THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE CLASSROOM.

Federico Arteaga C.

When we talk about “Language Study” our mind wanders all the
way back to the classrooms where we learnt the almighty “Subject
– verb– object” formula, and quite rarely to the place or situation
where or when we applied such knowledge. Therefore we can
easily tell this knowledge was learnt rather than acquired.

THE CLASSROOM

When I was attending eighth grade of high school at a public

institution in Bogotá, my algebra teacher used to preach the Baldor
book, and I never grew to like algebra. In the other hand my
English teacher was a very active lady who would take us outside
the classroom and have us do little role-plays in the yard, we all
had to impersonate different people in different situations. And the
whole class’ best grades were the English ones. Then I learnt that
the worst place to learn a foreign language is a classroom.

i. thou shalt recognize the space.

The first thing when a class period starts (before getting to know
the level or the students) is to check the “campus” where the
learning process and experience will take place. Why do we talk
about campus? Because when teaching in non-target-language-
speaking countries, specially Colombia, having the students carry
out activities where they don’t feel concerned or contextualized is
nothing but a waste of time. The teacher must set the classroom
playing the hunter setting a trap (bait) in order to catch the
students’ general attention towards a new world that reveals itself
very appealing for any audience.
When recognizing the classroom the teacher must take into
account:
- Acoustics: The setting of the students and the teacher in the
classroom. Remember, the teacher can set the students in
the classroom the way he thinks will be helpful for the
learning process.
 - Sources of noise: such as doors, windows, damaged walls or
roves and proximity to offices and/or streets. It is important
that if these sources of noise will not help the process move
forward it mustn’t pull it back. Since most sources of noise
are joined to a visual element they can come in helpful by
proposing them as conversation starters or topics.

ii. thou shalt recognize thy students.

Once you are familiar to the physical space where the class will
be developed, the next step is to recognize: first, the class as a
whole and second, the student as an individual.
- The class as a whole. The group will be the immediate
amount of neighbors needed to establish an adequate
environment to unfurl the language study. If the class has
been together for some time, then it already has a well-
defined personality. However, this group is formed by single
individuals that may have different and well-divided learning
strategies and styles.
- The student as an individual. These learning strategies and
styles vary, mainly, depending on which of the brain’s
multiple intelligences the student has grown to develop and
master. We can divide these multiple intelligences into eight
recognized fields.

1. Literature and linguistic intelligence: This type of

individual has the ability to understand and handle the
words whether written or orally (Structures). They often
grow and their majors trend to written word handling
(Writers, storytellers, orators, journalists, teachers).
2. Logical-Mathematical intelligence: They can, obviously,
use numbers, statistics and have to organize
information in a systematic way; you will frequently find
them in class making charts in their notebooks and
highlighting exceptions to rules. Their majors?
Scientists, statisticians, mathematicians, computer
programmers and most engineers.
3. Visual-Spatial intelligence: These people conceive a 3D
image in their minds before visualize the written code of
a lively object (Word). They can transform images into
messages. They will use colors, lines, shapes and space
 to locate the knowledge in their minds in a harmonic
way (Artists, architects, photographers).
4. Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence: These individuals first in-
hand tool to express him/herself is not a book or a
pencil, it’s their body. They will move and are gifted to
it. The always trend to propose parties and integration
activities where they can use all their stamina (Sports
people).
5. Musical intelligence: This people depend on rhythm for
living. You will easily find them tapping on the tables
with their fingers, drawing zigzag lines on their
notebooks and repeating your intonation after you finish
speaking (Musicians, speakers).
6. Interpersonal intelligence: They perceive and care for
the people around them. They are sensitive to gestures,
intonation and the feeling people show, for this reason
they may seem apart from the teacher or very fond of
him/her (Counselor, teacher, spiritual leader…).
7. Intrapersonal intelligence: Contrary to the interpersonal
kind of people, they would rather interact with
themselves than with people; they know and are aware
of their abilities and limitations. They will avoid working
in groups, and if made, they will block.
8. Naturalist intelligence: They understand the vital
relation between the Earth and humans, the
environment as a part of oneself and feel very
concerned about a proper space to learn (Biologists,
ecologists).

