REFLECTION (WEEK 5)

PERSONAL REFLECTION

             As a reflective practitioner, I know that alternative assessment (since it  uses  a  rather  wide  variety  of  approaches  rather  than  only  tests  or quizzes) may  be  more  effective  than  formal  assessment  because it  takes  off   most of  the stress that  assessment  itself  brings into  the   classroom.  More  often than  not  students  are  placed  under rather big  amounts  of  distress as they  take  a  test  or any  sort  of  quiz.  I  tend  to let  my  students  know  that  they  are   to  perform   to   the   fullest  at all  times  since  evaluation  is  permanent.  It is stressful at the beginning since they often do not know what to expect; however, they   fast get used to it.  I also make sure to provide permanent feedback.  I see mistakes and questions as opportunities to learn; thus, my students learn at all times, and feel self- confident to participate in class (thanks to positive feedback).  In  fact,  I  often have  one  or two students   to  summarize  the  main points of the  class as a  closure  activity.  A class  in which  students do not  learn  anything  new is  not  worth  attending  nor  teaching.

      It  is  worth  remembering  that  handing  back  any  piece  of  assessed homework  or   progress tests  presents  teachers  and  students  with ideal  learning  opportunities-  opportunities  which  will be  wasted if   the  work  is  immediately  put  away, rather  than  being  used  as  a  vehicle for  development (Harmer, 2007).  A good teacher never ceases to assess students, whether those assessments are incidental or intended (Brown, 2001). 

WEEK 5

TESTING AND ASSESSMENT

 ASSESSING, TESTING, AND TEACHING

 
    People  might  be   tempted  to  think  of  them  as  synonymous  terms,  but  they  are  not.  A  test  is  an instrument  or  procedure designed  to  elicit  performance  from learners  with  the  purpose of  measuring  their  attainment  of  specified criteria (formal assessment).  Tests can be useful devices among other procedures and tasks designed to assess students (Brown, 2001). Assessment encompasses a much wider domain than tests. Whenever as student responds to a question, offers a comment, or tries  out a  new  word or  structure,  the  teacher makes  assessment  of the student’ s performance (informal assessment),(Brown, 2001). 

      Teachers  and  other  education  professional  spend a  lot  of  time  testing,  evaluating  and assessing  students. Sometimes  it  is   to  measure  the  students’ abilities to  see  if  they  can  enter a  course  or  institution.  Sometimes it is to see how well they are getting on.  Sometimes it is because the students themselves want a qualification. Sometimes  this  assessment  is  formal  and  public , and  sometimes it is  informal  and  takes  place  in  day- to –day  lessons (Harmer, 2007).

     There is to differentiate between summative and formative assessment. Summative  assessment (formal assessment), as the  name suggests, is  the  kind of  measurement  that  takes place to  round  things  off  or  make a  one-off measurement. Such  tests  include  the  end-of-year tests  that  students  take or  the  big  public  exams  which  many  students  enter for . Formative  assessment (informal assessment), on the  other hand,  relates  to  the  kind of  feedback  teachers  give  students  as a course is  progressing  and  which,  as  a result  may  help  them  to improve their  performance (Harmer, 2007).

ASSESSMENT CONSTRUCTS

Informal                                    Formal

Formative                                 Summative

Process                                      Product

(Brown, 2001)

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT OPTIONS

    In  recent   years  language  teachers  have  stepped up  efforts to  develop non-test  assessment  options  that  are  nevertheless  carefully designed and  that  adhere to  the criteria  for  adequate assessment.  Sometimes  such  innovations  are  referred  to  as  alternative  assessment, if  only  to  distinguish them from traditional  formal  tests. Among which self- and peer-assessments, journals, conferences, portfolios, and cooperative test construction can be found.  

