Page 104 - Beyond Methods

92 Minimizing perceptual mismatches
reading comprehension. What follows is one possible approach; teach- ers should change it to suit their particular learning and teaching en- vironment.
4.1.1 First, talk about possible differences between teacher intention and learner interpretation of classroom aims and activities. By asking leading questions, get the learners to come up with their own explana- tions and examples, however tentative.
4.1.2 Introduce the ten sources of potential mismatches. Depending on the proficiency level of the learners, you might even wish to use a subset of five major mismatches—say, cognitive, communicative, lin- guistic, cultural, and attitudinal. Also, if necessary, simplify (see the simplified statements given for Microstrategy 4.2. below).
4.1.3 Using the sample interactional data given above to illustrate each of the mismatches (or any suitable examples you can draw from your own classes), help them understand the concept.
4.1.4 Form small groups, probably five. Allot two mismatches to each group. Have the learners talk about the allotted mismatches in their groups. Encourage them to share their understanding of mis- matches and come up with examples drawn from their own classroom experiences.
4.1.5 Have a representative from each group present their examples to the class, followed by discussion. It is all right if some groups are not able to come up with examples within the limited time given to them.
4.1.6 If you judge that one more session on a similar activity will help the learners understand the concept better, select some of the in- teractional episodes presented in other chapters of this book (see, par- ticularly, Chapter 13) and help your learners to identify possible mis- matches in them. You may have to give them the necessary background information about these episodes.
4.1.7 Ask your learners to pay conscious attention to possible mis- matches whenever they face any difficulty in understanding classroom aims and events. Suggest to them that they keep a journal or a diary in which they monitor mismatches in their various classes. Tell them this might be one way of finding out the sources of their learning difficul- ties before they can be addressed effectively.
Microstrategy 4.2: Learner Perception
4.2.0 This microstrategy is designed as a follow-up to the previous one. The objective here is to get learners’ perceptions of a selected