WEEK 10: Final Reflection

This course has been very enriching and challenging. Unfortunately, due to my professional and personal circumstances, the last two weeks were particularly overwhelming and it’s been harder for me to catch up with tasks and meet deadlines.

However, I have learned that time has some sort of special, “magical” quality. It seems to be flexible or malleable. Even if you are really busy and think there’s no more place for undertaking a new responsibility, you can always manage time in such a way so as to spare some to do something new.

As a word of advice I would suggest that a new student do his or her best from the very beginning. Reading the suggested articles, exploring the sites, keeping an active participation in the discussions and trying out the new techniques being learned throughout the course is really important. In short, a new student should be willing to commit himself or herself to make the most of the course.

Margarita

WEEK 9: Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences

After skimming some of the suggested sites for this week, I focused on “Do Technology Based Lessons Meet the Needs of Student Learning Styles?”
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596r/students/Rosen/Rosen.html
Undoubtedly, keeping in mind that all people learn in different ways is crucial for lesson planning. Although the article points out that there is still not a lot of research done on how technology meets the needs of our learners’ learning styles, I completely agree that "computers can be a valuable and vital tool when combined with Gardner's Seven Multiple Intelligences to enable educators to reach students with a variety of learning styles." (Davis, 1991)

One of the most interesting points I learned in the article has to do with the distinction between “multimedia and hypermedia”. Although I was pretty much aware of the benefits that multimedia-based lessons have on learning, quoted from Frank and Catherine Townsend in the article, I did not have the concept of what hypermedia was that clear. In this way, it was really interesting to see how hypermedia allows learners to work at their own pace in a nonsequential matter and to self-manage their “search”, which includes links with different forms of media. The example mentioned of a student being able to choose whether to listen to a story or to read it on the screen shows how they can use the sensory stimuli that best suits their learning style. In addition, according to their learning preferences, they can also choose from following a linear progression or from leaping from one site to another one. This requires synthesizing concepts and information throughout the task.

Last but not least, regarding the internet and distance learning, the Alianza has been offering online blended courses for adults for the last few years. In addition, our 100% online Teacher Training Course gives people in the provinces of our country the chance to get an English Teaching Certificate or Diploma.

Margarita

WEEK 8: ANVILL

I wish I’d had more time that week to interact with Jeff Magoto. I read his article on ANVILL, though. I was amazed by all the applications this portable modern web-based software can have. I think it’s fantastic how voiceboards, forums (T-casts), and livechat, can add multimedia (audio and video-based messages) to text discussions. Aside from being a lot more motivating to our students, they allow teachers to cater to their learners’ different learning styles much better. Besides, pronunciation, which is usually neglected or limited to the activities the course textbook includes, can be practiced as well.

I was also impressed by the fact ANVILL makes it possible for teachers to assess students through media-rich and personalized quizzes and surveys.

Margarita

WEEK 7: Learner Autonomy

I found both articles on learner autonomy very enriching. I’d like to highlight some concepts I found particularly relevant. To start with, I completely agree with Thanasoulas (http://iteslj.org/Articles/Thanasoulas-Autonomy.html) when he states that learner autonomy is an ongoing process instead of a final state or product reached once and for all. However, that process cannot take place spontaneously. Instead, it requires the teacher to foster and facilitate its development by awakening their students’ passion for learning, curiosity and awareness of the need to do their share in the learning process. Thus, according to Leni Dam (1990, cited in Gathercole, 1990: 16), drawing upon Holec (1983), teachers would do a great job if they empowered learners to independently choose aims and purposes and set goals; choose materials, methods and tasks; exercise choice and purpose in organizing and carrying out the chosen tasks; and choose criteria for evaluation. In fact, that perfectly matches the constructivist point of view, which states that “knowledge cannot be taught but only learned (that is, constructed)', because knowledge is something 'built up by the learner'.

However, Samuel P-H Sheu in his article at http://coyote.miyazakimu.ac.jp/learnerdev/LLE/8.1/sheuE.html makes two very interesting points. On one hand he mentions that fostering learner autonomy can be hampered at certain educational contexts where teachers are required to work with a specific syllabus and textbook, under time constraints and/or within examination-oriented systems. It may be true. Nevertheless, I think that similarly as what he did, it’s up to the teacher to find ways and apply techniques to adopt "learner training/awareness activities accompanied with the textbook" that would foster a certain degree of learner autonomy.

