Using General Knowledge in the Classroom

This piece aims to illustrate how making use of general knowledge can be beneficial for the learning process in different areas of learning.

Wise beyond your years

Schemata are patterns of thought that people use to organise current knowledge, and that students bring to the table when they are learning. Converting words from being passive to active vocabulary can be bolstered by a healthy curiosity to read a variety of topics, i.e. news, travel and nature, as well as listening to a selection of different sources of natural language, i.e. Ted Talks, BBC World Radio and a cookery programme to record vocab, i.e. with mind maps, grids (with one line for a definition of a new word and one for a new sentence using that word) or lists. Experimenting, with regards to what feels right, is the best way at the beginning; these methods can be put into practice as part of self-study. While in lessons, a diverse selection of conversation topics can test this knowledge and help the student to practice new words and phrases, especially being in unfamiliar territory; the level of the learner needs to be taken into consideration, and there should be no reason why abstract themes (i.e. love and change) would be out of reach. Open questions and a continuous flow of stimulating discussion topics helps the learner to think on his/ her feet, be creative and use a wide range of language.

Education, Education, Education

If your student has a healthy interest in politics, then it is likely that he/ she will know something about previous happenings in his/ her own country or important developments in the world, i.e. the chaos that surrounds Brexit and wide-spread fears after Trump was elected. Naturally, commenting on the latest developments can stimulate meaningful conversation while remaining relevant and up-to-date. After initial conversation, you should be able to ascertain the degree of knowledge of your student and this can help you to shape a speaking activity, to identify areas for improvement and to introduce new words, for example. If you wanted to discuss American politics, and your pupil has some knowledge of American Presidents, then perhaps you could discuss such figures as Abraham Lincoln (you could talk about freedom), John F Kennedy (you could explore conspiracy theories) and Barack Obama (following on from his recent speech on his administration’s achievements thus far, his excellent use of pauses in speeches can also be used during a presentation skills task). Politics is important to our world and it is worth pointing out that all those involved in these discussions need to keep abreast with current affairs in order to participate during each lesson.

Cross Culture

As more and more companies do business in English with clients from all over the world, learning about different cultures is the way forward, and intercultural communication is a priority for some organisations who, bearing this in mind, pay good money for selected members of their teams to go on training courses. Here, general knowledge can be a mixture of real experience re different cultures, i.e. from holidays, working or living abroad and pre-conceived stereotypes. The trick is to find some middle ground. In the Netherlands, for example, as a British teacher with experience of Dutch people, real life anecdotes and humour can be part and parcel, carefully playing on stereotypes and using material such as this: https://hbr.org/2014/02/how-to-say-this-is-crap-in-different-cultures

An article such as this serves its purpose well; it is informative and thought-provoking as well as posing questions to the student (who is Dutch) regarding perception, interpretation and cultural differences. Based on an understanding of the language element and knowledge of their own culture, students are likely to form an opinion, and as a Brit, the teacher can gives take on things too from a different cultural perspective, which can only be constructive. Things to watch out for or to carefully consider include being sensitive to other cultures and putting straight certain stereotypes, i.e. not all British tourists are football hooligans.

The Quiz

First off - beware of writing general knowledge quizzes that are too difficult, as you risk alienating your students and making them feel stupid. With groups, a manageable activity can be fun as it was with a group of highly competitive lawyers. If you wish, you can offer a prize, which will really raise the stakes. In the past, a kind of liquorice was popular with the Dutch, and a Malibu and cola drink went down well with a CAE student. (NB - all prizes were given at the end of the lesson and were consumed off the premises). Ideally, you should cover a variety of topics that are likely to be known about. If you look back to when you had you first lesson with the class, it is always a good idea to take note of which hobbies each person has; this will help you to write the questions. Then, fast forward to what must be a fair competition, and, as it’s a fun game, is best suited right at the end of the course in the final lesson.

History Repeats Itself

In an English literature lesson you could test your students’ knowledge of historical context. This would work best with secondary students, i.e. those who have recently learned about periods of American history. Consequently, the facts surrounding the Civil War, some understanding of the South plus the depression of the 30’s would all be indispensable to them when analysing Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). Activating this knowledge in the classroom can be a great way to contextualise and help the pupils to make connections between history and literature. Reading between the lines when preparing for exams is an important part of studying English literature, and possible dangers include students focusing solely on commentaries (like York Notes in the UK) rather than reading the actual book. Lastly, film adaptations can be useful, but, most of the time, should not be relied on too heavily.

Don’t know much about Geography?

Whether its discussions about travelling or when focusing on other cultures, facts about foreign countries can come in handy. Again, playing to stereotypes can be an easy way out or just plain inaccurate, so take care. If a student has travelled extensively or moved abroad a few times, then he/ she may have an advantage over the others. Once again, by knowing your students and covering many speaking topics, exploring their hobbies and interests; their own unique experiences will be available to be drawn upon. It goes without saying that some people are more cultured or well-travelled than others, so, to some extent, using general knowledge requires putting the feelers out with each and every topic. One person who does not know where one particular country in Asia is may have a brilliant ability to remember laws or dates, for example. Therefore, it is also crucial not to judge or measure intelligence based on what you may consider basic.

In your experience, is general knowledge used in other kinds of activities? Please share. It would be good to hear from you!