7.2 Difficulties with Leading Discussions in English
（英語のディスカッションをリードする上での困難）
Anyway, let’s get into more details on teaching methodology. Can you tell me more about the class you are assisting in?
I am assisting a biology professor. Students are assigned articles to read in advance, and they discuss current issues in English every week. What I’m expected to do is handle questions about the topic. I prepare by answering basic questions about the background of the topic and related terminology. In some cases, I need to learn words and phrases in English that I’m not familiar with.
Good! Are there any problems?
I’m supposed to lead discussions among the students, and I believe I prepare enough. However, I still find leading a discussion difficult. There’ve been three main problems. First, the students don’t participate actively in the discussion. They don’t try to express their own opinions about the topic. Secondly, the topic doesn’t seem to motivate the students for further study. Finally, the students don’t try to expand their knowledge through cooperative study.
I see. The problems you’ve mentioned often happen in classrooms. You might feel it is difficult now, but it’s good training for you to be a good teacher in the near future. Let’s find solutions to these problems by considering active learning, an interactive teaching methodology, which has been actively studied in the field of education.