teacher. Smart and Marshall (2013) further
this belief as they argue that meaningful discourse is the evolution of
effective and engaging questioning that challenges and facilitates
students cognitive engagement (p.264) and they also state that it is
important for a teacher to ask questions at an application level or higher
(p.258). This last statement somewhat challenges that of Shahrill and
Clarke (2014) and how higher level questions will disengage students. In
response to this, the writer argues that both statements have merit,
however it depends on how well the teacher knows their students.
Questioning the students at an application level is undemanding and
should be quite simple, however an effective teacher will challenge their
students thinking, getting them passed the procedural knowledge and
engaged in the content without over-extending or overwhelming them.

Another teacher instructional strategy for student involvement is peer

tutoring or teaching. Foster (2014) argues that if students are always
placed in the position of responding rather than initiating, then we can
hardly be surprised if at any times they seem passive and flounder when
given open-ended tasks (p.26). Peer teaching gives students a boost in
self-esteem and is empowering, helping to develop leadership skills and
their ability to collaboratively work with their peers (Burton, 2011). The
writer contends that peer teaching is able to quash Fosters (2014) worries
about disengaged students, as they are fully participating in working with
and teaching their peers. Teachers should understand that their students
all learn in different ways, and that peer teaching may benefit a number of
students who need the content explained in a different way, or need
opportunity to work socially with other students. However, Burton (2011)
states many issues that teachers face regarding the operation of peer
teaching within the classroom. These include a lack of time, insufficient
training and a lack of support (p.56). These issues are what effective
teachers need to overcome in order to implement successful peer
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EDFD220- Assessment 2: Essay

teaching opportunities within their classroom. The writer argues that while
these issues are real, they can be amended. For example, insufficient
training in mathematics, could include any misconceptions the student
who is teaching may have about the topic. This can be amended by
perhaps first completing a problem as a class, then asking those who are
confident in the topic to stand and help one who is still sitting. It is still the
teachers responsibility to observe and assist any students who need
further support.

Peer teaching is a part of the community of practice model, as students

are able to develop their collaborative skills in a smaller setting. Students
are acquiring their own voice and participating in a partnership with
the teacher and with their peers (Burton, Smith, M & Woods, 2010, p. 93).
It is in this community that teachers are able to observe and become
aware of how students learn, which often can be seen in the way in which
they teach their peers (Burton, 2011). Webb, Nemer & Ing (2006) state
that students often model teachers behaviour, even adopting teachers
words and phrases (p.66). They discuss this as an issue regarding peer
teaching as students often are only giving low level help (p.66), only
skimming the surface of the topic. The writer agrees that this is a critical
issue in collaborative work as it would mean that it is giving no extra
benefit to either student, but rather hindering their learning without
creating a space for them to participate. Teachers should keep this issue
in mind as it may reflect their own teaching in regards to modelling. They
need to ensure that they are giving students an explanation rather than
simply an answer, as this can correct misconceptions and can
strengthen connections between new information and previous learning
(Webb, Nemer & Ing, 2006, p.66). This in turn will lead to a deeper level of
understanding and will therefore encourage and allow the students to
engage in the learning.

S00143593- Jess Bellingham

2014

EDFD220- Assessment 2: Essay

Homework is a frequently discussed issue in regards to its educational

benefit to students. Grootenboer (2009) raises the point of whether it is
homework or just schoolwork done at home (p.13), explaining that doing
schoolwork at home is generally just working through tasks in a
procedural manner. Marzano and Pickering (2007) present another issue
that has arisen around homework, which is the way that it can be harmful
to the economically disadvantaged students (p.74), as they do not have
a suitable living environment in which to work on their homework. The
writer does agree that these issues are important to consider, however
they believe that homework tasks need to be created in a manner that is
valuable to the students, and therefore will engage them in their learning.
Marzano and Pickering contend that teachers should not abandon
homework. Instead they should improve its instructional quality (p.74).
The writer agrees with this contention as homework tasks can be
beneficial when they are not simply a recalling of knowledge. Teachers
should generate homework tasks which have multiple solution pathways
(Grootenboer, 2009, p.13). These sort of tasks allow for student
exploration and open-ended thinking. This leads to engagement in the
topic and an ownership of the content.

In regards to student participation in classroom content discussion,

teachers should set homework tasks that can enhance the educational
opportunities and outcomes for students (Grootenboer, 2009, p.14). The
writer believes that tasks set specifically in research preparation for a unit
is a good way to enhance the learning of students as they are able to
come to class with a basic prior knowledge which they are able to share
with their peers, participating in the community of practice. Marzano and
Pickering (2007) argue that purposeful homework is elaborating on
information that has been addressed in class to deepen students
knowledge (p.78). The writer agrees with this argument as the homework
is enhancing learning by extending on relevant knowledge learnt within
the classroom. Teachers should also remember that in sending this type of
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EDFD220- Assessment 2: Essay

stimulating work home, parents will have an opportunity to participate

and to understand the learning that the child is undertaking at that point
in time. This task would also prepare students for engagement within a
discussion as they have all individually extended on previous work.

An effective teacher should consider the many ways in which they can
encourage participation within the class discussions and the community of
practice. The three discussed strategies; questioning, peer teaching and
homework, all have merits of their own, and if used correctly, can
motivate and stimulate childrens learning. It is important to recall that
teacher questioning needs to challenge students beyond simply the
answer, however it is also critical to note that students also need to
develop their skills to question and to inquire. This development of skills
may also be seen as they learn to peer teach their fellow students. Peer
teaching increases motivation and learning competence, allowing
students to develop their collaborative discussions within a smaller
context. Homework has often been discussed in terms of its value and
worth, however, if used in the correct way by the teacher, it can enhance
and extend student knowledge. In order for these strategies to be
successful, teachers need to know their students and how they learn and
respond to particular tasks. This knowledge will allow for meaningful
learning and extended thinking, with students working both individually
and collaboratively together. As students are engaging in their learning,
they are able to involve themselves in classroom discussions and immerse
themselves into the community of practice.

[1885 Words]
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EDFD220- Assessment 2: Essay

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