Hess (2001) further states the difficulties of encouraging the quiet student and the enormity of responding to written work. Other problems include lack of resources, the difficulty in establishing rapport (Sarwar, 2001), physical overcrowding (Shamin, 1996, Hayes 1997), loss of motivation and acoustic difficulties (Shamin, 1996) and student identification (Duppenthaler, 2000). Xu (2001) mentions physical, psychological and technical problems. .
Locastro's research (1989) provides perhaps the most comprehensive list of problems, organised into three sub-categories: Pedagocical, Management-Related and Affective. Locastro identifies some additional problems to those listed above, such as difficulties in performing speaking, reading and writing activities; monitoring the students" work and the correction of written work; the difficulties encountered in organising group/pair work. .
Interestingly, multileveled classes are mentioned as both a problem and a benefit (Hess, 2001).
Despite this somewhat overwhelming list of problems, according to Hess (2001) and Ur (1991) there are also advantages to teaching large classes, for both students and teachers. They write of the varied and rich human resource that can used to advantage to create interesting student-centred lessons where students can learn as much from each other as they do from using text books. Teachers" own professional development is progressed perhaps more quickly through the challenge of teaching large classes. The potential for using student teacher-assistants (Gluscevic, 1999) is a major benefit as is the stimulus of multileveled classes. Large classes are never boring and teachers are constantly challenged to find interesting activities and effective ways of managing large classes. .
Based on the results of a questionnaire conducted in 1997, using second year students at the Beijing University, Xu (2001) argues that there are a number of advantages to teaching large classes (in China).