On the other hand, Sheu adds a very interesting and usually neglected aspect in the analysis of this topic: the interconnections between learner autonomy and teacher autonomy. I agree. How could we, teachers, foster autonomy in our students if we didn’t actively outline and carry out our own teacher development? Like Sheu, I also like Richard Smith’s concept of "teacher-as-learner autonomy (in a variety of areas of professional expertise)” In my opinion, the more autonomous “learners” we become as professionals, the better we will know ourselves, our own strategies and beliefs and the challenges faced throughout this ongoing process. These self-knowledge gained will enable us to help our students work towards their own autonomy as learners of a foreign language better. More importantly, we would be doing so from an ethical position since our actions would be speaking louder than our words.

Margarita

WEEK 6: Interactive Power Point

I think the article Best Practices in Presenting with PowerPoint - from the UO's Teaching Effectiveness Program offers excellent tips for making effective and truly interactive power point presentations. The interactive ppt sample is great too.

Reflecting on this topic has made me realize two things. First, I cannot recall using ppt in my classes when I was teaching. Fostering interactivity was a must, of course, but the most common technological resources we used were audio, videos, movie segments, useful websites and CD-ROMs. Second, nowadays our students are taught how to make good oral presentations and required to make one at the Advanced level and even in more depth at the Alianza Teaching Program. Student-teachers need to make a professional oral presentation to graduate as teachers. However, I think that we could explore the possibility to incorporate well-planned ppts to our teaching practices as a way to add variety and enhance interactivity at the intermediate and even high-basic levels as well.

The tips presented in the different articles can also be transferred to the presentations I do have to make for student-teachers or colleagues as a coordinator either in power point or Prezi, which is the current trend at the Alianza nowadays. I always plan them in a way that would allow for some interactivity, even if they are not workshops. To achieve this, I have used some of the techniques mentioned by Deborah Healey such as a quick quiz to activate the audience’s schema, concept tests such as true or false, short answer, matching, multiple choice, etc, at different moments to wrap up different sections of the presentation, and Think,Pair,Share. However, it was great to read about the blank slide technique to refocus attention onto the speaker and for discussion and the interpreted lecture, which implies having a member of the audience paraphrase a concept in his or her own words.

Last but not least, I loved the tips of using power point as an organizer with word and excel documents open in our PC as a hyperlink, enriching ppts with audio and video files and making non-linear ppts. Moving back or forward to different elements or websites according to the result of the interaction that is taking place will definitely make our presentation much more dynamic and centered on the audience’s needs.

Margarita

Week 5: PBL and WebQuests

I was delighted by Susan Gaer’s folktales and school newspaper projects. Although implementing projects like those wouldn’t be feasible in my teaching context due to curriculum design and time constraints mainly, the way she explains the rationale that lies behind these projects, her classroom management and the outcomes achieved are really inspiring. I was amazed by the sensitivity and linguistic accuracy displayed in two of the products shared: A Hmong Folktale and the poem Praying by Maria Mendez.

Susan Gaer’s web learning projects site: http://susangaer.com/studentprojects/ is also interesting. I explored ‘’The Cost of Living’’ project and lesson plan at: http://susangaer.com/studentprojects/lessonplan.html, which I found appropriate in terms of topic and level of difficulty for a high-intermediate level at the Alianza.

In addition, this week’s sites about WebQuests are extremely useful. Apart from the theoretical foundation, they provide many lesson plans with practical ideas on a variety of topics. For instance, I liked the one at http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=68523 on Environmental Disasters. The conclusion (final product) shows the learner’s creativity through the design and a deep message on the need to preserve our planet. The lesson plan also explains in detail what skills are practiced throughout the task.

For teenagers and young adults, the webquest on “The Evolution of Dance” (lesson plan at http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=66531), which perfectly matches the curriculum for our intermediate level, would be extremely motivating. The YouTube video included in the process stage is very enjoyable. Through this WebQuest, students would explore the impact of dance through cultural, historical, and societal progression.

As a final reflection, I’d like to say that I totally agree with Susan Gaer that “the students must see value in a project”. As I see it, for project-based learning and WebQuests to succeed it’s essential that the task be meaningful, related to the learners’ interests and purposeful. In other words, the outcome of the task should go beyond the mere manipulation of language or the mere practice of certain skills. As Susan Gaer says: “students develop language and literacy skills by working on a product that will exist beyond the classroom walls. This creates excitement and motivation…”

Margarita

Week 4: Using computers to enhance the teaching of reading, writing, and vocabulary

I found Jarek Krajka’s article about Using the Internet in ESL Writing fascinating. It provides many useful ideas to implement in our classes. Aside from his suggestion on how to help students write formal letters, which I mentioned on my post on Nicenet, I also liked his on-line lesson with tips for enhancing the teaching of writing argumentative essays, both for and against.

