HUMANISTIC APPROACH TO ENCOURAGE LEARNING
ENGLISH FOR LAW AT
Tri Rina Budiwati
English Department,
tri_rina_budiwati@uad.ac.id
INTRODUCTION
Teaching English the Non-English department students in a developing private university (like
Every academic year, Faculty of Law,
After applying some teaching methods (by trial and error) and finding their strengths and weaknesses, in these three years I apply a method (for the first time I don’t know the name), called Humanistic Language Teaching (HLT). I know the name of the method (which I have been applying for 3 years) after reading an article by Brian Tomlinson, Reader in Language Learning and Teaching at Leeds Metropoliton and the author of numerous articles and books on language teaching methodology and materials development. This article is “Humanising the Language Class”, issued in Guidelines A Magazine for Language Teachers published by SEAMEO RELC,
HUMANISTIC LANGUAGE TEACHING (HLT)
Before going deeper to Humanistic Language Teaching (HLT), it is very essential to present the earlier concept and principles of humanism or humanistic education first. Kerr (2007) says that Humanism is closely related to Humanist Psychology, proposed by Carl Roger and Abraham Maslow, focusing on the ‘whole person’. In the world of language teaching, humanism is signed by the emergence of a magazine called Humanising/Humanistic Language Teaching, promoted by Mario Rinvolucri in 1999. By the end of the 1990s, the word 'humanist(ic)' had clearly become problematic in the world of language teaching, or at least in certain small regions of the world of language teaching. In the very particular context of English language teaching in
- Personal growth, including realizing one's full potential, is one of the primary goals of education.
- The development of human values is another.
- The learner should be engaged affectively (i.e. emotionally) as well as intellectually
(-> affect). - Behaviours that cause anxiety or stress should be avoided.
- Learners should be actively involved in the learning process.
- Learners can - and should -take responsibility for their own learning.
Today, the Humanistic Language Teaching (published by Pilgrims) in their website describes this in the following terms:
- Effective teaching and learning engages the whole person - the mind, the body and the heart
- The learner is the central person in the act of learning
- Creativity, involvement and enjoyment are the essential elements for lifelong learning.
Bill Huitt (2009: par 1) says that humanism focuses on the development of the child’s self-concept. If the child feels good about him or herself then it is a positive start for him or her to improve or learn/develop, or in Maslow terms, this is called “self-actualisation”. Huitt adds that in humanistic approach, education is really about creating a need within the child, or instilling within the child self-motivation. While behaviourism is about rewards from others, humanism is about rewarding yourself. This form of education is usually called child-centred or student-centred, and is typified by the child taking responsibility for their education and owning their learning. It seems that the humanistic approach prepares the child for adult life. The humanistic teacher is a facilitator, not a disseminator, of knowledge (Huitt, par 2-3). According to Huitt, in this concept there are at least three approaches used; open classroom, learning styles and co-operative learning.
Huitt also states that the principles of humanistic education is: a) current and future welfare of students, b) worth and rights of the individuals, c) openness, honesty, selflessness, altruism and d) traditional approach (large numbers, competition for academic success, little time nor energy).
In his article, mentioned above, Brian Tomlinson tells his experience in teaching English and using the ‘non-humanistic’ coursebooks (including some he’s written himself). His first and most dramatic attempt to humanise a coursebook occurred when he commanded the English night class in Liverpool to throw the coursebook away through the window. After having no irrelevant materials for the English class, the students brought their own comics, books and magazines, then they had a lot fun activities which involved the students in doing things that connected to themselves. Tomlinson says that many coursebooks need humanising because:
1. the coursebooks din’t engage the learners
2. they din’t manage to connect with the learners’ lives
3. they dn’t match the psychological and sociological realities of the particular groups of learners
4. they din’t sufficiently take into account the resources of the learner as a human being
5. many of them concentrated on the linguistic and analytical aspects of language learning and failed to tap human being’s potential for multi-dimensional processing.
6. They made insufficient use of the learner’s ability to learn through doing things physically, to learn through feeling emotion, to learn through experiencing things in the mind.
7. They didn’t acknowledge that for human beings the most important factor in learning is affect.
Otherwise, Tomlinson suggests that to achieve effective and durable learning, language learners need to relax, feel at ease, develop self-confidence and self-esteem, develop positive attitudes towards the learning experience and be involved intellectually, aesthetically and emotionally, and also need to make use of their experience of life, their interests and enthusiasms, their views, attitudes and feelings and, above all, their capacity to make meaningful connections in their minds. Relating to this, he also suggests some ways to develop humanistic materials, i.e.: writing in large and varied teams, using a text-driven approach, using a multi-dimensional approach, using literature, talking to the learners, connecting with the learners, localising coursebooks and providing alternatives (2003).
