Practical Pieces of Knowledge:
I thought I was a good ESL teacher before taking this course. I always reflected on my lessons and thought of ways to improve them. Now, I question everything I do. I really don't feel as competent as I used to. I realized I was teaching more like a regular teacher than an ESL teacher. There is a difference.
I didn't know much about teaching ESL from a communicative approach. I segregated grammar too much. Vocabulary, and pronunciation weren't embedded in my lessons as much as they could have been. I didn't know about creating lessons around functional tasks. Now, I understand more about creating a task and analyzing all the language that is needed to carry out that task so that it can be transferred to real life. Modules should be planned with an overarching theme and topics. It's also essential that:
1) proper assessments are made
2) continual feedback and assessments occur throughout the course
3)vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation are embedded in lessons and taught in context
4 different formats are used
5) inductive and deductive learning is encouraged
6)info gaps and role plays are used to replicate real life tasks
7)realia and authentic materials are incorporated
8)students spend time reading each class
9)listening skills are encouraged since listening is neglected
10)receptive and productive tasks are utilized
11)accuracy and fluency need to be balanced
12)students receive controlled and guided practise with feedback
13) communicative practise is done after controlled and guided practise to encourage autonomy
14) pronunciation is taught so that it doesn't interfere with communication
In my opinion, no one should be allowed to teach ESL without taking a CTESL approved course. This is to ensure that teachers are all "on the same page" to maximize student learning.
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Course 3-Vocabulary and Grammar Summary
Key points that I learned and would like to recall:
1) there are 3 types of errors a) lexical b) grammar c) discourse errors
2) developmental and transfer errors are different
3)it's important to address systematic errors as students are formulating a system
4) if a teacher changes a multiple-choice question to a wh-question, then multilevel responses can occur
5) using homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms, volume, repetition, can aid learning new vocabulary
6) using info gap activities is important
7) making vocabulary personally relevant is key
8) gradable scales are another technique to help with similar vocabulary
9) retention depends on the amount of mental and emotional energy used to process a word
What surprised me the most:
1)I use all of the correction techniques without having known about them. It's funny to see them written down or to watch a video on them when I already use them, but didn't label them as such.
2)Feedback includes 1)correction 2) clarification 3)positive feedback 4)reformulation. I usually only thought about feedback as correction.
3)The amount words we usually have in our vocabulary.
What ideas I struggle with:
1)using a monolingual dictionary in class-I always preferred a bilingual dictionary when I learned other languages
2)remembering to use positive feedback more. I think as teachers we focus more on correction and need to point out correctly spoken or written sentences as well. This also includes commending good vocabulary usage etc. I think we should also encourage students when they attempt to go beyond their safety zone in experimenting with language. An element of risk is necessary for a student to achieve autonomy.
1) there are 3 types of errors a) lexical b) grammar c) discourse errors
2) developmental and transfer errors are different
3)it's important to address systematic errors as students are formulating a system
4) if a teacher changes a multiple-choice question to a wh-question, then multilevel responses can occur
5) using homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms, volume, repetition, can aid learning new vocabulary
6) using info gap activities is important
7) making vocabulary personally relevant is key
8) gradable scales are another technique to help with similar vocabulary
9) retention depends on the amount of mental and emotional energy used to process a word
What surprised me the most:
1)I use all of the correction techniques without having known about them. It's funny to see them written down or to watch a video on them when I already use them, but didn't label them as such.
2)Feedback includes 1)correction 2) clarification 3)positive feedback 4)reformulation. I usually only thought about feedback as correction.
3)The amount words we usually have in our vocabulary.
What ideas I struggle with:
1)using a monolingual dictionary in class-I always preferred a bilingual dictionary when I learned other languages
2)remembering to use positive feedback more. I think as teachers we focus more on correction and need to point out correctly spoken or written sentences as well. This also includes commending good vocabulary usage etc. I think we should also encourage students when they attempt to go beyond their safety zone in experimenting with language. An element of risk is necessary for a student to achieve autonomy.
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Course 2- The Role of Learning Objectives
The role of learning objectives is:
1) to define what students should demonstrate to prove that they have gained knowledge in participating in the lesson/course
2) to direct and shape the course
3) to focus on the activity so learning is focused for both teacher and students
4) to emphasize function not structure
5) to assess if learning has occurred
I believe that using KSA(knowledge, skills and affect, Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives(knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) and SMART(specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely) as guidelines will ensure great objectives are created.
1) to define what students should demonstrate to prove that they have gained knowledge in participating in the lesson/course
2) to direct and shape the course
3) to focus on the activity so learning is focused for both teacher and students
4) to emphasize function not structure
5) to assess if learning has occurred
I believe that using KSA(knowledge, skills and affect, Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives(knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) and SMART(specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely) as guidelines will ensure great objectives are created.