I totally agree with the fact that teenagers in general lack the necessary background knowledge that enables them to know what to say about specific topics. Giving them the possibility to read about them online first and reflect upon the information, may help them come up with more sound arguments to defend their positions on a controversial issue. Undoubtedly, content and accuracy of information is as important as language form and use.

I explored The Ohio University CALL Lab page suggested in the article, (http://www.ohiou.edu/esl/project/index.html), which lists the most common topics for essays. Inside Society and Politics, for instance, I found excellent material for students to read, discuss and write about the Death Penalty, a topic which is dealt with at the advanced level at the Alianza. The URL is http://deathpenaltycurriculum.org/node/5. It’s very complete and you can find arguments in favor and against different aspects of the topic such as Deterrence, Retribution, Innocence, Arbitrariness and Discrimination.

The good thing about implementing the task as suggested in the article is that students would be sharing both sides of the story, deciding whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and choosing the most suitable arguments (for example in their culture or political/social reality) to defend their viewpoints. This task would foster the development of higher order thinking skills such as analyzing, summarizing and evaluating information together with a great deal of vocabulary building.

Margarita

WEEK 3: Reflections on using CALL in EFL Teaching

In her article, Lindsay Miller points out that it’s been traditionally assumed that listening was something that could just be “picked up”. Although it’s true that teenagers in general are more likely to “pick up” the language from songs, TV series and movies and, thus, to outperform adults when it comes down to listening comprehension, I agree with her on the fact that listening needs to be “taught”. In this way, planning pre- while- and post-listening tasks carefully is essential. Activating students’ schemata (prior knowledge on a certain topic), pre-teaching necessary vocabulary, having students listen with a purpose are some of the crucial steps to be taken into account. Besides, integration of skills is vital, so engaging students in extended discussion on what they heard integrates listening and speaking. Needless to say, reading and writing can and should follow as well, but they are not our focus in this task.

Regarding strategies, I’d like to add that adults, who are in general more prone to experience frustration when they do not understand, need to be told that they are not expected to understand every word, and that they should focus on understanding either the main ideas (gist) or the specific details that are being asked for. This reduces their anxiety.

Regarding the use of the Internet and computer software, I’d like to point out that in our country the government has been implementing the “OLP” (one laptop per child) project for the last few years. This project has given the chance to all the younger learners attending public elementary schools to own a laptop, for free, and use it in class. Wireless internet connection is provided at the school. After the initial challenge that making the most of this extraordinary benefit posed for educators, this tool has become a fantastic resource for both Spanish and English teachers. Without a doubt, what Lindsay Miller says about younger learners developing their computer skills along with their language skills is absolutely true in this case. The OLP project is now on the second stage and students in public high schools have started to have access to these laptops as well.

Undoubtedly, the use of CALL in EFL Teaching opens up a fantastic world of resources that enable teachers to facilitate the learning process and the successful development of the macro skills. Aside from the Internet, most textbooks nowadays include a CD-ROM, which students can access any day at any time, with multimedia files that are programmed to use text, images, audio and video to provide interactivity. In short, the table is set for us to help digital native learners enjoy the feast.

Margarita

WEEK 2: Reflections on Web Searching

Even though I´ve been fond of Google for a long time, I was amazed at the variety of search engines we can find in NoodleTools. I could check three of them so far, but I´m planning to keep exploring others from now on. I usually need to look for academic information related to EFL teaching for both the monthly coordination meetings with Regional Coordinators as well as for the Professional Development Days we organize for directors and teachers of the Alianzas located in the provinces (interior) of the country.

My job as a coordinator also implies helping directors manage their Centers and lead their own teaching staff more effectively. Thus, I also need to search for information related to leadership and management in the field of education.

I’d like to finish this reflection by highlighting Deborah Healey’s tips on Web Search Tools. It’s really useful. Thanks Robert for proposing this web searching task. It has helped me realize there’s a whole world of search engines other than ”Google”. Last but not least, I feel that stepping out of our comfort zone by trying out new ways of doing things helps us grow both in our personal and professional life.

