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| “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward |
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This
E-folio contains important information about the
teacher- learning process. Some questions about how we have
taught in our practices and the different situations that we as a teacher have
faced. Besides that, the different activities that we have develop in the
practices.
As students of the subject Didactic
of the English
language 1, this E-folio helps us a lot.
With it we can understand better how to teach to young learners and also the
different activities that we can use in order to develop our class in a better
way.
This information has been gathered
based on to experience that the five group members have had in our practices as
teachers. Besides that, we have used the book Teaching English to Children as a
guided for comparing the activities that we have done. Also we have used some
pictures for an assessment.
1.
The changing world of English
How has English changed through the decades?
As the chapter said, English
has changed through the decades because at the end of the twentieth century, it
was becoming a lingua franca that was used between people who didn't share the
same mother tongue. English has increased through the years, and nowadays there
are many people who speak English as a mother tongue or as a second language;
the amount of native speakers around the world is bigger than in the past. In
the last few last decades the quantity increased; there are some places where
the use of English is higher even as a second language.
English has been very useful
for exchanging information, and also for opening businesses in and out each
country; that's why, it is an important tool. People who are not native
speakers want to learn that language. This language has changed a lot; in the
past, it was not so useful, but now people use it when they travel overseas.
That is one of the biggest changes that have suffered the language. Some years
ago, to know English meant power 'cause not everybody could talk English.
Another important thing to tell about how English has changed is the increment
that it has in the music; English songs are a complete hit because people like
to listen to it and sing.
According to chapter number
one "The changing world of English" countries that have English as a
mother tongue promotes their country as a destination in order to attract
people to their countries. Many people like to watch movies with subtitles in
English because they are interested in learning; that is a reason why English
has grown, and has a big predominance in the world. Since many years ago until
now is evident how the English has changed because, nowadays more people than
in the past speak English, maybe not excellent, but they do it, and they convey
messages, so they communicate with other people from other countries.
In addition, there are some places when
some years ago people spoke Spanish, but they just speak English that is
something amazing.
How will English be in the future?
The future of the English depends on the
amount of people who speak that language. There are a lot official communities
that are not % native, but they speak English; for me there is a question here
what about other languages? Maybe this percentage is wrong but even there are
too many people around that have gotten English as a first language, so fir me
their future will be depended on the speakers.
To have too many English speakers won't be so good for the whole world.
In my opinion people that come from other countries won't be lose their own
culture to get the one that would be fashion or nice, and it is not going to be
good. I think that many people don't want to study to learn.
I'm completely sure that
people asking for knowledge are going to use it correctly; they are going to
able to get a better job or something related. English will be taught in many
different ways, but they idea of learning English and forgetting their own cultures
can turn people in English monsters.
2. Lesson
plan as a successful tool for teachers
a) How
useful is lesson planning for teachers?
After
children stop focusing in classes, it is very difficult to get their attention
back. Well-planed classes help the teacher to develop his/her classes orderly.
b) Is
lesson planning a need only for NQT or for teachers with plenty of experience
as well?
Lesson planning is a very useful tool for teachers who
love that their work be excellent so that children can lean through good
teaching. For newly teachers, lesson is a tool that has to be present in each
class because it helps the teacher to be well-organized. However, experienced
teachers must use as well since the class has to be developed orderly. Even
though there are many teachers who think that they do not need that kind of
help because of their experience, but the true is that most of them neither
they develop an awesome class nor do their students learn.
c) What
was your own experience with lesson planning?
The first day of the English classes was
a lot of complicated because I did not prepare a lesson plan, and I carried
only a page with the order of the activities that I was going to develop in the
classroom. Many things were going
wrong since I did not know what to do next. I remember that I was sweating, so
I could not speak very well; however, I tried to hold my horses. Then, I
started to use a lesson plan every time when teaching because many things were
easier that way. I consider lesson planning as a useful tool, but I have to pay
special attention preparing it.
The principal help that a lesson plan
gave me was that I knew the specific time that each activity was going to take to
be developed, the order in which I was going to develop each of them, and the
material I was going to need, so that I could not forget anything when getting
ready for teaching.
Lesson planning is important and useful;
therefore, I had to spend much time preparing it. As a result of well-prepared
lesson plans, I had many terrific classes, and the most important thing is that
the children learned and enjoyed as well.
Lesson planning takes much time, but the
result it brings is very satisfying, since I can accomplish my goals when
teaching.
At
first sight, everything when teaching kids seems to be easy, but you look
inside of it, you will find out that requires a lot of work not only in the
school but also outside of it.
3. Compare traditional teaching
and 21 century teaching.
a) Write
out the top ten traits of the 21th century ELT practitioners (teacher´s
profile) explain each of them.
