teacher
Is there ‘Egalitarianism’ in this world? A few thoughts.
(646 words)
Is equality the highest social value?
First of all, let’s give you the meaning of equality and egalitarianism. The dictionary says ‘equality’ is: The state or quality of being equal. Whereas, the dictionary says ‘of egalitarianism’: a social and political philosophy asserting the equality of all men, especially in their access to the rights and privileges of their society.
Question:
Can you think of any English premier league footballer and their salary?
Can you think of another occupation and their salary?
Who did you think of?
So, maybe you knew the first one and thought it was a high salary, but the second one not straight away and certainly not the same salary. The first footballer I thought of was Mohamad Salah. He is a premiership football player in England playing for Liverpool. My other thought was as a teacher. My first question to you would be about Salah’s salary? The second, how about a teacher?
How much do you think Salah earns?……
How much does a teacher earn?….
Salaries:
Well, it is reported Mohammad Salah’s salary is at 200,000 pounds a week. If I were to make a comparison with salaries, an example would be a starting salary of a teacher in England. This is between £25714 and £32157 a year. So, we see that Salah earns 7 or 8 times more a week than a new teacher in England does in a year. My question would be is this equality?
Teacher’s value:
So, what is a teacher’s value to society compared with a football player? Does the football player deserve to be put up in front of us as this idol and for kids to want to be like them? And, isn’t the teacher someone who bores us and keeps us from having fun all day? That may not be the case but I’m sure not many children enjoy going to school. Why do we not hold teachers up as idols?
Okay, another question for you.
What do you think of when I say the words Sydney, Australia?
Sun, beaches, sport, and shrimps on the barbies!
News Headline:
Now, if I said the newspaper headline “children found starving in Australia’” would you believe me? Many wouldn’t. The fact is there are children in remote indigenous communities who are starving.
Aborigines life:
Kathy Marks’ report in the Independent newspaper talks about rural Aborigines (the indigenous people) in Australia. The parents don’t work. Children hardly go to school. Children are left to wander at nighttime while their parents go and get drunk. In a situation so bad, a Red Cross style relief was needed. These are forgotten people. The Australian government spent more money on benefits, and so on, per aboriginal person than it did per non-aboriginal, but even so, there was still a huge amount of poverty and associated problems in aboriginal communities. A lot of aboriginal citizens still could not get the benefits they really need. Their trust in the Government and belief in getting out of their situation diminished leaving their children starving. We see the gap between Australians and the Aborigines as massive.
The point to these aspects of society I have just written about is to highlight inequality and the rights of people. Has the kind of society we live in now lost its values?
10 of each:
I could ask to you name 10 modern-day football players, pop stars, or movie stars. Then ask you to think of 10 well-known modern-day writers, world renowned teachers, or philosophers. I am sure the former question would be easier.
Value system:
It could be said that in most countries our value system these days sees aspects like wealth, power, and fame as number one, and real values like equal rights, peace, freedom and self-expression, and recognition of others pushed further down the ladder for progress.
So, will we all ever be considered equal?
Giving and Receiving Feedback, It Will Never Be Easy But It Can Be Better
(633 Words)
I think at times teachers can have a little trouble with receiving and giving feedback. Their feedback skills could be said to need a little practice. I think this is important because as a teacher you will need feedback from your students to tell you if they like your teaching. Also, the students will want feedback on their learning. Each piece of feedback needs a positive, constructive base.
A first reaction, when thinking about feedback, may well be to go on the defensive when it is given. On the defensive, I mean that you are not really listening to the person giving the feedback. The point is feedback is information that can be heard by the receiver as evidenced by the fact that they do not go on the defensive. I agree that feedback has great value but only to us if we can let the feedback in and effectively use it.
There is also ineffective feedback. These are judgmental statements and can upset people. During a reflection, a teacher was told they were talking too much in class but the observer seemed to forget to look at the students who were fine with this talking. Other people said it was a lower level, and the students did not talk much anyway. Would you feel bad for the teacher? Was the observer too opinionated?
Another aspect is getting feedback but not using the experience as a positive move forward. The observer is just making a comment. The teacher needs to ask them such questions as ‘Why’? and ‘What do you think is better?’ For future actions, a teacher should take the time to realize that they could be wrong and that they should take in the information (feedback) that has been given. They should ask for clarification and realize that it is not a battle, and the comment is to help. They should reply with what they think. Thus hopefully getting a discussion going.
