Writing Prompts about Team Teaching

• How would you describe your role in your current team teaching partnership? Do you tend to lead, support, or switch between roles? How do you feel about this role?
• What is one goal you have for improving your team teaching practice? Why is this important to you? What steps can you take to work toward this goal with your partner?
• What are the benefits (or disadvantages) of team teaching in the classroom?
• In what ways does team teaching allow you to be more responsive to students’ needs?

Team Teaching Styles

One Teach, One Assist

• In this model, one teacher leads the lesson while the other assists students who need help. The assisting teacher can walk around the room, help clarify instructions, and provide additional support to students who may struggle.
• It allows for quick individual support without interrupting the flow of the lesson. It’s particularly helpful in larger classes or with mixed proficiency levels.
• The assisting teacher should be aware of specific needs among students and how to support them effectively without distracting from the lead teacher’s instruction.
• This model is especially valuable in rural classrooms with students of varying English proficiency levels, where some students may need extra support. The assisting teacher can give personalized attention without interrupting the main lesson, allowing students to receive help without slowing down the pace.
• Rural classes can be large or have mixed ages and skill levels. This model ensures that struggling students don’t fall behind, while advanced students continue learning at the appropriate pace.

Parallel Teaching

• The class is split in half, with each teacher taking a group and teaching the same material simultaneously. This is ideal for classes where students benefit from smaller group sizes.
• Parallel teaching allows for more focused interaction and provides more opportunities for each student to participate and ask questions.
• Both teachers need to coordinate closely to ensure they are delivering the same content and pacing themselves similarly.
• In classrooms with mixed-grade levels or wide-ranging proficiency, parallel teaching can split the class so each group receives instruction tailored to their level. For instance, one teacher might focus on beginner-level vocabulary, while the other works with more advanced students on sentence building.
• This approach provides rural students with more targeted lessons, helping to bridge gaps in proficiency without isolating students who may be struggling or excelling. Small group sizes can also foster a more personal connection with the teacher, which can be especially beneficial in tight-knit rural communities.

Station Teaching

• Teachers divide the content into segments and set up “stations” around the room, with each teacher taking responsibility for a specific station. Students rotate through each station, engaging with different parts of the material.
• Students can benefit from diverse teaching methods and can engage with the material in varied ways. It’s also useful for introducing multiple aspects of a topic within a single class period.
• Time management is crucial, as students need enough time at each station without the lesson running over. Coordination is key to ensure that each station complements the others.
• Station teaching can bring variety and engagement to rural classrooms, where resources might be limited. By setting up different activities at each station, teachers can creatively use whatever resources are available, like picture cards, local stories, or songs.
• This method keeps students engaged, even in settings with limited materials. It allows students to explore different aspects of English—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—through hands-on activities. Teachers can also use stations to mix grades and levels, letting younger or less proficient students learn from peers.

Alternative Teaching

• One teacher takes the larger group while the other works with a smaller group that may need extra help or have special needs. This small group can work on remedial activities, or sometimes on enrichment activities, depending on their needs.
• Alternative teaching allows for targeted support, especially useful in classrooms with varying levels of proficiency. The smaller group receives personalized instruction, while the rest of the class continues at the regular pace.
• This method can sometimes make students in the smaller group feel singled out, so teachers need to handle group dynamics sensitively.
• Many rural classrooms have students with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of prior English exposure. Alternative teaching lets one teacher provide extra support to those needing it while others progress with the regular lesson. The smaller group can also be used to reinforce skills for students needing more practice or to challenge advanced learners.
• It provides rural students the individual attention they may need, preventing students from feeling left behind or unchallenged. This model can also help build confidence in students who may be hesitant to speak up in front of a larger group.

Co-Teaching

• Both teachers share the teaching responsibilities equally, often presenting the material together in a conversational or “back-and-forth” style. They plan and teach collaboratively, each adding their unique expertise and perspective.
• Team teaching can be engaging for students, as it brings different perspectives and styles into the lesson. It allows teachers to model good collaboration and conversational interaction.
• This approach requires strong planning and communication to prevent overlaps or gaps. Both teachers need to have a clear understanding of the lesson structure and objectives.
• Team teaching can be particularly effective in rural settings where one teacher might bring cultural knowledge and another language expertise. Both teachers can model conversation, which is helpful for students with limited exposure to native speakers or real-life English conversations.
• Rural students often have limited English exposure outside of school, so witnessing authentic conversations between teachers can improve listening and speaking skills. Co-teaching also models teamwork, which can encourage a strong sense of community in rural classrooms.