Teaching has changed through history, in
different ways, and places around the world. We can notice the main differences
between 21th century teaching and modern teaching. As a result, teaching is not
the same that it was in the last century, forming in this ways, new strategies
in order to improve the quality of education, the well-known labor of teacher,
new challenges to students. So, we can mention many changes which are
noticeable. Indeed, methodologies have given many advances in educations, and
it has been positive for our 21th century in education.
Here are the top
ten traits the 21th century ELT:
1. Participation
in classes
In the new century, students tend to
participate more than last century because at some point they have had more
opportunities in order to do so. On the other hand, in traditional teaching
students were limited for participating in the classroom since teachers thought
that they did not have anything important to say during classes.
2. Technology
during teachers´ classes
Indeed, technology has revolutionized our
lives; it is not something incredible that teachers tend to use technology in
classroom in the 21th century. Nowadays, we can prove this point if we take a
look in schools, there are many teacher who use technology as a useful tool for
teaching; furthermore, technology offers many advantages at teaching since
teachers can vary their classes in order to do their classes more meaningful.
3. Learner-centered
classroom
Learner centered classroom means that
students are the focus of education. In traditional education, students were
seen as a recipient in whom teachers had to put knowledge; however, in 21th
century education, students are seen as the purpose of education. Therefore,
teachers try to develop their classes in a correct way, taking into
consideration students. Considering the importance of students’ participation and
ideas because in traditional teaching students were simply things in the
classroom.
4. Web
sites as a useful tool for teaching
Teachers of the modern teaching use
web sites or social networks in order to facilitate the communications between
teacher-student. This is something that was impossible in the last century and
education. For example, at the University of El Salvador, in the English
Language, is common that some teachers ask student to create groups in Facebook
or to create web sites account in order to share information and communication.
Indeed, it is something that helps the way of teaching.
5. Teacher´s
rapport
In the 21th century, teachers have
more interaction with students. Students feel more comfortable of asking
teacher when they do not understand something about the topic; it occurs thanks
to teacher rapport. In modern education, teachers give more confidence to
students in order to establish certain communication. In classes is important
to have this kind of relation between teacher and students because learning is
something that requires a familiar environment.
6. Teachers
are more creative and dynamic in English classes
In traditional teaching, teacher
used to spend the complete class in front of students. Either sitting by the
desk or standing by the whiteboard. But, they did not move around the classroom
because they feel as they were the main actor of learning. On the other hand,
in modern teaching, teachers tend to move around the classroom, and they usually
arrange desks in order to call student´s attention. Furthermore, teachers are
more creative in preparing classes; they use new tools in order to vary their
classes.
7. Multiple
methodologies for teaching
Many teachers must be adaptive
because there are several types of students. From student to student learning
is different, they do not learn in the same way as other students. So, teachers
have to notice the capacities of every single student in order to develop an
effective system for teaching.
8. Variety
in evaluations
In traditional teaching, tests were
the most usable method for evaluating students, teachers only evaluated
students using tests as the maximum tool for so. On the other hand, in modern
teaching, we can notice that English teachers tend to use more form of
evaluations. For example, they tend to focus on language skills as a way of
evaluating students. Knowledge is something that cannot be measured only
through tests because tests are tricky.
9. Collaborative
learning
Learning can be more effective if
students work in groups because in this ways, students may share their own
knowledge about something specific. This characteristic is something that has
changed during years in education. In traditional teaching, working in groups
was something unknown and student had to learn by they own without cooperation
from their classmates.
10.
Teacher
as students’ friend
This characteristic is something
that is considered new in current education because in the past, students and
teachers lived in separated places. Nowadays, we can prove that teachers and
students usually have more communication. Furthermore, English teachers are
more flexible for approaching students when students need some help from them.
In the last century, it could be a weird idea if a student wanted to approach
the teacher in order to clarify doubts.
These have been
some of the differences between teachers´ profile from traditional teaching and
21th century teaching. Indeed, have been many important changes for a better
education.
b) Describe
the salient traits between NESTs and non-NEST. Provide reasoning and reflection
upon your choice
As everything in life, everything has
its advantages and its disadvantages, and teaching is not an exception. Talking
about non-native English speaker teacher and native English speaker teacher
both has their advantages and disadvantages as well. As a result, we are going
to take a look about some benefits and disadvantages of NESTs and non-NEST.
For many foreign English students, the
best teacher is someone who is native of an English-spoken country. But, sometimes it has its advantages; for
example, native English speaker teachers may help students in order to have an
excellent about the English Language. Another important benefit is that, with a
native English speaker teacher students may know almost everything about
English since they have someone who knows his or her language, since math until
geography. However, NESTs have some
problems for communicating with their students because students may have
difficulties for understanding what teacher is saying or teaching. So, in the
very beginning, students and teacher have a big challenge.
