Teaching in English 2: Student Support

Julian R. Koe (Professor of Chemistry)

*This article was written in 2017

[日本語]

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This article is based on a presentation I gave at an ICU-National Astronomy Observatory of Japan joint informal meeting at ICU on 25 Feb 2016, the purpose of which was to address the difficulties encountered when teaching, in English, classes comprising both Japanese and international students whose abilities to comprehend English are significantly different. It is based on my personal experiences gained over 16 years of teaching chemistry at ICU and giving classes at a number of other universities in Japan.

Teaching in English: Why, What, When, Who and How

Before discussing the challenges and some solutions, the question as to why students should be taught in English in a country where English is not the native language should perhaps be asked. A succinct answer is that the Japanese Education Ministry (MEXT) has declared that it will be so. Consideration of this offers two possible reasons for the declaration: firstly, inclusion as a player on the world stage and secondly financial. Taking the second reason first, Japan wishes to attract students from abroad to counter the effects of a shrinking population and provide much needed operational cash for Japanese universities. Considering the first reason, since the de facto international language of the world is English, people and organisations wishing to be included in the world club, as it were, must be able to operate and communicate in English, or face potential relegation to second class status. Thus the importance of English.

Firstly I address, in bullet point fashion, the questions not only of why Japanese students at universities in Japan should be taught classes using the medium of English, but also what, when, who and how such classes should or could be administered.

• • Why? So that students may become part of a worldwide reality; for the students in their personal lives so that they may broaden their identities as Japanese people who can use English; for students in the sciences in particular, since English is the international language and for one's research to be rapidly accepted, it is much better if it is published in English in one of the major international journals.

  • What? English, not for learning as a school subject in itself, such as 'English Language', but English as a tool of learning, understanding and communication in the study of other subjects (my own being Chemistry).

  • When? Language acquisition is a complex subject, but simply put, it is easier the earlier it happens. Ideally exposure would commence from the pre-primary school stage.

  • Who? Everyone. If parents and teachers, train and bus drivers, store keepers and secretaries were to have competence in the use of English, children would see it as a natural phenomenon and acquire competence in English much more readily.

  • How? In multiple formats: in the home, at school, in class, using video, audio, role play, reading, writing, playing games, drama.

Tips from My Experience

Accepting that at Japanese universities, classes in various subjects will be taught using the medium of English to students whose English abilities range from rather poor to native speaker level – an understandably daunting task for any instructor, but particularly so when the instructor is also not a native English speaker – let me describe my own approach to this considerable challenge.

The following sections address different aspects of a class through all stages from design to implementation, in approximately chronological order.

What is the objective?

Student understanding of the subject material through the medium of English; keeping students engaged and motivated; using English as a tool.

What is a good lecture?

One that is understood in real time, as the lecture is delivered. This is hard in English language medium classes, as very often there is a lag in subject matter comprehension due to English language processing. I see students unable to answer even the simplest questions, such as "what is your name?" They panic and go into an isolation mode – isolated from the instructor, from the content and even from their own thoughts. It is vital therefore to keep the students functioning at 100%: awake, switched on, motivated, involved and engaged. For this, a practical understanding of psychology is useful, if not essential, including strategies to keep students focused. I mix things up as much as possible – when checking back with students that they understand what I have just explained, I may ask for a volunteer, or I may call out the name of a victim (playing on the letter 'v'); or I may request responses based on the clothes people are wearing, or the person they are sitting next to. When I was a student, studying a double major in Chemistry and Law at the University of Exeter in the UK in the 1980s, I found that the Law classes definitely had a tendency to make me sleepy. The lecturer, though, Mr. Bob Drury, used to spice things up in many different ways, such as referring to God as 'She' or using quotes from Monty Python, and putting on funny accents.

Planning – what kind of class?

Classes can have many different purposes: they may be designed so that students learn and understand technical knowledge, or exercise already learnt knowledge. Guest lectures may aim at academic entertainment. The academic level of the lecture must be appropriate for the students, and so it is important that instructors know the abilities and experience of their audience. I have given lectures to many different audiences: to primary, middle and high school (pupils and teachers), to the public, at College Fairs, to university undergraduates, graduates, intensive lectures, and at research symposia, in many different countries and in Japanese and English. It is absolutely essential to know who the audience will be – and then to tune the delivery appropriately, in terms of pace, content and quantity. For example, lecturing to non-native speakers in English is slower, so it is important not to attempt too much.

Text book considerations

Which is better – an English (E) textbook, or English with a Japanese (J) translated version (E/J)? With an E textbook, students must read English, and in case of difficulties, should then consult a similar level J textbook in the Library on the same topic. If the textbook is E/J, students may purchase the J book, enhancing their speed of subject matter comprehension and affording a bilingual approach. However this results in a reduced experience of English as a medium, and so the students' ability to use English as a tool is not enhanced. One senior colleague recommends E/J textbooks for lower level classes, with E in higher level classes. Other colleagues prefer E only from the beginning.

Syllabus

These are now routinely given in both English and Japanese online at ICU, and this should be encouraged for all classes.