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Course 2-LISTENING AS A NEGLECTED LANGUAGE SKILL
Never had I thought of listening as being a neglected language skill until I read module 6. I realized it wasn't a particular focus in classes, but I did not consider it "neglected." It's true that reading and writing skills take precedence because they are considered more academic or intellectual. Speaking, which is the whole emphasis in conversation classes, is also an obviously coveted skill. So what do we do with little lone neglected listening?
I think that we should spend more time on explicitly teaching listening skills because developing listening has positive transfer implications for the other skills. Good listening skills are linked to independent or autonomous learning because students who use strategies to improve listening skills can actually increase their rate of learning languages. At least that's my hypothesis. Listening is self-directed so the learner has to be self-motivated to listen, not just hear. Anyone can be a passive listener, but a student who experiences different listening strategies in a class, focusing on activities as Wilson describes on pages 35-37, has the opportunity to transfer those awareness-raising strategies to their own independent learning once such strategies are assimilated consciously or subconsciously.
I think that we should spend more time on explicitly teaching listening skills because developing listening has positive transfer implications for the other skills. Good listening skills are linked to independent or autonomous learning because students who use strategies to improve listening skills can actually increase their rate of learning languages. At least that's my hypothesis. Listening is self-directed so the learner has to be self-motivated to listen, not just hear. Anyone can be a passive listener, but a student who experiences different listening strategies in a class, focusing on activities as Wilson describes on pages 35-37, has the opportunity to transfer those awareness-raising strategies to their own independent learning once such strategies are assimilated consciously or subconsciously.
Saturday, 12 May 2012
Course 2 Acceptance of Errors in Written Communication
Language is constantly evolving, and so we must begin to accept - and even teach – the shortened forms of communication that are used with technology. This language may contain abbreviations, symbols (emoticons) and even untraditional grammar and punctuation, which would be considered “errors” in many classrooms. We accept different forms of oral communication without penalty … we should do the same with written communication
I believe that the level of acceptable errors is directly related to the purpose of the writing. If the writing is just for oneself, like a diary, journal, or shopping list, it can have errors. However, if someone is communicating with someone else, errors are less acceptable. Normally, when I email people, I use a salutation, and sign my name. This includes friends and family. I find it disrespectful to do otherwise. If I'm really in a super hurry, I sometimes just respond without the salutation or my name.If the person writing me uses such a format, I am more likely to respond as such. This has to do more with format than errors, but I still think it's important.
Children learning how to write should definitely learn how to write in complete sentences. It concerns me that many teens, who may have never learned how to write properly, text their friends so often that they transfer such terms to everyday writing. I don't know how they will write more formally when they get so used to it. That will affect their performance in university and jobs. It's fine to have learned how to write in complete thoughts or sentences and then shorten them, but it's never acceptable, in my opinion, to teach children or ESL students how to write shortened sentences without having learned how to write complete sentences first.
What really bothers me is the acceptance of incomplete sentences in books.Some novels that have received awards have sentences such as: He really wanted that car. Really. Not fair. Not fair at all. There's a place for shortened communication, but incomplete sentences in literature, especially children's literature, is unacceptable. They start to assimilate the incorrect sentence structures and then think it's normal to write like that. Some would argue that that's the way people talk, it's real. It doesn't matter to me if it's real or not. People reading incomplete sentences will internalize it.
Teaching shortened forms after teaching complete sentences is fine. However, you would never catch me teaching texting terms for writing. First of all, I don't know them and second, people pick up on them through social pressure to conform. Somehow, to me, teaching such shortened forms of communication validates them. I just can't do that.
This topic reminds me of the idea that teachers shouldn't correct students' spelling. For many years phonics was taboo. Unfortunately, the students who grew up under that philosophy are some of the worst spellers I have ever seen. It's too bad that pendulum swings in philosophy, instead of logical reasoning, are used to influence education.
I believe that the level of acceptable errors is directly related to the purpose of the writing. If the writing is just for oneself, like a diary, journal, or shopping list, it can have errors. However, if someone is communicating with someone else, errors are less acceptable. Normally, when I email people, I use a salutation, and sign my name. This includes friends and family. I find it disrespectful to do otherwise. If I'm really in a super hurry, I sometimes just respond without the salutation or my name.If the person writing me uses such a format, I am more likely to respond as such. This has to do more with format than errors, but I still think it's important.
Children learning how to write should definitely learn how to write in complete sentences. It concerns me that many teens, who may have never learned how to write properly, text their friends so often that they transfer such terms to everyday writing. I don't know how they will write more formally when they get so used to it. That will affect their performance in university and jobs. It's fine to have learned how to write in complete thoughts or sentences and then shorten them, but it's never acceptable, in my opinion, to teach children or ESL students how to write shortened sentences without having learned how to write complete sentences first.