Moreover, the information that is given in the feedback can be shut out. Teachers sometimes lack the skills to send and receive feedback. For example, a teacher thought of a lesson plan idea and mentioned it to another teacher. Basically, they were told that the lesson plan was off-target because the lesson was not student-centred thus in the lesson plan the teacher would speak more which they are not supposed to do. The problem was that the teacher had thought about this lesson for a long time and had it planned. Now the first reaction, when they were told it was off-target, was to get a little angry. They felt as though it was an attack against them personally. Maybe they felt as though they were not good enough; their ideas were not good enough. So, they felt a bit sorry for themselves. One idea could be to say, “shall I forget about that lesson plan?’ and if they said ‘yes’, say to them “what do you think then?” or “how can I develop it?” The teacher could have asked why they thought it was off-course and what ideas the teacher should think of. The teacher should have got to the bottom of their thinking as they might think up another lesson plan like this and have the same trouble again.
In conclusion, a teacher’s acceptance of feedback does not mean that they need to always act on it. The feedback should have been encouraging, helpful, and given with clarity. If so, then the teacher needs to consider the feedback, and decide how, if at all, they wish to act upon it. This is strictly their choice, but it is important to bring to mind that the person giving the feedback felt strongly enough that they mentioned it. Let’s face it, how would you react in any given feedback situation?
Teacher Classroom Observation Questions
Do second language students often ask for clarification, verification, or correction?
Do the L2 students co-operate with their peers or seem to have much contact outside of class with more proficient users?
Do your lesson plans incorporate various ways that L2 students can learn the language you are modelling, practising or presenting, in order to appeal to a variety of learning styles and strategies?
Does your teaching allow L2 learners to approach the task at hand in a variety of ways? Is your Learning Language Strategy training (LLS) implicit, explicit, or both?
Is your class learner-centred?
Do you allow L2 students to work on their own and learn from one another?
As you circulate in class, are you encouraging questions, or posing ones relevant to the L2 learners with whom you interact?
Do L2 students seem to have grasped the point?
Did they use the LLS that was modelled in the task they were to perform?
What improvements for future lessons of this type or on this topic might be gleaned from L2 students’ behaviour?
Questions for students
In this class:
I want to….
will/won’t….
My favourite/least favourite kinds of class activities are…
I am studying English because…….
Journal Questions
This week:
I studied…
I learned…
I used my English in these places…
I spoke English with these people…
I made these mistakes…
My difficulties are…
I would like to know…
I would like help with…
My learning and practising plans for the next week are…
Reflection on the Article “Hands-on” or “Head-Trip”….. How do you learn best? by Susan. L. Colantuono
(817 words)
Having read Susan L. Colantuono’s “Hands-on” or “Head-Trip”: How Do You Learn Best?, this reflection examines the relationship between the article’s discussion of learning and an experience I had during my SIT TESOL course. Colantuono’s article explores different approaches to learning and presents a four-stage learning process through which learners can experience, reflect upon, conceptualise, and subsequently apply their learning in new situations. I found that a German language lesson delivered by one of my SIT instructors provided a useful example of this learning process in practice.
Today was the first day of my SIT TESOL course, during which our class participated in two German language lessons. During the first lesson, I felt that I was not contributing sufficiently and questioned my level of intellectual engagement. My initial impression was that the lesson felt somewhat flat and lacked the interest, emotion, and excitement that I personally associate with an effective learning experience. However, when I heard the responses of other members of the class, I realised that their perceptions were quite different. Several people described the lesson as amusing and enjoyable. This contrast in perspectives prompted me to consider how differently individuals can respond to the same learning experience, which corresponds with Colantuono’s discussion of different approaches to learning.
Initially, I felt somewhat isolated by the difference between my response and those of my classmates. When another SIT instructor invited us to reflect on the lesson, I commented that I felt “the language learning experience is a long road.” In retrospect, I recognise that this was a relatively negative interpretation of the experience. Although my response was a genuine reflection of how I felt at the time, listening to the more positive reactions of my peers encouraged me to reconsider my own attitude and expectations.
The second German lesson provided an opportunity to apply this reflection. I felt more engaged and involved in the learning process. I wrote more extensively in my notebook, practised more both independently and with my partner, and listened with greater concentration. I also noticed that I was able to use some of the language and materials introduced during the first lesson. This suggested to me that the initial experience had not been unsuccessful; rather, I had perhaps not engaged with it as effectively as I could have. By reflecting on my experience, I began to consider how I could approach the subsequent lesson differently.
Colantuono’s four stages of learning provide a useful framework for understanding this process. The first stage, “concrete experience,” can be understood as my direct participation in the first German lesson. I experienced the lesson without initially analysing my response to it in depth. The second stage, “observation and reflection,” occurred when I considered why I had not gained as much from the lesson as I had expected. I began to question whether my lack of enthusiasm had influenced my perception of the experience.
