Champion Teachers Peru: Stories of Exploratory Action Research

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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14069/743

Based on the success of the Champion Teachers (CT) programme in Chile (2013 onwards), in 2017 the British Council offices in Chile and Peru embarked on the design of a more ambitious binational project aimed at strengthening and expanding teacher-research capacity in English language teaching in Peru and Chile and generating a community of teacher-researchers in both Pacific Alliance countries. In 2018, further funds were allocated for the expansion of the CT programme once again, to the other Pacific Alliance countries, Colombia and Mexico.

Since the CT programme in Peru was in its first year, experienced former Champion Teachers who had already worked as near-peer mentors in the CT programme in Chile, were selected to mentor their Peruvian colleagues. Teachers gathered together in Santiago in Chile, in January 2018, for a final reporting session, where they had the opportunity to meet their mentors (in many cases this was their first face-to-face meeting) as well as to interact with Champion Teachers from the sister programme in Chile.

To understand the context where these teachers work, it is important to indicate that, except for a few pilot schools, English is not taught in primary public schools in Peru. In 82 percent of public high schools, students are exposed to roughly 80 minutes of English per week. Only 18 percent of public high schools have more than two hours of English language teaching per week. In this challenging context, it is possible to say that the teachers whose work is presented in this collection are outstanding, resilient and innovative professionals. They work in contrasting socio-economic and cultural contexts where gradual implementation of a national bilingual policy called “English, Gateway to the World” (“Inglés Puertas al Mundo”) is taking place.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 10

