During this semester in our course Approaches to ELE we have analysed the relationship between the approaches that have been used along the history of English Language Education. We saw the main approaches that were used in the past and at the end we saw the communicative approach, which is the most accepted in the present. I think we achieved this first objective, but maybe for me it would have been easier if I had a clearer conductive thread.
We also saw some of the current approaches to ELE and we compare their main features. I think we also achieved this objective to a certain point. I also think that we could have had a clearer structure to do this. Maybe it would have been easier to follow the course if there had been a clearer structure.
Another goal of the course was to analyse different approaches and if they would work in different contexts with different characteristics. To do this we had an oral presentation about our teaching contexts in which each one of us had to analyse the different characteristics of the schools were we teach. Each one of us had the chance to figure out what the most suitable approach for our teaching context was. We also saw that there are different approaches that are more suitable for certain contexts and some of them are not. In each teaching situation a different approach to ELE can be applied.
In general I think that we learned a lot about the different approaches to ELE. But, for me at least, it would have been much easier to follow the course and the contents with a conductive thread. At some point I felt a little bit lost about the contents and about what we were asked to do. I think that we learned a lot about the different approaches to English Teaching. And in the end, we achieved most of the objectives of the course.
domingo, 4 de diciembre de 2011
lunes, 24 de octubre de 2011
Noticing
I have never heard the concept of noticing before with regard to language teaching. Noticing is the process by which the learner pays attention consciously to the input that he receives. The result of this process is that the learner learns grammar because he put lots of attention to the input provided. The input which is internalized and learned by the learner is the intake. And when the learner does this process consciously, we called it noticing.
Noticing involves paying attention to meaning as well as to form when learning a language.
I think that during my years at school, when I learned English we used to pay more attention to form than to meaning. The teachers who taught English to me thought that the most important part of the language was grammar and not meaning. We focused mainly on form and we did not pay much attention to the content and to the communicative component of language. We were asked to practice a lot, to do lots of drills and to practice structures in our textbooks. We never gave much importance to meaning, which I think is very important.
Noticing involves paying attention to meaning as well as to form when learning a language.
I think that during my years at school, when I learned English we used to pay more attention to form than to meaning. The teachers who taught English to me thought that the most important part of the language was grammar and not meaning. We focused mainly on form and we did not pay much attention to the content and to the communicative component of language. We were asked to practice a lot, to do lots of drills and to practice structures in our textbooks. We never gave much importance to meaning, which I think is very important.
lunes, 17 de octubre de 2011
A communicative teacher according to Medgyes
It is difficult to be a communicative teacher according to what Medgyes says that communicative teachers have to be and do. A communicative teacher has to fulfill so many requirements and has to have so many qualities that it sounds overwhelming. In the first place, according to Medgyes's article the communicative teacher has to know about everything and to be able to adjust to any situation, she has to be versatile. She has to be s technology expert and also a great psychologist. She has to have multiple skills in order to be able to do everything that she is asked to do. She has to be creative but at the same time "down-to-earth". These are all the things that we should "be" as communicative teachers. But there are also many tasks that a communicative teacher has to perform. She has to focus on the specific needs of each students but at the same time focus in the whole group; she has to listen and pay attention to students needs and expectations; she has to focus on meaning and on form when teaching.
I think we would all like to "be" all these things and be able to "do" all these things. But it is very clear that all of this great and ideal theory was proposed by theoreticians that have never been in our place and have never even been inside a real classroom. I agree completely with the ironic tone of the author in this text. It is very easy to say and think about all the things that every communicative teacher "has to be" and "has to do", but it is quite different and much more difficult to put them in practice inside a real classroom in a real school environment.
domingo, 9 de octubre de 2011
The communicative teacher
This is a great article and I think that it trully reflects waht a teacher micht feel whe trying to apply the Communicative Approach in her teaching. There is a huge difference between believing in the theory and applying that theory in our daily teaching practice.
In the first place I think that every language teacher aims to be learner-centered. It sounds beautiful, but in real life this is hard to apply and to make it true. We try to teach using a learner-centered approach, but we aslo have to deal with a whole group which is composed by twenty or more students and most of the times we consider the class as a whole rather than considering each student by himself in teaching situations. A learner-centered approach is the ideal methodology for every single language teacher. But I think that it really takes to be superheroes to really accomplish this goal in every single lesson or learning situation.
Another difficult task for Communicative teachers is to focus o meaning and on form simultaneously. Every teacher should at least try to pay attention to this two very different and almost opposed aspects of language. This is the theory, but it takes a lot of time and dedication to achieve this in real teaching situations.
