Need for psychological knowledge & classroom interaction techniques

NEED FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE
AND CLASSROOM INTERACTION
TECHNIQUES FOR TEACHERS
Dr.P.Pachaiyappan, Associate Professor,GRT College of Education,Tiruttani,Tamilnadu.

INTRODUCTION
Understanding the Meaning of Psychology
 Etymologically 2 Greek words
 Psyche = Soul, Mind.
 Logos = Science, Study, Discourse.
 Psychology as the science of soul.
 Psychology as the science of mind.
 Psychology as the science of consciousness.
 Psychology as the science of behaviour.
The term Consciousness was first introduced by William James in his book
Principles of Psychology (1890).
The First Psychological Laboratory (1879) established in the ‘University of
Leipzig’ (Germany) by William Wundt (Father of Psychology).
William McDougall (British Psychologist) first defined “Psychology as the Science
of Behaviour” in his book ‘Physiological Psychology’ (1905)
Psychology may be most satisfactorily defined as “Science of Human
Behaviour”(Pillsbury -1911).

Need for Psychological Knowledge
According to H.C Lindgern teacher must understand
oThe learner
oThe learning process
o The learning environment
o The teaching environment
o Evaluation of teaching & learning process
Educational Psychological knowledge helps the teachers and educators:
Whom to Teach-The Students (interest, abilities, aptitude etc)
Who is to Teach-The teacher is to teach and he must understand himself
thoroughly.
What to Teach-The subject matter, experience, and activities should be
organized according to the various stages of development of the students.
How to Teach-Psychological knowledge helps to understand the various
approaches, methods and techniques of teaching.
When to Teach-This involves motivational aspects. The mind of the
student has to be prepared for the lesson.

Knowledge of Individual Difference
Teacher understand the individual difference of the students regarding
their abilities,interest,attitude and need at diff.levels of growth &
development accordingly teacher change his behaviour.
Each individual different from others.
Education in olden days teacher –centred. Now a days individual/student
centred.
“Democratically all individuals (Students) are equal but physically &
psychologically all individuals are unequal”
I. Physical difference =height,weight,colour of skin, facial expression,
physical fitness,diff.in chronological age etc.
II. Psychological Difference
1. Difference in Achievement
2. Difference in Motor Ability-Rate of muscular movement, speed of action
3. Emotional Difference- Emotionally mature & immature
4. Difference in interest,aptitude,attitude,beliefs and opinions
5. Difference in Social and Moral development
6. Learning Difference-Rate of Learning high /low

7. Intelligence Difference
IQ Range Classification Percentage in Population
Above 140 Genius
120-139 Gifted/ V. Superior 5%
110-119 Superior 14%
90-109 Average or Normal 60%
80-89 Backward / Slow Learners 14%
70-79 Borderline 5%
50-69 Morans
25-49 Imbeciles 1%
0-24 Idiots

Knowledge of Classroom Climate & Leadership Styles of
Teachers
Autocratic – Dominance attitude of leader, keeps strict, close
Control over followers
Ex: a teacher ordering a student to do his or her assignment
Democratic- Human relations & Group discussion, sharing
decision making abilities with group members,
practicing social equality
Laissez-faire-Complete freedom to its members,
all the rights and power to make decisions is fully given
to the worker
This is more effective, when the followers are highly
skilled ,experienced and educated

Difference between Autocratic and Democratic
Leadership Styles of Teachers
Autocratic Democratic
Planning the leader himself Co-operative Planning
Leadership himself gets the credit Credit to the members
Leader plan the faculty meeting Faculty meeting planned d by members
Leader use the phrase
‘””” ‘I have done it’
Leader use the phrase
‘We have done it’

Knowledge of Mental Health
oTeachers Mental health directly influence the students
achievement
oTeachers Mental health plays vital role to work effectively and
efficiently (Job satisfaction) in the classroom.
oBoth the teacher and students mental health plays important role
in teaching and learning.
oTeacher must knows various factors responsible for the mental
ill health & Maladjustment
 Stress- 21st century disease
 Depression, Anxiety, Conflict, and Frustration
 Negative thinking etc.
oTeacher teach mental health & mental hygiene of the students
“Health is wealth” “Health is spoiled every thing is spoiled” “There
is no health without mental health”

