Search results matching tags 'communication' and 'content based instruction'

962. Just I plan the class

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 19:59:00 GMT

One day teacher A said to teacher B, “Your students gaze you take to the classroom some sheet of paper where you planned that day’s class. They see this day after day. They also see you have a glance to those notes from time to time.

That is an interesting point. Your students notice you plan each class, taking into account what fits a more general planning or curriculum or syllabus. In other words, what fits their advance and progress of learning English [or any other modern language].

And what is more, you try each one of them advance in their mastering the language, and setting a real communication in the classroom.

Go on that way. Your students, likely, will take the school subject of English more consciously and seriously. You’re creating a sound atmosphere of learning English.” / Photo from: fanpop com. Girl Reading books to read 64022_1528_1920

905. A way of practicing the four skills

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:30:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “When we communicate with one another we do it by using the four skills of a language: listening, speaking, reading and writing. So it is sensible you make your students practice those four skills. Your students will be gaining experience by using them. Our students don’t only read and write in English. Try to balance those four skills in your classes. Sometimes one single activity will demand using several skills along it or at the same time.

Those four skills, natural skills, should be assessed and evaluated by you and by your students.

Now I’m trying to think of an activity that should combine different skills in a naturalistic way – it isn’t complex at all to think of one. Well, you can work on an article about the formation of the mountain ridge of Sierra Nevada, near Granada, south of Spain.

Those mountains are ‘young’ and ‘new’: as far as I know they are growing in altitude; they aren’t mountains that are only being eroded like any other mountain in the surface of the earth.

Briefly. It's just an example. First you all can discuss about the fact that this ridge is going up, and you present an estimation of how high the peaks were millions of years ago, by means of diagrams projected by a video projector.

After that they can listen to you reading an actual article about all this.

Then you all can shortly keep on discussing about this phenomenon. Then you teacher hand out copies of the article among the students.

They’ll have to present a summary of the article. So they read the article, while they’re writing notes about important facts and points. Don’t do this activity very long.

At the end one student will present a summary of the article, and you could ask for further points from the other students, so as complete the information or make predictions for the future.” / Photo from: antonioboveda blogspot com. Recursos Didácticos de Ciencias Sociales. Formación geológica de la Península Ibérica. Los grandes períodos de la historia geológica de la corteza terrestre. Sierra Nevada should be in the southern side of Sistema Bético. Península Ibérica is Portugal in a rather small part of the west and Spain is the rest of the peninsula, the larger part of it.

897. Aural practicing in class

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:21:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “You know what? I’m eager to start the academic year. I’ve got some experience from last year and am pretty eager to begin.

This evening I’m trying to get some time to sit in front of the screen of the computer and just think of the things I can do this year; also the necessities and expectations of my students, and also some ideas I can use to foster speaking in English, like discussions. What about? For example, something really interesting about yesterday, late world and home news, their concerns and interests, their opinions about the topics the coursebook brings about at the opening... whatever things to try and open up their minds.

Some students will say a lot and with others I’ll try to get something said, dunno, things that have to do with the topics: from colors, yes/no questions, dates and times – gently praising their achievements... I’ll let you know about all this when we begin within a few days.” / Photo from: blogs sfu com. classes of French language

886. Fortunately English is spoken world-wide

Anonymous — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 08:34:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “Man and woman are born in a country, with her traditions, culture, history. I think it’s important to go to school taking into account and within the context of those traditions, culture and history.

In our case, teachers of English as a foreign language, I also think that at least partially our students should learn and acquire English in the context of traditions, culture and history of the men and women that were the predecessors of today’s people.

The point is that fortunately there’re are many countries where English is spoken as the first language or as a co-official language. Also fortunately some coursebooks of the English language include key facts of those traditions, culture and history.

The case I remember is a British context. I guess, which isn’t simple perhaps, coursebooks of English should include a few facts of those countries where English is spoken every day.