Promoting effective use of mobile phones through a class contract
(2017) Román, Abdías
Context: In a public secondary school in Santa Anita, Lima, Peru, a teacher worked with a fifth-grade class struggling with engagement and motivation in English lessons. Noticing that students were frequently distracted by their mobile phones, despite the school's prohibition, the teacher decided to explore the potential of using mobile phones constructively in the classroom. Aims: The study aimed to understand students' current phone use in class, their attitudes toward the prohibition, and to develop a strategy to integrate mobile phones as educational tools. By establishing a class contract, the teacher sought to transform mobile phone use from a distraction into a support for learning activities, focusing particularly on English language skills. Methods: Three data collection methods were used: a peer observation of student and teacher activities, a student survey on phone use and attitudes, and a teacher journal documenting reflections on students' engagement and mobile phone usage. Data collected helped the teacher understand the patterns of mobile phone use, students' views on its prohibition, and the dynamics of class engagement. Findings: The data revealed that students primarily used mobile phones for social media, messaging, and occasionally as learning aids for translation and internet searches. Six students were the most frequent users, but the small classroom meant their phone use impacted others around them. The peer observation indicated that reminders about phone rules were infrequent, and students expressed a preference for using phones for specific learning activities. Following these findings, the teacher established a class contract regulating phone use for structured activities like voice recording and messaging for English practice. Implications: This study suggests that establishing a structured agreement on mobile phone use can foster a sense of responsibility and enhance engagement, turning potential distractions into tools for learning. Through self-correction and shared activities like voice recording, students gained confidence and motivation in English. The experience suggests that similar strategies could benefit teachers seeking to integrate personal devices constructively in the classroom.
Developing students' super writing skills
(2017) Yábar, Katia
Context: In Arequipa, Peru, an English teacher observed that secondary students, aged 14 to 15, faced significant challenges with writing. Students often struggled with generating ideas, grammar, and vocabulary and displayed a lack of confidence and motivation toward writing tasks. The teacher sought to enhance students' engagement and proficiency in writing by addressing these areas. Aims: The project aimed to understand students' attitudes towards writing, the specific difficulties they encountered, and the strategies they applied. Additionally, the teacher sought to improve her approach by implementing structured support to aid students in developing clear, structured paragraphs. Methods: Data collection methods included a questionnaire on students' attitudes and challenges, a peer observation, and a video-recorded lesson to reflect on instructional methods. The teacher documented student behaviour in a reflective journal and encouraged feedback to identify students' preferences and difficulties with writing activities. Findings: Analysis revealed that students participated actively in brainstorming and were receptive to writing templates and structured feedback. However, they struggled to remember vocabulary and grammar taught in class and frequently asked for clarification on task instructions. The peer observation highlighted that instructions were often unclear and that students avoided dictionaries. The teacher also observed that students had difficulty correcting their own work, relying heavily on the teacher's feedback instead. Following an action plan that included structured templates, bilingual resources, and error-correction codes, students became more confident and autonomous in writing. The teacher found that strategies like instruction-checking questions and modelling activities were effective in enhancing student comprehension and participation. Implications: This experience suggests that incorporating visual aids and structured templates may benefit students facing similar challenges with writing skills, supporting a more independent and confident approach.
Writing on the go
(2017) Alvarez, Noelia
Context: In Arequipa, Peru, an English teacher worked with high-performing 4th-grade students at a high-performance school (COAR) where students must achieve a B2 level in English for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. While generally adept in English, students struggled with writing, particularly with grammar, vocabulary, and task completion. These challenges led the teacher to focus on strengthening students' writing skills for academic success. Aims: The study aimed to understand students' attitudes towards writing, identify their key writing challenges, and determine how the teacher's feedback and support affected their improvement. By pinpointing these factors, the teacher hoped to create an approach to enhance students' writing skills, especially regarding pre-writing techniques and error awareness. Methods: A questionnaire on students' attitudes and writing processes, peer observation, and a mock writing task were used to gather data. The peer observation focused on the teacher's feedback methods, students' writing errors, and how classroom support impacted the writing process. Additionally, the teacher analysed students' written work for common mistakes to inform instructional adjustments. Findings: Results showed that students were generally positive about writing but often felt nervous. Grammar, vocabulary, and subject omission were common challenges. While students had some familiarity with pre-writing techniques, these were underused, contributing to incomplete task responses. The peer observation suggested that feedback was generally clear, but pre-writing guidance and handwriting clarity could improve. Implications: The implementation of structured pre-writing strategies, peer correction, and feedback on specific errors resulted in reduced student anxiety and more complete and accurate writing. This experience highlights the benefits of reinforcing pre-writing techniques and peer-based correction for improved writing quality and independence. Teachers facing similar challenges may find these strategies beneficial in supporting student autonomy and reflective learning in writing.
Developing writing skills in young students
(2017) Quintana, Gregoria
Context: In Santa Clara, Lima, a primary teacher observed that young students (ages 7-8) struggled with writing skills in English, often relying on memorization rather than understanding. This led to frustration, especially when they couldn't recall vocabulary or proper spelling. To support these learners, the teacher sought to explore more effective methods for developing foundational writing skills. Aims: The study aimed to help students produce simple, grammatically correct sentences and feel more confident in writing. Specifically, the teacher wanted to understand students' perspectives on writing activities, assess her teaching practices, and determine what support could make writing in English more meaningful and accessible for her students. Methods: Data were collected through a questionnaire, peer observation, and a group interview. The questionnaire allowed students to express how they felt about writing and what methods they found helpful. Peer observation by a colleague provided additional insights on classroom dynamics, revealing areas where students might need more contextual or visual aids for writing. In the group interview, students shared preferences for specific learning supports, such as visual aids and bilingual references. Findings: The questionnaire responses showed that many students felt confused about writing, mainly due to challenges in remembering vocabulary and spelling. Students indicated that looking at books or visual prompts helped them. During peer observation, the teacher's colleague noted that the students were not receiving sufficient context-based support or guidance for sentence construction. Based on these findings, the teacher implemented visual aids like a picture dictionary, sentence modelling, and a mural with English words and images. Implications: This exploration highlights how visual aids, contextual vocabulary support, and modelled sentence structures can effectively support young learners' writing skills. Teachers working with similar age groups could consider introducing resources like a picture dictionary and regular sentence modelling to build students' writing confidence and competence.
The confidence to speak
(2017) Pariguana, Alex
Context: At San Agustin University in Arequipa, Peru, a language teacher faced challenges with mixed-level classes, where students displayed varying degrees of confidence in speaking English. Noticing that students who lacked confidence often avoided participation, the teacher sought to create a more inclusive environment that would encourage all students to engage and express their ideas comfortably. Aims: The primary aim was to identify factors affecting students' confidence in speaking and to explore teaching practices that could foster a supportive classroom atmosphere. The teacher focused on understanding students' perceptions about speaking and their challenges, along with evaluating his own teaching methods to better facilitate active participation for all learners. Methods: Data collection included an initial anonymous questionnaire on students' confidence and preferences for speaking activities, as well as peer observations and feedback slips completed by students at the end of each lesson. Peer observers evaluated both the teacher's methods and student interactions, providing insights into student comfort levels and participation. Implementing structured vocabulary support, diverse activities, and group reorganization led to increased student confidence and inclusion. Regular modelling and varied speaking exercises encouraged students to practice more naturally. Findings: The data revealed that many students felt nervous or frustrated about speaking, particularly due to limited vocabulary and fear of peer judgment. Peer observations confirmed that while some students were confident, others felt excluded, particularly during group activities. The teacher recognized that he needed to improve his approach to promoting inclusive participation, including through modelling and pre-teaching vocabulary. Implications: This study highlights the value of responsive teaching practices in addressing confidence issues, especially in mixed-level classes, and underscores the importance of creating a collaborative classroom atmosphere to support language learners.

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