“Mental health as a state of wellbeing in which the individual realizes his or her
own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (WHO,
2001)
Dimensions of Mental Health
Positive Self-Evaluation: An Attitude towards one’s self to accept weakness and
pride in strength. It also assesses the individuals’ attainment in their growth and
development.
Perception of Reality: Attitude towards the understanding of the facts, truthfulness,
responsibilities and their abilities to attain the satisfactory work behaviour in the
educational environment.
Integration of Personality: Expression of an individual’s matured behaviour in all
aspects of life. It depicts the person’s positive, psychotic well-being which exhibits
unified outlook in life.
Autonomy: Autonomy of action determines the individual’s independent behaviour
in the face of difficult and unforeseen circumstances.
Group Oriented Attitudes: An attitudes towards the establishment of enhanced
team work, healthy relationship between the colleagues co-operative and adjustable
behaviour of an individual.
Environmental Mastery: Ability of an individual to attain a sustainable problem
solving ability, to the situation, being adequate positive work behaviour and
competence in human relations.

Teacher Promote the Learning Styles in the
Classroom
Visual-using sight
Auditory-using songs or rhythms
Verbal-speaking out loud the information
Kinesthetic-using touch & taste to explore the information
Logical- a more mathematical approach to the concepts
Interpersonal-learning in groups
Intrapersonal-learning alone

Motivation Strategies
“Motivation is the arousal of the interest in learning” – Crow & Crow
Before introduce the lesson learner properly motivated by the
teacher
Check previous knowledge – asking questions
Use of Various Instructional Aids
Use of A-V Aids
Real objects ,Specimens etc.
Intrinsic Motivation
Psychological motivation is intrinsic.
Higher Education students & Adults are intrinsically motivated to
hear music, go to educationally important places, Meditation & Yoga
Extrinsic Motivation
It refers to certain incentives or reinforcement that are given to
external.

Need for psychological knowledge & classroom interaction techniques

Classroom Interaction Analysis Technique
WHAT IS INTERACTION?
 Ned. A. Flanders defines, “Teaching as an interactive process.
Interaction means participation of teacher and students in the
process of teaching. In this process, teacher influences the
students; students also interact with the teacher. Interaction
takes place among the students themselves also. It means, in
the process of teaching, every body interacts with every other
person involved in the process”
 Teacher influences students through lecture, ask questions,
criticizing, giving directions etc.
 Student's reacted to the teacher's lecture and questions, they
give responses.
 It is interaction between teachers and students.

WHAT IS INTERACTION ANALYSIS?
 Interaction analysis is a process of encoding and decoding a pattern of
interaction between the communicator and the receiver.
 Encoding helps in recording the events in a meaningful way and decoding
is used to arrange the data in a useful way and then analyzing the
behaviours and interactions in the classroom interaction.
 There are four important techniques to observe the interaction
systematically. These are:
1. Flander’s Interaction Analysis Categories System (FIACS)
2. Reciprocal Category System (RCS)
3. Equivalent Talk Categories (ETC)
4. Verbal Interaction Category System (VICS)
 Flanders Interaction Analysis Technique is most suitable and widely used
technique in the field of research all over the world.
 Flanders’ system is an observational tool used to classify the verbal
behavior of teachers, and pupils as they interact in the classroom

CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERACTION ANALYSIS
 The classroom verbal interaction can be made more effective.
 The teacher can increase student participation in his teaching.
 The direct behaviour of teacher may be shifted to indirect
behaviour, which is more suitable in democratic way of life.
 The tape recorder and videotape can be used for recording the
classroom events. The trainee can encode and decode his own
behaviour.
 This technique can also be combined with other feedback
device such as microteaching

FLANDER’S INTERACTION ANALYSIS CATEGORY
SYSTEM (FIACS)
 Flanders and others developed this system at the University of Minnesota,
U.S.A. between 1955 and 1960.
 Flanders classified total verbal behaviour into 10 categories. Verbal
behaviour comprises teacher talk, student talk and silence or confusion.
 The ten categories are mentioned as under:
1. Teacher Talk – 7 categories
2. Pupil Talk – 2 categories
3. Silence or Confusion- 1 category
 Thus, the first seven categories include teacher talk. Next two categories
include pupil talk. The last tenth category includes the small spans of
silence or pause or confusion.
 The first 7 categories or teacher talk has been bifurcated into
a) indirect talk,
b) direct talk.

