Flipping the Approach

The idea of a "flipped classroom" is gaining popularity, especially among ESL teachers! If you haven't heard about "flipped classrooms," basically the idea is very similar to any college seminar class:

1.) Teach yourself by watching teacher selected/ prepared videos or texts before class.
2.) Arrive at class having already digested the content material and spend class time collaborating and working with others on comprehension activities directly relating to what you have read or watched ahead of time.
3.) Reflect on what you have learned and practiced through some sort of writing or final statement of understanding.

According to Flipping your Classroom: A Primer and Three Reasons to Flip Your Classroom, this strategy of using class time to work on comprehension of pre-learned materials can work well for any age, not just university students. This approach can increase students comprehension, collaboration skills, and critical thinking!

What I connected to the most from the above articles was the idea that often times students go home after a lecture and are unable to complete their homework due to a lack of full understanding. I remember struggling with this all the time in high school. By moving the traditional "homework" into class time, students are able to access help from both the teacher and other students when they get stuck. This is a huge advantage, and something that has definitely peaked my interested in trying a "flipped" approach in the future.