What really bothers me is the acceptance of incomplete sentences in books.Some novels that have received awards have sentences such as: He really wanted that car. Really. Not fair. Not fair at all. There's a place for shortened communication, but incomplete sentences in literature, especially children's literature, is unacceptable. They start to assimilate the incorrect sentence structures and then think it's normal to write like that. Some would argue that that's the way people talk, it's real. It doesn't matter to me if it's real or not. People reading incomplete sentences will internalize it.
Teaching shortened forms after teaching complete sentences is fine. However, you would never catch me teaching texting terms for writing. First of all, I don't know them and second, people pick up on them through social pressure to conform. Somehow, to me, teaching such shortened forms of communication validates them. I just can't do that.
This topic reminds me of the idea that teachers shouldn't correct students' spelling. For many years phonics was taboo. Unfortunately, the students who grew up under that philosophy are some of the worst spellers I have ever seen. It's too bad that pendulum swings in philosophy, instead of logical reasoning, are used to influence education.
Course 3 Deductive or Inductive Grammar Instruction
Inductive or deductive, that is the question. Personally, I prefer the inductive approach in learning because I learn better that way if the concept is easy to discern. Inductive learning is a lot more fun, interesting and I remember the concepts introduced by it better since my brain has had to process it. However, if complicated concepts are introduced, I can get frustrated trying to analyze them with an inductive approach. For such instances, I prefer the deductive approach; it saves time.
In terms of teaching with those approaches, I have used both strategies. I generally feel that if the concept is too difficult for me to learn inductively, it will be too difficult for students. I'm the guinea pig. If the inductive approach re: a concept doesn't seem logical to me, I refuse to use it. It seems that creating inductive lessons, unless it's a really simple concept, takes a lot more time than deductive lessons.It's easy to teach that adding an e to the end of a cvc word will make the vowel long by comparing such words or having students pick out hard or soft c and g sounds with lists, but those seem obvious examples where inductive lessons could surface. It's not that easy with other lessons.
To encourage myself to be more comfortable using the inductive method, I would use a text or coursebook that uses inductive methods to teach concepts. If I could see many examples, I would catch on and be able to utilize the method and apply it to my own lessons. Skeletons, examples, and practice are necessary before internalizing such strategies.
In terms of teaching with those approaches, I have used both strategies. I generally feel that if the concept is too difficult for me to learn inductively, it will be too difficult for students. I'm the guinea pig. If the inductive approach re: a concept doesn't seem logical to me, I refuse to use it. It seems that creating inductive lessons, unless it's a really simple concept, takes a lot more time than deductive lessons.It's easy to teach that adding an e to the end of a cvc word will make the vowel long by comparing such words or having students pick out hard or soft c and g sounds with lists, but those seem obvious examples where inductive lessons could surface. It's not that easy with other lessons.
To encourage myself to be more comfortable using the inductive method, I would use a text or coursebook that uses inductive methods to teach concepts. If I could see many examples, I would catch on and be able to utilize the method and apply it to my own lessons. Skeletons, examples, and practice are necessary before internalizing such strategies.
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Course 3-Flow and Lesson Plans
Principle 1 of flow-Clear goals make good lesson plans because they help the teacher focus on the material at hand. Without objectives, one can easily become sidetracked so that by the end of the course goals aren't met.
For students, clear goals help students focus on what to do at that moment of time and to know what steps need to do after that to finish their task.
Principle 2 of flow-Immediate feedback is valuable because it helps students know what they are doing correctly or incorrectly before they fossilize errors. It takes a lot more energy to retrain your brain than to learn something correctly the first time. Mistakes are part of learning, but continually making the same mistake without correction leads to re-training, which interrupts flow.
Principle 3/4/5of flow-Good lessons keep students focused on the lesson because they are engaged. The task is not too difficult to frustrate them, nor too easy to bore them. Thus, they stay on task.
Principle 6 of flow-Good lessons also minimize the fear of failure because the information is clearly presented, minimizing questions of what is expected. The students feel capable so they can succeed.They have all the tools they need to accomplish the goals.
Principle 8 of flow-Good lessons go by quickly when students are interested in the material-it's relevant to them and they see the purpose for it. They feel like they're progressing.
For students, clear goals help students focus on what to do at that moment of time and to know what steps need to do after that to finish their task.
Principle 2 of flow-Immediate feedback is valuable because it helps students know what they are doing correctly or incorrectly before they fossilize errors. It takes a lot more energy to retrain your brain than to learn something correctly the first time. Mistakes are part of learning, but continually making the same mistake without correction leads to re-training, which interrupts flow.
Principle 3/4/5of flow-Good lessons keep students focused on the lesson because they are engaged. The task is not too difficult to frustrate them, nor too easy to bore them. Thus, they stay on task.
Principle 6 of flow-Good lessons also minimize the fear of failure because the information is clearly presented, minimizing questions of what is expected. The students feel capable so they can succeed.They have all the tools they need to accomplish the goals.
Principle 8 of flow-Good lessons go by quickly when students are interested in the material-it's relevant to them and they see the purpose for it. They feel like they're progressing.
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