So sorry if I forget some countries where English is the first language (or it's a second tongue). Think of UK, USA, Ireland, Australia, India, New Zealand, Canada, Kenya, Nigeria, Malta, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, South Africa, Togo, Sri Lanka, Trinidad-Tobago...

Summing up: textbooks or coursebooks of English could perhaps bring up some amusing or interesting pieces of history or anecdotes of those countries: we cannot get rid of traditions, culture and history of those beloved countries.” / Photo from: vbk- children reading Tintin. picture by S R Raghunathan

869. Sorting out goals

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:18:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “As it comes to mind to me, the most important thing for a curriculum (or syllabus) of a course, both in summer and in winter, is to sort out what students should learn and practice along the time allotted to that course.

In other words, the goals, mainly concerning communication, I prudently think students should reach at the end of the course. I could tell you many more things about the curriculum of the school subject of English, but anyhow, I’m stopping here today.” / Photo from: kimleatechnical org. Kimlea Technical Training Centre, in Tigoni, Kenya

792. English as a bridge of communication

Anonymous — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:24:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “In my opinion, definitely it’s a great and essential idea today here in Spain and in other countries (I guess), more and more, subjects different from English should be taught and learned in English.

For example it’s becoming more and more frequent today that in Spain students attend classes of History, and Science, with textbooks in English, or by means of portfolios or dossiers made from here and there – complementary topics to one another.

This may mean like a change of mind: English is not only a practical subject to actually learn English, but a vehicular language for other subjects. I’ve met teachers of secondary education in Spain that were studying the level of C-2 in order to facilitate themselves with the instrument, the terms and grammar to teach those subjects. C-2 level? It is the highest level of English within the Common European Framework.

Believe me, it’s worth to invest the effort, both by us teachers and by our students to enroll in this battle!” / Photo from: brotherpeacemaker wordpress com. bridge building

I received a recent comment. I’ll say something about it the next post.

673. Is my coursebook any real aid?

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:52:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “Something helpful you can do with your students is to get the most from their textbooks. The students at a first moment could see the pages of the English coursebook as something full of pictures and mixed activities, one activity similar in format to the next one.

Teach them the meaning of the icons and subtitles: grammar, listening, etc. They should get a clear view of the contents of the unit.

You can help them understand, read and re-read the instructions of a given exercise, on their own. Some words or phrasal verbs can be practiced more naturalistically later on. You, provide a real life context to the sentences of the activity, and give one more example of a sentence about news they’re interested, or a context really close to their real life and city. Or make them imagine the situation that reflects each sentence: the characters, the place, who’s talking with who, etc.

Each exercise is like a short story where your students have got to find the bad guy, which is like the goal of the activity. They’ll feel satisfied when they finish the exercise. Each exercise must be something actually meaningful to them, not an ‘extra world’ not touching their lives at all. The photos provide context too. The students, thus, become like motors of their working on their books.” / Photo from: bostonpic org. Teacher helping student with textbook.

667. Reading the newspaper in the class

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:09:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “Using newspapers in the class of English may be very useful, believe me.

This activity is for advanced level students, because they have to face with authentic and genuine language. Realia bring them to real, authentic English. You can tell them to buy a specific paper at a newstand. However, I think this is not realistic in practice: just some of them or most won’t buy them, from my experience. So something you can do is buying a copy, and photocopy a piece of news as many times as students you have. Please show clearly the name of the newspaper you all are going to work on. Another way is to go to the computer room and read the online version, or in their laptops or tablets, etc., if possible...

For me the core point is to actually read the news, its headlines and the body, and understand the contents.

Remember to utilize news that really concerns them or something they know about. Many activities can be implemented: prereading by discussing about the topic and learning or eliciting vocab, reading and rereading while they can ask you any question about vocab or expressions – try explain the meaning in English, with examples, with other words they already know... - , commentaries on the contents, style, also summarizing, relating the picture to the contents, learning idioms.