Tag Team Teaching

• Teachers switch off leading sections of the lesson, giving each other a break and offering students varied teaching styles. For example, one teacher might start with a warm-up and vocabulary introduction, then “tag” the other teacher to lead reading or a role-playing exercise.
• This keeps the lesson dynamic, as each teacher brings their unique energy to different sections. It allows teachers to play to their strengths while providing students with varied instruction.
• Clear transitions between teachers are important to maintain a seamless lesson. The teachers should also coordinate on content and activities to ensure a smooth flow.
• Tag team teaching keeps lessons lively, which is useful in rural classrooms where student engagement can be challenging due to fewer external stimuli or resources. Teachers can take turns handling different parts of the lesson, giving students exposure to varied teaching styles and helping sustain their interest.
• This approach can help rural students stay focused, as the shift in teaching styles keeps the lesson fresh. Teachers can also divide the lesson according to their strengths (e.g., one focusing on grammar, the other on conversation), providing more comprehensive coverage of English skills.

Discussion Questions (SDC 2024)

• What unique challenges do rural areas present for team teaching? How can teachers overcome these challenges to maximize student learning and engagement?
• Rural schools may have limited resources for materials, technology, and class space. How can team teachers work together to make the most out of what’s available? What creative solutions have you found or heard of?
• How can team teaching in rural areas support stronger community connections and cultural exchange? What community resources or partnerships have you or could you integrate into lessons?
• In rural areas where students may have less exposure to English outside of class, how can team teaching help sustain their interest and motivation? What activities or methods help increase engagement?
• Rural teaching can sometimes be unpredictable, with unexpected events, low attendance, or shifting priorities. How can team teachers prepare for flexibility and adapt lessons on the spot?
• What is one personal or shared goal you’d like to set with your co-teacher? How can you support each other in working toward it in the rural teaching context?

Activity (SDC 2024)

Identify 3-4 key challenges you face or might face in a rural team teaching environment. Choose one of the team teaching styles and talk about how it might help face these challenges in your classroom.

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Methods of Motivation

ARCS Model

The ARCS mode¹l, developed by John Keller, is a framework for enhancing learning motivation by focusing on four key factors: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction. It aims to capture learners’ interest (Attention), demonstrate the material’s applicability (Relevance), build learners’ belief in their success (Confidence), and ensure positive reinforcement (Satisfaction). By addressing these elements, educators can create more engaging and motivating learning experiences.

Generate Interest: Begin your language lessons with engaging and thought-provoking content. For instance, use captivating stories, multimedia, or real-life scenarios that pique students’ curiosity.

Variety: Incorporate a variety of teaching methods and resources, such as multimedia, group activities, games, and role plays, to maintain students’ interest.

Use Technology Wisely: Incorporate technology and online resources, such as language learning apps, interactive websites, and social media, to make learning more engaging and relevant.

Connect to Real-World Application: Show students how the language they’re learning is relevant to their everyday lives or future goals. For instance, discuss how language skills can help them in travel, business, or social interactions.

Personalization: Tailor your lessons to the interests and goals of your students. Encourage them to choose topics or projects related to their personal interests or career aspirations.

Support and Positive Feedback: Provide regular constructive feedback that focuses on the strengths and improvements of each student. Encourage them to take risks and assure them that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process.

Set Achievable Goals: Break down language learning into achievable short-term goals that gradually build students’ confidence. Celebrate their progress and accomplishments.

Continuous Assessment: Regularly assess students’ progress and adapt your teaching methods based on their needs and preferences. Seek feedback from students about what is working well and what needs improvement in the classroom.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards: Offer both intrinsic rewards, such as a sense of accomplishment and mastery, as well as extrinsic rewards, like certificates or small prizes, to recognize and reinforce their efforts.

Choice and Autonomy: Give students some control over their learning. Allow them to choose projects, topics, or learning resources, which can increase their satisfaction.

Why is it difficult to learn English in rural areas?

Few Foreign Residents

Rural areas typically have fewer opportunities for students to interact with individuals from other countries or cultures. The lack of access to foreigners and native English speakers can make it challenging for students to practice and develop their language skills or gain a deeper appreciation for global perspectives.

Foreign Resident Population: As of 2020, the number of foreign residents in Nagano was relatively low. This limited population of foreigners means that students may not have the chance to interact with or learn from individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds.

English as a Second Language: While English is usually considered the lingua franca for foreigners in Japan, many foreign residents in Nagano may not have English as their first language. This can further limit opportunities for English language exposure and practice, as interactions with non-native English speakers may not provide the same level of language immersion and fluency development as interactions with native speakers.