The third stage, “abstract concepts,” encouraged me to consider possible explanations for my response. Was my reaction primarily related to my own attitude and expectations, or were there aspects of the teaching approach that contributed to my lack of engagement? For example, I considered whether the repetition used by the instructor had affected my enjoyment of the lesson. However, rather than attributing my response entirely to the teacher, I recognised that my own attitude was also an important factor.
The fourth stage, “concepts in new situations,” became particularly relevant when I listened to other members of the class describe the same lesson as enjoyable and amusing. Their responses challenged my initial interpretation and encouraged me to consider changing my approach to the next lesson. From this reflection, I developed what could be understood as a hypothesis for my subsequent learning: if I approached the next lesson with greater concentration, participation, and openness, I might have a more positive and productive learning experience. My experience in the second lesson suggested that this hypothesis had some validity.
This experience has demonstrated to me that learning is not solely determined by the content or delivery of a lesson. The learner’s attitude, expectations, level of engagement, and willingness to reflect can also influence the learning experience. While teaching methods are undoubtedly important, learners have a degree of responsibility for how they respond to and engage with those methods.
Overall, reading Colantuono’s article has encouraged me to view my experience more critically and constructively. Rather than simply deciding that a lesson was ineffective or attributing my response entirely to the instructor, I was able to step back, reflect on my experience, consider alternative explanations, and adapt my approach. This process of reflection enabled me to enter the second lesson with greater focus and engagement. For me, this illustrates the value of reflective practice in learning: an experience that initially appears negative can become a valuable opportunity for learning when it is examined critically and used to inform future practice.
School of International Training – SIT COURSE JOURNAL 2004 – AUA Bangkok
TESOL Reflective Journal
Monday 8th November 2004
Reflection on Reflective Practice
How do you feel about participating in reflective practice?
How do you feel about your ability to reflect?
What challenges might you face?
Morning Session – Reflection
I feel that reflection is an important part of the learning process. I had a great deal to say about everything we did, and I felt that everybody was willing to listen to and consider my points.
Reflection gives me an opportunity to express my views and, perhaps more importantly, to put my thoughts into words. One of the most valuable aspects of this process is that others can agree or disagree with what I have said. Both responses can be useful because I can take something positive from each.
When someone agrees with my point of view, they may add information or insight that I had not previously considered. Equally, when someone disagrees, I can still take their comments on board. I may not necessarily change my opinion, but understanding another perspective can make me think more deeply and improve my learning experience.
One thing I noticed, however, was that not everybody participated in the reflection. I would have liked to hear everyone’s point of view. I believe that hearing from the whole group would have given me a more complete perspective on the experience.
Afternoon Session
German Class 1
Being a new language learner can be a daunting experience. During the twenty-minute class, I felt that, as a beginner, I was a little slow to engage and found some of the lesson rather boring.
Reflecting on this experience requires me to look at it from two perspectives: first, as a student, and second, as a teacher.
As a beginner, I can understand the need for repetition. Basic language learning cannot consist entirely of games and activities. There needs to be a solid foundation, and repetition is an important part of building that foundation.
German Class 2
I found this lesson much easier. I became more involved and actually enjoyed the experience.
I think this was partly because I had already learnt a small amount of the language. I was able to build on what I already knew and use it again while learning something new. There was still repetition, but I felt that it was more purposeful and less noticeable.
The teacher helped by introducing the language gradually. However, I felt that asking three people to come to the front and role-play the dice activity may not have been the best approach. I was asked to stand in front of the class and demonstrate what I had learnt, which made me more aware of how it feels to be placed in that position as a learner.
Reflection
What have you learnt about learning in general?
What have you learnt about FLL in particular?
What have you learnt about yourself as a language learner?
The major issue I took from this experience is that I found learning a new language difficult. Not everything the teacher presents is immediately absorbed, and remembering new information can be a challenge. Although some people may find language learning easier than others, a teacher has to consider the needs of everyone in the group.
In particular, I think that I, and perhaps many other students, need repetition. Choral drilling can help new words become more familiar, while opportunities to practise together allow students to gain confidence in using the new language.
Another important point is that students can be given too much information at once. If there is too much to remember or too much to do, learning can become overwhelming.
I also experienced difficulties with pronunciation. This made me realise that pronunciation is an area that may require considerably more time and focused practice than I initially expected.
A Metaphor for Learning
To begin with, you need a good foundation. By this, I mean that you need to understand what you are undertaking and have some knowledge of its different aspects.