The third point that Peter Medgyes talks about in his article is the fact that a real communicative teacher should provide her students with real communicative situations. I think that we all try to do this, because it is the way in which our students get to learn meaningfully. To create and desing real communicative situations also takes a lot of time and dedication, because it is much easier to follow a text book and make our students drill. This makes me think about another point mentioned in the article that is very interesting: The text book. It is obviously easier for a non-native teacher who teaches in a non-native speaking country to follow a text book instead of designing her own activities. But if we want to expose our students to real communicative situations in which real information exchange is needed, we should not be using a text book by itself. I think that text books should be used as a supportive material. The text book certainly offers great material to practice language, but we should try not to turn it into some kind of teacher's manual.
As you all see, there are many points to reflect on in this article. Very interesting since it deals with real life situations for teachers.
In the first place I think that every language teacher aims to be learner-centered. It sounds beautiful, but in real life this is hard to apply and to make it true. We try to teach using a learner-centered approach, but we aslo have to deal with a whole group which is composed by twenty or more students and most of the times we consider the class as a whole rather than considering each student by himself in teaching situations. A learner-centered approach is the ideal methodology for every single language teacher. But I think that it really takes to be superheroes to really accomplish this goal in every single lesson or learning situation.
Another difficult task for Communicative teachers is to focus o meaning and on form simultaneously. Every teacher should at least try to pay attention to this two very different and almost opposed aspects of language. This is the theory, but it takes a lot of time and dedication to achieve this in real teaching situations.
The third point that Peter Medgyes talks about in his article is the fact that a real communicative teacher should provide her students with real communicative situations. I think that we all try to do this, because it is the way in which our students get to learn meaningfully. To create and desing real communicative situations also takes a lot of time and dedication, because it is much easier to follow a text book and make our students drill. This makes me think about another point mentioned in the article that is very interesting: The text book. It is obviously easier for a non-native teacher who teaches in a non-native speaking country to follow a text book instead of designing her own activities. But if we want to expose our students to real communicative situations in which real information exchange is needed, we should not be using a text book by itself. I think that text books should be used as a supportive material. The text book certainly offers great material to practice language, but we should try not to turn it into some kind of teacher's manual.
As you all see, there are many points to reflect on in this article. Very interesting since it deals with real life situations for teachers.
lunes, 3 de octubre de 2011
The importance of creativity in education
I think that creativity is a really important part of the learning process. It is important for the students to develope their creative capacity. Teachers have an extremely important role in this process of developing creativity, because we have to encourage our students to learn, to think and to express ideas in their own original ways. Creativity is as important as literacy is, I definitely agree. I think that literacy helps the students to develop their creativity and improves their imagination. Therefore, to encourage the creativity in our students we should encourage them to read and to become involved with literacy.
Our goal is to lead our students to learn in a meaningful way. The most meaningful way to learn is to do it in one's own learning style and using one's own capacities. Therefore, we are suppose to encourage each one of our students to use his own capacities, learning style and imagination in his learning process.
Our goal is to lead our students to learn in a meaningful way. The most meaningful way to learn is to do it in one's own learning style and using one's own capacities. Therefore, we are suppose to encourage each one of our students to use his own capacities, learning style and imagination in his learning process.
lunes, 26 de septiembre de 2011
Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching ans testing (Canale and Swain)
1. Background
1.1 Grammatical and communicative approaches
Differences between grammatical approaches and communicatives approaches. Third approach: Situational Syllabus.
1.2 Competenca and performance
Analysis of the concepts of competence and performance. Competence: knowledge/ Performance: use. Components of communicative competence and different views.
2. Some theories of communicative competence
Different theories of communicative competence.
2.1 Theories of basic communication skills
Different views of communicative approaches and principles underlying those approaches.
Communicative approaches are effective in developing grammatical and communicative competence.
2.2 Sociolinguistic perspectives on communicative competence
Assuptions and components.
Hymes: sociocultural competence and constitutive components of speech.
Halliday: sociosemantic aspects of language.
2.3 Integrative theories of communicative competence
Different theories and models f communicative competence.
Munby's model of communicative competence.
Communicative syllabuses overemphasize communicative functions.
2.4 General comments
Comments and criticizm to the three theories of communicative competence.
- Comments on Theories of basic communication skills
- Comments on Sociolinguistic perspectives of communicative competence
- Comments on Integrative theories of communicative competence.
3. Toward and adequate theory of communicative competence
3.1 Guiding principles for a communicative approach
Five principles for a communicative approach:
1- Minimal compononents of communicative competence
2- Respond to learner's needs
3- Meaningful interaction
4- Early stages
5- Main objective: information, practice and experience.