FLANDER’S INTERACTION ANALYSIS CATEGORY
SYSTEM (FIACS)
 Teacher talk
1. Accepts feeling
2. Praises or encourages
3. Accepts or uses ideas of pupils
4. Asks questions
5. Lecturing
6. Giving directions
7. Criticizing or justifying authority
 Pupil talk
8. Pupil-talk response
9. Pupil-talk initiation
 Silence
10. Silence or confusion

Category
Areas
Category
Type
Cat.
No.
Activity
Teacher
Talk
Indirect
Influence Response
1 Accepts feeling
2 Praises or encourages
3 Accepts or uses ideas of
pupils
4 Asks questions
Direct
Influence
Initiation
5 Lecturing
6 Giving directions
7 Criticizing or justifying
authority
Pupil
talk
Direct Response 8 Pupil-talk response
Initiation 9 Pupil-talk Initiation
Silence 10 Silence or confusion

Category 1: Accepts Feelings
 In this category, teacher accepts the feelings of the pupils.
 He feels himself that the pupils should not be punished for
exhibiting his feelings.
 Feelings may be positive or negative.
Category 2: Praise or Encouragement
 praises or encourages student action or behaviour.
 When a student gives answer to the question asked by the
teacher, the teacher gives positive reinforcement by saying
words like, “good”, “very good”, “better” , “correct”,
“excellent", “carry on”, etc.

Category 3: Accepts or Uses ideas of Pupils
 It is just like 1st category. But in this category, the pupils ideas
are accepted only and not his feelings.
 If a pupil passes on some suggestions, then the teacher may
repeat in nutshell in his own style or words.
 The teacher can say, “I understand what you mean” etc. Or
the teacher clarifies, builds or develops ideas or suggestions
given by a student.
Category 4: Asking Questions
 Asking question about content or procedures, based on the
teacher ideas and expecting an answer from the pupil.
 Sometimes, teacher asks the question but he carries on his
lecture without receiving any answer. Such questions are not
included in this category.

Category 5: Lecturing /Lecture
 Giving facts or opinions about content or procedure
expression of his own ideas, giving his own explanation or
citing an authority other than a pupil.
Category 6: Giving Directions
 The teacher gives directions, commands or orders or initiation
with which a pupil/student is expected to comply with,
- Open your books.
- Stand up on the benches.
- Solve 4th sum of exercise 5.3.
Category 7: Criticizing or Justifying Authority
 When the teacher asks the pupils not to interrupt with foolish
questions, then this behaviour is included in this category.
 Teacher’s “what” and “why” also come under this category.

Category 8: Pupil Talk Response
 It includes the pupils talk in response to teacher’s talk
 Teacher asks question, student gives answer to the question.
Category 9: Pupil Talk Initiation
 Talk by pupils that they initiate.
 Expressing own ideas; initiating a new topic; freedom to
develop opinions and a line of thought like asking thoughtful
questions; going beyond the existing structure.
Category 10: Silence or Pause or Confusion
 Pauses, short periods of silence and period of confusion in
which communication cannot be understood by the observer.

Procedure of Flander’s Interaction Analysis
 There are two process of interaction analysis.
 Encoding process: The encoding process is used for recording
classroom events and preparing observation matrix by
encoding the numbers of ten category system.
 Decoding process: The decoding is process of interpreting
observation matrix.

