A Pilot Study on Co-Teaching: A Cross-Discipline Approach to Enhancing Teaching and Learning in the Trade Specific Context

Abstract

Failing to realize the importance of English in the workplace, vocational students tend to appear lowly motivated and are reluctant to learn English in vocational institutes. What are the possible reasons? Lacking of confidence? Lacking successful learning experience? Failing to see the value of English in relation to their future professions? Lacking the needs to speak in English in their current study? Aiming at rekindling their interest in learning English, this preliminary study is to measure the efficacy of co-teaching in vocational colleges as well as its impact on the learning and teaching effectiveness.In this study, 60 vocational students were arranged to take trial co-teaching lessons conducted in vocational workshops, in which they learnt vocational knowledge in English. Teaching materials were tailor-made to better fit the language needs of the industries after three industrial visits and eight consultation sessions with vocational teachers. Data is collected from questionnaires, focus group interviews and discussion sessions so as to understand both students and teachers' perspectives on the learning and teaching of vocational knowledge and English learning through co-teaching. It was hypothesized that students would be more motivated and active in learning while teachers would find it more effective in teaching and more relevant to students' vocational inspiration. Based on the preliminary observations from the trial lessons and analysis of the data, co-teaching seems to be an effective teaching method to enliven students' learning motivation. Perspectives including strengths and concerns regarding co-teaching from both students and teachers will be highlighted in this presentation.

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Author Information
Alice Cheung, Vocational Training Council, Hong Kong
Clive Ho, Vocational Training Council, Hong Kong
Jessica Ngai, Vocational Training Council, Hong Kong

• Category: Dubai Conference Series 2016, IICLLDubai2016, Oral Presentation, Paper Available
• Tag: Language education,

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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