Teaching by Principles

Author: Glemaud, Marie Michelle
Creation date: Thursday, February 2, 2006 7:53:02 PM EST

How much attention should Grammar be given? Name other components of ESOL instruction that should be addressed by the teacher.
Many years ago There was a great emphasis place on grammar in teaching a language. Later in the nineteenth century this method was changed to Grammar translation method in which language was taught in the native language by the use of grammar, reading and vocabulary. The ability to communicate and how to pronounce words were not emphasized. This method came about during World War II because there were a great communication difficulty between the US army and the enemies. They came with a method called the specialized Training Program (ASTP) also known as “Army Method” In which a language was taught trough conversation practice, pronunciation drills. In 1950 this method became to be known as the audio language method (ALM). The audio language method involved structural partner of repetitive drills, use of tapes, language labs, and visual aids.

“Designer” Methods of the Spirited 1970s

1. Community language Learning (CLL)

It was called the “Counseling-Learning model of education introduced by Charles Curran. It is a method where the teacher acted like a counselor and the students interacted in interpersonal relationship. There was translation in the native language to the language to be learned (English).

2. Suggestopedia The method was created by a Bulgarian psychologist named Georgi Lozonov. In this method language was taught through music and relaxation to maximize retention of materials.

3. The Silent way This method was founded by Caleb Gattegno. Learning is accompanying by physical objects and problem solving involving the material to be learned. The teacher could act as a stimulator not an hand-holder.. According to Gattegno through this method learners would develop independency, autonomy and responsibility and learn how to cooperate with others to solve language problems.

4. Total Physical Response (TPR) This method was developed by James Asher. In this method the students were involved in a great deal of listening and acting. The teacher acted as a direct conductor.

5. The natural Approach This method was developed by Tracy Terrell. It consisted of listen comprehension skills, role playing and the teacher focused on meaning error because the main goal of this method was to promote linguistic fluency.

Beyond Method: Notional- Functional Syllabus (NFS) The chief purpose of the NFS was to function on the organizing element of English language. It focused on curricular structure.

The grammar for beginners includes simple verb forms, personal pronoun plural and singular nouns. At the intermediate level teachers need to keep grammatical metalanguage to an ideal minimum. For advanced level students need to well-targeted deductive grammar has its place. We sure need to include grammar in teaching language but we should not emphasize on it too much as the only way to teach a language.

Comment from professor Author: Gomez-Wilson, Isabel
Creation date: Monday, February 13, 2006 3:22:57 PM EST In this chapter the three principles addressed were the "Cognitive, Affective and Linguistic" principles of ESOL instruction. The Cognitive principles relate to the mental and intellectual functions of ESOL instruction. The Affective principles are characterized by a large proportion of emotional involvement, where feeling about self, relationships in a community of learners, and the emotional ties between language and culture. The Linguistic principles centers on language learning and teaching. It centers on language itself and how learners deal with these complex linguistic systems.

Psychomotor Skills

Author: Glemaud, Marie Michelle
Creation date: Wednesday, February 1, 2006 11:33:54 PM EST

Would you say psychomotor skills such as pronounciation are an important component of the functional and sociolinguistic aspects of language? What kind of feedback should you offer students who commit interlanguage errors? I believe that knowing how to pronounce words when leaning a language is in important factor for the learners. Without it they will not be able to function in the new culture they will be in. They will not be able to communicate with others. Like it’s stated language instruction needs to point toward all its components, organizational, pragmatic, strategic, and psychomotor. The psychomotor education process if followed well, will lead to successful learning in many fields that require multi-dimensional skills.

Interlanguage: In the process of acquiring a second language, a language learner may acquire forms of language that are in between their first language and their target language. This can happen when, for example, they incorrectly apply rules of their native language to the target language, or they have not completely learned the full extent or limitations of a rule's use and so misapply it systematically. Interlanguage may seem completely logical and correct in the mind of a language learner. It may also be a part of a natural learning process where rules get more refined as more input is received. However, if learners fail to receive corrective feedback, these interlanguage forms may become a habit.