Encoding Process has three steps:
 Memorize the code number:
The first step in the process of encoding is to memorize the
code Numbers, in relation to key phrase of words, which are
indicated in capital in ten-category system.
 Place of sitting:
An observer sits on the last bench of the classroom and
observes the teacher when he is teaching.
 Recording the category number:
At an interval of every three seconds he writes down that
category number which best represents or communication
event just completed

For instance
 when teacher is lecturing the observer puts 5.
 when he asks question he puts 4.
 when student replies he put 8.
 when teacher praises he puts 2.
 when teacher asks to sit down he puts 6.
 when again the teacher starts lecturing he puts5.
 The procedure of recording events goes on at the rate of 20 to
25 observations in per minute

Decoding Process
 After encoding the classroom events into ten-category system
10x10 matrix table is prepared for decoding the classroom
verbal behavior. The generalized sequence of the pupil-teacher
interaction can be estimated in this matrix table. It indicates,
what form a pair of categories. The first number in the pair
indicates the row and the second number shows the column for
example (10-6) pair would be shown by a tally in the cell
formed by row 10 and column 6. For example the observer
has written down the code numbers beginning with 6 as
follows: 6,10,5,1,4,8,8,2,3,6,4,8,9,7.

Decoding Process
 The proportion of teacher talk, pupil talk, and silence or
confusion
 The ratio between indirect influence and direct influence
 The ratio between positive reinforcement and negative
reinforcement
 Student’s participation ratio
 Steady state cell
 Content cross cell
 Constructive integration cells and vicious cells

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1
2 I II I IIII I
3 II
4 I I I IIII
5 I III IIIII
IIIII
IIIII
III I
6 I IIII IIIII II
7 IIIII
II
I III
8 I II
9 III II I I IIIII IIIII IIIII
IIIII IIIII IIIII
III
10 II I IIII
Total 10 2 11 23 12 4 1 48 6
%age
Tabulating a matrix

Interpreting the matrix
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
1
2 1 2 1 4 1 9
3 2 2
4 1 1 1 4 7
5 1 3 15 3 1 23
6 1 4 5 2 12
7 1 3 4
8 1 2 3
9 7 3 2 1 1 31 3 48
10 2 1 4 7
Total 0 10 2 11 23 12 4 1 48 6 117
%age 0 9 2 9 20 10 3 1 41 5

TOTAL TEACHER BEHAVIOUR (TTB)
OR
TEACHER TALK (TT)
The tallies of first seven categories are added
and divided by the total tallies of the matrices
(N) and hence the percentage can be
calculated.
C1+C2+C3+C4+C5+C6+C7
TT= x100
N

Indirect Teacher Talk Ratio (ITT)
It indicates teacher actions in encouraging and
supporting pupil's participation.
Its percentage can be calculated by adding the
tallies of the first four categories and dividing by
the total tallies of the matrix (N)
C1+C2+C3+C4
ITT= x100
N

Direct Teacher Talk Ratio (DTT)
It indicates the teacher actions restricting
student participation.
In this ratio, the tallies of 5th, 6th and 7th
categories are added and divided by “N” to
calculate the percentage.
C5+C6+C7
DTT= x100
N

Pupil’s Talk Ratio/Percentage of Pupil Talk (PT)
It indicates verbal activities of pupils in response
to the teacher.
In this ratio, the tallies of 8th and 9th categories
are added and divided by “N”to calculate the
percentage.
C8+C9
PT= x100
N

Silence or Confusion Ratio (SC)
C10
SC= x100
N

Indirect and Direct Ratio (I/D)
It represent the proportion of indirect to direct
influence
C1+C2+C3+C4
I/D = x100
C5+C6+C7

ADVANTAGES OF FIACS
1. It is an effective tool /instrument to measure the social-
emotional climate in the classroom.
2. It is also used for in-service teachers.
3. It provides feedback to the pupil-teachers.
4. It is an objective and reliable method for observation of
classroom teaching.
5. It is mostly teacher talk oriented.
6. It is used to compare the behaviour of teachers at different age
levels, gender, subject etc.
7. It is much useful in team teaching and microteaching.
Dr. M.B. Buch says, it is “ a bold step in the right direction to
improve the quality of education.”

Need for psychological knowledge & classroom interaction techniques

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