You cannot build a wall too quickly. If you rush the process, the wall may not be straight or stable. It needs to be built gradually, checking that each section is accurate, secure and level before moving on.
Learning is much the same.
If you take your time and use the right materials, the finished product is much more likely to be what you hoped for.
Tuesday 9th November 2004
My Hopes and Expectations for the Course
My hope and expectation for this course is to get as much from it as I possibly can. I believe that undertaking any course is both a challenge and an opportunity for personal development.
One of my strengths is that I already have four years of teaching experience. However, I now need to reflect on those four years and use that experience as a foundation for developing further.
I would like to finish the course with greater knowledge, a better understanding of teaching and a stronger sense of professional discipline.
Group Work – Poster
My experience of the group work was that there was not really a leader or someone who took responsibility for directing the group.
Despite this, I felt that we worked well together and were generally agreeable as a group. Several ideas for names were suggested, and although we did not reach a decision immediately, we eventually arrived at an idea that everyone was happy with.
I felt that each suggestion was discussed fairly and developed where appropriate. Importantly, everyone’s ideas were treated with respect.
However, I did feel that someone needed to take greater responsibility for moving the group forward. We spent a considerable amount of time discussing ideas, and I think some of that time could have been used more effectively. The main objective was to complete the poster, and stronger leadership may have helped us achieve this more efficiently.
TESOL Acronyms
S – Students
T – Teacher
SWBAT – Students Will Be Able To
VAKT – Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Tactile
PDP – Pre, During, Post
PPU – Presentation, Practice, Use
Wednesday 10th November 2004
Planning Teaching and Receiving Feedback
How was the experience of planning teaching and receiving feedback in your group?
My experience was one of knowing what I wanted to do myself, but not necessarily making sure that my partner had the same understanding.
In hindsight, we should have produced a more detailed lesson plan that we had both discussed and agreed upon before beginning the teaching.
The teaching itself went reasonably well, although at times I think I raised my voice too much. I may have been a little too forceful, and I noticed one student looking at me in a way that suggested I might have been making him uncomfortable. This made me reflect on the importance of considering not only what I say, but also how I say it.
Another important point from the feedback was that I had not properly considered the level of the students. They were fluent speakers, and I should have recognised this and adapted my lesson plan accordingly.
Although some of the feedback was critical, I found it constructive. I was told that the lesson was too slow, that I should have made better use of the board and that some aspects had not been modelled clearly enough.
These are areas that I would like to practise and develop further.
Strategies for Future Group Planning
In future, I think we need to spend more time agreeing on the lesson plan before teaching. Each person should understand their role, the aims of the lesson and how the activities will be delivered.
Clear communication at the planning stage should help to prevent confusion during the lesson.
How Can We Overcome These Challenges as a Group?
As a group, we need to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to contribute while also ensuring that someone takes responsibility for keeping the group focused and moving forward.
PPU – Presentation, Practice, Use
Presentation
- The teacher does a great deal.
- Processes are structured.
- Modelling is important.
- Eliciting is used.
Practice
- There is more student action.
- Practice is controlled initially.
- Activities become less controlled.
- Target language is available to students.
Use
- Students present and explain.
- There is less teacher control.
- Students have greater responsibility for using the language.
Reflection on Observation
As always, there are a number of changes I would have made to the class.
I thought the teacher presented himself very well. His voice was clear and at a level that was easy to understand. I also liked the way he organised the students into different group sizes, including groups of three and five.
During the fifty minutes I observed, the students completed a considerable amount of work.
The main area for improvement was that not every student appeared to be actively participating. More concise instructions and clearer time limits may have helped to keep everyone involved. I also felt that limiting the number of questions for discussion could have made the activities more focused.
Friday 12th November 2004
What Significant Things Will You Take from the Speaking Module?
Looking at the module as a whole, I have recognised that there are many different facets to teaching, and that we have only touched the surface.
Each activity has given me enough information to begin building a clearer picture of what effective teaching involves.
Perhaps the most significant lesson for me has been the importance of looking at teaching from the perspective of the students. We experienced many interesting activities ourselves, and I think this will influence my attitude towards teaching in the future.
Monday 15th November 2004
First Day of Teaching
I felt that I had achieved something because the students did what I had asked them to do.
One situation I had anticipated was when the students were writing down their three numbers. I made sure that I went around the class and checked each student’s work to ensure that they were completing the exercise correctly.
A situation I expected to be more difficult was eliciting answers from the students. However, they participated readily and contributed their answers, which made this part of the exercise much easier than I had anticipated.
