Proud to be tvmbo - Kortlopend Onderwijsonderzoek

Improvements
Students mention some improvements that they would like to see. For example, they
would like more exchanges, more native speakers in the classroom and more trips.
Some students find that tvmbo is not challenging enough and would like more subjects
in English – not just practical subjects which emphasize speaking.
5.6.2 Why do students choose tvmbo?
We asked the students why they were motivated to join a tvmbo class (or world class).
Like their teachers, the students came up with a variety of answers. Some students
choose the school or interesting department or activities (Back and Stage, for example,
or a talent show), rather then tvmbo. Others choose the school because it’s a nice
school or because the school has a reputation for good coaching (e.g. for dyslexia or
dyscalculia) or because their siblings or friends were at the school already.
Some students are motivated to join a tvmbo stream because they want to do something
which involves using English later on, for example to work or study in a foreign
country. They realise that English is a world language: ‘My father works in the harbour
and has to use a lot of English’. Others mention that English is handy for holidays
later: ‘I was on holiday in Egypt and needed to talk in English’. Yet other students
have English-speaking friends or family and realise that speaking English is useful.
Some students can speak English already, have lived abroad or were good at it at primary
school.
Some students say that their parents had an influence on their choice: ‘My parents
wanted it’. Others say that it was completely their own choice.
Several students mentioned that they believe that tvmbo is a challenge for them: ‘I
can’t speak such good English and wanted to learn it’. Some find tvmbo an extra challenge,
as something more difficult and different to try out. They also mention that they
think it is ‘cool’ to talk English and want to improve their English. A few students
think it is important to obtain an international certificate (such as Anglia) and that that
was a reason to start.
Only a few students mention the trips to foreign countries as an extra motivation, and
some realised that they were in the world class for organizational reasons – because
the other mavo classes were full.
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