Creating a Learner-centered Teacher Education Program

by Mustafa Zulkuf Altan and Christine Trombly

Teacher education is based on the assumption that students will eventually teach in the way that they were taught (Johnson 1995). At In?nü University in Turkey, an ELT teacher education program has set out to change students?beliefs about language learning and teaching during their preparatory year, and thus to create a new type of language teacher in Turkey. Since these students are studying to become teachers, it is important early in their careers to impart the notion of learner-centered education. This means organizing a class so that students are more involved in the teaching and learning process and the teacher is less likely to dominate classroom events (Nunan 1995). We have found that a learner-centered classroom enhances students?development in the process of becoming teachers.

English instruction in Turkey is important because without English proficiency, professionals in many sectors of society are blocked from career advancement. The need for more and effective English language teachers is greater than ever before. Yet language education is particularly challenging in Turkey, as it is in other parts of the world, due to the traditional classroom in which teachers are considered authorities and the learning environment is teacher-centered. In a traditional teacher-centered classroom, some students are motivated to learn English. However, we believe that students progress more rapidly in learning English in a more learner-centered environment.

This article describes how we created a learner-centered classroom environment with students who come from a teacher-centered background. We explain how we used the communicative approach, process writing, cooperative learning, and strategy and style awareness in courses in listening and speaking, grammar, and writing. We suggest how a teacher can give up some control of the classroom, but not lose control, while creating a learner-centered environment.

The learner-centered classroom

Creating a learner-centered classroom is a response to the problem created when a student抯 learning style differs from the teacher抯 teaching style. The way a teacher presents subject matter may conflict with students?ideas about learning, thus resulting in no learning. Therefore, it is the teacher抯 duty to respect individual learner differences and to assist the students in discovering their own learning processes and preferences. It requires putting students at the center of classroom organization and respecting their needs, strategies, and styles.

In a learner-centered environment, students become autonomous learners, which accelerates the language learning process. A learner-centered environment is communicative and authentic. It trains students to work in small groups or pairs and to negotiate meaning in a broad context. The negotiation of meaning develops students?communicative competence (Canale and Swain 1980) and provides comprehensible input (Long 1980). Crookes and Chaudron (1991:57) provide an accurate summary:

The teacher-dominated classroom ("teacher-fronted") is characterized by the teacher抯 speaking most of the time, leading activities, and constantly passing judgment on student performance, whereas in a highly student-centered classroom, students will be observed working individually or in pairs and small groups, each on distinct tasks and projects.

In short, a student-centered environment becomes a solution to student and teacher differences by providing the learner with more autonomy and control. The only caveat is that students may become out of control in a student-centered classroom, and conflicts about learning may arise between teachers and learners. Nunan (1988) covers the problematic situation that emerges when teacher methodology goes against what students believe is appropriate. Since our students at In?nü University are coming from very teacher-centered classrooms, we introduce a learner-centered environment step-by-step so students won抰 at first resist our ideas. Resistance includes disruptive classroom behavior and the students?failure to attend class, and results in the teacher抯 loss of prestige.

Introducing a learner-centered environment requires more than one single adaptation of a traditional classroom. We knew that moving from explicit to implicit instruction and from controlled to free language production would require several changes. The techniques chosen would have to support the development of a learner-centered environment while maintaining classroom control and providing students with a rationale for the changes. Overall, we tried to utilize interactive activities of the communicative approach, which gave students opportunities to use the target language. We also encouraged student contributions to lesson planning and presentation, which got them involved in teaching the class. Finally, we wanted them to take more responsibility for their own learning.

Listening and speaking course

The aim of the preparatory program is to develop and improve students?communicative competence in the four language skills. The program has a modest start with only 21 students, all under 21 years old and at an intermediate level of English proficiency. In speaking and listening courses, the most noticeable adaptations to a learner-centered classroom were implemented by using communicative methods that involve interactive tasks and activities. We established a learner-centered environment in these courses in four ways:

Stating the goals and objectives of each lesson verbally and in writing.

Using controlled, guided, and free activities in a progressive order.

Evaluating the usefulness of pedagogical tasks by administrating a questionnaire.

Involving students in determining lesson content whenever possible.