In addition to that, according to Alex Case, Mario Rinvolucri is one of the most famous exponents of humanistic approach (2009: par 1). Mario Rinvolucri is the author of Humanising Your Coursebook in which he offers 95 activities organised into "Ice Breakers and Warm Up Activities", "Grammar", "Vocabulary", "Reading", "Writing", "Listening", "Speaking" and "Looking Backwards and Forwards (in the book)" to help you "extend, enliven and enrich your course book". The ideas of the book (all of them), Case reviews, are influenced by a "humanistic" approach to English teaching. This basically boils down to treating your students as individuals rather than "the class". Case adds that Mario, in this book, has also used ideas from the more recent areas of Multiple Intelligence (the idea that people think best in entirely different ways to each other, and a way of classifying people into intelligence types) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (a way of helping yourself change the way you think, recently very popular). This book will help a teacher with a full lesson plan but a sinking feeling about doing the same old thing. Furthermore, as the first person who has the concept of the on-line magazine Humanising Language Teaching, Mario, in an interview with ELTNEWS, says “I am a person who is happiest thinking about very detailed practical things. In the area of methodology I am interested in the scenarios that stimulate students, scenarios that keep them awake, that have them access reasonable levels of energy. I am interested in the choreography of lessons, in the rhythm of lessons, in the beginnings, the middles and the endings...”.
In short, humanistic teaching values should focus on each person and learner not only as a physical, cognitive human being, but rather as human being that is mainly emotional (the affective factor). By touching the learners’ feelings, involving their interests, experiences and personalities in learning language, it is hoped that they will be encouraged to appreciate themselves through language class.
SOME WAYS OF HUMANISING THE CLASS OF ENGLISH FOR LAW AT AHMAD DAHLAN UNIVERSITY
Basically, the paper is the descriprion about the application of humanistic teaching concept and values in English for Law class at Ahmad Dahlan University. However, it also tells about my tiring, challenging and exiciting experience in teaching other class in general. So far, as I told above, I don’t know (realize) the name of method I applied and used, but I feel Humanistic Language Teaching (HLT) is more human and ‘touchy and feely’ for me and my students. The following are some ways of humanising the language class based on Tomlinson’s concept I have applied in my classes.
Humanising with the Handout
As stated before, choosing the materials often becomes difficult consideration to teach non-English department students with varied quality. In this case, I select and compile some materials/topics from the books which:
1. engage the students activities individually and in groups;
2. contain integrated language competence (speaking, listening, writing, reading, vocabulary and grammar);
3. encourage the students to speak and write about their identity, family, interests, experiences, feelings, thoughts and all about themselves;
4. encourage the students to realize and observe the language phenomena in their surroundings;
5. evoke the students’ feelings through anecdotes or meaningful story or events
By engaging the students activities individually, they will realize that they are individuals who must be compete with others and achieve their goals, whereas they also must be able to work together with others to create better environment and to care others. To do so, the materials compiled in the handout must encourage them to use integrated language competence. Based on the experience, most of students willingly speak and write about their identity, hobbies or about themselves (although) with their limited competence in English. Then, by bringing the examples of language phenomena (e.g. the use English on bottles, in advertisements, on notebook cover, in newspaper, etc.) in the language class, the students will observe the phenomena and be encouraged to learn English. Moreover, according to Deniz Salli-Copur, using anecdotes in the language class is a good technique to arouse student interest and establish a meaningful and memorable context for learning (2008: 34), and sharing anecdotes gives students the chance to reflect on their own and on others’ concerns, perceptions and values (Wright in Copur, 2008: 36). Even, anecdotes reinforce the friendly relationship between teachers and students and among the students themselves.
Using a Multi-Dimensional Approach
According to Tomlinson, “a multi-dimensional approach is based on the principle that using affect, mental imagery and inner speech is what we do during effective language use and what we do during effective and durable learning too”. The procedures to develop and create humanistic materials, he says, include:
· engaging affect (i.e. emotional involvement, positive attitudes towards the learning experience and self-esteem) through activities which involve learners recalling and recounting personal experiences, creating their own personal mental representations of what they listen to and read;
· imaging activities which encourage learners to create mental imageswhilst processing or producing language.
Using Literature
In this way, the role of literature (text in general) is very important to stimulate mental activity during language learning. The selection of literature which is linguistically simple but cognitively and emotionally complex is the starting point of humanistic activities to encourage personal engagement and response. For example, I have selected a text entitled “My Lawsuit that Wasn’t” which tells about an interesting story of someone (I) who has experience of meeting some lawyers to solve her simple problem, that is her backache. The story is written in simple language, but mentally and emotionally will arouse the students of Law to observe the phenomena in their field, about lawsuit.