1.       Self- and peer-assessments

a.       Oral production

b.      Listening comprehension

c.       Writing

d.      Reading

2.       Journals

3.       Conferences

4.       Portfolios

5.       Cooperative test construction (Brown, 2001)    

Best regards, 

Fernando Minda  



REFLECTION (WEEK 4)

PERSONAL REFLECTION

     A teacher is to be a reflective practitioner at all times.  Good  teachers  are always  concerned  about  improving   not  only  their  knowledge  about  the  subject  they  teach, but also   the  development  of their skills  to  pass such  knowledge  onto  others  as well  as  a better   grasp of  their  students knowledge. Teaching  does  not  come  to  an  end  when  a  class  is  over.  Teaching is  an  everlasting- always on-going responsibility; therefore,  being  a  teacher is  only suitable  for  those willing  to  learn and  open to  observation and suggestion. Reflection is being open-minded   enough to put others first.  Reflection is not about the teacher but about students, their needs, desires, and expectations inside and outside the classroom. Reflection requires resources that are  to  serve  a  purpose  based on what  can be  done better so that  what  is  done,  in the  classroom,  is  constantly  improved  and  developed  to   get  the  best  of  results as  the learning and  teaching process takes place. Reflection is the driving force that keeps teachers doing their job more efficiently and not conforming to what the system dictates. In  other  words  reflection  is  what  makes  teachers  take  action rather than  limit themselves  to only  criticize  a  particular  situation regarding  learning.  

REFLECTIVE WRITING

REFLECTIVE TEACHING PRACTICE

THE PURPOSE OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE



READING AND WRITING (WEEK 4)

READING AND WRITING

     Teaching a language well altogether, is a herculean task.  Teaching a language requires not only   the   knowledge of the language but also the skill to convey it so that others benefit.    When  teaching  a  language   there is   to  pay  special  attention   to  not  neglect   any  of  the  communicative  skills.   Besides,  teachers  are  to  be sensitive   to   the  needs and  expectations  of  their  students . I will focus on teaching process as well as the development of writing skills in second-language learners.     

           Reading  as well  as  writing  are  skills  that  demonstrate  how  well  a  person  knows   a  language  because   they  are  produced  directly  by  their  understanding  and  command  of  the  language.  When one   reads  or  writes  one  puts  into  practice  what  one  has  learned  and  acquired  throughout   the  learning  process.  It is  easy  to  know  the  actual  level  of  a person  by  the   way  they  write  or read.  Sometimes,  speaking   and listening  can  be  cheated  on   or  even  aided by  external  factors; however  reading  and  writing  are  just  what  the  speaker  knows  or  ignores.  As  a  language   professional  I  agree  that   such  skills  must  be  developed  inside the  class, but  they  are  only perfected  when  work  is  done  outside   the classroom.  language professional  are   to  encourage their  students   to  read  to  improve  their   writing  and  to  write  in order  to  improve  their   speaking  as well  as  listening  skills.  

     At  the  level  of  classroom  action, there  is  a  constant  interplay  between  listening, speaking  reading and  writing,  and  it  is  clear that  in  a lesson  which  is  ostensibly labeled “reading”,  opportunities exist for  learners to  develop their other language skills  as  well.  Although they  are  not  always  readily apparent,  teacher’s  beliefs  and  attitudes about language,  learning  a   teaching will  have a  marked influence on  what  they  do  in  class  and  what  they  get their  learners   to do (Nunan, 2000).

READING

     The written word surrounds us daily.  It  confuses  us  and enlightens  us, it  depresses  us and  amuses us, it  sickens us  and  heals  us. At  every turn,  we  who  are  members  of  a  literate society are  dependent on  twenty-some- odd letters and  a  handful of  other written  symbols from  significant  even life-and- death,  matters  in  our  lives.  How do we teach second language learners to master this written code? What do we teach them?  What are the issues? (Brown, 2001)   

     While   the  development  of  reading  skills involves qualitatively  different  processes from  the  development  of  oral  language  ability,  both  are underpinned by  certain  principles.  Programs  for   both  oral  and  written  language development take as  their point  of  departure the  purposes and  functions  to  which  language is  put, and which  determine its  realization as  text (Nunan,2000). The  point  of  reading  activities (quite  apart  from  the   hope  that  students will  be  engaged  by  the  stories themselves)  is  that  everyone  is  reading  for  a  purpose and  that  unless  they  all read  and  do  their  best  to pass on  what  they  understood,  they are  impossible  to  be  accomplished; their participation  is   almost  mandatory (Harmer, 2007).  

