CONDUCTING THE RECITATION
The success of a recitation depends on a number of factors.
1.Ask Quality Questions
Most important is the quality of questions asked. Questioning is more effective if the teacher formulates the questions beforehand, because he can give more attention to the type of question to be asked, its construction, and the sequence in which it will be asked during the recitation.
2. Maintain Order
The teacher should set the stage to maintain order during a question-and-answer period. Teachers should require complete attention and respect during a recitation period. This does not mean that absolute silence must occur or that students sit inactively in their seats. It does mean that the teacher must keep the students alert, motivated, interested, and anxious toconcentrate during the session.
3. Tell how to respond question
Teachers should tell students how they will be recognized to respond to a question. Students should know that they need permission to contribute a response. Teachers should be consistent in how they acknowledge those who request permission to answer a question. The usual signal, the raised hand, should always be given preference.
4. Ask question from all students
There are instances when a few students - three or four- tend to dominate a question-and-answer session. It is difficult to ignore these students, because they are usually the better students and probably the most cooperative. And yet, a teacher wants to ask other students to participate. This is when the teacher must be very tactful.
5. Know the reasons for tendency to be quiet
Once the teacher knows the students in a class, he can determine why certain students have a tendency to be quiet and not participate during the recitation. The student may be a slow learner, uninterested, or merely shy. To bring this type of student into the picture, the teacher may formulate special questions that he knows the student can answer correctly.
6. Ask questions to unattentive Students Questions directed specifically to students who are obviously not paying attention to what is taking place will immediately cause them to pay attention. This technique may prevent students from becoming involved in activities that will create discipline problems.
7.Treaty with courtesy
The teacher should treat students who give incorrect responses with the same courtesy as those who give correct ones. It would be unfair to arbitrarily condemn a student who gives an incorrect answer just because it was not the expected response. Perhaps the question was poorly stated or the student misinterpreted it.
8. Do not accept chorus answers
If several students respond to a question simultaneously without raising their hands and by shouting the correct response in unison, the question is probably too simple and probably not worth asking. Chorus answers should not be acceptable, because this type of response can cause the question-and-answer session to degenerate into situations in which very little learning takes place.
9. Reasonable pace
Good question-and-answer sessions are lively and proceed at a reasonable pace. Teachers should limit active participation to one or two students at a time and should not permit the questioning to drag or the answers to become too involved and lengthy, which results in boredom and students thinking about other things.
10. Maximum participation
The teacher should use every possible means to encourage maximum participation. He should ask questions clearly and in firm tones so that all students can follow the line of questioning It may be necessary to repeat the question more than once. The questions should be short, concise, and simply worded so that the students can keep them clearly in mind.
11. Be aware of Mood of class
The teacher should be aware of the mood of the class during the recitation, making sure that the students are not bored and inattentive and that they are anxious to contribute. The teacher should give the students an impression of enthusiasm.
12. First deliver then ask
Normally, it is best that the teacher deliver the question first and then designate the student who is to respond. Naming the student first and then posing the question is an invitation for the rest of the students to relax ad become uninterested.
13. Do not use threat
Teacher should not use the threat of asking a question as a way to keep students attentive. Such statements as "You'd better pay attention or else you're next in line for a questions" or "keep quiet or I'll ask you the next question" should be avoided.
14. Avoid Boredom
There is great potential for boredom and monotony during a recitation, and it is advisable for a teacher to avoid having the students recite previously learned material and leaving it at that. The recitation is often boring for the bright students. The recitation may be the opportune time for the teacher to expand, elaborate, and comment on student responses. Using the recitation in this way can give students a chance to think about the questions and responses and take them from what they know to what they do not know.
15. Reasonable length of session
A question-and-answer session should be terminated after a reasonable length of time. This type of activity does not interest the student for long periods. Students become restless and start shifting their attention to other things. By the end of ten minutes, students will show these sings of inattention and the number of students anxious to participate will start to dwindle.. At this time shift to another activity, preferably not one that makes the teacher the center of attraction. Laboratory work, a film, a possibly a demonstration involving students are excellent activities to use following a recitation session.