However, I think this class has definitely impacted me towards professional practices. Because within my current student teaching class, I have five ELL students. So everyday I use a new technique I may learn about within this class to ensure whether the techniques are helping the students become successful as the researchers had stated or I can use a different strategy representing certain information towards the ELL students. And sometimes it does take a little time to get the message through the ELL students, but at the end once they understand the concept very well it is a cherish able moment I can value while teaching the ELL students. In the future when I have ELL students within my classroom, I can have them seated next to students that are at a higher learning level than them that way it is easier for the ELL students to receive help by asking quick questions when I may not be nearby. Also I think when I am working around the ELL students I should involve more visuals and hands on type activities to help the students understand the content better. Because the more visuals and hands on activity the students work on they are able to comprehend the task better and can make connections towards the task the next time they may see it somewhere.
Also while being a part of this class I have done numerous amounts of blog entries that I have not done before in my previous classes. I think the blog entires at first were very confusing and hard for me to do. But after doing multiple blog entires every week and posting videos on certain blog entires, I thinking using a process of posting daily blogs on my website where the parents have an access to it and can get the daily news about what had occurred within their child classroom would be very beneficial for me in the future. Because as a student while doing the blog entires for this class it really helped me stay on task with my assignments and stay updated with other classmates entires as well. It helped me learn more about my classmates teaching experiences within their schools while currently doing student teaching. And I thought that was many experiences we learned about within our classmates blogs helped us stay on track with many things we may want to accommodate in our classroom as well to help us become successful too. I think in the future I can use a certain blog entry technique with my parents. That way they are updated about their Childs classroom. Also when there are any exciting events that may have occurred within the classroom I can post it on my blog that way the parents can visit it daily and stay updated with their child classroom.
Seemin, I enjoyed reading about your love for cooperative learning groups. I can tell that cooperative learning groups are a huge motivator in your classroom. This made me think of what Kaboody said in his article: “This study leads to ten commandments for teachers to motivate language learners: teachers should set a personal behavior example, make sure that the class atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, present task properly to the learners, have good teacher-student relationships, work on increasing learners’ self-confidence, ensure that the language class is interesting to the students, promote as much as possible learners’ autonomy, personalize the learning process, increase learners’ goals, and make sure that learners are familiar with the target language culture” (2013, pg. 48). Perhaps working with partners or groups makes learning interesting, personalized, and gives power to your students. I enjoyed the blogs this semester as well. Is there any constructive input that you have about the course regarding changes that should be made?
ReplyDeleteReference
M. K. (2013). Second Language Motivation; The Role of Teachers in Learners’ Motivation. Journal of Academic and Applied Studies, 3(4), 45-54. Retrieved April 11, 2018, from https://elearning.uh.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-4555717-dt-content-rid-31199346_1/courses/H_20181_CUIN_4303_28200/Kaboody(2013).pdf
Kaela,
DeleteThank you for taking the time to read my bog. I would have to agree with things you stated. Because it is very important to have cooperative learning groups with your students. That way they are more motivated into learning and can have the opportunity of gaining a better understanding from one another as well. Researchers have stated, "Second language socialization studies have further revealed that learning outcomes can be greatly improved when L2 learners are not construed as definitional novices and instead their invisible expertise is made visible during socializing events." (Ortega, 2011, pg. 238). In my understanding if the student has an opportunity to socialize with each other and have the opportunity to work with each other it can always be beneficial for them. However, I think this course was well developed for us to follow comparing the previous class we had. Certain changes that should be made is not having to comment on other students blogs as much as we do now. As well as not having the research paper. Because with the final tests and blog post it is just way too much to keep up with. Because we also have to get our assignments for other classes completed since we all have a deadline due to graduation as well.
Hello Seemin, really great post! I love how you discussed about cooperative learning skills because I am a huge fan for teachers adopting that skill in their classroom. I think that ELL students need their peers to work with them to help them better understand the material. And even though is great for a teacher to have one on one with the student it can be difficult to try to do this with all the students. But with cooperative learning the students can learn from each other and see different viewpoints as well as comparing their problem solving skills. The outcomes of language socialization are far reaching and include normative ways of viewing the world. That is, by increasingly participating more actively in activities with others, learners acquire new ways of saying, doing and being (Ortega, 2011, pg. 253). And I personally have experienced events where my ELL students work with their peers and this motivates them to strive to do better. They also have developed the language in a matter of time and this has to do that we have a lot of group activities which gives the students confidence to develop the language. Participation will also increase with the ELL students. Before you call out on them, its best if they work in groups and this is what will give them the confidence to participate with the whole class not just in the group. I will also like to point out how visuals are important for ELL students. I agree that visuals and hands on activities will help the students succeed because it is a strategy that helps the students comprehends the material. Visuals is a must for me when teaching ELL students because you can make connections towards the material and this is a strategy that students will not forget.