EXTENSIVE AND EXTENSIVE READING

     To  get  maximum  benefit   from  their  reading ,  students  need  to  be  involved in  both   extensive  and  intensive  reading. Whereas  with  the   former,  a teacher encourages students  to  choose  for  themselves what  they  read and  to do  so  for  pleasure and  general  language improvement  the  latter is  often (  but  not exclusively) teacher – chosen and  directed.  It is  designed to  enable students to  develop specific receptive skills such  as  reading  for  specific  information  (often called scanning),  reading  for detailed comprehension or  reading  for   inference  (what  is  “behind”  the  words)  and attitude (Harmer, 2007).  

PRINCIPLES FOR DESIGNNING INTERACTIVE READING TECNIQUES.

1.       In  an  interactive curriculum, make sure  that  you  don’t  overlook  the  importance  of  specific  instruction  in  reading  skills.

2.       Use techniques that are intrinsically motivating.

3.       Balance authenticity and readability in choosing texts.

4.       Encourage the development of reading strategies.

5.       Include both bottom-up and top-down techniques.

6.       Follow the “SQ3R” Sequence.

7.       Subdivide your techniques into pre-reading, during-reading, and after-reading phases.

8.       Build in some evaluative aspect to your techniques.

    Interactive, integrated approaches to language teaching emphasize the interrelationship of skills. Reading ability will be developed best in association with writing, listening, and speaking activities. Even  in  those  course  labeled  as “reading”,  your  goals  will  be  best achieved  by capitalizing on  the interrelationship of  skill,  especially the   reading  -writing  connection.  So,  we  must  focus  on  reading  as a  component  of   general second language proficiency, but ultimately reading  must be  considered only  in the  perspective of  the  whole picture of  interactive  language teaching (Brown, 2001).   

WRITING

     There  is   to  differentiate   the   fact  that   writing  is  a productive-communicative  skill; therefore, it  can  only  be  learned  and  mastered  when  rehearsed.   Teaching   writing    is often neglected   as a part of curricula.  That  is   due  to  lack  of  time  and  even   lack  of  knowledge about  how  to  either  teach it  or  assess it.   In  Ecuador,  public  schools   do not  teach   writing  in a  second  language  mainly  because   they  focus  on  the  understanding   of  structure  rather   than  the  degree  of  competence  students  acquire  and   develop  as  they conduct themselves  in  the   target  language.

     As  a  advocate  of   the  paramount  importance  of  syntax ,when  both  teaching  and  learning  a   language, I  am certain  that  students  must  know  structure   in order  to  say  what  they  mean , and mean  what  they  say. However, writing  is  not  only  a matter  of  structure   but  an  assertive  combination  of   various  skills (vocabulary, speaking, reading)  as  well  as  great exposure   to  the   target  language.  The  more   one’s  knowledge  of  the   target language is ,  the   more one  is  able   to  produce  in  such  a   language.  

    There  is  also  to  consider  the  fact  that  the   more  knowledgeable   one  is  in  L1   the  more  likely  one is   to  achieve   the   same   command  of  L2. There  has  also  evidence   that   L2 or  L3  help speakers  to  learn  more  about  their  mother -tongue  which makes  perfect  sense   since  language  learners   often  learn  not  only  about   language  but  also  about   culture,  knowledge, science, history, and  general terminology.  Writing-teachers  often  find  themselves   working  on  subjects  and  concepts  that  by  far  surpass  the  writing  boundaries.   Doing  so  makes  the   teaching  of  writing  enjoyable as  it  turns  itself  into  a  challenge. The   nature   of  writing  is  multidisciplinary,  as  a  theme, it   can  be  approached from  a  variety  of  perspectives  represented by  various fields of  knowledge.  As students use different subjects to analyze problems, their motivation and interest will increase (Assefa, K. 2005).

     Why is teaching writing an enjoyable challenge? Writing  is   the   conveyance  of  thoughts  through a written  means which  brings  the challenge  of  communication   to  a  whole  different  level.  There  are many  speakers  who  do not  struggle  at  all  when  having  to  talk. However, when these very same speakers have to write, their ideas seem to freeze.  It  is   very  hard  for  a  language learner   to communicate  at  the  same  level  (have  the  same  level of  command)  in  all  the communicative  skills. One always has a skill that is either the most enjoyable   or the easiest. Writing is seldom such a skill. Therefore, teaching  second-language  learners  how  to  write  will  not  only  encourage them  to  succeed  in  doing  so,  but  also  will strengthen  the  curriculum they  study,  and  ultimately  will  boost  their  command  and  production  in  the  target  language.   

