UNIT 1 - YOU AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT
REFLECTIONS
As a native speaker of English, I've learned that I am not anywhere near an expert on all the technical details of the formal construction of grammar. This was made apparent after the first self test.
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The readings made be more conscious some of the pedagogy, such as inductive and deductive approaches to teaching. I think most people bring with them their own experience of how they were taught, and they tend to stick with the way that they liked being taught. So, as someone whose experience as a student was often deductive, my skills and comfort level with inductive teaching/learning is something I need to work on.
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However, I also think it's important to be guided by the needs and preferences of students. It is possible to use both approaches or a blend of approaches.
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I also want to comment in this section on how much I am learning from other students in this course. And of course, our teacher. I go to the discussion forums often and find all kinds of resources and websites. I really appreciate it because I am new at doing online coursework, and feeling a little out of my element in the subject matter. So, this has been a real life example of learning inductively. I read, and read, and read,...and eventually I can form a theory or hypotheses from the many different ideas.
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UNIT REFLECTIONS
This section is still under construction
REFLECTIONS
UNIT 2 - APPROACHES TO GRAMMAR & WRITING INSTRUCTION
Subtitle
Inductive Vs Deductive styles. They aren't in competition but rather should be used in tandem. Sometimes one approach is more effective than the other, but one approach should not be used exclusively because it is limiting in terms of the learner's needs and in terms of most effective instructions.
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The basic rules for grammar teaching make sense. Economy, efficiency and efficacy are important aspects of grammar teaching/learning along with appropriateness and the age of the learners.
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I will hope to access more ideas and strategies for using the inductive strategy. That's where I will be able to make some growth as a teacher.
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UNIT 3 - CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK & ASSESSMENT IN WRITING
Subtitle
This reflection will encompass 3 different areas:
1) Mistakes & Feedback
While reading Harner's article I noted that there are 2 distinct reasons for errors which are the cause for most if not all students a) Interference - where there is confusion at the level of sounds, grammar, or word usage because of the anomalies of the learner's first language
Students can be assessed either explicitly or implicitly. Although I think explicit negates the danger of
misconstruing errors.
Feedback should be based on the stage, of the lesson, the activity, the type of mistake, and the particular student. All good pedagogical practice. This can apply to both written and oral work.
2) Benchmarks - who knew? That this document even existed. I'm still in the process of trying to connect the benchmarks with how I would create a lesson plan.
3) Corrective Feedback
It's important for students to receive feedback but not inundate them with errors and discourage their learning. The types of corrective feedback include be direct, indirect, metalinguistic, focus/unfocused, electronic. I would choose their corrective feedback based on the efficacy of the method used. For example, the research shows that there is limited evidence that using error codes helps achieve accuracy. If we continue with another type of metalinguistic strategy, such as providing explanations for their errors, the research proved to be more effective in the long run than just using error codes.
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TESL 0120- REFLECTIONS
Unit 1 - Approaches to Speaking Instruction
One of the things I found most useful in this unit were the many ways to offer corrective feedback. One must keep in mind it's a fine balance when offering corrective feedback between encouraging and discouraging. This is one of the reasons that the relationship between the student and teacher is very important. When students and teachers develop a relationship a certain amount of trust develops which allows for students to take risks and absorb criticism in the way that it's intended...to help the student move forward on their learning journey.
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During this learning journey, I"m reminded of the complicated details of the structure of the English language that I am totally unaware of as a native speaker. It's a good reminder for me as a teacher. It helps me to be empathetic towards my students who may be struggling in their own learning journey.
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Unit 2 - Pronunciation
The reading that resonated with me the most for this unit was the one on Teaching Pronunciation: A reference for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. It was sound advice that aligns with good teaching pedagogy. It conforms to the notion of self-directed learning which is most effective when the teacher provides the students with the ability to correct themselves and their peers. However, it is important to be help students to set realistic goals.
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I enjoy learning and in this unit, I've learned a lot. I've also realized how much learning I need to do. It's definitely a challenge, but I believe teachers need to always be learning so their mindset is never too far away from being in students' shoes.
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Unit 3 - Approaches to Listening Instruction
"a few effective voices, accompanied by sound effects, can....create a nationwide panic".
I would have to say no truer words have been spoken. The untrue election fraud claims that we've been hearing south of the border has confirmed the truth of that quote. We listened to Trump and his supporters spouting lies and the end result of that was an insurrection. Yikes!
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The messaging used by Trump and his supporters totally fit the description for what makes good listening text: 1) believability, 2) relevance to the listener 3) new information and 4) appropriateness in terms of language level.
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What makes a strategy teachable? 1) Students must recognize there is a problem 2) teacher must be able to exemplify the strategy and show that it is effective, and 3) the strategy must be repeatable. I make a note of this in my reflections, because I think teachers need to continue to learn and reflect on their practices. It's important to remind ourselves of good strategies so we continue to enhance our teaching practices.
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This unit also made me think about the myths of listening and language learning. When I answered the quiz I did it based on instinct and from experience as a teacher. Then I read the rationale. What I found most interesting was the rationale on using scripts. Scripts can be an invaluable resource as a starting point for teaching.
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Unit 4 - Assessment, Lesson Planning and Differentiation
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Differentiation can require some effort and work but is necessary for planning lessons. As a teacher with many years of experience in the classroom, differentiation is an approach that I'm always learning and trying to improve my skills.
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Listening is a receptive skill but not a passive one. Personally, I know that I can focus my listening skills better when a) there are a specific purpose and b) when I take some kind of notes. It helps to process better if one is actively engaged.
I like to get students to self assess. An easy generic guide for students to use:
1) I understand and can explain the topic to others.
2) I understand but still need a little help.
3) I don't understand yet.
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ESL is hard work. It's much more complicated than I ever dreamed. The construction of language, the sound of language, formation of sound have been both daunting and interesting to learn about.
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