Professional training of students by means of teaching reading in large classes model

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Introduction

District Dadu is one of the most underprivileged areas, so the University of Sindh, Jamshoro opened a campus there in 2010. Recognizing the great need and providing access to higher education to those living in extremely remote and rural areas and lacking in necessary facilities, Dadu district is one of the most underprivileged regions. With the start of classes in January 2012, this Campus became operational in 2012. The main goal of building institutions was to promote education, particularly for females in Dadu district, who were devoted to receiving high-quality instruction in the global education and learning market today. The English department now employs three (03) full-time permanent faculty members, two (02) teaching assistants, and three (03) visiting faculty members. With an average age of 18 and one Ph.D. holder, the teaching staff of the English department is made up entirely of highly trained individuals. All are involved in research and development on a daily basis. Faculty members have taken part in several national and international conferences and published work in the fields of language and literature.

The University of Sindh’s Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Campus Dadu was founded with the goal of giving students from rural and underprivileged areas access to high-quality instruction and a competitive environment so they may keep up with the most recent global trends in education. The school values diversity, embraces it, and provides students, teachers, and administrative staff with equal opportunities to contribute to the development of human resources while upholding an understanding of Islamic ethical and moral principles. A new generation of leaders, scholars, and professionals is needed for our nation, and it is our vision and mission as a school to produce them.

Due to socioeconomic limitations, a growing number of students from Dadu, Naushehro Feroz, Jamshoro (Sehwan & Bhan Saeedabad), and other places of the country are now able to pursue higher education. However, they are unable to do so in Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Karachi, and other areas of the country. Many students from the surrounding area attend Sindh University Dadu Campus. The pupils are from low-income families and have great aspirations to advance in education and improve their standard of living. In order to assist these people in bringing about change in their lives specifically and society generally, the quality of the instruction is of the utmost significance.

This study aims to provide an intervention to improve English teaching and learning, focusing solely on reading comprehension. The main purpose of the four-year Bachelor’s degree in English is to train students to compete with students from other universities around the world. This department offers quality education. Courses are designed to equip students with the professional skills and knowledge to establish themselves as leaders in the world of language and literature, or any other career they choose. As mentioned earlier, the curriculum is relevant to the changing needs of society. For the study to be successful, it needs knowledge of large classes, reading theories, and teaching reading. What exactly is a huge class and what takes place in one, in particular? To comprehend the nature of reading, which can be comprehended through investigating reading theories. Additionally, this concentrates on another factor, which is teaching reading. To comprehend how to teach reading, one needs to grasp the literature. As a result, each of these three topics is covered in turn in the chapters’ subsequent sections.

Literature review

A classroom refers to the environment to impart learning and teaching process for the individual present in the room. It has variously been defined by Coleman [Coleman 1990] and Hays [Hays 1997], giving different arguments, suggestions and opinions about this phenomenon. Hayes [Hays 1997] states the quantitative argument regarding a classroom specially the large classroom. In some language schools, a class of 20 students is regarded as large; according to a Lancaster University project, a large class typically has roughly 50 students [Coleman 1990]. In contrast, a large class in China often has between 50 and 100 students which is to be a super large class for some overseas teachers. Therefore, the size of a large class varies in number from one context to another owing to different situations or different cultures. Researchers have primarily discussed the Lancaster-Leeds University Research Project on Learning Language in the Large Classrooms, with the bulk of them taking advice from an area of the size of large classes [Coleman 1990]. The project’s findings have highlighted a number of issues highlighting them into three main categories, i.e. the opinion of individuals during teaching and learning process in a large calls, observation in the large class and the intervention in the teaching and learning process. The size of a large class depends upon the preference of a teacher to handle the particular situation in which the demand of students may properly be addressed in imparting the proper teaching and learning process with particular reference to the available sources being utilized for the purpose in hand that is mainly to focus and take interest in the learning as the large class causes fatigue and boredom for not only instructors but also for learners. Likewise, it messes up the situation in proper handling of the learners with lower outputs, lower compatibility and lacking in attention to the learners separately resulting in terrible consequences for the purpose in hand.

There is no issue with a class being large if its goal is to transfer knowledge and information. For classes with 80 or more students, it is probably necessary to assume that each student is already self-regulating to learn, and the main task for teachers is to present content; interpret this content; and assess students on the ability to absorb and (slightly) transform it into their words and beliefs.

A longitudinal study on type measuring in significant American schools discovered that class estimation differed: understudies in small directions (standard size 15) performed significantly better than undergrads in “customary” estimating activities (average estimation 24). Interesting correspondence training was conducted by four “small” (standard measurement 19) students in one large (58 students) session. According to their findings, the best way to promote learning is through instruction rather than classification measurement.