Teaching Techniques

Author: Glemaud, Marie Michelle
Creation date: Thursday, February 2, 2006 7:15:40 PM EST

Why should ESOL teachers use genuine language techniques to convey information rather than Rote techniques? Describe certain authentic techniques. For teacher s,the more students can remember the faster the learning process going to take place. Therefore if we want this to happen we must use genuine language techniques to convey information because this will create strong retention. As it is writing rote learning-taking in isolated bits and pieces of information that not connected with one’s existing cognitive structure-has little chance of creating long-term retention. Some authentic techniques can be story line, familiar situations and characters, real-life conversation.

Comment from prefessor

Author: Gomez-Wilson, Isabel
Creation date: Saturday, February 18, 2006 4:58:06 PM EST Good suggestions.

Intrinsic Motivation in the Classroom

Author: Glemaud, Marie Michelle
Creation date: Wednesday, February 1, 2006 11:25:39 PM EST

Are content based activities intrinsically motivating? Should an ESOL teacher involve students with meaning and purposes in their activities or with verbs and prepositions?
Content-based activities are intrinsically motivating. Therefore, teachers might strive to focus their students on interesting, relevant subject-matter content that gets them more linguistically involved with the meanings and purposes and less with verbs ad preposition.

Comment form professor

Author: Gomez-Wilson, Isabel
Creation date: Saturday, February 18, 2006 5:10:14 PM EST Right!

Designing and Implementing Classroom Lessons

Author: Glemaud, Marie Michelle
Creation date: Wednesday, February 8, 2006 8:15:43 PM EST

List and describe three basic "units" of classroom pedagogy.

The three basic “units” of classroom pedagogy are techniques, textbooks, and technology.

Techniques include all tasks and activities in a classroom. They are the product of a choice made by the teacher.

Categorizing Techniques: A Bit of History In this part we read that there existed some 28,732 techniques in the teaching language. Those two reference books titled TESOL’s New Ways series and ESL Teacher’s Activities Kit were mentioned as containing many techniques and activities to teaching language

The following are the criteria use to classify techniques

From manipulation to Communication

In this concept the author depicted that techniques can be manipulate which means that teachers have the control over the techniques they use in the class and the students are required to respond to it. The next aspect is that technique is communicative which implied that some choral repletion and drilling activities can be done. Example of this can be story telling, role playing, play game and many more.

2. Mechanical, Meaningful and Communicative Drill During the 1940s through 1960s drilling was very common. It was a form of technique that utilized a lot of choral or individual repetition. Paulstone and Bruner (1976) bring sown a structural drill into the following categories:

a. Mechanical drill is where in only one response that is not related to reality. Students have no understand of what they repeated

Example: Teacher says: the cat is in the hat.

Students repeat: the cat in the hat.

b. Meaningful drill in this case the repetitive activity and more realistic and it can have a possible response.

c. Communicative drill.

3. Controlled to Free Technique

Controlled teacher centered Student centered

Manipulative structure, Communicative, open-ended

Objective, set curriculum unpredicted response

Cooperative curriculum

Textbooks In this portion of the chapter the author enumerated the importance of materials in the language teaching. It is mentioned that textbook are the most frequently tool in language teaching.

Other Written Texts In this section the two forms of texts are outlining for the readers.

1. Teacher Resource Books: books that provide idea for activities fro teachers.
   
2. Other Student textbooks: additional materials to enhance the students learning process.

Technology in the language Classroom Technology is said to be part of the teaching language in the 1950 and 1960s in the form of language laboratory. Nowadays there many technology tools that are available to teaching-language. They include following:

1. Commercially Produced audiotapes
2. Commercially produce videotapes
3. Self-made audiotapes
4. Self-made videotapes
5. Overhead projection

Computer-Assisted Language learning (CALL)

The use of CALL can be done through the following activities
1. Collaborative Projects: students can be involved in a research project by utilizing data available in the World Wide Web. 2. Peer-editing of compositions: exchange of material over the network computer 3. E-mail: students can correspond to other students and share their view. 4. WEB Page Design: Some course can be offer over the web 5. Reinforcement of classroom materials: some ready activities can be done to reinforce learning by using educational software. 6. Game and Simulations: Some games over the internet provide communication and problem solving. 7. Computer adaptive setting: some test can be computer based 8. Speech processing: There are exercise that can assist student in their pronunciation and their accuracy in learning.