    Writing  is  also  a  regarded  as a challenging  skill since  it takes  learners   out  of  their  comfort  zones as  it  leads  them  into  a   topic  with  which  they  are  rather  unfamiliar (standardized  international tests).  Through writing, feelings, thoughts, desires and convictions are given shape. Putting  into  words  what  one   thinks  is  not  an  easy   tasks; therefore,  choosing  what  students  would like  to  write  about  is  of  great  assistance (at  least to get  students  into  the  writing  habit). Writing  is  an  extension  of  one’s  soul, however, very  few people  are  given  the opportunity to choose  what  to  write, which  may  curb  enthusiasm  as well as hinder creativity.

    Writing  is  without  a  doubt  the most  comprehensive  skill in a  language  because  it  improves  other skills. As  I  always  tell  my  students,  in order  to  speak  better  you   have  to  write  better,  and  in  order   to   write  better  you  have   to  read  better, and  in order   to  read  better   you   must  be  exposed  to   the  language  as  much as   possible. Therefore, there is a holistic approach to mastering writing   rather than just working on it as an isolated skill. The   nature   of  writing   is   multidisciplinary; as  a  theme  it can  be  approached from  a  variety  of  perspectives  represented by  various fields of  knowledge .

     Many  of  the  assumptions  that have  limited  the place of  writing  in  applied  linguistics were  formed  in  the  late   nineteenth century, when  phonetics was at the heart  of  the emerging field  of  linguistic sciences  and the  literacy rate was  rather  low-  the  highest literacy  skill required  for most  people was  letter writing (Matsuda, 2001a).  It  was  often assumed  that  the acquisition  of  spoken  proficiency  had  to take precedence  over  the  learning of  written  language, and that  students  would be  able  to  write  once  they  have “mastered” spoken language  orthographic  conventions (Schmitt, 2002).  On the  contrary, the  acquisition  of  L2  literacy  can take place  alongside  the  acquisition of  L2  proficiency; moreover, L2  literacy  can facilitate rather than  hinder  the  development  of  general linguistic competence for  adult  learners (Weissberg, 2000).

     Another  fact that  is   often  overlooked as  writing  is taught   is  that  there  is  to  teach   the   “process of  writing”  many  teachers  expect  students   to  write  and  produce  in the   target  language at  a level  that they  were  never  taught.  There  is   to  remember  that  most  students   are  only  likely   to  emulate  what  they  have  been   properly  taught.  Writing  is   to  be   awaken  in  students;  even  though,  most  students   know  what   they  need  to  improve  in  the  target  language very  few  are  up  to  what  it  takes   to  do  so. 

    Another underestimated aspect is mistake-correction / assessment; teachers must be very tactful as they provide feedback on writing. When correcting  mistakes  and  providing  feedback  on  what  students   have   done, there is   to  help  students  improve  and  develop  into  confident  writers  instead  of  scarring  them for  life. Mistakes  must  be  addressed; however,  teachers  must  make  sure   that  they  praise  their  students’  effort   by  remembering  that  they  are  already  under  too  much  pressure by  having  to  write  in   a language  that  is  not  theirs. Students  benefit  from  exemplification and  thoughtful  context  provision  and  not  from ruthless criticism  and  judgment. In  addition, keeping  a good  rapport  is  key  when  teaching  a  skill  in  which  students  often  pour  out  their  hearts  and   willingly  make  themselves  vulnerable.

THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

As  students  are  encouraged  ( in reading)  to  bring their  own  schemata  to  bear  on   understanding texts,  and in  writing to  develop their  own  ideas, offer their  own  critical  analysis, and  find their  own “ voice”  the  role of  teacher  must be  one of  facilitator and  coach,  not an authoritative director and  arbiter ( Brown, 2001).

CHARACTERISTICS OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE:  A WRITER’S VIEW.

·         Permanence

·         Distance

·         Orthography

·         Complexity

·         Vocabulary

·         Formality

PRINCIPLES FOR DESIGNING WRITING TECHNIQUES

 1.       Incorporate practices of “good” writers.

2.       Balance process and product.

3.       Account for cultural/literacy backgrounds.

4.       Connect reading and writing.

5.       Provide as much authentic writing as possible.

6.       Frame your   techniques in terms of prewriting, drafting, and revising stages.

 Fernando  Minda