No-hands Up Approach in ELT: Thumbs Up or Down?

Jokha AL-Hosni, Oman

Jokha Al Hosni is an English language instructor at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. She has been teaching EFL since 2010. She has an MS in curriculum studies from Purdue University, USA. Her research interests include: Curriculum design, blended learning and teaching reading to young adults. E-mail: alhosnij@squ.edu.om

I first came across the no-hands up approach in language teaching when I was attending a summer training course for English language teachers at Oxford University. The teacher trainer suggested this approach as a creative way to maintain good class management through involving all students in the learning process. I immediately reflected on my teaching practices with my EFL freshmen college students and the common scenario I have with them during any class discussion. When I ask questions that often tend to be basically for factual recall, the same few students raise their hands to answer the questions. The rest of the class remain silent as they are unintentionally given the permission to do so! Miller (2014) indicated that teachers who always rely on the students who raise their hands to answer , give the rest of the class the permission to " switch off".

In their work on assessment for learning and formative assessment in particular, Dylan William and Paul Black proposed no-hands up approach as an effective strategy to engage all learners in the class discussion and encourage teachers to ask better questions (Does Putting Hands, 2013). The approach aims at involving all students in the class discussion by asking questions and picking students at random in order to " draw out pupils who had fallen out of the habit of responding in class." (Lane, 2010, para 8).

I have tried out this approach with my EFL false beginners in five consecutive 1.5-hour lessons . The group of 15 students were college freshmen who were taking the general English course as part of their English Foundation Program. This approach was totally new to students and it was a novel idea to experiment in my classes. I used the ice-cream sticks and I wrote my students' names on them, so I picked the names randomly to answer my questions. That was not probably a very creative way to do it. Yet, it was simple and easy in order to handle the new approach while carrying out the other class activities as well as keeping record of the students' responses and attitudes. This approach was used for the whole session. The observations listed below summarize my experience:

• All students in my class found the new approach frustrating. The good students who always want to stand out and shine found themselves unable to answer the teacher's smart questions by just raising their hands. Similarly, the struggling students felt that they were in a hard situation in which they can be called upon anytime to answer the teacher's questions.
• Surprisingly, the names of the two students who were very reluctant to participate in the class's discussions were very frequently picked and ; hence they had to speak out more.
• Using the approach for the whole class time and during all the class activities was a bit demanding and tended to be boring.
• No- hands up approach urged students to be more attentive during the class as they knew they may be called upon to answer at any time.
• As a teacher, this approach gave me more space to evaluate the type of questions I ask and the students' responses and I get a clear idea of the students' level of understanding.
• It was obvious that students, through this approach, could have more time to think and reflect. I can assure that having a period of silence, without the stress caused by fast responders, can enhance students' thinking skills.

To conclude, based on my experience with the no- hands up approach and the observations I have made, a couple of recommendations is necessary to make the optimal use of this teaching approach. First, teachers need not to use the approach for a whole class session. It can be implemented for one activity or for a specific period of time, so we can use it as a change of routine rather than making it a tedious process. In addition, it is very recommended to use interesting techniques that help make the class more engaging and add a fun element to the classroom. Using the ice-cream sticks is the basic tool to implement the approach. Teachers have created a wide range of teaching aids to carry out the approach. They vary based on students' age, classroom facilities and time available. For instance, teachers use cuddly toys with younger students. Smart phones' applications, such as Decide Now and Decide Wheel can be used for technology- oriented classes. Other techniques are : "Calling a friend, providing alternatives, making it blindingly obvious and using a mini white board" (St ivo school, 2009). It is also essential to give students some time to think before answering your questions, so that you consider the low achievers who are likely to spend more time thinking of the questions in hand. By considering these recommendations, I believe we can say: Thumps up for no-hands up approach!

References

Does putting hands up to answer destroy learning? (2013). Retrieved from http://www.thirstforthinking.org/thirst-for-thinking-blog/does-putting-hands-up-to-answer-destroy-learning

Lane, M. (2010). Where hands-up in class is banned. BCC News Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/education-11090044

Miller, H. (2014). No hands up. Retrieved from http://www.classroomchronicles.net/2014/02/16/no-hands-up/

No hands up presentation [slide share presentation]. (2009). St Ivo School. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/cookiedifferentiation/no-hands-up-presentation

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