ReplyDeleteGriselda,
DeleteThank you for taking the time to read my blog post. I want to agree with everything you had said about students gaining a better understanding through cooperative learning. Because just like you mentioned working one on one with the student can't always build their self esteem. Researchers have stated, "Second language socialization research has also clearly shown that access and participation are often restricted because members of a given group or community, the so-called ‘experts’, are variably knowledgeable, competent and willing as socialization partners." (Ortega, 2011, Pg. 238). The more students have the chance to work with each other the more they are participating within the activity. The students tend to help each other out where not only they are working with each other but also scaffolding new ideas with one another. And its always best to encourage team work within the classroom.
Seemin, I am happy to hear you have had wonderful experiences learning from your cooperating teacher. Especially, how you have learned to work with ELL students at your student teaching placement. I have enjoyed your blogs this semester, and I think I speak for everyone here when I say we will all be wonderful teachers in the near future.
ReplyDeleteMaisa,
DeleteThank you for taking the time to read my blog. I think this year has really been hectic for all of. Because with a whole year of student teaching and having to take classes as well had really made us busy. However, I think most of us are also happy with the placement classrooms we were going to Because as much as we loved being around the kids we loved learning new things and seeing how the real world of a teacher works. We came across many challenging days and some rewarding days as well. I also think many discoveries we have learned about within this class we observed some of them in out placement classrooms as well. Researchers have stated, "The main concepts to remember in Vygotskian sociocultural theory are:
language as a symbolic tool; mediation through object, others and self; social, private and inner speech; the emergence of self-regulation; and the
Zone of Proximal Development." (Ortega, 2011, Pg. 251). I think we will always remember Vygotskian sociocultural theory. Because we have always learned about that from the start and have always seen the great outcomes it brings in our students learning environment as well.
Seemin, can you believe we have made it this far? I have really enjoyed watching your videos and understanding your point of view during this class. I agree that the blogs and video were also hard to do because it was difficult to find the right people that we needed in order to successfully complete the blog. Ortega mentions, “a blog becomes in essence an on-line portfolio of his or her progress in learning and using English,” (Ortega, 2011). The blogs were a great way to gain more insight and knowledge about our topics and I feel that they have really helped me in gaining a new understadning of this class.
ReplyDeleteNicole,
DeleteThank you for taking the time to read my blog. I am so excited we have made it this far and can't wait to walk across the stage in couple of weeks. You are right when it comes to working around students the whole day it also becomes challenging because you don't want to leave your students unsupervised. Also sometimes other teachers can be busy with their work where they have to take additional time to help us. However, by doing certain blog entires helped us communicate better with one another and learn new things as well. Researchers have stated, "Many others will be forced by life circumstances to learn enough of the additional language to fend for themselves in selected matters of daily survival, compulsory education or job-related communication." (Ortega, 2011, pg 1). So I think communication also helps not just in professional atmosphere but also within our personal and everyday lives as well. However, by communicating people are always discovering new things and learning new languages as well.
Hi Seemin,
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you've had experience with ELL students and have adjusted accordingly to better assist them with the content at hand. Ortega mentions that misconceptions can be reverted with the help of visual and auditory aids.(Ortega, 2011 Pg. 15) I was kind of apprehensive when it came to doing the blogs, but like you I got the hang of it. Great job on your post!
Calester,
DeleteThank you for taking the time to read my blog. When I first had to work with ELL students I was always nervous to work with them. Because they always need additional help and you have to be really patient since they don't grasp the concept right away. So you always have to go above and beyond, where you may want to use manipulative or work with them during intervention times. However, after reading the book and learning more from this class, I felt more comfortable working with the students and differentiating instructions for them. Researcher have stated, "Whether in second, foreign or heritage language teaching, the battles have been for and against traditional grammar teaching and alternative meaning-oriented proposals, including communicative language teaching, task-based curricula, content-based instruction and focus on form instruction." (Ortega, 2011, Pg. 8). With the additional help the teachers provide to the students can always help them strive for excellence. Because the teacher is helping and not letting their self esteem within themselves drop down.
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ReplyDeleteHi Seemin,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your reflection of this class. I especially liked your review of the blogs as part of this course. I can remember doing my first blog entry and thinking, "I'm not a fan of this." I love the idea of a cohesive way to discuss different topics in a technology based way. I LOVE your idea of using a blog to try to communicate with the parents of my future classroom. This is definitely something I can see myself utilizing as well! Thank you for the idea.