Since different undergrads and course readings in L2 are obtained, it could be helpful to define what is meant by “large grouping size”, as Lo Castro [Lo Castro 2001], drawing from her work with Japanese students, refers to a method, teacher, and the students’ unique endeavors as more huge than arrangement size. How large is large? The two teachers and chiefs reflect in a unique way on the characteristics of a large class. For a long time, the ELT adjustments have been influenced by sporadic memories of listening to/talking in directions that included several hundred undergraduates in China. Classes for “discussion” with at least sixty students. Language teachers needed different things, and those were teaching smaller courses. The analysis of writing reveals that Pakistan is not the only country experiencing large courses in English Language Learning. However, it is a global problem, especially for developing countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Large classrooms are difficult to manage in a short period of time while learning a second language. Overcrowded classrooms make teaching and learning impossible. The overall idea that teachers encounter enormous challenges in large classes while enforcing rules in the homerooms and struggling to control the rising degree of noise was strengthened by Shamim et al. [Shamim et al. 2007]. The bottom-up, top-down, and interactive perspectives on reading may all be clearly distinguished as three different ways that reading occurs. Each will be explored separately in the section that follows.

Bottom-up approach of reading

The bottom-up approach in reading became established by many researchers during the 1970s. Gough theorizes that reading is a sequential process in which the readers takes the letters, assembles them into sounds and later forms words and phrases [Gough 1972]. In the bottom-up approach, the individual collects data and information, i.e. letters, words and sentences from the text. This contains extracting letters, deciphering and recognizing lexical items from the content. This means that the letters and words which are encoded in the material from the context are simply decoded by the learners to convey the message. This suggests that learners get an incredible degree of information by remaining aloof without contributing in- and outside the method. Comparatively, Carrell has criticized this reading perspective because it views reading as a straightforward information-gathering model, and content that supports methodologies that rely on this perspective has failed to develop familiar readers because it fails to consider why readers need to read particular writings or what they will do with the content or text [Carrell 1989]. In other words, this perspective ignores the possibility that it is reading shifts in distinct circumstances. It’s not always true that this viewpoint is wholly incorrect. The extremely constrained conception of this point of view on reading prompted further research, and subsequently another point of view on reading generally referred to as top-down produced the current situation.

Top-down approach of reading

Top down reading approach emphasizes on mainly the brainstorming of the readers before encountering an unfamiliar text which helps them to positively participate in the reading process that will be of great assistance in comprehension of the text. This method gives learners, their needs, and their foundational learning more importance. According to Goodman, reading is a “psycho-semantic hypothesizing game” [Goodman 1967]. Effective reading comes more from the ability to choose the least, most advantageous indicators needed to express gauges than it does from accurate perception and identifying confirmations [Goodman 1967]. This paradigm emphasizes resources with “greater solicitation” [Goodman 1967]. In what Goodman refers to as a rehashed style of reading, students test the material and either confirm or justify their hypotheses [Goodman1996]. Familiar readers don’t need to deal with a lot of visual information. They rely on non-visual data instead. In reality, familiar reading depends on the ability of readers and learners. According to him, the texts comprise facts or information that come from several sources. Readers must therefore decide whether parts of the content are useful to them since they already possess some of that data or information. At this point, readers make decisions about whether parts of the content can be ignored using more advanced sources of information or knowledge. Readers are less dependent on visual data or information as a result of the reduction of superfluous components in the content. Readers must contend with the possibility that certain material aspects may be overlooked from certain angles. Additionally, depending on the reason a reader reads, this may change even from one reader to the next. This method of reading involves risks and mistakes that are likely to be made, and it may be challenging to reach successful resolutions. This happens because different readers hold different levels of conviction, which can lead to them developing different interpretations of the text or content. This reading perspective was initially interpreted as a representation of accustomed local language speakers who were not required to read the content. Instead, they anticipated testing it and receiving selected suggestions from the content to enable them to draw conclusions about it. They frequently went back and forth to the substance after formulating theories in order to justify or validate their wants. Readers who are still learning to read rely more on procedural systems, such as identifying words, phonemes, graphemes, and the lexical and syntactic contributions of the text. Conversely, readers who are familiar with the material rely more on their rational faculties, where they set expectations and confirm or refute their ideas based on their prior knowledge.Learners of first languages (L1) connect the indicators in the content to their individual understanding. However, because they lack proficiency in the target language or appropriate social institution learning, it would be a logically difficult task for learners to choose real signs while they are learning a second language (L2). Even so, second language (L2) learners may not be able to use this information in a reasonable manner when they receive the proper kind of establishing learning. Following these problems, especially for second language (L2) learners, the top-down point of view on reading was similarly seen as lacking. This prompted further research, and when necessary, another point of view on reading – commonly referred to as a smart point of view on reading – went to the field. Before proceeding onward to this perspective on perusing, first, interactive will be characterized.

An interactive view of reading

The rational point of view on reading rests on the justification that effective information reading is neither bottom-up nor top-down. Alternatively, it’s possible that effective reading occurs when both top-down and bottom-up sources of knowledge or data are supported. Incredible reading involves both top-down and bottom-up strategies, whether it is in the native language (L1) or second language (L2) [Carrell 1998]. Furthermore, according to Grabe and Stoller, reading is a process for perceiving information that integrates both top-down and bottom-up sources of knowledge, with a focus on effective comprehension [Grabe, Stoller 2002]. The physical elements necessary for the perusing method to start are the substance or content and the student. Additionally, according to Rumelhart, interactive reading perspectives take into account the use of background or necessary information, reader desires, context paired with letter-word recognition, lexical structure initiation, and other factors [Rumelhart 1977]. Familiar reading can occur when both extracting and comprehension skills are used. This is further described by Grabe and Stoller, who claim that a reader uses their decoding skills to convert written words into audibly articulated ones [Grabe, Stoller 2002]. According to Carrell and other researchers, real reading occurs when readers are involved in the process of interpretation, when they take control of language signals and make an effort to understand them [Carrell 1998; Rozenfeld 2017; Rozenfeld 2021; Rozenfeld 2019; Rozenfeld, Tomaščíková 2023]. When readers collaborate with the author’s ideas, their knowledge is activated, transformed, and refined. Writings have the capacity to have semantic values even though they lack meaning.

