Mastering a second language is tough enough, let alone getting up in front of an audience and presenting on complex grammar techniques that many native speakers would find daunting. However, that’s just what this group of students did during the Adult Basic Education of BC Conference, hosted by their instructor Leonne Beebe.
Beebe is the current C.A.L.L. coordinator over at Agassiz Harrison Community Services and believes in implementing new teaching styles, to further the growth of her students.
According to Beebe, having students learn in an interactive and dynamic way helps to get the blood flowing, and is essential to comprehension.
Having her students present and teach in a student led style is also recommended to enhance learning, and helps to keep it interesting. Beebe asserts that when students teach, it’s affirmation they have retained and mastered new information.
“Students learn more by teaching, the teacher is learning just as much as the student, as well as reaffirming the skills they’ve already retained,” Beebe told The Observer. “I don’t have to give a test because I know that they’ve taught it — when my students become my teacher I succeed,” she said.
Beebe, also maintains that teaching is her calling, and that she is passionate about it.
“Look at the way they’ve changed since they’ve come in, the way their body language has changed and how enthused they all are,” said Beebe of her students’ confidence levels at the completion of their presentation.
Michele Silva, was one of the students to present on the skills she’s learning as an ESL student from Brazil. Portuguese is her first language, and she’s found some of the English grammar difficult, but was able to get up and test her newfound knowledge.
“I was nervous at first, but as we went along it got easier, it was a lot of fun, and my confidence level is much better,” she said. “English is not easy for me and it’s a great challenge and I was so nervous before to try to show my little presentation. I know the concept and I know how to explain it in my language, but it’s hard to explain in English — it’s a great achievement for me.”
The presentation was part of a student led style of teaching that takes some of the load off of teachers while ramping up retention in learners.
“When a teacher says they’re tired, or they have too much marking to do, tell them to let their students do it, student led will take the pressure off a teacher and the teacher then gets to enjoy watching their students learn,” said Beebe.
