INTERVIEW REPORT

For EDU 3106 coursework, we were required to conduct interviews with the
class teacher and a pupils respectively during practicum. After two weeks of
practicum, finally I had chance to interview one teacher and one students. I worked
with my practicum partner because they only can attend one interview. As for me, I
interview the student named Suri. She is from 6 Aktif class. As for the teacher, I
interviewed 4A class teacher, Madam Rathika.
My first question is asking them about how language can affect the
interaction between teacher and students as well as student and students in the
classroom. The students answer is simple. She said that she does not have any
problem in interacting with her friends and her teachers that are different race with
her. Same with the teachers answer. She said that she does not have any problem
in interact with her student that are different race but in the aspect of gender, she
said that the girl students are sort of shy when sitting together with the boys. Based
on her opinion, it is mainly happened because of the way they brought up. For
example like their environment, culture and tradition. University Of Virginia states
that
My next question is about the difficulties when interacting with the students or
friends that speak different language in the classroom. As for the student, she said
that she sometime has a difficulty when interact with other student that speaks
different language with her. This is because she is mainly speaks in English
language or Tamil language at home so when it comes to school she has to modify
herself in order to suit with the environment. As for the teacher, she said that she has
no difficulty when interact with her students that speak different languages. As an
English teacher, she always try to use English as much as possible but if the
students do not understand she will use non- verbal language like gesture or use
pictures. Non-verbal language is best way to improve communication in the
language class (Hurt, 2012). For my next question, I asked whether the student that
come from different races and gender can work together. As for the students answer,
she said that she able manage herself when it comes to group work. As long as the
group member able to cooperate with her then she has no problem. Unlike the
students answer, teacher said that the students do have problem when it comes to
group work activity. The boys like to bully and calling out their friends parent name.
Sometimes, the weak students which is mostly the girl are alienated from the group.
According the boy tend to bully
Next, I asked them is the teacher has any problem when interact with the
students in difference gender. The teacher answered me that sometimes if she
interacts with the boy they do not open up, laugh away and throw the tantrum. Same
with the teachers answer, she said that the when the teacher wants to tell something
important, the teacher will choose girl because it is more easy to talk with the girls
compare to the boy students. That is why most of the class leader is the girl.
According to Tanya Beran (2012), in contrast to girls, boys of any age and ethnic
group tend to be ignorant when interact with teacher.
For the suggestion for creating the culturally conducive classroom, the
teacher suggested that teaching the moral values is the most important thing in order
to practice the students. Introducing the language or culture of all students in the
class into the curriculum will communicate that students of that culture are important
(Perez 1953).The teacher should know the detail of the students. According to Jaleh
Hassaskhah and Sara Roshan Zamir (2013), the role of teachers in providing and
distributing equal interaction opportunities for all students regardless of their gender,
race, and social status was understood to be of vital importance because they not
only offer language practice and leaning opportunities but also help the process of
language development itself . The teacher should know the detail of the students
according to Sally Haslanger (2000), Teachers in multicultural classrooms must be
open to their students and put forth the effort needed to get to know their students
inside and outside of class. The students answered me that she prefer the seat to be
rearranged. She said that in order to create culturally conducive classroom,
everyone must sit with other friends that come from different races.
As a conclusion, the teacher and the students sometimes have different
opinion regarding the culturally conducive classroom. In order to create conducive
classroom, both the teacher and the students must play the roles.