Reading necessitates a two-dimensional assault. It involves determining the words using the letter set code and taking those words into account to develop meaning. Ebb and flow questions the subject arrangements when reading’s translation portion. However, the focus of this investigation is mostly on the aspect of encouraging reading and figuring out how to help young students read even in a second language more effectively. The discussion above demonstrates that reading is a participatory activity rather than a bottom-up or top-down one. It combines top-down and bottom-up approaches. As a result, when teaching reading, students should be given reading materials that will enable them to apply both bottom-up and top-down strategies. Therefore, the next section examines the best way to teach reading.

Teaching reading

Fortes and Tchantchane emphasize the three-phase reading process, such as the pre-, during-, and post-reading cycles, during which students can combine their higher and lower wellsprings of knowledge course of engaging and reliable materials [Fortes,Tchantchane 2010]. These three reading periods are regarded as crucial for developing second language (L2) students’ reading skills [Weir 1983; Nuttall 1982]. These three reading sessions are discussed in the region that goes with it.

Pre-reading stage

This is a crucial step where teachers are expected to provide students a focus or course that will prepare them for the main topic so they can relate what they already know to the information in the text. According to Fortes and Tchantchane [Fortes, Tchantchane 2010], students should be prepared to go through bottom-up procedures so they can also receive assistance in order to read the major content/text effortlessly. There is evidence that, over time, the focus of pre-reading activities has shifted. 23 ELT books were used to create the pre-reading classes. Readings from 1975 and1986 later should be taken into consideration.Pre-reading exercises in the earlier part of this time frequently involved tasks like preparing vocabulary or jargon, formulating inquiries, and creating pre-questions. This is in accordance with my personal understanding as a student and teacher. The activities that followed included content coordinators, content-based expectations, and meta-linguistics.

While-reading stage

After completing the pre-reading phase or movement, the pupils read the original writings. This phase directly references the text’s content. Its main goal is to enable readers to get important knowledge or information from the material or text [Fortes, Tchantchane 2010]. Readers are expected to draw connections between the content of the text and what they already know at this stage of the reading process when two sources of information are connected, such as higher sources (top-down) and lower sources (bottom-up). To help students understand the logic, substance, and organization of the subject at this stage, second language (L2) instructors are needed. Instructors of second languages (L2) guide and help students in comprehending the function, content, and organization of texts. Currently, second language (L2). Teachers must keep in mind that in addition children are being prepared to use skills and methods outside of reading [Fortes, Tchantchane 2010]. Reading exercises generally aim to help students develop the skills and abilities that will generally enable them to enhance their language skills as well as to better understand the author’s message as it is encapsulated in the content’s structure and substance.

 

Post-reading stage

This phase is designed to assist students with integrating or reflecting on what they have read or watched and connecting the material to their understanding or assessments [Fortes, Tchantchane 2010]. This stage’s main goal is to help students combine their literary knowledge and understanding and create connections between the text, written information, and their very own lived experiences. Additionally, Nuttall advises that pupils with other linguistic aptitudes, such as speaking and writing, might participate in the post-reading stage [Nuttall 1982]. For instance, information on the material that pupils have read or browsed can be provided. This ought to be possible both orally during discussion gathering and in writing. Students should be encouraged to condense the content in their own words during the post-reading phase. This will force students to think through the information contained in the reading or viewing content.

Teaching approaches of reading

Effective reading and content comprehension are L2 skills that go hand in hand. The ability of the active student to read rapidly and effortlessly frees up enough mental capacity to accurately and effectively digest the text, which at that point becomes understandable to the learner. Researchers have found that it is crucial to value having good reading skills [Grabe, Stoller 2002; Hellekjær 2008]. Having a strong visual vocabulary, a large vocabulary, and suitable schemata will help you decode effectively for your intended purpose [Day, Bamford 1998; Lugossy 2007; Susser, Robb 1990]. Although there are many different classroom approaches to teaching L2 reading, the vast majority of them fall into one of the following categories. Large classrooms, reading theories, and teaching reading were the three main categories in which the literature was reviewed. According to the research, class size is a global problem that may thus be pragmatically addressed. According to reading strategies, comprehension only occurs when bottom-up and top-down thinking are blended, and students interact with the text to infer meaning. Last but not least, teaching reading offers some practical techniques to divide reading materials into three stages, namely before, while, and post-reading. Reading instruction can be interactive with the use of these actions. The following research questions have been put out for the current study in light of the knowledge gathered from the review of the literature.

1. I) What part do teachers play in teaching reading to large groups of students?
2. II) What part do students play in learning to read in large classes?

III) What part does material play in large-group reading instruction?