Small Classes

Rural schools typically have smaller student populations, resulting in smaller class sizes. While this can allow for more individualized attention from teachers, it can also limit the variety of educational resources and extracurricular activities available to students. Smaller classes might also result in a limited diversity of perspectives and experiences, as students have fewer peers to interact with.

Few Opportunities for Cultural Exchange

Rural schools often lack the diversity found in urban or suburban areas. Students in these settings may have limited exposure to different cultures, languages, and worldviews. This can hinder their ability to develop intercultural competence and a broader understanding of the global community.

How can we motivate students to engage with English?

Cultural Activities

ALTs often bring cultural lessons and activities to the classroom. They can explain major holidays and celebrations from their hometown, their country, or from other countries. If the ALT is excitied about the content and the JTE, English Specialist, or Homeroom teachers are excited to learn about it, the students are more likely to engage with and absorb the information. Common examples are Halloween and Christmas lessons in all grade levels.
Additionally, community events can help them engage with other cultures outside the classroom. For example, a few cities hold Halloween events or Christmas caroling. Students should know about these opportunities and be encouraged to visit.

Tourism

Another common activity in English classrooms is for students to take the place of a tour guide or travel agent. Then, they can recommend local places to go or plan a local trip. However, what many of these assignments fail to do is to give students a reason to create these materials outside the context of the class. Giving students an external audience can give them more motivation when working on the project.

Example Project: Festivals in Japan

In New Horizon 5 (2019), by Unit 7, elementary school students should be able to recommend different activities and events. The unit has them talking about seasonal cultural activities in Japan. In this activity, the main ALT arranged for an ALT from a different school to do a video exchange project using Flip.com. ALT 2 asked the students in a video to reccomend different festivals in Japan. The students researched different festivals and presented about ones they liked. The students recorded videos that ALT 2 could respond to. After, students enjoyed watching the responses.

Example Project: Tourism in the U.S.

By the summertime in junior high school, 2nd grade students should be able to describe why they want to go somewhere and try to make a convincing argument to visit certain places. In this activity, 4 groups in 2nd grade and 4 groups in 3rd grade competed against each other to make a plan to visit the U.S. Each group was given a region and a budget and must make a travel plan. Then, students recorded videos describing their plan and providing images or videos. Each class (including 1st grade) could watch the videos, vote on their favorite one, and leave comments. Other teachers in the school were also encouraged to vote.

Opportunities to Use English

Encouraging students to use English outside of the classroom can be difficult outside of giving them homework. In rural areas, this becomes even more difficult due to the lack of English speakers and English resources in the community. Teachers can encourage students to listen to English music or read English books outside of class.

Example Project: Little English Librarys

Two ALTs in Nagano applied for the U.S. Embassy Microgrant Initiative for Current JETs. Their project, “Little Towns, Little Free Libraries” aims to provide English books for the community. The Little Free Library Project² spans across 110+ countries and has provided 15,000 free outdoor libraries for communites around the world.

Example Project: Winter Preparations and Recommendations

The JET Program hosts area-specific block meetings during the winter. Involving the students in these meetings is benificial for both the students (as an oppotunity to learn English) and the meeting attendees (usually unfamiliar with Nagano’s winters). This can involve students giving recomendations for places around Nagano as a written activity or for the students to make a video presentationa about winter preparation. Then, meeting attendees can give written (or photo) responses to the information presented by students.

Using English for Personal Goals

Giving students practical examples of others learning and utilizing English can help motivate them to learn English to meet their own goals. This can include learning about study abroad programs, international universities, and activism.

Example Project: Advocating for Japan’s Animals

In New Horizon 6’s Unit 5 (2019), elementary school students can describe different animals. They learn how to describe what animals eat, where they live, and adjectives to describe them. In this activity, the students are introduced to children who use English in their activism like Greta Thunberg, Kawasaki Rena, and Severn Cullis-Suzuki to inspire them. The students research animals that need more global attention. They create a presentation where they can describe the animals then discuss the animals in a group that mimics the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They also create brochures that can be used to discuss the animals.