Talking to the Learners
In the class, I often chat to the students casually and try to achieve personal contact with them by revealing their own preferences, interests, activities and opinions. Outside the class, I often greet them in English and try to be friendly by smiling and giving the attention. Consequently, they give comments on the answer sheet of exam such words: “Selama belajar Bahasa Inggris saya banyak mendapatkan ilmu dari Ibu, dan banyak mendapatkan kosakata baru dan saya sangat senang belajar Bahasa Inggris sama Ibu!!!” or “I like English very much, I hope if at the class we can more interactive between student and lecture. Kok tidak ada Bahasa Inggris lagi ya Bu? Hehehe… Dosennya asik, tidak galak. Jadi mahasiswa bisa lebih relax dalam belajar. Thanks for all”, etc. Even, my husband is very touched after reading the comments that show their courage to learn English.
Connecting with the Learners
After ‘explaining’ a topic or giving examples, usually I try to ask them to take part in the class individually or in group. I will ensure by coming to them to ask about their own views, attitudes, feelings and opinions. In short, if we respect the students as individuals, and seek to engage them personally in the learning activities we provide, we have a good chance of helping them to develop and to learn.
Providing Alternatives
Although I have provided the handout for them, I usually have a bank of texts and illustrations to be selected in order to replace or supplement sections which maybe not relevant to the students. Besides, I often ask them to choose any materials/topics from any source which are suitable for their own interests.
SOME BENEFITS OF HUMANISING THE LANGUAGE CLASS
So far, directly or indirecly I feel that I could take some benefits by humanising the class of English for Law. Even, from observation and the students’ comments, I understand that they can also achieve some advantages. The benefits that I could observe are:
1) Learners have a good chance to acquire communicative competence in English
The teachers who consider the topics being discussed and their attitude and behaviour towards the learners will give them chance to acquire communcative competence in English. The teachers’ attitude and behaviour, in this case, will encourage the learners to improve their English.
2) Learners have a good chance to achieve personal and educational development
Humanistic approach, undoubtedly, gives the learners chance to achieve their personality by encouraging them to be well-behaved individually and in groups and to respect themeselves and others. Furthermore, having good personality is a starting point to develop their education by improving their competence in English.
3) The individual learner is engaged emotionally and intellectually
Since the main point of humanistic values is to engage the whole person of the learner, then the syllabus/topics, method and technique chosen must engage the learners emotionally and intellectually. By arousing and evoking the learners’ emotion and intellect, the teachers have made the learners feel good and relaxed in learning English.
4) To facilitate the learners the development of thinking skills, critical skills and creative skills
By providing ‘humanistic’ texts/handouts, literature and alternatives, the teachers help the learners to observe the language phenomena, to be critical with every aspects of knowledge and phenomena and to be creative in developing the English competence.
5) It is flexible for the teachers and learners to choose the materials based on their interests and discipline
In fact, humanistic approach provide the alternative and give the learners freedom to choose materials based on their interests and discipline. In the middle of semester, if the learners have alternative topics, it is possible to replace or to make the previous topics more humanistic.
6) To avoid the tired teachers
As teachers who have been teaching for some years, we very often feel bored and tired to do and teach the same thing. To avoid this situation, contemplation and refreshment of the approach we apply and change into the humanistic approach is possibly the recommended way to be done. Humanistic approach will ease the teachers to select texts, games or any activities based on their moods, without victimizing their tasks as teachers.
7) To keep teachers-learners’ relationship outside the class.
By treating the students as individuals who have physical, psychological and mental aspects, the teachers will get much more than expected. By humanising the handout, method and technique in language class, they will get respect from the learners, not only in the class, but also outside the class. The learners will keep in their minds the teachers’ attitudes and behaviours and will use them as the basis to keep good relationship, although the language class is over.
CONCLUSION
Although it could not be said that humanistic approach is the best one to language learning, it is the way to help language learners to improve their competence in language and to develop their personality. The best thing is we, as teachers, try to be humane to the language learners. And mainly, it is our attitude as human beings, not the technique or methods, which makes us humanistic teachers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Case, Alex. “Something Completely Different” A Review on Humanising Your Coursebook by Mario Rinvolucri. http://www.tefl.net/reviews/Humanising_Your_Coursebook.htm (Accessed on April 8, 2009).
Huitt, Bill. “Humanistic Approaches to Teaching A Link to “An Overview of Humanistic Education””. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gary.sturt/human.htm (Accessed on April 16, 2009).
“Interview with Mario Rinvolucri”. http://www.eltnews.com/features/interviews/2000/03/interview_with_mario_rinvolucr.html (Accessed on April 8, 2009).
Kerr, Philip. ‘Humanising – What’s in a Word?’ Major Articles in Humanistic Language Teaching. Year 9; Issue 3; May 2007. http://www.hltmag.co.uk/may07/mart04.htm (Accessed on April 16, 2009).
Salli-Copur, Deniz. “Using Anecdotes in Language Class” in English Teaching Forum. Number 1, 2008. Pages 34-39.
Tomlinson, Brian. “Humanising the Language Class” in Guidelines A Magazine for Language Teachers. Volume 25 Number 2, December 2003. Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre (RELC), 2003.
______. “Humanising the Coursebook”. http://www.hltmag.co.uk/sep01/mart1.htm (Accessed on April 8, 2009).
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