Materials and methods

Through observations, field notes, and interviews, the data for this study was gathered. The data for the current study were gathered and analyzed using a qualitative methodology.

Interviews

In order to make the participants, who included both instructors and students, feel comfortable, the data collection interviews were done in a variety of languages, including Urdu, Sindhi, and English. Since most interviewees prefer their native tongues, it was possible to employ Sindhi, Urdu, and English without any reluctance.

Details of Participant Interviews

Teacher participants

The teachers that participated and were interviewed had degrees ranging from a doctorate to a master’s, depending on their teaching experiences. The names of the teachers have been coded in accordance with research ethics; they are designated as teachers using the letters A through F. Teachers were interviewed to gather material for further research, and interviewing guides were employed. In order to conduct interviews, the researcher went to each teacher’s office during open periods of time.

Information about teachers

According to the learners’ preferences, random convenient samples and interview guidance were given to them. Interview questions were then asked of them, and they were expected to respond with their opinions in any language. Following this, an English transcription of the interviews from Sindhi and Urdu was made.

Student participants

The students who took part in this study are from various classes and are enrolled at Sindh University’s Dadu Campus for a variety of degree programs, including B.B.A. (H), B.S. IT, and B.S. English. They have varying levels of linguistic proficiency, and during interviews, they discussed their opinions and experiences with learning to read in large classes as well as the involvement of other students in the classroom while learning to read. Students were interviewed in order to gather information, and interviewing guides were also employed. After lessons had ended and during the students’ convenient times, the researcher interviewed each student individually. The student data are coded as Student 1, 2, 3, and so on, or (S1, S2, S3, S4...).

Information about students

 

S. No	CLASS	FEMALE	MALE	TOTAL
I.	B.S English-I	10	13	23
II.	B.S English-II	07	13	20
III.	B.S IT-I	07	10	17
IV.	B.B.A (H)-I	08	11	19
VI.	B.S English-III	10	15	25
VII.	B.S English-IV	05	11	16
	GRAND TOTAL	47	73	120

 

Structured interviews are regarded as crucial for gathering data. Researchers “frequently” obtain qualitative data through interviews and questionnaires. However, interviews are more impressive than surveys in that they provide data that enables researchers to examine people’s viewpoints in a more thorough manner. According to Cohen et al., an interview is an excellent tool for studying the formation and negotiation of meanings in a natural situation in conjunction with it [Cohen et al. 2007]. That is, the interview is valued not only for its ability to produce a thorough description, inspection words, and reports on specific perspectives on witnesses, but also for giving interviewers the freedom to talk in their voice and express their thoughts and feelings.

Observations

The majority of the generally accepted methods of study are instantaneous observation with the ultimate purpose of doing precise research on the subject’s learning process.

Direct observation has the advantage that just the research specialist and subject will be present. This allows the researcher to focus on the subject’s execution and learning schedules while making performance the clear observational objective.

The purpose of detailed observation was to get more in-depth knowledge about how each participant performed in a particular task and to track their learning process over a predetermined period of time. It was crucial to establish the subject’s reading level before the controlled condition took effect in order to achieve the study’s end goal. A few tests were used to set up the movement’s initial stage. These section examinations were designed to determine the subject’s current reading comprehension level. At that time, the researcher could draw conclusions from his methods. The potential influences on the learning processes all have a role in learning.

One simple test rarely provides sufficient information about a subject’s ability to grasp what he reads, his level of familiarity with reading procedures, his perception of learning approaches, or the methods he employs to complete tasks. It would be impossible for either of these perspectives to make a decision with just one test. No single test available today will provide all the academic information needed from each student. These evaluations are only methods for observing and assessing understudies.These exams are regarded as a key component of an academic evaluation of a subordinate. Testing is typically mentioned as being simply one important tool.

 

S. No	Types of Data	Nos.
1	Observation	12 Lessons
2	Total hours of Observations	10 HRS/ 12 Classes (approx.50 minutes eachclass)

 

Out of the teachers whose interviews were conducted, twelve classes/lessons were observed. Understanding teaching and learning in big classes in natural situations was the main goal of class observation. Analysis of the roles of teachers in teaching reading in big courses, of students in learning reading in large classes, and of the reading materials used in teaching reading in large classes was the main goal.

Additionally, it was intended to observe how students interacted with one another, teachers, and other students as well as how students engaged in in-class activities. Similar to this, I saw other teachers’ instructional techniques, the classroom environment, teacher communication (verbal and nonverbal), and how reading was taught.

Data analysis

Analysis was viewed as systematic techniques to uncover fundamental traits and correlations. The date is modified by comprehending and interpreting the phenomena.

Coding is a fundamental advancement in data or information analysis because it comprises differentiating units of research that are crucial to the exploration inquiries.

One of the processes that researchers use to gain a deeper knowledge and interpret what other researchers have seen, understood, and observed is data analysis.

Giving the transcripts back to each participant for accuracy and allowing two outside teachers to evaluate my inquiry for reliability and validity were only two of the thorough steps I took to ensure that I was able to derive precise source outcomes from the data. The data was additionally triangulated by looking at member confirmations. Validity is an important aspect of qualitative research, and researchers should be aware of techniques like triangulation to ensure accuracy.

