Intergenerational Differences In Classroom Teaching Behaviors Of Primary School Teachers

As for Chinese teachers, significant difference can be found between young teachers who just start working and elder teachers who are experienced. After studying pedagogy theories and practicing in primary schools, it could be more clearly realized that significant difference exists in classroom teaching behavior showed by teachers of various ages. Based on practical condition, through analyzing different behavior showed by teachers of various ages, this research summarizes the studies of inter-generational difference of primary classroom teaching behavior in order to find out the root cause of inter-generational difference. Through this research, teachers could more clearly realize the advantages and disadvantages of themselves. And also this research could help to make immature young teachers rapidly acquire correct teaching methods from old and middle-aged teachers, make elder teachers accept advanced teaching behavior of young teachers and make teachers of various ages improve their teaching behavior for better education services.This research is conducted through document study, classroom observation, interview, comparative analysis and case study. First, I have consulted domestic and foreign literature about classroom teaching behavior and inter-generational difference, thus deepening my understanding about teachers' classroom teaching behavior. Second, this research takes nine Chinese teachers of primary school as the object of study, observing their classroom teaching behavior, in order to explore the inter-generational difference of classroom teaching behavior.According to observation and studies, it is true that significant difference exists in classroom teaching behavior showed by teachers of various ages. In the stage of leading-in, teachers born in 1960 s prefer “the direct leading-in of knowledge” which emphasizes reviewing what students have learned, guiding them to learn new knowledge, and helps to build the connection between acquired knowledge and new knowledge. Methods of leading-in employed by teachers born in 1970 s are various, including the leading-in by virtue of questions related to the text which could foster students' ability for thinking. Teachers born in 1980 s tend to employ “the leading-in with with the help interest” and student's interest usually could be inspired by a short video or a short story. In the stage of lecturing, the lecturing of teachers born in 1960 s is coherent and logical, which contains more basic knowledge. Teachers born in 1970 s pay more attention to the establishment of correct values and they could provide sufficient examples and perceptual material. Teachers born in 1980 s usually combine blackboard-writing and multimedia with lecturing. In the aspect of classroom questioning, questions raised by teachers born in 1960 s mainly aim at testing students' knowledge accumulation. Teachers born in 1970 s are usually good at drawing students' attention. What they pay attention to are not only several outstanding and active students but also the whole class. Teachers born in 1980 s usually encourage students to question and therefore students dare to come out with their own ideas, which illustrates that the classroom guided by young teachers is more democratic. As for classroom feedback, teachers of various ages all tend to employ the feedback of praising, especially teachers born in 1980 s. On the contrary, teachers born in 1960 s tend to employ “criticism”, “interruption” and “non-linguistic feedback” in more occasions, which illustrates that teachers born in 1960 s are more autocratic in the process of teaching and it is necessary to improve the relation between teachers and students. Teachers born in 1970 s are more likely to adopt the feedback methods of “guidance” and “retelling”, which illustrates that teachers born in 1970 s pay more attention to foster students' ability. In the stage of class summary, teachers born in 1960 s usually employ the methods of “exercising” and teachers' “self-answering”. Teachers born in 1970 s tend to employ the methods of “divergent thinking”, “setting up the suspense” and “improving the occasion”, which could make the best use of pupils' characteristics, such as fantastic imagination and curiosity, and improve students' capacity of thinking. In sharp contrast, some teachers born in 1980 s fail to manage the classroom summary. A lot of classes are finished hastily and imperfectly.