Comment for professor

Author: Gomez-Wilson, Isabel
Creation date: Saturday, February 18, 2006 5:46:49 PM EST Excellent descriptions. Thank you.

How to Plan a Lesson

Author: Glemaud, Marie Michelle
Creation date: Wednesday, February 8, 2006 8:21:20 PM EST
List the learner factors the teacher should consider when planning a lesson for ESL students. Write a sample Lesson Plan.

Leaner factors:
· Who are the students (age, education, occupation, general purpose in taking English, entering proficiency level)? · What are their specific language needs (e.g., to read English scientific texts, to serve as a tour guide, to survive minimally in an English-speaking country)? Break those needs down into as many specific subcategories as feasible.

Write a sample Lesson Plan.
LESSON PLAN

By

Subject: Comprehensive Science

Grade level: 6-8

Length of Lesson: 3 days

Topic: Ecosystem

Goal: The students will create a model of an ecosystem that demonstrates their knowledge of the living and non-living parts of an ecosystem.

Objectives:

· Define the term ecosystem.

· Identify the living and non-living parts of an ecosystem.

· Compare and contrast the relationship between the non-living and the living parts of an ecosystem.

· Illustrate an ecosystem.

· Construct a forest ecosystem using materials found in nature.

Background/Supporting Information

The world ecosystem is used to describe how the plants and animals within a habitat interact with each other and with the non-living parts of their environment. The atmosphere, water, soil, and rock are the non-living parts that support a wealth of living things. Different plants and animals, together with their environment, make up different ecosystems, such as deserts, temperature, woodlands or tropical rain forests.

The living parts of an ecosystem include plants, animals, fungi, and microbes and may be classified into three groups- producers, consumers, and decomposers. Producers are living things that make their own food. Consumers are living things that eat other living things. Decomposers are living things that break down dead plants and animals.

Soil, water, and air are important non-living parts of an ecosystem. Soil helps plants grow, water is needed by all living things, and air contains two grass used by all living things.

The living things in an ecosystem form a community. There are different relationships among the members of a community, some to these relationships area harmful some are helpful. An example would be predators and pre and parasites and host. Sometimes the community of an ecosystem is destroyed. This is a way to bring fires, natural disasters and pollution. When an ecosystem is destroyed a succession must occur.

This is just an overview of an ecosystem. It is important for students to know that we can’t have livings without non-living things. Everything is dependent on everything else. Plants and animals can exist without air, water, or soil. The project is way for the students to know what an ecosystem is and how each part helps the other.

Activity

Procedures:

Day 1

1. Using the information from the supporting Information, introduce ecosystem.
2. Show picture of ecosystems- a forest, an aquarium, a pond etc.
3. Discuss the living parts pf ecosystem-plants, animals, fungi, and microbes. Break them into producers, consumers, and decomposers groups and show pictures. (They should have covers producers (plants), consumers (animals) and decomposers before this lesson is taught.)
4. Discuss non-living parts of an ecosystem. Show real examples of soil and water. Review the importance of air.
5. Using the supporting Information and discuss the relationship between living and non-living parts.

Day 2

1. Review living and non-living parts and the importance of their relationship.
2. Put the students into groups of 4 to 5.
3. Assign the students to make a list of living and non-living parts of a forest ecosystem.
4. Assign the students to illustrate a forest ecosystem on paper.
5. Assign the students to bring the material from their list all material must be found in nature. (*The teacher will provide the water, box lid, and soil.)

Day 3

The ecosystem activity

Materials provided by the teacher.

1. Large bag of soil
2. Large box lids (paper box lid are the best)
3. Small cups with water
4. Magazines with pictures of animals
5. Popsicle sticks
6. Extra items related to the forest

Students should have brought
Dirt

2. Rocks

1. Twigs
2. Leaves
3. Dead limbs
4. Plants
5. Grass
6. Picture of animals
7. Anything found in nature

Activity procedures

1. Put students in their groups.
2. Provide the student with lid, large bow of soil, a small cup, and check all material they have brought.
3. Have students construct a model of forest ecosystem using their illustrations
4. Have each member of each group present tell something about their ecosystem and the relationship between the living and non-living parts.

Prompt:

Describe and draw each community in a succession.