Descriptive analysis was the main method used. All of the information gathered through observations and interviews was subjected to a content analysis before being reported in narrative form. Thus, to elicit as many thoughts and points of view from the individuals as possible, qualitative techniques were applied for data analysis.

Framework

The analytical categories for this study’s analysis are meant to lay the groundwork for understanding what occurs in each session and the variety of opportunities for student involvement in the learning process.

The Coleman coding scheme, which he developed when conducting study hall impressions in the Indonesian context, served as the foundation for the analysis’organizational structure in the present research investigation [Coleman 1990]. This environment is similar to what is happening in Pakistan. Coleman examined educators, students, and the relationship between educators and learners.

Results and discussion

The findings related to the role of teachers, the role of learners, and the role of the materials are presented below.

Role of teachers

To understand the teaching and learning styles of the teachers and the students, twelve lessons were observed. Each class lasted around 50 minutes. The minimum enrolment was 50, while the maximum number of students was 80. All of the professors used the same general instructional strategy: the traditional lecture-style of instruction. In any event, the nature of the teachers had an impact on each style and manner of instruction, such as how they handled class etiquette, as well as how challenging, dynamic, and enthusiastic they were in their actions and understanding of “excellent teaching”.

The information shows that all six teachers’ approaches to teaching reading shared some commonalities. Lessons generally followed the same format i.e. starting, progressing and wrap up.

A generic pattern of teaching of all six teachers

 

Start	Progression	Wrapup
This included brief student-teacher interaction .Asalam-o-Alaikum/Good Morning, how are you doing? Only a fewstudentsinteractedwiththeteachers	This part was dominated by the teacher only where the teacher mostly read the material from the book and offered all kinds of possible explanation; teacher used  explanations of lessons and text reading  by the teacher	This part again included brief teacher-student interaction where mostly the same students participated. Teachers, Explanation of the text, giving definitions, and new vocabulary examples which are new in the text.

 

All six teachers code switched quite often apparently for helping learners Teacher A’s interview is a fair representation of what happens:As students come from very remote areas, they are not able to get everything in L2, so I feel their problems and try to make them understand concepts, so I explain them in Sindhi language (L1) as students feel comfortable (Teacher A).

The Data exhibits that all teachers followed the same pattern of teaching. When asked from teacher-D: I mostly use this technique of asking questions during lessons that students should be careful and be active, not passive (Teacher D).

The above remark is again a fair representation of what happened in the classes.

All six teachers seemed authoritative during the teaching and learning process in terms of classroom management and in terms of imparting knowledge.It appears that all six teachers switched codes frequently to aid students. The interview with Teacher A accurately depicts what actually occurs: Students who come from really remote locations may not be able to understand everything in L2, therefore I attempt to understand their difficulties and explain topics in Sindhi (L1) so that they feel more at ease (Teacher A).

The data shows that every teacher used the same teaching methodology. When prompted by teacher-D: I primarily employ this strategy of questioning pupils throughout sessions emphasizing the importance of being cautious and proactive rather than passive (Teacher D).

The above remark is again a fair representation of what happened in the classes.

All six teachers seemed authoritative during the teaching and learning process in terms of classroom management and in terms of imparting knowledge.Teacher instructing that if you have any questions, you just write down and ask at the end of the lecture.When asked in the interview, teacher C said: I want students to ask questions after I finish my lecture on the respective topic (Teacher C). This demonstrates the teacher’s power in the classroom by showing who was allowed to speak and who was not. The majority of teacher activities involved “reading the material” aloud.It’s feasible to highlight key passages or components of a text by reading it aloud.But this prevents pupils from participating in the learning process because the teacher appears to be functioning as a talking textbook.Even when students are given opportunities to engage, teachers often dominate the proceedings and the majority of pupils show little interest.The teachers used a relatively small number of instructional techniques, which likely reduces the learning chances for students.

The teachers used a relatively small number of instructional techniques, which likely reduces the learning chances for students. The majority of teachers began by reading aloud to the students, and then they asked the students to respond to questions.According to all of the professors, there should be 20 to 30 pupils in each class to effectively teach reading.Teachers claimed that when compared to small classes, large classes had more concerns with indiscipline and mob incidents. Pupils can be readily handled and learners’ engagement can be easily tracked and improved in small courses with an acceptable number of students. Additionally, professors can swiftly assist kids one-on-one.Because their experience has mostly been in the writing field, instructors frequently teach using the lecture technique. Instructors spend time “clarifying” exercises or language concepts, which lengthens their speaking time. Although teachers make an effort to encourage student participation, they tend to obtain less feedback in order to have more time to finish the curriculum.

Except for the fact that they had just finished reading the unit that would be taught in class, teachers did not accompany any usual lesson plans or other special arrangements for the class. There was some commonality in the teaching approaches of the instructors despite their differences in approach.

Teachers read aloud in front of the class from a podium or rostrum so that everyone may hear and explain by rephrasing and summarizing.They write the challenging terms on the board and explain their meanings using examples. The words are written down by the students along with their interpretation in note pads. After finishing the reading, they need that the students understand the exercises that are included in the course readings. While the students calm down, the teacher checks everyone’s screens to see if they are “engaged with completing the classwork”. Most of the time, teachers assign single activities, but they also occasionally assign pairwork and group projects. Following the activities, they call one, two, or more students, depending on the timing, to assess the appropriate responses.For error checking, the instructors are also reading aloud the activity in class. Students review their responses and make corrections. Choral responses are also encouraged by teachers, particularly in the pronunciation section, however pronunciation is not given much weight. We’ll now discuss how students can contribute to the teaching of reading in large classes.

