Varying strategies to maximize the effectiveness of ELT: lessons from training sessions

Several factors determine the effectiveness of language learning, one of which is the variety of strategies carried out by the teacher in the teaching and learning process. Defined as any efforts made to maximize the learning achievements, the strategy encompasses material development, classroom management, and teaching techniques. The study focuses on the ways the teacher implements such a variety and its effectiveness. This study used a descriptive technique in that it describes the existing phenomenon without giving any treatment to bring about the data. It is conducted in an in-service teacher training that aims to improve the trainees’ mastery of ELT strategies and the teaching language. The data are collected using questionnaires, observation, documentation, interviews, and reflection. The subjects are the trainers and the teacher trainees who have mixed language abilities and teaching experiences. Having been collected, the data are analyzed by classifying the topically relevant facts, displaying them, scrutinizing their interconnections, and drawing some conclusive points. The findings show a range of varieties is employed during the training process, covering the use of diverse materials, fun classroom activities, learner-centered approach, affect-lowering classroom management, and varied interaction patterns. As effective learning is dependent on fresh minds, teachers should always strive to prevent their students from exhausting monotony.
Keywords: classroom management; material development; teaching strategies