3.2 A proposed theoretical framework for communicative competence
Theoretical foundations for communicative competence.
General assumptions.
Components of communicative competence: - Grammatical competence
- Sociolinguistic competence
- Strategic competence.
3.3 Implications for a communicative approach to teaching
Implications on: - Syllabus design
- Teaching methodologies
- Teacher training
- Material development.
3.4 Implications for a communicative testing programme
Two important general implications:
1- Testing the learner's ability to demonstrate what he knows (performance)
2- Test types: Integrative tests and discrete points tests.
4. Directions for research
Points for further research. 9 points for further research.
Five issues considering the strenghts of adopting a communicative approach.
1.1 Grammatical and communicative approaches
Differences between grammatical approaches and communicatives approaches. Third approach: Situational Syllabus.
1.2 Competenca and performance
Analysis of the concepts of competence and performance. Competence: knowledge/ Performance: use. Components of communicative competence and different views.
2. Some theories of communicative competence
Different theories of communicative competence.
2.1 Theories of basic communication skills
Different views of communicative approaches and principles underlying those approaches.
Communicative approaches are effective in developing grammatical and communicative competence.
2.2 Sociolinguistic perspectives on communicative competence
Assuptions and components.
Hymes: sociocultural competence and constitutive components of speech.
Halliday: sociosemantic aspects of language.
2.3 Integrative theories of communicative competence
Different theories and models f communicative competence.
Munby's model of communicative competence.
Communicative syllabuses overemphasize communicative functions.
2.4 General comments
Comments and criticizm to the three theories of communicative competence.
- Comments on Theories of basic communication skills
- Comments on Sociolinguistic perspectives of communicative competence
- Comments on Integrative theories of communicative competence.
3. Toward and adequate theory of communicative competence
3.1 Guiding principles for a communicative approach
Five principles for a communicative approach:
1- Minimal compononents of communicative competence
2- Respond to learner's needs
3- Meaningful interaction
4- Early stages
5- Main objective: information, practice and experience.
3.2 A proposed theoretical framework for communicative competence
Theoretical foundations for communicative competence.
General assumptions.
Components of communicative competence: - Grammatical competence
- Sociolinguistic competence
- Strategic competence.
3.3 Implications for a communicative approach to teaching
Implications on: - Syllabus design
- Teaching methodologies
- Teacher training
- Material development.
3.4 Implications for a communicative testing programme
Two important general implications:
1- Testing the learner's ability to demonstrate what he knows (performance)
2- Test types: Integrative tests and discrete points tests.
4. Directions for research
Points for further research. 9 points for further research.
Five issues considering the strenghts of adopting a communicative approach.
viernes, 23 de septiembre de 2011
Your Approach Indicator: An Informal Questionnaire
The first point from the questionnaire that I will analyze is Point 1. I think that a language class should focus more on meaning than on grammar. In my case, my students are very young. They are in Kinder and they are just learning the basic words in English. So they are able to communicate and express their ideas, but they are not very accurate with regard to grammar. If I wanted them to speak English using a perfectly correct grammar, I would be correcting them all the time and that would be very discouraging for them. My main objective for my class is for them to speak English as much as they can and for that I have to encourage them to speak, no matter if they speak grammatically correctly or not.
The second point to analyze is point 4, which I think is strongly related to point 5. Language learners need a long-term reward, which is what is going to get them to be intrinsically motivated. The long term reward should be that fact that they are learning and that they are becoming able to communicate in the target language. They should be motivated and think that their greatest reward is the fact that they are going to be able to speak another language. Therefore, as teachers we should always encourage intrinsic motivation. But, at least with smaller kids, to get to intrinsic motivation and to make them appreciate the value of long-term rewards, first you have to use immediate rewards and extrinsic motivation. So I think that one things leads to the other. Immediate rewards and extrinsic motivation come first and then come long-term rewards and intrinsic motivation.
Point 6 is also one of the points that I want to analyze. I think that the teacher definitely needs to be gentle and empathetic with her students. This does not mean that she is not going to demand anything to the students. I think that being demanding with our students and asking them to achieve higher goals every time is a very important part of being a good and caring teacher. A good teacher needs to be demanding but in a gentle and empathetic way.
The last point to analyze is the one about mistakes, point 12. I think that a good teacher should always take advantage of her students’ mistakes and turn them into a learning opportunity. Mistakes are informative for the students and for the teacher. Students can learn from their mistakes as long as the teacher makes them realize their mistakes in the correct way and not making them feel ridiculous for them. And the teacher can also learn from the students’ mistakes. Mistakes need to be seen by the teacher as a chance to redirect the teaching-learning process in order to take the best out of our students.
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