Role of students

While observing classrooms, it was found that students preferred to pay attention to the teachers because they are seen as the class’ overall expert and authority. Despite the instructors’ perception that they teach in a traditional lecture format because there are so many students in the class, they nevertheless use the same technique to display the student count. Only a small number of students were actively participating in the collaboration, and they were seated near the front of the class. The remaining students were paying attention to the teamwork.Some of them were taking notes, while others were whispering to one another (Field notes).

Typically, the teacher asked a broad inquiry to get things started, like, “Someone will offer me the feedback?” (Lecture one) and then chose a pupil to reply. Students weren’t always eager to participate. In lesson one, the instructor had to ask a generic question three times before he could choose a speaker. The conversation was, nevertheless, occasionally fairly animated.

Classes frequently followed the aforementioned patterns and changed as suggested by the units in the reading material, despite the fact that there was no written form as discussed above. Aside from reading the assigned reading before class, there was no culture of lesson planning. Teachers therefore knew what to instruct, but no preceding research had been done on the best approach to guide.

The idea of the students’ interest in the classes is influenced by their experiences with instructors. In any case, pupils from elite private institutions have better English language skills than those from open section organizations. Students from private organizations participate more in class and have stronger linguistic and social skills than students from public institutions. Due to their poor communication skills and the instructors’ lack of passion for starting class exercises, students from government foundations, whose enrollment number affects a significant share of students at the school, suffer.

Students are self-conscious and hesitant to participate in class. Despite the fact that they are the ones that require greater assistance with the English language, they are ignored in class. Teachers make an effort to encourage class collaboration by assigning a variety of activities and exercises. Through discussions to clarify the linguistic concepts in light of the students’ proper involvement, they routinely accept responsibility for the class themselves. Introductions are usually made right away to encourage students to participate in the classes.

For the benefit of the students, pair work and independent work are also encouraged. Some teachers also employ pretending, but it is uncommon in these classes. The majority of students choose to respond to the professors’ questions over tasks and activities.

Perceptions also show that during class introductions, teachers’ talking time predominates over students’ attention in any action. They deliver the material, explain it, read aloud in front of the class, and address the printed materials. During observation, Teacher A ate up a significant portion of the class period teaching the material.

Teachers consider time constraints, completing the curriculum within the allotted time frame, and the students’ lack of involvement and interest in the class. The teacher in L1 started the conversation by posing inquiries on the text. In the warm-up, pupils willingly respond to the questions after the teacher chooses one to speak.As in the warm-up, where teacher B (T-B) encourages students to gauge their knowledge, teacher A (T-A) provides more opportunities for the students in contrast to teacher B (T-B) (T-A). Teacher assesses students’ learning: We’ve read a few of the lesson’s paragraphs; what have you taken out from them? What is the author hoping to achieve?

In the interviews, it was noted that lecturers should ask questions during lectures as long as the students are paying attention, according to one of the students.Every student in the class will be cautious, and anyone may ask a question at any time. Each student would be prepared for a question from the teacher.

Even while debate and discussion can often drag on, it nevertheless demonstrates the teacher’s unavoidable authority and dominance. It was noted that teachers frequently interrupted pupils while they presented their thoughts:

Student: Honour killings and child weddings are not a part of our culture. Our country has a great history and a diverse viewpoint.

Teacher (interrupting): Yes, it is ignorance, not culture that causes us to follow others without thinking for ourselves(Lesson 1, Instructor A).

Respondents mentioned that the teachers assigned reading tasks as one of the reading instruction strategies that encouraged students to get interested in reading. The teachers begin by reading aloud to the students, after which the students are shown to be confident in their reading activity.

Furthermore, the findings show that activities where students participate in the reading activity are the most popular technique of teaching reading skills in big classes that has inspired the learners to take an interest in reading. If professors have a plan, the techniques that students repeat after them are the most popular and enjoyable.

The results also show that including students in the reading process is a very effective and appropriate technique of teaching reading skills in large classes. Such techniques include identifying the group leaders who read aloud while the rest of the group responds. One of the respondents mentioned during the interviews that the students enjoy generating noise in a group. From now on, reading instruction should be fun, inspiring students to talk, sing, or yell.

Role of the text

The lone teacher there read the text aloud and explained its meaning to the pupils while it was on their desks and in their hands. At no point did the students consult the text. As a result, the teacher began to use the material as a speaking text. It was supposed to be a reading class where the students would have participated, but that wasn’t the case.

The only technology the professors utilize during the warm-up is their voice amplified by the microphone; neither the physical text nor the chalkboard are used. However, they frequently make a variety of references to the text’s content. The most typical approach is to speak generally about the subject. However, there are also cases where earlier writings on the subject are summarized and examples from local knowledge are used.

The purpose of this inquiry is to highlight the effects of reading materials used in large classrooms on those classes. The materials that teachers use the most frequently to teach reading were tested by the researcher and included a variety of tools for teaching reading.