Margarita

WEEK 2: My Reflections on the ABCD model

It was interesting to read about the Pennsylvania State University's ABCD model (Audience-Behavior-Condition-Degree) to state learning objectives. Writing effective learning objectives for a lesson may not be easy. They may be either too broad or too brief. They may focus on the behavioral aspect, but overlook how that behavior will be evaluated. They may be aligned with a textbook or syllabus, but fail to meet the needs of a specific group of students.

Thus, the ABCD model can be a useful alternative tool to write learning objectives for teachers in general and for novice ones in particular. Although it may look simple or schematic at a first glance, it comprises specific and essential aspects that need to be taken into account when planning and teaching a class such as the students’ age, background knowledge and learning styles (Audience), what they are expected to do in the target language in that particular task or class (Behavior), what the learning context will be (group dynamics, methodology, materials, resources, etc, (Context) and the criteria for assessing and grading students’ performance (Degree).

In addition, I believe teachers should not only state the learning objectives in their lesson plan, but they should also make them explicit to students. Doing this makes the lesson purposeful for them, helps students become more aware of their learning process, and fosters students’ autonomy and self-assessment as well. Although seeing the need to share the lesson objectives with students may sound obvious, from my experience observing classes, it does not happen as often as it should.

Margarita

WEEK 1 - My Reflections on Blogging for ELT

I really enjoyed the article on blogging for ELT. I knew about the possibility for a blog to display photos, but it’s good to hear that nowadays a blog can also be used with audio and even video. I’d love to learn more about these features since they would allow for more integration of skills in our English classes, which would be fantastic.

Regarding writing, I have always favored using a process approach in my classes even at Basic levels. However, in the 80s and in the 90s it was not easy to motivate students to write a second or third draft even if there was some sort of ‘real audience’ other than the teacher, like their classmates or students from other groups.

Technology has made wonders in this sense. I completely agree that Blogs can give students a more real purpose for their writing and allow for more interactivity with the ”real audience”, which can go from their class, local high school or community to the whole world. Thus, students are by far much more motivated to write and more careful not only about what they say (content) but also about how they say it (form). They are more aware of the need and more willing to pay attention to certain subskills such as register, accuracy, organization, etc.

No doubt correction of the students’ blogs may be an issue. I think implementing guided peer correction at the computer lab, if there´s one available, prior to the post would work. Teachers can faciliate by monitoring, providing help and taking notes of repeated mistakes, which show the need for remedial work with the whole class afterwards.

About correction, I’d like to pose a question for you to share your ideas: how “accurate” should basic- or intermediate-level students’ posts be in terms of grammar and vocabulary? Would you accept certain mistakes to remain in the public post or not? What criteria would you use?

Finally, I loved the “mystery guest” activity suggested. It reminded me of the “20 questions game”, remember? One application could be to reinforce question formation at a Basic level. Students would be allowed to ask a maximum of 20 questions in their blogs to guess the guest’s identity. Project work would also be great to implement with our teenagers in the Access Program. There are 10 groups at the headquarters in Montevideo and 5 groups running in the interior of the country. They are 300 students in total. Aside from the linguistic purposes, we could foster their integration noticeably through this tool.

I look foward to hearing from you.

Best,

Margarita

WEEK 1 My first post: Managing Stress

Hi everyone,

Please allow me to make my first post a little personal and share with you some reflections about how I felt this first week. When the course was lunched, it seemed to be an overwhelming challenge for me. As mails from Oregon kept coming with many instructions to be followed, I feared the worst. I started to wonder how I was going to cope with all my responsibilities: my job as an Academic Coordinator, my classes at the university every day after work and this new course. To make things worse, I had a test on Oct.4, so I really needed to study hard over last weekend. By the way, I'm studying to become a Public Translator at the State University. It's a four-year career.

However, today, near the end of Week 1, it’s very rewarding for me to see that I could make it. How? I had to resort to several techniques such as acknowledging my feelings in first place, talking my concerns over with colleagues and superiors, prioritizing, breaking objectives into small, step by step achievable goals, doing relaxation exercises in the morning, managing my time even more efficiently, delegating more and asking for help whenever I needed to. In short, I could do it by applying a concept learned in a recent workshop I attended at the Alianza about “Adapting to Change”: the problem for us, human beings, is not the change itself, but the transition stage and the internal resources we need to develop to deal with the new situation.

Now I have a feeling of achievement. The initial despair and distress gave way to self-control and fulfillment. I’m happy to have created my first blog, which was much easier than expected and to have posted on Nicenet, which gave me the chance to meet you guys. I'm impressed by your backgrounds and comments. It's going to be very enriching to discuss academic issues with such committed professionals from so many different parts of the world.

Margarita