Please answer the following questions as precisely and clearly as you can.
1) Did you study a language other than English? Which one? How proficient are you in that language?
2) Why did you study another language? How did the knowledge of a language other than English benefit you?
3) How was your experience as a second/foreign language learner? Describe context, aims, and results.
4) Are you planing to use your second/foreign language in the future? How? Would you like to teach, to translate, to travel, etc.?
5) Have you had any experience teaching language? Explain.
6) Would you like to be a language teacher of children or adults? Describe the ideal situation, the ideal audience, the ideal environment for your teaching.
7) List the most important external and internal factors that a teacher and a learner should take into consideration when approaching second/foreign language instruction?
8) List the principal five characteristics that teachers and learners of a second/foreign language should have to be successful.
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For the third week, you will revise some of your answers according
to the information received around second language acquisition from lectures,
readings, and the first chapters of Celce-Murcia’s text. How much of your
own experience can you relate to the processes and methods described?
Interview a student of a second or foreign language about their experience as learners. If you have time, try to decide which methodological approach will suit the needs of such learner.
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Workshop 2
Language, context and culture.
(Check http://thandbook.heinle.com/ for great supplemental materials)
1) Focus the discussion around Part one of Episode One in Teacher's Handbook (p. 37). Take approximately 20 minutes to draw general conclusions.
2) Now, establish the most likely situation in which you will be teaching in the near future. Choose one of the themes suggested in Part Two of Episode One (p.37) and develop your scenario (i.e., "series of learner-centered activities based on a specific theme and integrated so that one activity is the basis for the next" ( Describe briefly the level of language proficiency and the cultural stage (tourist, survivor, immigrant, citizen) that best characterize your group of learners. Explain if your approach is top-down or bottom-up and the reason of your choice. (This part should be typed and kept in your notebook for future references as we continue developing teaching strategies).
3) For next week, revise your questionnaires and include the revisions in your notebooks. Identify a language class that you would like to observe between week 3 and 4. It can be a language class that you are currently attending.
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Workshop 3 (Check http://thandbook.heinle.com/ for great supplemental materials)
1) Last week, you were preparing a scenario for a particular group of learners. Decide which methods and techniques will be the most appropriate ones to deliver the activities that you planned. Explain the reasons of your methodological choices according to the information provided by Celce-Murcia's chapters.
2) Develop guidelines for your class observation. You could use some concepts presented by the Teacher's Handbook such as language interaction and input opportunities (pp. 15 -16), lesson planning and structure (pp. 64-65). Make sure that you establish the goals of your observation with precision.
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Workshop 4 Class observation: approaches, methods, techniques
In small groups, discuss the results of your observations.
Try to analyze the different classes by applying the concepts presented
in Celce-Murcia's text as well as in the third chapter of Teacher's Handbook.
Which approach or approaches did you identify during the class? Were any of Robert Blair's innovative approaches implemented in the class you visited? If your answer is negative, which one of those innovative approaches would have been suitable to the class you observed and why?
What kinds of activities were implemented, controlled, semicontrolled or free? Were they properly chosen? Why? Can you define the task/tasks of the class?
How was the classroom climate?
What would have you changed to make the class more effective? Why?
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Workshop 5. Listening and Speaking Skills. Mini-lessons.
This week, you and your group will start designing a mini-lesson to be delivered to your classmates during week 7. Use the same group of learners that you described in week 2 of the quarter.
Your lessons should focus on speaking-listening skills (you could follow examples from Celce-Murcia in pages 94-101). If your group is in the elementary or middle school age bracket, consider the "connections to the main curriculum" recommended by the Teacher's Handbook and follow their suggestions for planning.
Your lessons should be 5-10 minutes long, follow by a brief explanation of the comprehension and communicative strategies that you applied in its design and presentation.
The lesson plan should be typed and included in your notebook, and it should be followed by a brief reflection on its methodological effectiveness.
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Workshop 6. Reading and Writing Skills.
This week, you and your group will continue designing a mini-lesson that will be delivered to your classmates during week 8. Make sure that your group of learners is well-defined and its major characteristics are described clearly.
Your lessons should focus on speaking-listening skills, and include one reading or writing activity, or both. For the reading activity, include concepts such as prediction, schemata, Language Experience Approach, interaction between reading, speaking ,writing and listening skills, and explain in two or three sentences the appropriateness of the technique chosen. Make sure you address cultural dimensions as well. If you are using a particular text, consider the prereading, while-reading and postreading phases in your planning.
If you are planning a writing activity, define your task (practical, emotive, etc.), the techniques for getting started (brainstorming, listing, free writing, etc.) and the kind of feedback (focused on form or focused on content, oral or written, peer revision, etc.) and evaluation (holistic, analytic, primary trait) that you will be providing. If you are teaching EFL in elementary or middle school, consider the story-based language approach (Teacher's Handbook: Chapter 7). In two or three sentences, defined the role that grammar plays in the process and results of your activity.
Your lessons should be 5-10 minutes long, followed by a brief explanation of the comprehension and communicative strategies that you applied in its design and presentation.
The lesson plan should be typed and included in your notebook, and it should be followed by a brief reflection on its methodological effectiveness.
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1) First questionnaire revised on week 4 according to the concepts learned.
2) Description of an imaginary group of learners and the applicable
teaching methodology to such group (Group activity).
3) Observation of a foreign/second language class (individual).
4) Follow-up work based on information from your observation (group
activity).
5) Mini-lesson plan (listening and speaking skills) followed by a brief
description of complementing reading and writing activities.
The presentation of complete notebooks on time is necessary in order to receive full credit in this part of the program. Pay particular attention to the application of ideas and terminology to your activities and reflections.
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Winter 2000
In small groups, answer the following questions that should help you to establish objectives and activities for your community work as well as identify those areas that you need to further study and research.
o What do you know about language acquisition processes? How can you
summarize the principal theories of language learning?
List the aspects of second language acquisition that are most relevant
for the experience you are going to have as a teacher in the community.
o How much you know (or remember) about teaching methods? Can you identify
the most appropriate methods for your teaching experience this quarter?
Explain your choices.
o How well can you define the group of students with whom you will
be working? Prepare a questionnaire aimed to elicit the information that
you consider crucial for your task.
o List all the activities that you know or you assume you will be carrying
out in the community. Prioritize them according to their aims and establish
the kind and amount of background work you need to do in order to prepare
adequately.
o What specific aspects of your work attract you the most? Why? Make
a list of those issues and subjects about which you would like to gain
further knowledge.
Share your answers with your group and prepare some general conclusions
that would be valid for the whole class.
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At the end of week nine I will collect your notebooks containing all
the work done in this section of the program.
The notebook should include the following:
1) List of objectives and activities planned for your in-service training.
2) Annotated bibliography containing the readings that are accompanying
your practice.
3) Thorough description of your group of students, containing as much
relevant information you were able to collect.
Specify which characteristics of the group were particularly relevant
in shaping your performance during the quarter. Identify your concrete
practical responses to those characteristics.
3) Lesson plans and activity handouts.
4) Evaluation of the methods, textbook and materials used for instruction.
5) Self-evaluation.
6) Any other relevant piece of information that will allow me to better
judge the scope and depth of your community work.
The presentation of complete notebooks on time is
necessary in order to receive full credit in this part of the program.
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