4 BENEFITS OF COLLABORATIVE, SMALL GROUP LEARNING
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Have you heard that studying in small groups is the way to go when learning a new language? Well, if you haven’t, we’re telling you that is is.
For the past several years, there is a theme of overcrowding in schools. For many classrooms, there are 30-40 students crammed into a room. Then when those students head to university, they’re one of the many hundred in the lecture hall.
This type of learning isn’t the most beneficial for many people. Instead of being merely a number, learning in small groups allows students to be an actual pupil.
We’ve taken that approach at Keats School in Kunming, China. We offer intensive one-on-one Chinese programs for students who wish to work with a teacher privately and offer small group learning. Our small group has no more than 15 students in one room with one teacher.This allows the teacher to get to know each student and their study needs. Our small group Chinese class is four hours long from Monday to Friday for 16 weeks.
If you’re not convinced yet that small group learning is the future, here are four benefits of small classes.
FLEXIBLE LEARNING
One advantage of learning in a small group is that it can offer a more flexible learning curriculum. When the teacher has the ability to get to know each of their students personally, study patterns are formed.
The teacher will be able to develop and teach in a way that will work for their students. In addition to that, if one student doesn’t understand or is struggling with a concept, it will be easier to monitor and help that student. Not only can the teacher help, but another student in the class might be able to offer help too.
INSPIRES CONFIDENCE
We all know that inside classrooms, low self-confidence can form. It can be intimidating to raise your hand in class to ask questions or have the teacher repeat the phrase. You may think that your question is stupid, and the idea of speaking up is daunting. If you think that way, your confidence in class will lower.
It’s easier to be brave in a smaller setting, trust us. In smaller groups, an informal atmosphere can be formed, making students feel comfortable joining conversations. Not only that, but students tend to encourage each other when it’s a smaller, more intimate setting.
FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
Getting feedback may be an issue if you’re in a large lecture hall with 100+ other students. We all want feedback, especially when learning a new language. In a small group setting, feedback on work can go beyond an A+ or a red X. Teachers have the ability and the resources to spend extra time on learning materials and feedback.
You’re also more likely to receive instant feedback on pronunciation and classwork in a smaller setting.
BUILD TEAM WORKING SKILLS
The more intimate environment of a small learning group, the more team-building skills. While students may sink into the background or get distracted in a large group, small, tight-knit group learning results differently.
People have the ability and desire to work with each other and work towards the same problem or project. Collaboration and discussions are great when learning a new language.
Teachers are also much more likely to deviate from a rigid plan and allow students to work at their own pace and develop group learning strategies.
KEATS OFFERS THIS AND MORE
At Keats School in Kunming, China, we believe small classes are the way of the future. Every year hundreds of students fly to Kunming to study Mandarin at our school. We specialize in small classrooms full of educated and professional teachers.
To learn more about our small group classes, contact us today.
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OVER 7000+ STUDENTS
HAVE STUDIED AT KEATS
About studying Chinese here, I think the living condition is very convenient because the dorm is very close to the classroom. Our teachers really enjoy teaching Chinese. They are also very passionate. Compared with other cities in China, Kunming has really good weather.
I decided to learn Chinese in Kunming because I like smaller cities and I like the climate here. We had four hours a day study here and my dear teacher taught me very much and never lost her patience with me. It was a really wonderful experience to be here and I recommend Keats school and the teachers here to everyone who likes to learn Chinese in China.
My name is Sarah Fish. I am 81. I knew very little Chinese when I arrived. How was I going to survive 2 weeks of intensive Chinese course? I have to laugh when I think of that now. What a positive experience this has been! I really wish we could be here a little longer. The teachers are extremely encouraging, evaluating first how much someone knows, and then starting from there.
The place is very cool. I am with a great group of people in my class, so coming to classes is very enjoyable. It is fun, we have a lot of discussions, games, activities. Our teachers are also very good, very supportive. Learning Chinese is intimidating at the start because you have so many questions. But I would advise coming to Keats because the atmosphere for learning is great. It is very relaxing. I would recommend the school.
I come to Kunming because I think the environment in Kunming is better and I heard that Keats School is better. I like the small group Chinese class because my classmates study hard and our teachers are very good. I like the teaching method of Keats because I like the activities at Keats. I think Yunnan is a particularly beautiful Chinese province.
The visa application was really straightforward, because Keats School helps us a lot with that. Keats has a big emphasis on conversational practice, so we learn a lot of vocabulary and daily life plans which is very convenient for us to go around town and speak with Chinese people which is the whole point of learning Chinese in China.
One thing I really liked was that I was able to work with my teacher to make an individual plan of study. Another really nice thing is that you live at the school, you feel completely safe. You always have a group of people who are willing to do things with you on the weekends or in the evenings. They are serving you all the 3 meals a day, the food was excellent.
The teachers at Keats know how to read the students and how to help students learn Chinese language easily. They know the level of the students. I am a slow learner, but they managed to adapt to my learning. They made the class very fun, very exciting. I am pleased that not only I got to learn the culture and the language, but I also got to make amazing friends, really unbelievable, Chinese friends and European friends, American friends, from all over the world.