Participatory or Active Learning and teaching strategy
The method like active learning and teaching strategy and participatory learning strategy when compared to lecture method of teaching is quite different. One reason is that lecture method follows a top down teaching method and put learners as a passive participant in the actual teaching and learning; however, participatory or active learning methods give much time for learners self-learning and increase learners active involvement in the teaching and learning, and it also develop learners metacognitive and creativity skills. Regarding this, Eison (2010) asserts that active learning is a technique that helps learners to be involved in developing critical thinking and creativity, inter and intra communication skills, advanced writing skills, readiness for offering and gaining feedback, and becoming self-explanatory on their learning.
Edwards, 2001, P37 noted that:
‘Placing learners at the heart of the learning process and meeting their needs, is taken to a progressive step in which active learning approaches mean that persons are able to learn what is relevant for them in ways that are appropriate. Waste in human and educational resources is reduced as it suggested learners no longer have to learn what they already know or can do, nor what they are uninterested in. (Edwards 2001:37).
Moreover, Center for Educational Innovation (2021), University of Michigan developed the following spectrum on how active learning strategy develops learner’s active involvement in teaching and learning.
As it can be seen on the above spectrum active or participatory teaching and learning strategies unlike that of lecture and traditional method of teaching and learning strategies, it goes from simple to complex by employing various techniques. Students can be engaged in different teaching and learning outcomes and actively involve themselves in collaborative learning in order to develop their critical and metacognitive skills.
The Concept of Large Class
Even though there is no clear cut and singular definition of what constitutes a large class, different scholars and researchers describe it differently depending on a country's exposure to sophisticated classrooms and technology. For example, Hayes (1997) claims that "there is no numerical determination of what shapes a huge class because teachers' judgments of large classes vary from one situation to the next." Furthermore, Ur (2000) believed that a class is considered large if it contains 30 or more students. A class of 45 students is regarded to be large in Saudi Arabia. A class of 80 students or more is considered a large class in Far Eastern countries such as Japan, China, Pakistan, and India. A class of more than 75 pupils can be called a large class in Ethiopian context, similar to that of a Far East country.
As Bahanshal (2013) states that:
Regardless of the number of students in a class, it is teachers' perceptions towards the class size in a certain context with particular tools and facilities that are provided that make classes either small or large. Hence, we can say that large classes are those with a specific number of students that teachers cannot handle and resources are not enough to facilitate the teaching and learning process and that pose insurmountable problems for both teachers and students.
Techniques of Active Learning Strategies in Large Class
Teachers should use different strategies of active learning strategy in their class to successfully develop learners' critical thinking and creativity, inter and intra communication skills, advanced writing skills, readiness for offering and receiving feedback, and becoming self-explanatory on their learning and other attainable skills. There are several other active learning approaches that can be used in a big class, according to Haddad (2015). In the practice of active learning in a large class, the following strategies are frequently recommended. Here are a few examples:
Pair and Group Work
In the educational context, pair and group work is a component of collaborative teaching and learning practices. It is one of the most effective techniques to encourage active learning by structuring the students' exposure in such a way that they can collaborate in a group. Pair and group work can take numerous forms, including students working in pairs or students working independently and then coming together in groups to compare and discuss their group's results. While placing learners in pairs and groups for work, we must do it at random, taking into account issues such as gender, interest, and ability of each individual in one group (Haddad, 2015) & (Kyriacou, 1998).
Haddad (2015) further points out that group work allows each student to contribute personal perspectives while also honing the skill of collaborating with others. The interaction of learners is harmed when the group is too large. As a result, based on the nature of the tasks and activities, the group size is determined in order to carry out the work properly.
Role Playing
According to Gower, Phillips, and Walters (1995), role playing is a technique in which students act out the part of a certain individual in a fictitious situation in class. Role playing allows students to participate in a situation and act out a discourse. Role-playing is a teaching approach that belongs to the social family of models since it gives students in the class a social action role. These tactics emphasize the social dimension of learning and consider cooperative behavior as both social and academically rewarding for students.
As a teaching and learning approach, role-playing has various advantages for both teachers and students. Students' interest in the topic is piqued first, and then they act as they would in that situation. 'Incorporating experiential learning activities in the classroom boosts interest in the subject matter and understanding of course content,' according to research (Poorman, 2002). Secondly, when students participate in a role-playing lesson, they are more engaged. Students are not passive consumers of the teacher's knowledge; rather, they participate actively in the learning process and respond to what they learn. A third benefit of role-playing as a teaching approach is that it teaches students how to critically assess and apply what they learn in real life (Kothari, 2004). A typical role-playing activity would allow pupils to take on the role of a specific character in society, learning and acting as that person would in the real world (Rozali, Sitasari, Rahmat & Rahman, nd).Materials and Methods
Research Design
This study has employed a Descriptive research design. This type of design is used in this study because it helps the researcher to describe the actual classroom practice of the phenomenon under investigation in its natural context. Additionally, Singh (2006) states that, descriptive research design is focused on describing the traits of a specific individual, or group as whole. Therefore, the aim and nature of this study are in line with what is mentioned by Kothari, and it helped the researcher to seek relevant data for the successful accomplishment of premeditated objectives.
Participants of the Study
This study was conducted in one public Preparatory School which is named as Bishaw W/Yohanis Preparatory School and it is located in Kafa Zone (South West Ethiopia) particularly on grade twelve students. The proximity of the school to the researchers was a reason for the purposive selection of the study area. In this study, grade twelve students and their English language teachers were participated to provide data about the practical implementation of participatory or active learning strategies in EFL large classes.
Sample Size and Sampling Techniques
Bishaw W/Yohanis Preparatory School was purposively selected because the researcher has knowledge about the existence of the problem under investigation in the study area. The total numbers of teachers who teach the English language in grade twelve in this school were only 2, and all of them were selected for this study by using a comprehensive sampling technique. They were interviewed and also their respective classes were observed to achieve the intended objectives. Whereas the total number of grade 12 students in the school was 200 and they were arranged in 4 sections. As Singh (2006) states using 10–20 percent as a sample out of the total population is sufficient, and there were four sections of grade twelve students at Bishaw W/Yohanis preparatory school; there are fifty students in each section with a total population of 200 students. In this case out of 200 students, 20 (10%) of the students were selected as samples (which means 5 students from each section) by using simple random sampling techniques.
Instruments of Data Collection
The pertinent data required for the study were collected through classroom observation, questionnaires, and interviews.
Procedure of Data Collection and Analysis
The researcher has used different steps while collecting the data for this study: Firstly, actual classroom observations were conducted during the teaching-learning process by using an observation guiding checklist. Then, questionnaires were administered to 20 sample students, and finally, interviews were also conducted with 2 grade 12 English language teachers so as to get deep and relevant qualitative information in order to achieve the intended objectives.
Method of Data Analysis
As a method of data analysis, mixed-method data analysis was applied to this study. This means data that were collected from all English language teachers and sample students were analyzed by using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis. The data which were gathered through observation and interview were analyzed by using the qualitative (description or interpretive) method. The data from the questionnaire was entered into the computer software SPSS version 21 and presented qualitatively by using mean values and standard deviation.