Problem solving

What and why?

Learning how to approach and solve problems, and accepting that there is often more than one answer to a question or more than one way of dealing with it, is a key part of both education and language learning. The ability to determine the essence of a problem, and indeed to see that there is a problem, is a vital ingredient in learning. In CEWw, therefore, many tasks require the students to think things through not only in relation to the structure of the language but also by drawing on their existing knowledge to help them understand new situations. For example, some exercises in which the students are asked to establish their own rules for a new grammatical structure require this kind of cognitive effort. Other exercises require students to think through why certain things happen, or to work out an explanation for natural phenomena.

The benefits of a problem-solving approach to teaching and learning can be significant for a number of reasons. Firstly, involving the learner in thinking things through requires more involvement and produces greater depth of understanding. This kind of 'experiential knowledge' (that is, the knowledge gained through the experience of doing something) often lasts longer and is more significant to the learner than knowledge which is simply 'transmitted' by the teacher or the book. The students become involved in constructing their own individual systems of learning and understanding. Secondly, some recent research has suggested that where students are involved in using language to understand and formulate meanings, language may be acquired more naturally, in much the same way as infants learn their first language.

Practical ideas

• When students ask you questions, you can, from time to time, insist that they find out for themselves by using books, asking other people or figuring it out. ¥ Give hints or clues rather than direct answers.
• You can set a 'problem of the week' for the students. Talk to other subject teachers in your school and ask for ideas about questions you could pose. 'What if ...' questions and 'How can ...' questions are often useful in stimulating thought. For example: 'What would happen if we had only three hours of light each day?', 'What would happen if we started teaching Chinese instead of English in school?', 'How can we make our classroom lighter and quieter?' Even: 'How can we best learn a language?' If you set such questions, you can discuss them at a specified time later.
• You can present 'language learning' as a 'problem' to be solved. Encourage students to think of their own ways of recording and learning new vocabulary. Let students discuss and compare in class the different methods they have tried. Encourage students to discuss grammar areas which they find difficult or easy to learn and use. Encourage the students to think about and investigate how they go about doing exercises, reading, how they revise for a test, etc.
• Students can be encouraged to bring puzzles and problems into class. They can also put these into the EXERCISE BOX and the PARCEL OF ENGLISH.