Let me draw, I do get you better, sir...
Traditionally, we teachers are allergic to the multitasking from the students' side. But at times we need to take a closer look into what they are really doing. It was my professor, Dr Janaky Sreedharan who ignited my curiosity about this classroom phenomenon in one of digressions that are more interesting than her lectures on literary theory and criticism. I remember her words that " some draw fairly good pictures as they try to listen to a talk or lecture" I often wondered, apparently , some may draw or scribble something while trying to focus but it would hardly turn out to be a fair one. Anyhow, I have never forgotten that piece of insight and kept observing my students ever since. One of my students is listening with his pen as I was busy giving instruction on reading skill in an ESP classroom. Having taught around 4000 students from India, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen for nine years...I realize it is a truly international classroom