Week 8: Reflection

Reflection on my “Personal Theory of Learning”

My personal theory on how students learn a language is eclectic, with the focus being a student-centered approach where the students are active participants. Reflecting on our work throughout our course, a modification to my personal learning theory is to create the build the bridge between learning theories, instruction and technology by keeping current on brain research and learning processes and theories which are crucial to successfully integrate technologies into EFL/ESL classrooms and, in consequence, increase student’s motivation and their achievement in learning languages.

Immediate Adjustments

Experience has shown that language students frequently arrive to my language classrom with netative experiences in second language instruction, others may be shy or unwilling to participate. During our course, we have worked with collaborative and cooperative learning activities with will provide a new approach to encourage students to use their creativity and their strengths through social interaction with group members.

One of the tools mentioned by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) for promoting a collaborative experience are WebQuests. WebQuests are generally task-oriented. This allows the student to become immersed in large amounts of information in the target language and learning can be made meaningul, challenging and creative.

EFL students are faced with the daily task of acquiring and storing new vocabulary. "Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.” This is how the linguist David Wilkins summed up the importance of vocabulary learning and adds that “If you spend most of your time studying grammar, your English will not improve very much. You will see most improvement if you learn more words and expressions. You can say very little with grammar, but you can say almost anything with words!”, as cited by Thornbury (2002). Given this, strategies must be implemented to help students develop a large vocabulary.

In teaching vocabulary effectively, it is important to understand how the mind works in regard to memory. Dr. Orey (2009) states that the human mind has three kinds of memory: short-term memory, working memory, and long-term memory and adds that long-term memories are stored in networks of information and that this information is stored as images and texts. Concept mapping tools will be implemented in my classroom to help learners organize information and helps learners visualize ideas and connections between ideas.

Long-term goal changes to my instructional practice

One of the main long-term objectives in my lesson planning is to provide students with multiple opportunities for pair work, group work, and collaborative activities which enable them to take and active and create role in constructing their learning. The activities must encourage students to use their different language resources and lessons must be personalized and meaningful. Power point presentations are an excellent resource for instructional technology to expand on structure form and use and inductive presentations of grammar points. Although each new grammar structure is previewed within a conversational model, and students are provided with opportunities to read, hear and understand the structure in contexts before they are encouraged to participate in application and consolidation activities, for reinforcement power point material can be presented through Power Point presentations which can include examples and generalized rules.

Technological resources such as wikis, blogs, voicethreads and podcasts can engage students in activities focused on free-open ended discussions, role plays, debates, presentations, reading and writing activities and will have an opportunity to produce the target language in meaningful and relevant contexts extracting experiences from their own lives to express opinions, preferences and personal ideas.

Miriam

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Thornbury. S. (1999). How to teach Grammar. Longman. England

Voice Thread

Meaningful Learning in the EFL/ESL Classroom

This is my very first voicethread.

http://voicethread.com/share/530125/

How exciting!

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

I have been spending some time learning about th cooperative learning resources described in by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007). I have read Chapter 7 of “Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works” and I can see how these educational technology resources could have great advantages in teaching second language. One of the major advantages is that we are providing opportunities for using a media that students enjoy and a high level of motivation is already established.

Also, some programs may be set up in real time and direct communication which would definitely lend itself to project work. Outside of class group project work has been a problem as students tend to just divide up the work and then combine it without collaborating beyond the division of tasks. It also has a social aspect which makes it more spontaneous and fun. Increasing the students out of class experiences with the language is a goal which we should strive for since they have to pull from all of their previous learning and being rewarded with effective communication.

My next task is to incorporate the Social Learning Theory with groups directly related to ESL. I am open to suggestions. I have been researching the VITAL project and I have also entered SL English (Sloodle). I am looking for a site that will allow students to participate with other students and use their oral communication skills but I feel it is important to have some type of monitoring ability for student safety.

I can see how student benefit from using these instructional strategies which correlate with the social learning theory. I am convinced that we must be prepared to create specific learning experiences that are appropriate for our students and our program. In order to do this, teacher’s require training and preparation and students require orientation.

Miriam

References:


Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.