The researcher set out to find out how teachers instruct students in reading using the classroom resources. It became clear that while the teachers are not given a wide variety of up-to-date resources, they do receive some of them and use them to plan and create lessons for teaching reading when they have the time. Additionally, it should be remembered that the materials also affect how interested and enthusiastic the students are in reading.

It was discovered throughout the observation that teachers only used a small number of different educational devices. The reading material was either in the hands of the teachers, the students, or it was on the chairs, but it was not being used clearly. In any event, it should be noted that some students take notes during class or record their reflections on papers or readings: Students were writing on rough copies while closely listening to the teacher and sharing textbooks in pairs (observation on March 3, 2019, lesson 1 of TeacherB); When the teacher reads an excerpt aloud, the students may also be engaged to the point that they follow along in their textbooks. Some pupils weren’t as involved, as one might anticipate. Students were distracted by cellphone messaging on Facebook and WhatsApp while sitting in the back of the classroom, claiming to be paying attention to the teacher (observation on March 3, 2019, lesson 1 of TeacherB).

Interview data supported this observation: We wish to prevent this loss since many students in our class typically do not pay attention to professors. The teacher comes in once, gives the lecture, and leaves. Whatever the points were, some students wrote them down, but many pupils continued to pay no attention to them (Interview 6).

On some occasions, there were also latecomers who probably did not profit from the teacher’s commentary.

The outcomes are consistent with the observations and interviews. However, the majority of the teachers said that until and until teachers use resources properly, teaching may not be effective. It is also made clear that teachers need to emphasize the crucial lessons that pupils need to learn from the materials. The materials teachers use to teach reading are in poor condition, according to observation data acquired using an observation guide. Teachers also noted that the existing materials are ineffective. Teachers have also mentioned that it is difficult to find resources for teaching reading.

Specifically, the chapter discussed the roles of teachers, students, and content in relation to teaching and learning in big courses. Additionally, it provided an answer to the study’s research questions. It was discovered that the instructors dominated the classrooms. This may very possibly be linked to a lack of training and knowledge of the most recent teaching and learning theories. This has repercussions for how instructors develop professionally.

In the majority of the sessions, the students took a passive position, which may be linked to cultural reasons because Pakistan is a hierarchical country where remaining silent is seen as showing obedience. This also involves teaching students how to raise their consciousness. The material’s intended use was restricted to classroom instruction, which again has implications for cultural and occupational issues. The study acts as an intervention overall to observe what occurs in large courses and how things might be modified to improve the teaching and learning environment.

Implications

There is no one style or method for teaching in big classrooms, but an instructor should bear in mind the following three factors: (1) their own teaching style; (2) the capacities and abilities of their students; and (3) the goals and objectives of the course. In any event, resource management and allocation play a more significant role in dealing with large classes than smaller classes. Which positions present various challenges? Additionally, certain writing has presented difficulties for teaching and learning in big classes for both teachers and students, including disruptions to class time. The following table illustrates how few of the challenges that instructors face are related to the class executives, the feeling of anonymity, the lack of adaptability, and the wide range of student differences. Additionally, pupils are challenged by their inability to ask questions, their lack of respect for the teachers and resources, and the need for solitary effort.

Challenges for the teachers and the students

 

Challenges for the Teachers’ Teaching	Challenges for the Students’ Learning
The board of desk work: relegating, checking, and recording work.	The hesitation of posing inquiries or different methods of demonstrating the absence of comprehension.
The executives of interruptions: discipline (talking), late coming.	Not comprehending what is significant and applicable data.
Seen secrecy of understudies: trouble to learn names, commitment, and cooperation, giving feedback.	Perceived and sentiment of anonymity that forestalls them to challenge the authority of the instructor.
Absence of adaptability of class exercises: the trouble of a variety of exercises, organizing bunch work.	Lack of access to the teacher's consideration and shared materials and assets.
Diversity and variety of foundations and planning of students	Need to act naturally determined with a minimal outer push from the educator to finish different tasks.

 

Students-centered learning

In Pakistan, English is also taught using old methods; teachers are not provided with the most up-to-date tools and procedures, so they are essentially spoon-feeding students. Lesson plans are used to introduce learners to new knowledge and materials.

Currently, workshops and seminars are also held to present contemporary perspectives on teaching and learning, bringing teachers away from the conventional manner of imparting knowledge to students and fostering student engagement.

Lesson plans just instruct students to memorise the facts while group discussions result in positive and constructive outcomes and stimulate high-level thinking, elaboration, and recognition. Participants in this study were unanimous in their belief that optimistic students are more likely to participate actively in class and dominate class discussions, which promotes efficient learning.

The relevance of tasks in group work, pair work, and peer editing was also stressed by the participants. In response to Question No. 1 regarding the instructional strategy, Teacher B mentioned that she “always tries new strategies that help the learning process in huge courses”. The instructor makes it clear that “if approach X is not sufficient, I switch to another one”. “I started using the teacher-cantered approach but realised it is not working effectively, so I turned to a more effective method, which is students-centred, and only then did I find that my students are becoming more responsible and much involved in the learning process, making them better recipients rather than passive learners”, the speaker continued.