These eight types of intelligences are also contained in four

major categories named after colors.
The left hemisphere processing contains the Blue color which
represents an objective kind of thinking, a problem solving ability,
numerical skills, awareness of the importance of money, fast
calculation methods, a highly developed sense of logic a strong like
for concrete operations.
The Green color is also found in the left hemisphere of the brain
and its main features are the need for thorough processes (from
games to work), systematic, disciplined and technical thinking,
they are somewhat picky for everything, they are routinists and,
therefore, dislike changes.
So we see, the left hemisphere of the brain has linear or sequential
process of thinking, an affinity for analysis and reasoning in a
verbal and logic way.
In the other hand the right hemisphere of the brain works by
patterns and/or connections, processes information from space
and movement in highly visual environments and feedbacks the
world. It contains the Yellow color which dislikes routines, it’s an
audacious and rebellious type of person, they are the rule-
breakers, the revolutionaries and innovative for whom the fashion
is very important. The last color is the Red that represents humane
thinking, the value of social relations where feelings are always
involved. This people is very kinesthetic and impulsive.
The objective in recognizing our type of students is not only to
target their specific kind of intelligence and learning strategies, but
also to develop both sides of the brain at the same time.

iii. thou shalt reduce thy teaching.

A lot has been said about this but most of the idea is either a
misconception or a misunderstanding. When it is said that the
teacher should reduce his/her teaching time, the proper idea
moves towards more preclass work than in-class language
teaching. This preclass work means bearing in mind the two first
commandments and then (after recognizing the space and the
students), prepare activities that become meaningful in a
communication-centered, tension- free environment. Once the
students’ intelligences are recognized then we find specific
activities for each type.
1. For Linguistic intelligences: These activities promote
word-handling development. Remember: What an
activity teaches is not as important as what it promotes
or stimulates. So for LI lectures are delivered,
discussions, storytelling sessions, journals, debates and
word games (Scrabble, Boggle).
2. For Logical-Mathematical intelligences: Brain teasers,
code breakers, mysteries, mental calculation problems,
puzzles and number games.
3. For Visual-Spatial intelligences: Video projects, art
activities, static spatial location, imagination games,
collages.
4. For Bodily-kinesthetic intelligences: Role plays, drama,
hands-on activities, miming, handcrafts.
 5. For Musical intelligences: Songs, humming or whistling
clue games, rapping, concept-music linking.
6. For Interpersonal intelligences: Cooperative learning,
peer correction, group brainstorming, communication
problems.
7. For Intrapersonal intelligences: Independent study,
assessment projects, individualized instruction, goal
setting sessions.

Iv. thou shalt provide.

Once the teacher’s preclass work is ready, then the reduced

teaching time in class must become a quality providing time. The
input we give our students become in their main way to interact
with the language. Remember, the students’ input understanding
is always one step beyond their productive skills. and since the
teaching time will be reduced, the input we give must be
meaningful and appealing that, even though is contained in the
classroom micro cosmos, goes beyond the board and marker limits.
The board and the marker are, essentially, the main restriction for
students’ production.
The classroom must be an input itself. It must be a meaningful,
tension-free environment where language can be acquired and
where the students will find the motivating context in which they
are exposed and at the same time will have the opportunities to
use target language and interact with it as a common code for all
of them.
And combining the reduced teaching time turned into providing
time with the meaningful setting of the classroom, the students will
have all the input they need (Controlled practice).

v. thou shalt promote students’ autonomy.

Let’s agree on what Autonomy is: A teacher can easily decide

that an autonomous is that who studies entirely on his/her own. A
student will say Autonomy is to do whatever in wants and the
facing the consequences; they will say, as well, an autonomous
learner is who will do OK without a teacher.
In a consensus they both agree and are both wrong. Autonomy is
to be gained so we cannot propose activities for autonomous
learners, instead, we should give our students activities that will
promote autonomous learning. That’s our role since Autonomy is a
set of activities that promote self-learning, promote detachment,
critical reflection, decision making, independent action and
language study awareness.
These Autonomy promoting activities must be focused in student-
student communication problems, in this way they develop their
own communication strategies. The more complex these
communication problems become, the more interdependence
sense will the class develop among themselves (sharing
information, peer correction). Then, when sharing he different
solutions to the problems proposed, the teacher should encourage
the fluency over accuracy, like this, the student won’t be so
dependent on the teacher, on the contrary, will feel motivated to
use his/her own amount of vocabulary and slowly create his/her
independence and autonomous learning-communicative strategy.
That is called “The Classroom Trick”: The teacher should provide
learners with communication problems and strategies in the target
language, then target language acquisition will take care of itself.

vi. thou shalt motivate thy students.

