Wong Chapter Three

"A student's participation may be to present a partial solution for a problem.  The teacher can use a variety of assessment techniques as well as questioning techniques to help students work within their 'zone of proximal development,' and thus to change the nature and quality of their participation within the classroom.  Mistakes and partial solutions, then, do not represent failure as much as they represent opportunities for learning."

I completely agree with Wong when she states that participation is key when it comes to learning a second language.  Many times, teachers lecture the students, hoping that they will practice at home, when in fact, many students do not.  However, by engaging them in the classroom with class discussions, teachers will be able to see how their students are progressing and will also be able to help any students that may be struggling.

Another big problem that Wong addresses is the fact that many second language learners may be apprehensive when it comes to speaking aloud in class because they may fear sounding "dumb."  However, by having the teacher ask guiding questions, the students may find it easier to speak aloud in front of their peers and may also give them a boost when they are able to answer correctly.  This may go the other way, in the sense that if they are to answer incorrectly, they may be embarrassed, but the teacher could always encourage them by telling them that their effort shows that they are trying and learning.

By the time students begin to speak aloud in large class discussions, I think that many students will also feel comfortable speaking to each other in the second language that they are learning.  Small group discussions may be beneficial for those students who may be afraid to speak aloud in front of the teacher and the rest of the class; they will have the benefit of having a few students listen and then gaining confidence as they do so.  Participation plays such a huge role when it comes to learning a second language as it produces confidence and encourages active learning.