Due to his extensive experience, Teacher E has learned that it might be challenging to evaluate each student individually in a class, which motivates him to look for the newest, most innovative methods that will best foster learning there. The use of group projects aids the teacher in fostering a more collaborative environment and productive learning environment, which strengthens learner autonomy and encourages them to take responsibility for their own learning.

Teacher D appears to have concluded by stating that peer editing motivates students for a variety of tasks, beginning with simple tasks and progressing to high-level tasks, which increases learners’ awareness of writing tasks and boosts learners’ self-confidence through correction of others’ works.

Preparing small group class within large classes

All the participants in this survey strongly reported difficulty in monitoring, observing, or correcting individual students due to the large number of students in the class. Thus, instead of moving 65 kids about for some activities, Teacher A tended to divide the large class into 8 to 10 smaller groups, which makes monitoring simpler and less chaotic. “Observing the class during various exercises is one of the major challenges I face in a large class”, he (T-A) says. Therefore, breaking up the class into smaller groups makes my work easier and saves time.

Teacher F, who discovered strategies for remedial instruction, mentions games, pair work, trio work, interviews, role plays, and group discussions as additional ways. He is able to create a highly modest atmosphere free from disruption by breaking courses up into smaller groups and involving all the groups in projects that are pertinent to his needs. Working in smaller groups can improve critical thinking, feedback-giving, social and emotional growth, appreciation of diversity, and student attrition.

Attracting attention of the learners

Few teachers have talked about how they can animate learning in large courses, to be animated and stand out from the pupils through singing, narrating, and giving questions and answers. Perceptions of Lessons in also revealed that different teachers have general teaching styles and aptitudes, and they have generally figured out how to keep classrooms lively and warm. Such methods will encourage the development of dynamic learning in the large classes.

The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence established connected writing that connects with tested systems and aptitudes and includes recording destinations and exercise diagrams on the board. Teachers can strengthen this by doing so. Teachers have never discussed or specified the objectives of the classes or themes during any lesson observation. In this manner, the teachers of the parties and the students become the main points of concentration to achieve the desired results and objectives.

Conclusion

A common complaint among university-level instructors at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Dadu Campus is the issue of huge classes. Many educators have recognized the detrimental effects that large classes may have on instruction and learning and have established strategies to deal with these issues. If properly implemented, the methods that these educators have created may even foster significant learning. These involve student attraction, group instruction, and teamwork. Since different approaches are typically used to aid in subject coverage, such as enlarged exercises, they have little potential to promote learning.

Teachers must shift their focus from topic coverage to quality and quantity of what is covered as they consider the larger class issue. Currently, it is necessary to develop methods that provide more content coverage while also enhancing in-depth understanding and application of what is covered. Some of these methods are used in writing, while others are already covered in teacher training; they only need to be refined via careful repetition.

The primary goal and objective of this study was to investigate the roles of teachers in large classes, students in large classes, and materials in large classes. Rapid population growth and the demand for higher education created a situation in which classes were crowded with students in developing countries. Studies on the learning outcomes in large courses have shown that while learning can occur in these settings, the level of learning is significantly lower than in small classes. Large classes have a very detrimental effect on both learning and teaching; teachers are faced with a range of new difficulties and are unable to provide the level of instruction that each student desires.

This study will aid educators in developing effective teaching tactics and methods to lessen the unfavorable effects of large courses. As a result, this study will assist teachers in utilizing creative methods for utilizing classroom space in their unique circumstances.

Although it is generally accepted that large class sizes are unavoidable in developing nations, this does not preclude the possibility of improving the present low standards of education. The success of societies as a whole and of individual students depends on how well-equipped instructors are to create and grow their nations. This means that teachers must always seek out new strategies to ensure the success of both the individual student and society as a whole.

About the authors

M. Ashraf

University of Sindh, Allama I.I. Kazi Campus

Author for correspondence.
Email: ashraf.kaloi@usindh.edu.pk
ORCID iD: 0009-0007-2076-1316

associate professor of the English Department

Pakistan, Jamshoro, 76080, Pakistan; postgraduate student of the Department of English Philology, Samara National Research University, 34, Moskovskoye shosse, Samara, 443086, Russian Federation

R. A. Memon

University of Sindh

Email: rafique.memon@usindh.edu.pk
ORCID iD: 0009-0006-6258-8008

PhD, professor, professor of the Institute of English Language and Literature

Pakistan, 76080, Pakistan, Allama I.I. Kazi Campus, Jamshoro

A. Ahmed

Government Graduate College; Samara National Research University

Email: denubeamazon@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0008-8666-0398

head of the English Department; postgraduate student of the Department of English Philology

Pakistan, Sialkot, Pasrur, Pakistan; , 34, Moskovskoye shosse, Samara, 443086, Russian Federation

V. D. Shevchenko

Samara National Research University; Samara Polytech Flagship University; Samara State Transport University

Email: vds@ssau.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6357-2477

Doctor of Philological Sciences, PhD, associate professor, head of the Department of English Philology; 

Russian Federation, 34, Moskovskoye shosse, Samara, 443086, Russian Federation; 244, Molodogvardeyskaya Street, Samara, 443100, Russian Federation; 2 b, Svobody Street, Samara, 443066, Russian Federation

References

Supplementary files