The first and most motivating thing a student can see in the
classroom is a teacher who likes what he/she does, a person who
constantly uses the target language to solve communication
problems and situations. The next thing to motivate students is to
let them know everyone has the ability to acquire a new
knowledge. Remember, acquired knowledge is not as important as
the capacity to acquire knowledge (Puzzle – drilling – song – video –
stand-up activity).
Controlled practice is another way to motivate our students: the
drilling helps our weaker students feel more confident and
committed towards learning, therefore they will feel motivated and
open minded to a higher input (I+1). Then, when motivated,
students can be challenged to produce a bit further from their
abilities so we can go another step beyond in input so we go
moving forward in the process.

vii. thou shalt allow the use of language.

 All a person needs for learning (or better acquiring) a new
language is exposure, motivations and opportunities for use. These
opportunities for use must grow gradually in the classroom to the
point it transcends the classroom itself. Since the main purpose of
a student when studying a language is to use it, we must give our
students activities that encourage and demand the use of the
target language. We, as teachers in a non-target-language-
speaking country cannot have our students carry out ESL
classroom activities, making them do it is not only an illusion, it’s a
discouraging utopia for students (Describing cultural differences in
celebrating events, interviewing native speakers).
The activities for language use must go from large groups
communicating experiences (Debating, expressing opinions), then
move to smaller-groups centered but more meaningful activities
such as little presentations, role plays or discussing sessions on
different topics for groups. Here it is seen how the students’
teacher dependence becomes group interdependence and finally
becomes independence when the student has chosen his/her
learning strategy from the ones presented by the teacher and will
share it with the group.

viii. thou shalt provide assessment.

Once the student chose his/her appropriate learning style and

strategy, the teacher will supervise his natural language
acquisition process by natural exposure with an assessment
system. This assessment is nothing more than a responsible,
autonomous and periodic record of the student’s achievements in
the target language study. These systems are well divided for the
different kinds of intelligences: Portfolios, albums, videos, live
presentations, authentic material development or let the student
chose it, set their own goals and the criteria for evaluation.

ix. thou and they shalt rate the process.

 We will say rating rather than evaluating. Remember, when the
student takes a test only shows a student is good at taking tests.
Rating is a statistical process that involves the use of charts and
numbers as well as qualitative descriptions of the learning
process(rating is closely linked to assessing). This creates a sense
of responsibility from the student toward his/her acquisition
process.
Discuss with your students the best criteria: group or individual?
Both?
Peer? Periodic testing? Demonstrations of use? Free your mind,
imagine and create with your students! Then, when the method is
chosen and carried out, have your students do a show off of their
progress in front of the class, get together with other teachers and
organize sessions to share experiences and achievements,
strategies and allow them have fun while doing it. Remember,
Learning is the human activity which least manipulation needs
from others.

x. thou shalt feedback.

Feedback is always important for your students, you have to

correct your students but stress more on the positive use of the
target language in the classroom: don’t punish them for not
speaking English, award them for doing so. Encourage your
students to do peer feedback, a positive comments from the
classmates has a motivating reaction on shy or weak students.
Have them feedback you in all ways, accept suggestions and pay
all your attention when they are speaking, that is a visual feedback
for them.

Remember what Goldilocks said in the English class: This language

is too hard, this other bit is too easy, and only this bit is “just
right”.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Use of Multiple Intelligences. CCA Cali. 2001.
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Manizales. 2001.
- REALES, Samuel & QUIROGA Jorge, Shifting from Teacher-
Centered-Learning to Student-Centered-Learning. CCA
Bogotá, 2001.
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Studying English Outside the English Speaking World, 2000.
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