One of my beliefs that was challenged during my teaching practice was the importance of keeping students attentive and preventing them from losing focus.
Something I want to remember for my next teaching practice is not to repeat what students have just said unnecessarily. I also need to be more conscious of the speed at which I speak.
Tuesday 16th November 2004
Reflection on the Listening Module
The main issue I need to remember is the importance of PDP and PPU.
I need to make sure that I understand and remember the different stages of the PDP approach. In particular, during the post-listening stage, students should have an opportunity to personalise what they have learnt.
I should also remember that as soon as the actual listening begins in a PDP lesson, the Pre stage has finished.
Wednesday 17th November 2004
Using Listening or Reading to Introduce New Language
One advantage of using listening or reading material to introduce new language is that students are exposed to different voices and situations.
For example, listening to two foreign speakers having a conversation can introduce students to a situation and type of language that they may not otherwise encounter in their everyday lives.
What Makes a Good Context?
I think a good context is one that students can relate to.
If the class is younger, school and education may provide a useful context. If the students are older, subjects such as employment and work may be more relevant.
The context should also feel current and meaningful to the students.
Friday 19th November 2004
Error Correction
I think error correction is important, but it must be handled in the right way.
A teacher needs to correct errors without embarrassing or offending students and should provide a clear explanation or answer that helps them understand what they have done incorrectly.
I also think that all students should have the opportunity to participate. When an error or point of language arises, it can sometimes be useful to open the issue up to the whole class so that everyone has the opportunity to think about it and learn from it.
What Will You Take from the Grammar Module?
I think students need their grammar to be checked and developed, but there are many ways of doing this without making lessons boring.
Grammar can be presented in different ways and, with the right approach, it can be made interesting and even enjoyable.
Monday 22nd November 2004
What Is the Relationship Between Culture and Language?
I think language has a great deal to do with culture.
Something that is considered acceptable in one country may be considered rude or inappropriate in another. For example, in Thailand it may be acceptable to ask more personal questions, whereas in England people may be more likely to wait for the other person to volunteer that information before asking.
This highlights the importance of teaching students that language is not simply about vocabulary and grammar. There is also an etiquette associated with how language is used.
Making students aware of this allows them to think carefully about how they communicate before using language in different cultural situations.
What Is Your Definition of Culture?
I would define culture as a system of ways in which people within a particular society relate and respond to one another.
It includes shared values, behaviours and methods of interaction. However, these can vary considerably between countries and cultures.
Tuesday 23rd November 2004
What Do You Want to Take Away from This Discussion?
I want to come away from this discussion with a better understanding of all the issues involved in creating the right learning experience and atmosphere.
I want students to feel relaxed, comfortable and ready to learn.
How Will You Apply This to Your Classroom in the Future?
I will apply these ideas to my classroom by considering everything that contributes to the learning environment, from practical issues such as having the air conditioning at a comfortable temperature to my own manner, posture and attitude.
I want students to feel that I am approachable and that they can communicate with me comfortably.
What Else Do You Want to Take Away?
I think it is important to remember that, as a teacher, you are not simply teaching a language. You are also teaching about the wider culture associated with that language and country.
This means helping students develop a fuller understanding of what it means to communicate within a particular cultural context.
I also think it is important to consider classroom culture. The classroom should be a positive working environment, with clear expectations and rules. These should be consistent, fair and respectful, much like the expectations we encounter in society outside the classroom.
Thursday 25th November 2004
What Does the Skill of Reading Involve?
The skill of reading involves much more than simply recognising and reading words.
It involves extracting meaning from those words and understanding the message the writer is trying to communicate.
What Does It Take to Be a Successful Second-Language Reader?
A successful second-language reader needs to understand that written texts can develop in many different directions and that meaning can change depending on the sentence and the wider context.
Simply knowing the individual words is not enough. A learner may understand every word in a sentence and still fail to understand its overall meaning.
Understanding the text and its context is therefore essential.
Friday 26th November 2004
What Are You Going to Take Away from the Writing Lesson?
Writing can take many different forms, including formal and informal writing.
One of the main considerations is the person or audience being addressed. Certain types of language are appropriate in particular situations and not in others.
Writing is also different from spoken language. When we speak, we can correct ourselves immediately if we make a mistake. Written language is more permanent, so greater care is needed before the words are committed to the page.
How Would You Describe a Successful Piece of Writing?
A successful piece of writing should be clear and logically structured so that it does not confuse the reader.
It should fulfil its purpose and be written in a style appropriate to the particular format and audience.
Ultimately, effective writing is about communicating meaning clearly, appropriately and successfully to the intended reader.
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