As well it’s so important, as much as possible, they would somehow enjoy the activity and feel satisfied, for they worked on authentic English. You teacher will also likely learn a lot from your students.” / Photo from: fineartprintsondemand com. Painter Claude Monet reading a newspaper.

493. Shhhh! They are working together

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 09:59:00 GMT

Here is a summary of points that may be considered when teaching a language, in my opinion. I have also taken them from my former blog. Any useful? I mixed some ideas of mine and some by scholars, like for example pedagogue Víctor García Hoz.

1. Learning a language should be a profoundly human process.
2. It serves communication among people.
3. The teacher can explain to his or her students the foundation of communication: Emissor-Message-Receiver. Give examples.
4. Learning a language is not only something technical, but human.
5. Communication offers a message which can enrich me and the other(s).
6. Communication helps to learn how to live with other people. We have to learn how to live with others, how to get to know the others.
7. In the classroom there should be real communication. It enriches us as humans.
8. Debates as well are interesting: the students give their opinions and learn to listen to others.
9. Learning grammar and vocabulary is an instrument to communicate. Drill-activities teach us the tools for communication.
10. Games need and create communication.
11. The teacher should help the students learn how to work well and neatly.
12. Should make them engage their minds, solve problems, think. Should include texts with substance: historical, biographies, ethical, philosophical, scientific, technological, etc., if those texts are in accordance with their parents’ ideas.

/ Photo from: oregonlive com

Sorry: I have been obliged to hide the list of followers, I’ll tell you why ;-)

478. Speaking led to mutual love: Charlot & a blind girl!

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:42:00 GMT

From British Council – BBC teaching-English website. September 7.

Help! How to teach a native speaker of French to speak English?

Dear all,

My private student is a young lady from France. Basically, she knows nothing about English and I have very limited knowledge of French. The textbook we are going to use is "Interchage" published by Cambridge University Press. I'm very worried about our fist lesson. How could she understand me if I do't speak much French?

Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks a lot. Effie

Hello Effie and everyone,

Calm down ;) Be, as you well know, welcoming and polite. I don't know the objectives this lady wants to attain with your private speaking classes. You yourself can mark a short and realistic set of objectives - make a plan and write it down.

I would tell you not to speak any French. All in all, don't worry if some words in French slip out during the conversation. But those classes of speaking English must be so, in English, all the time.

A piece of advice: classes should not last more than three quarters of an hour. Anyway, do whatever you decide, obviously.

Use the photos of Interchange - I know that series. It's sensible you would speak in English a lot, very slowly, about specific points of one photo. For example, describe and repeat and repeat basic things about the picture - not many details. Sort of "This is a woman, this is a man, they are speaking by telephone". Mime the gestures of speaking by phone. While you are describing the photo, point with a pen on the people and the main object.

Don't make her tired with the same photo, though.

When you ask her a question to be responded by the English word of one object of the photo, and she answers correctly, you can nod, slightly smile, say ok.

Your learner needs visual aids. You can write the word "telephone" also, on a notebook, with clear characters, for her to match the written word with the picture. Next day make a quick revision of the photo, quickly - nod and smile.

It seems also good that she would listen to you saying a rather longish speech: she will notice the special texture of the English language. And this, definitely, make her more acquainted with listening and understanding your English.

So as to involve the learner more into the process of learning, frown your forehead and ask her how she says that word in French, and you sort of say oh, I see, this is a ("telephone" in French).

Show her she is making quick advance. When learning a new language, each word is a step forward, and the learner notices his or her advance, more quickly than an advanced learner.

Little by little you can step forward, you can proceed into longer conversations. Longer but basic.

At your entire disposal.

Fernando

Teacher of English. Teacher trainer. Granada

http://fernandoexperiences.blogspot.com

/ Photo from: city-lights-petit-big City Lights, premiered 1931 in New York. From: www sinepil org