CONSORCIO PADUA

I went to the UoSJP for the fieldwork in January 2011 to conduct the research during the first semester, which lasted from February to April. The fieldwork contained the teaching through lesson plans already prepared with new pedagogies. I discussed the research plan with the Director of the Institute of English Language and Literature from the UoSJP, and asked him to allow me to engage two classes where I could practice the new teaching. He assigned two classes from the second year (first semester) in two separate departments: Biochemistry and English department - Group A and B respectively. I spoke to the concerned teachers of these departments to plan the timetable and to discuss the course contents to develop the detailed lesson plans. I decided to teach at the English department as the number of students was high (around 125), whereas, I decided to replicate the new teaching in Biochemistry through another teacher where there were around sixty-five in the class.

I discussed with the teacher who was already teaching compulsory English in the English Department to get her consent to replace her temporarily. Then I spoke to the Biochemistry teacher (Teacher C) to ask and discuss with her for collaborating for teaching on the new pattern. She had joined the department one year earlier. I had already interviewed her and recorded a class during the first phase of the data collection. She had been a student in the third year before I left for the UK for my Doctoral studies, therefore she knew me as a teacher at the department. As a student, she had been outstanding in academic and curriculum activities like debates and had secured a first class honours degree. She was also a popular teacher. She was teaching three more courses as well as Remedial English.

Apart from teaching around four subjects, she also had lots of administrative responsibilities from the department. She was a secretary for the publication of a research journal. Despite her busy schedule, she agreed to be part of the research and helped me in teaching by using the lesson plans that I provided her. However, due to her busy schedule, she agreed to teach only and not to prepare any lesson plans for her class. We also agreed to discuss her teaching experience so that I could prepare lesson plans accordingly by incorporating the changes that might come from her feedback. This first meeting with her lasted for thirteen to fifteen minutes.

After discussing the timetable of both the classes with the teacher responsible for timetabling and getting consent from the subject teachers, I proceeded for the detailed planning of the first lesson. After the preparation of the lesson, the next step was to select group leaders for the first teaching in both classes respectively.

6.4.1 Selecting group leaders

The new teaching aimed at increasing students’ participation therefore the role of group leader was important to facilitate the class work. I needed to select group leaders who could facilitate in managing groups and carry out activities. The initial criteria for selecting a group leader were their language abilities. I gave three topics to the students of second year (first semester) Biochemistry and English departments in separate classes. I also explained the purpose of my taking classes and asked them to write a paragraph on any one of the following topics.

• Importance of English

• What I enjoy most in the language class • What I enjoy least in the language class

I checked the paragraphs and on the basis of their writing skills twenty students from the English department and eight students from Biochemistry were short listed to be group leaders in the first class. The checking criteria focused on the correct use of grammar and clarity of thought. Their role and purpose was discussed with them in two separate meetings for each department.

6.4.2 Meeting the group leaders

After checking the paragraph, I arranged meeting with the short-listed group leaders from both departments separately. First, I arranged a meeting with the students of Biochemistry. There were seven female students and only one male student selected as group leaders. During the meeting, I told them the purpose of the new teaching and their role in it. In the beginning, they were not willing to be group leaders and one of the female students left the meeting because she was not willing to be part of the group. Other students also wanted to leave as they were confused about their role and were concerned that it might waste their time or it might give them an extra workload. Therefore, they looked confused and unwilling to be part of the meeting. I persuaded them to stay and listen about their role in the meeting and ask any concern about it and that they could leave if they still did not want to be part of the group leaders. Some of the questions they asked were: Why should they be

part of the group? What will be the purpose of my research? I explained all their queries.

My explanations did not seem to be convincing for them. However, I persuaded them to attend a pilot class to understand their role and if they still did not wish to be group leaders, I would not persuade them anymore.

Contrary to the group leaders of Biochemistry, the English department students were excited to be group leaders and were quite familiar with me as they know that I was working there. I discussed with them their role and responsibilities in the class based on the new teaching. They were supposed to encourage their group members to take part in the activity, and help in giving them positive feedback about their oral and written work. I also asked them to attend a pilot class so that they could get familiar with the teaching and their role in it. After the discussion with the group leaders, I arranged a meeting with Teacher C to discuss her role and responsibilities for the new teaching.

6.4.3 Discussion with the Biochemistry teacher (Teacher C)

I discussed the entire plan of the research with Teacher C, which also included the following points in detail:

1. Teaching method 2. Lesson plans

3. Role of student leader 4. Observation

I discussed with her that the teaching will take place according to the lesson plans, which I will be handing over to her for each lesson. The lesson plan will contain the language items to be taught and the procedures to teach. She was concerned how the mid-term and final term exam will be conducted. I told her that I will take the mid-term and she will take the final term from the syllabus that I will be providing her. I also told her that an observer would be observing her teaching through an observation inventory. After the feedback of the observer, the classroom teaching had to be discussed and reflected to help in planning for the subsequent class.

She understood her role to be different from a traditional teacher. She was to teach as a facilitator providing an opportunity to students for meaningful interaction during the teaching rather than lecturing as a traditional teacher. During the initial meeting, she accepted to collaborate in the research through her teaching and reflection on the new method. She also assured cooperation in giving critical feedback through interview and her written notes on her experience.

After these initial meetings with the group leaders and Teacher C, a pilot class was arranged to further familiarise their role in the new teaching.