Over the Wall of Silence

28 Over the Wall of Silence

energy and motivation. Anything new we try to bring to the class room must be reconciled with this fact. So again, short, simple tests done regularly have much more effect on motivation and participa tion than long, complex ones done rarely. Another feature of a good test is giving direct feedback. Directly after a test is the perfect moment to give a short comment such as “That response was very natural,” or “Be careful with plurals,” ei ther verbally or written on a Progress Sheet. At this time test-takers can feel what went right and what didn’t, and feedback is most effec tive. It’s important to find your balance between tests conducted in front of the whole class with considerable pressure (which are nec essary to model certain things for the group and establish your au thority), and tests conducted away from the group with less pressure. WHERE IS THE FUN IN ALL THIS ? Up until now, with talk of testing, Progress Sheets and cultural differences, some of you might be wondering where the enjoyment in class will come from. Of course, we believe everyone should work at creating a positive, open atmosphere in the classroom. But as Jack discovered, it is not enough to just present yourself as friendly and approachable, to explain that mistakes are OK, and to smile often and widely. Those efforts, however well-intentioned, can often fall flat. Even the friendliest, most active teacher can be ignored, and when students are not on task, even the brightest of them will sleep. The vicious cycle continues when teachers lose their motivation in a classroom where no student responds to them, and many veg out or sleep (even a tiny fraction of the students in class sleeping is