Common Themes to Inspire

There are many ways a teacher an inspire a student by targeting their interests. Here are a few common themes:

• Environmental Advocacy: Just like Greta Thunberg, children can learn English to be effective advocates for environmental causes. They can participate in international conferences, collaborate with global organizations, and communicate their ideas on climate change and sustainability.
• Human Rights Activism: English proficiency is crucial for young activists who want to address human rights issues, work with organizations like Amnesty International, and advocate for justice and equality on a global scale.
• International Diplomacy: English is often the language of diplomacy. Aspiring diplomats can use their language skills to work for their country’s foreign service or international organizations, contributing to global peace and cooperation.
• Medical and Healthcare Professions: English is useful in the medical field. Kids can grow up to become doctors, nurses, or researchers and collaborate on international health projects, share research findings, and provide medical aid in disaster-stricken regions.
• Academic and Scientific Research: Proficiency in English enables young researchers to share their findings, collaborate with international peers, and publish their work in renowned academic journals.
• Technology and Innovation: English is the lingua franca in the tech industry. People can use English to work on cutting-edge technological advancements, collaborate with multinational tech companies, and develop global applications and software.
• Social Entrepreneurship: English-speaking children can launch social enterprises and work on projects that address global issues, such as poverty, education, and public health, allowing them to make a positive impact on a global scale.
• Art and Culture: English proficiency is essential for artists and musicians who want to reach a global audience. They can create and perform in English, participate in international art exhibitions, and share their cultural expressions with the world.
• Education and Teaching: Bilingual people can become English teachers in foreign countries, teaching English and fostering cross-cultural understanding. They can also use their language skills to develop innovative teaching materials and methods.
• Non-Profit and Volunteering: English speakers can volunteer with international non-profit organizations, travel to underserved regions, and help those in need, such as through disaster relief efforts or educational initiatives.

Relevant Interest Activities

When motivating students, it is always good to choose projects that are relevant to their interests and goals. It is also good to give them opportunities to be creative, funny, and show their personality through using English.

Example Project: Create Original Content

Many students are interested in creating content and sharing their creations, such as animation, entertaining videos, and manga. With students working in small groups, have them decide on what type of content they would like to make. Have them brainstorm what the finished piece of content might look like and have the students consult with a teacher about the end goal for the project. The teacher should make sure their idea for a finished project is realistic within the time given. When finished, the content that the students made can be shared digitally with the class and with other grade level classes to showcase their content. Examples of content the students might create is a 5-10 page comic about the characters in the textbook, a 5 minute animation involving original characters, or a video skit with a written script of about 100 words. During the process of content creation, the students should continually check in with the teacher via progress reports. Additionally, the end goal that they have set can be changed depending on the needs of the group.

Example Project: Vision Boards

Have students think of 3 goals that they would like to accomplish in the next 3 years. This works well for 6th grade elementary school as they can think about their future junior high school life. Haave them create a digital or physical “vision board” including pictures and words about their goals. These vision boards can then be shared with their junior high school teachers to revisit at the end of their junior high school experience.

Project Based Learning

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that centers on students completing extended, real-world projects to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. In a PBL classroom, students typically work collaboratively, investigate complex problems, develop solutions, and present their findings. At Nagano SDC 2022, Sabbi Topal’s presentation “Creating Authentic Learning Experiences: An Introduction to PBL and GRASPS Model Tasks” discussed in detail how to use PBL in the classroom.

Example Project: Create a Picture Book

Near the end of junior high school, 3rd grade students might have little motivation in the classroom. Additionally, students might have finished (or be close to finishing) the textbook content. They may also be studying for enterance exams (or be finished with exams already). Having a fun project to work on during this period of the school year can help motivate students to use English. For this project, the ALT presents a problem: the lack of picture books with both English and Japanese to use in the elementary school. Then the students create their own story within a group.

Goal Setting

SMART Goals

When setting goals, it is useful to remember the “SMART” framework. SMART goals refer to a set of parameters you can apply to your goals to make them more accessable. This is especially important when setting goals for your students.

Thinking about motivation…

• What are some new ways we can get our students interested in learning English?
• What projects or activities can we introduce to our students to have them engage with other cultures? Or, how can we have students share their culture with the world?
• Are there ways we can encourage students to travel abroad? How can we expose our students to people using English around the world?
• How can we help our students to understand English is a useful skill, even after their schooling has finished?
• What is a difficulty we’ve had in our rural schools and how can we overcome that difficulty? Can we try to set a goal to overcome this?
• What are some projects or activities we would like to introduce in our own classrooms? How can we describe them with SMART goals?

Refrences

1. Reupert, Andrea et al. “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child: Understanding and Expanding the Concept of the “Village”.” Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 10 756066. 11 Mar. 2022. ↩︎
2. “JAPAN: Nagano.” Nagano (Japan): Cities, Towns and Villages in Prefecture – Population Statistics, Charts and Map, http://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/nagano/.  ↩︎
3. Keller, John M. “ARCS Model of Motivation”. Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. 2012. ↩︎
4. https://littlefreelibrary.org/ ↩︎