It is argued that small classes is advangtagous for language learners. However, there are another view that the number of students in a class isn’t the decisive factor. Although classes having small number of students enhances the better interaction between students and teachers, other factors such as the the quality of teaching expertise or the motivation of the students are taken up as paramount elements. Due to their equality in importance, a blended way of teaching languages is the best efficient approach.
Some advocates point out that small classes often result in better quality of interplays between lecturers and learners. In a classes with few students, teachers have more time to concentrate on a student’s progress. Therefore, they easily identify each student’s problems and mistakes, the same thing occurs with the solutions for those determined issues. For example, in a class with less than 10 students, a tutor can have enough time to specify and analyse each student’s grammar mistakes meticulously, therefore, he can provide more proper solutions for each students. Moreover, as speaking is a crucial skill in adopting a language, small classes guarantee the opportunity for speaking of each students. In particular, a tutor cannot listen and correct the mistakes for each learners in a 40-student class, but it is possible in a 10-student one. On the whole, small classes are often associated with more interactive learning environment.
However, other elements such as the quality of pedagogical skills, students’ motivation or the advance of technology are thought to be decisive. The better the tutor’s teaching expertise is, the easier he can interpret and explain the grammar structures or vocabularies to his students. Therefore, annual contests or expertise tests by the government agencies are taken place for teachers and lecturers in Vietnam to reassess their skills. Additionally, the motivation and learning purposes of the students are also other pivotal factors. Highly motivated students can make substantial progress through self-study and searching. Moreover, technology is also crucial. Thanks to the fourth and the fifth industrial revolutions, there is a variety of online learning resources to deepen the student’s knowledge. A plenty of online learning tools and apps such as Quizlet or Khan Academy are synonymous with effectiveness in vocabularies and phrases memorization.
On the whole, small classes is proven to facilitate the interplays of teachers and students, therefore, they foster the progress of students. However, other elements like pedagogical skills, students’ motivation and technology are other crucial elements. Therefore, a blended approach is the best way for a student to learn a new language.