Lecture notes in class

One of the classes I give regularly every year is an intensive graduate level lecture course to about 60 students (mostly Japanese with a few from other SE Asian nations) – essentially a whole term's worth of lectures in three or four days, with up to four 90-minute lectures per day – at Osaka Prefectural University. These are extremely challenging for all concerned – the students have to maintain focus to an almost unreal degree, and the instructor has to hope that their voice lasts. I always write all my notes on the board by hand, instructing the students that they MUST copy down in their note books everything I write on the board. The final lecture concerns my research topic, and the first time I gave this class, since I had Powerpoint slides already prepared from other research presentations, I gave the final lecture using Powerpoint. It was a salutary lesson – almost everyone in the room slept! - despite having kept awake until that point. It has served to confirm my style of delivery in all my classes as "chalk-talk" – although I prefer the whiteboard and coloured pens (less dust). Now, even my final research-oriented talk at Osaka PU is handwritten on the board. It is amazing that even among the ca. 60 students in the class, almost no one sleeps! Although this method is somewhat limiting, the beneficial aspects of this outweigh the detrimental: the speed of delivery is limited to my writing speed.

Before class

Students are requested to complete any assigned homework, to pre-read the content of the next class in the text book and to check the handouts on Moodle (if Moodle is being used for the class)

At the entrance to the classroom

Students submit previously assigned homework, pick up Comment Sheets and already graded homework. If Moodle is being used, the next homework and handouts will have been available for several days, otherwise the paper versions are also at the entrance to the classroom.

In class – Greeting

I always start with a greeting, and I expect a reasonably full reply. Often with a new class the greeting needs to be repeated. I feel that this goes some way to establishing the class as a forum for two-way communication. I aim to encourage students, to make them feel that what they need to learn is accessible to them. As much as possible, I face the students and talk enthusiastically with them rather than to or at them.

• • Comment sheet and observed HW issues. Having perused the Comment Sheets and homework from the previous class, I address points which need clarification – as with the lecture, both on the board and orally. I use clear, simple English. After a particularly important point, I may repeat it in Japanese.

  • Lecture. I divide the board in two and then write (the minimum) and read out loud what I write as I go – as noted above, students MUST copy everything written on the board. Then facing the students, I elaborate orally and check back on the students' understanding by asking them questions if they do not ask me any questions. Getting a response is typically difficult in Japan, so if there are no Volunteers, I select Victims – by many different means – their clothes, who they sit next to, from the list of student names, or by a random eyes-closed point. This is one way of keeping the students engaged, and this really is the greatest challenge and my aim in teaching Japanese students in English. Successful instructors consider their tactics carefully and can improvise. It is often an exercise in practical psychology: I employ demonstrations, shock (exploding balloons [see Figure 1; I exploded a balloon at this point in my FD talk], trumpets - whether related to class content or not), humour (I have sung PPAP), jokes and stories, pauses, teasing, physical activity, 1-point English language lessons (pronunciation, grammar etc.) Sometimes I walk around the class while discussing a point, and I also ask students to write on the board. The only problem is that all this takes time – so my greatest challenge is time-keeping.

  • Key words. I emphasise that perfect ability in English is not necessary: almost 100% understanding is achievable with only 10% of information – see Figure 2. Key words are sufficient in a class in which English is used only as the medium of instruction. Additional explanations, and questions to and from students etc. may be oral and in English or Japanese, and although I do not insist that these comments are all noted down, I encourage note taking if possible.

After class

I request students to submit Comment Sheets – not only does this provide the attendance record, but it gives students the opportunity to comment on the lecture or request further explanation. I also outline what students should pre-read before the next class.

Teaching Assistants – use effectively

If there is a TA, it is best that the TA attends the classes and gives recitation classes (tutorials). I think it is helpful to have a TA who communicates with the students in Japanese but whose English is good enough also to be able to encourage the students. If the TA does grading, then it is important for the Instructor to review the graded scripts to see both quality and fairness as well as to note student difficulties.

Office hours

During my 16 years at ICU, my Office Hours have almost never been used for lecture related questions …

Homework and exam

I emphasise to the students that while I am not testing their English, the content matter must be clear. Occasionally, however, I may test for the meaning of particular words, but this is restricted to a few words out of a whole term of classes.

Mid-term tests

I have found it useful sometimes to distribute Question sheets in advance so that students with lesser ability in English have time to understand the questions and prepare answers for the subsequent test in class.

Lab classes

In lab classes, the Lab Report is a critical element. Not only must it be clear and unambiguous, it must also conform to fairly strict presentation rules – such as the use of the passive voice in the past tense to describe an experiment. I find that detailed Lab Report instructions do not seem to be read or understood. The first reports of a term are usually awful, but each report improves so that by end of term, the level is usually reasonable, particularly if a Writing Support Desk tutor is available.

Concluding Remarks

In conclusion, it is a serious challenge to teach complex subject matter in a non-native language medium, and one for which university academics receive no training (of course most university academics do not have formal teaching qualifications). Nevertheless, successful strategies can be developed to maximize teaching effectiveness, and sharing these between colleagues both international and Japanese (to provide a cultural reference point), will further improve student understanding.