On the other hand, non-NESTs are
suitable for some students, but to other are not. Many students do not feel
comfortable of having non-NESTs because they believe that teachers do not teach
as NESTs. So, it is a common mistake of think from students; furthermore,
students may think that non-NESTs teach in a limited way or that non-NESTs do
not have a high English level in order to teach. However, some other students
may think that non-NESTs are better because these teachers are able to
understand them when mistakes come; furthermore, these teachers lived a similar
process for learning English, so they understand any situation about the
learning process.
As a conclusion, people may discrepant
about their points of view about the topic. But the most important thing is
that, English teachers have to do their best at teaching in order to achieve
students´ goals. That is the main point of teaching.
4. The young learner
The
children that I taught were very sincere; they liked to learn new things
related to English, and they were all the time asking questions about things
that they believed that were complicated. My students were alike children
described in chapter one “ The young learner; they could do many things, and
they ask for help. For example,
they could talk about things that they do at school, at home, at street ect.
Once one of them told me, “ I did the washes with my mom, I made a drawing with
my brother, and I made my bed. In my opinion, they were really able to do a lot
of things; when they considered that
they were right about some things – they argued to defend their point of
view. They couldn’t understand the full world, but they can I understand and appreciate
things that they consider important; they were able to plan activities for:
once one of them made the following, he told me, “we are going to perform a
drama Julio, angel, and Hugo are going to be the clowns, and the others will be
the animals; we are part of a circus; then, everybody started to perform their
part of the drama. I noticed that they could plan things to play because they
did what they wanted to do. At the age of five to seven years old, children are
really intelligent since they develop their skills as the chapter said; they
can do many stuff maybe not of the best way, but they can do them. My students
were the most happiest playing together;
they did not like to play alone; that’s why, I think they were alike to
children mentioned in chapter one, “The young learner. My students were pretty
nice.
5. Listening, Oral work, Reading,
and Writing
-
What are the challenges
when teaching the listening, speaking, reading, writing skills?
There are a
lot of challenges when teaching the four English
skills which are:
1-
Listening: encourage
pupils to anticipate what they
are going to hear. In everyday life, the situation, the speaker, oral messages,
movies etc. they need to understand
all these things without problems.
2-
Speaking: they need to communicate in English language for that
reason it is important to speak and speak as much as they can.
3-
Reading: we need to encourage pupil to read better every day.
The activities have to be focus on that.
4-
Writing: we need to teach very well this skill is one of the
most difficult because they need to understand a lot of rules but the objective
is to encourage them to do it again and again in that way they will learn.
-
Which of activities featured on chapter 3 through 6
did you try in your classes? Did
they work? Explain why they make any did or did not work. Did you make any
changes to the activities? Explain which changes you made, and how they
affected the way you ran the activity.
There are many activities on chapter 3
through 6 and I tried some of them. For example, in listening we used the
activity “Drawing”. I gave them some pieces of paper and I told them some
things and they had to draw what I was telling them. This activity is very
interesting and useful at the same time. Besides that we used other activity
which is called “Simon says” this is a very nice activity for developing the
listening skill in a funny way, it is not in the chapters but it helped me a
lot. It consists of the teacher is Simon and he or she says something and the
guys have to do what Simon says.
In speaking skill I developed some
interesting activities. This skill is more difficult than listening skill so I
had to work more. I used a teddy bear, this is one of the activities which is
in the chapters and also it helped me a lot. This activity works very well
because the guys like so much to play with toys and the teddy bear calls their
attention very quickly. I told
them something like “I am the teddy bear; I am your friend; do you want
to play with me? “. They were very
happy and they participate without any problem. If the teddy bear sings a song
they do it too, it was amazing, we enjoyed a lot. On another hand, in
reading skill we decide to work more because to pronounce was very difficult
for them. I used some flashcards for beginning. With these flashcards they
learn some words, they reading again and again. When they could read the words
easily I decided to introduce some sentences and after that we develop an
activity which is called “Reading a story from a book” this activity works very
well because they had already learnt to read words and whole sentences.
We read some funny stories; they loved to
read short tales. And finally in writing skill they worked hard, some of them
could write but some others couldn´t. Firstly, I gave them some vocabulary,
common vocabulary like names of fruits, colors, etc.
Then I introduced some short sentences
with those words and they had to write them. They did it very well, they did
not have problems writings sentences like “The apple is red” and other
sentences.
When they could already write things like
that, I used an activity which is in the chapters. I developed the activity
“Dictation” I dictated them some things and they could write them very well.
Even though they made some mistakes, they did it very well. After that, I used
other activity “letters” the guys had to write something for their parents. This
activity was kind of difficult at the beginning but with my help they could do
it.
All these activities are very useful when
you are teaching. They have worked very well to me. To teach the four English
skills is not easy but using this kind of activities you can teach in a better
way.
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