Comment for professor

Author: Gomez-Wilson, Isabel
Creation date: Saturday, February 18, 2006 6:03:45 PM EST WOW! I am so impressed with the quality of the lesson plans presented. Thank you, yours is exemplary as well.

Interactive Language Teaching I: Initiating Interaction

Author: Glemaud, Marie Michelle
Creation date: Wednesday, February 8, 2006 8:26:13 PM EST

What is Interaction? Interaction is an important word for language teachers. In the era of communication language teaching, interaction is in fact the heart of communication; it is what communication is all about. It is the collaboration exchange of thoughts, feeling, or ideas between two or more people, resulting in a reciprocal effect on each other. Theories of communicative competence emphasize the important of interaction as human beings use language in various contexts to :negotiate” meaning, or simple stated, to get an idea out of one person’s head and into the head of another person and vice versa. In general term interaction is and exchange of information, ideas, opinions between and among learners and teachers, usually occurring through technology with the aim of facilitating learning.

List Interactive Principles.

Automaticity: True human interaction is best accomplished when focal attention is on meanings and messages and not on grammar and other linguistic forms. Learners are thus freed from keeping language in a controlled mode and can more easily proceed to automatic modes of processing.

Intrinsic motivation: As students become engaged with each other in speech acts of fulfillment and self-actualization, their deepest drives are satisfied. And as they more fully appreciate their own competence to use language, they can develop a system of self-reward.

Strategic investment: interaction required the use of strategic language competence both to make certain decisions on how to say or write or interpret language, and to make repairs when communication pathways are blocked. The spontaneity of interaction discourse requires judicious use of numerous strategies for production and comprehension.

Risk-taking: interaction requires the risk of failing to produce indented meaning, of failing to interpret intended meaning (on the part of someone else), of being laughed at, of being shunned or rejected. The rewards, of course, are great and worth the risk.

The language-culture connection: The cultural loading of interactive speech as well as writing requires that interlocutors be thoroughly versed in the cultural nuances of language

Interlanguage: the complexity of interaction entails a long developmental process of acquisition.Communicative competence” All of the elements of communicative competence (grammatical, discourse, sociolinguistic, pragmatic, and strategic) are involved in human interaction. All aspects must work together for successful communication to take place.

Describe the roles of the Interactive Teacher
1. The Teacher as controller: A role that is sometimes expected in traditional institutions is that of “master” controller, always, always in charge of every moment in the classroom. Master controllers determine what the students do, when they should speak, and what language forms they should use. However nowadays there should be some type of interaction and the expressions of freedom for student to learn the language at this type the teacher is still in charge. 2. The teacher as Director: some interaction classroom time can legitimately by constructed in such a way that the teacher is like a conductor of an orchestra of a drama. As students engage in either rehearsed or spontaneous language performance, it is you job to keep the process flowing smoothly and efficiently. 3. The Teacher as Manager: the metaphor captures your role as one who plans lessons, modules and courses, and who structures the larger, longer segment of classroom time, but who then allows each individual player to be creative within those parameters. 4. The Teacher as Facilitator: In this role the teacher provides to help, guidance and assistance to students. 5. The Teacher as Resource: In this role is that a student takes the imitative to come to you. You are available for advice and counsel when the student seeks it.

Describe questioning strategies for Interactive Learning. The most important key to creating an interactive language classroom is the initiation of interaction by the teacher. However non-directive your teaching style is, the onus is on you to provide the stimuli for continued interaction. These stimuli are important in the initial stage of a classroom lesson as well a through the lesson. One way to develop your role as an initiator are sustainer of interaction is to develop a repertoire of questioning strategies.
1. Teacher questions give students the impetus and opportunity to produce language comfortably without having to risk initiating language themselves. 2. Teacher questions can serve to initiate a chain reaction of student interaction among them. 3. Teacher questions give the instructor immediate feedback about student comprehension, 4. Teacher question provide students with opportunities to find out what they think by hearing what they say.

The simplest way to conceptualize the possibilities is to think of a range of questions, begging with display questions that attempt to elicit information already known by the teacher, all the way to highly referential questions that request information not known by the questioner; sometime responses to the latter involve judgment about facts that are not clear or a statement of values.