Page 102 - Beyond Methods

90 Minimizing perceptual mismatches Reflective task 4.3
Assuming that these ten sources are among the underlying causes for po- tential mismatches in the language classroom, what are the ways in which you can make use of this information for improving teaching effectiveness?
Pedagogic Insights
There are at least three broad pedagogic insights we can derive from the above discussion. They are:
• Mismatches are unavoidable. They are a part of the practice of everyday teaching. Even highly structured and meticulously planned lessons will result in perceptual mismatches of one kind or another. In fact, given the number of participants and the vary- ing perspectives they bring to bear on classroom events, it would be surprising if perceptual mismatches do not occur at all.
• Mismatches are identifiable. Even a preliminary study such as the one reported above has revealed ten different sources of mis- match between teacher intention and learner interpretation. These mismatches are not exhaustive, that is, further research might re- veal more of them. Nor are they mutually exclusive, that is, they do not all have distinct boundaries. They are, however, distinct enough to be related to a particular source. Incidentally, the study also shows the importance of putting together learner, teacher, and observer perspectives in order to achieve a rich understand- ing of classroom aims and events. This is an important method- ological issue we will revisit in greater detail in Chapter 13.
• Mismatches are manageable. Perceptual mismatches may be un- avoidable, but they are not unmanageable. In fact, if identified in time and addressed with care, a mismatch can be converted into a learning opportunity in class. The mere recognition of the source of a mismatch could help both the learners and the teach- ers understand that there is an underlying reason for the diffi- culties the learners may have encountered in making sense of a classroom event.