Final Project Topic

For the final project, I was thinking of doing something about the SIOP model, just because I already have an interest in it. I was thinking of comparing scores of SIOP students vs. non-SIOP, researching why teachers like or don't like the SIOP, etc.  If you have any other suggestions, they would be GREATLY appreciated :)

Anthology Ch. 3

As a preservice teacher, I am used to having to make lesson plans.  But I make them not only because most of the time I need to as a grade, but for my own personal benefit as well.  When I am teaching a lesson, I like having the plan close at hand so I know what exactly comes next and have a list of activities that I had time to pre-plan.  The lesson plan also helps me anticipate any difficulties or alternative methods that I might need to use.  I know very well that most of the time, the lesson will not go exactly to my plan.  I like to think of my lesson plans as more of a guide, knowing that it is subject to change and that nothing is set in stone.  This chapter does a good job at emphsizing that majority of the time, teachers will need to make adjustments midlesson to their plans.  I know that while I am teaching, my plans lay in the hands of my students and that my actual teaching is based off their interests and needs.
When I start planning a lesson, I do all of Tyler's steps but not in that order.  I usually start by thinking of activities that include my students' interests and how those activities will help them accomplish whatever they need to accomplish in that particular lesson.  I do this first because it is so important in my personal pedagogy that my students are engaged in the lesson and that they are motivated.  If I plan activities that revolve around them, it will be easier to teach them.  Then after I have my activities, I go to the standards to see which ones will matched up.  I then organize everything so that it goes in a smooth order with easy transitions, and the last thing I plan is how I will evaluate my students.  This is all very personal to my own teaching styles and I know that there is no "right or wrong" way to right a lesson plan, as long as all the main parts are included.

Methodology Section 5 Chapter 10

This reading talked about content-based approach, which "stimulates students to think and learn through the use of the target language" (108).  It uses a theme with organized materials, meaningful information, incorporates students motivation and interest, and is student-centered.  Going off of this, the project work is introduced.  This is a teaching method that uses a natural extension of what is already taking place in class. It also uses hands-on experience and real-world subjects.  This method has an end product , but it focuses more on the process that leads to the end result.  It is motivating yet challenging process, and even traditional classrooms can use it occasionally.  Project work is, I think, an awesome way to incorporate the students and to get them involved. I think it would be more appropriate to do it for oldre students, maybe younger depending on their level.  I think it would be a great class project to have every student be involved and divide up the tasks so that each student is in charge of something.  Projects are more meaningful to students if they somehow partake in it first hand themselves.  Plus, the students would be able to see how the process works.  It can help with communication skills, planning, team work, and organization.  I plan on using it in my own classroom.

Task Based Instruction

The article "Task-Based Instruction" was, to be honest, very confusing to me.  I barely understood anything that Skehan was talking about.  But in the first paragraph, he said that "it wasn;t enough...to focus no language structure but also...the capacity to express meaning" (p.1)  We touched on this in our last class and I completely agree.  One of the main reasons for language is to communicate with others and express yourself.  I think it is pointless for a language learner to know grammar and conjugations but not know how to use them in a sentence or in context.  Personally, I feel that the ability to use language in a real life situation is just as important, if not more, than knowing th structure or grammar. 
There was another quote that I was able to relate to my previous thoughts to.  "...enabling language understanding to be scaffolded..through interaction." (p.5)  INTERACTION IS KEY TO LEARNING A LANGUAGE!  expecting a student to learn a language without interaction is like giving a child a book and expecting them to read it without any prior instruction.  It is my personal opinion that language acquisition could not be accomplished without a supportive environment that includes multiple opportunities for interaction.

Communicative Language Teaching

After reading this article, one word sticks out in my mind: authenticity.  The main key, I feel, to communicative language teaching is making sure that all the materials and contexts are authentic, that they have meaning.  I completely agree with the quote that states "being able to communicate required more than mastering linguistic structures" (p. 121).  You could know all the grammar in the world, but if you can't apply that to a conversation, then you aren't able to communicate. The class that was evaluated had so many beneficial activities, and the reason that they worked so well is because they all were things that applied to real life things and situations.  the picture story, the the sports newspaper, and the election candidates; all these things are examples of what students can encounter outside the classroom.  The article continued to talk about about how the students need to be able to express their opinions and ideas, use the target language, negotiate meaning, and cooperate with the other students.  It is important the the teacher not interrupt and act as a facilitator/ advisor  so the students are able to think for themselves.  There was one thing that confused me, however.  IT was stated that if a student makes an error, it shouldn't be corrected.  If a student makes a mistake and it goes unfixed, then they won't know that they made a mistake, and they will never fix it. This confused me a little bit.  But other than that, I really enjoyed reading the article because it shows how important it is to make sure that teachers provide applicable examples and real-life situations to their students.

Kuma Chapter 1

There was a quote that was said within the first few pages of the chapter that caught my attention and made me stop and think for several minutes.  "Teaching is aimed at creating optimal conditions for desired learning to take place in a short amount of time as possible" (p. 6)  Now, this posting will be me dissecting this quote.  First off, i wholeheartedly agree with the fist part, that teaching is meant to find the best conditions for learning.  Teachers do this in a number of ways.  We experiment with different methods and strategies to see which ones work best and help the students learn the material; we attempt to try new ideas and use new materials and manipulatives to ensure that our students have the best advantages when it comes to not only learning and comprehending, but to be able to explain to others what they already know and what they learned.  TEaching is about learning.  In a classroom, it is not only the students that are learning; the teacher is as well.  A good teacher is one that is always changing her methods to improve herself and who is learning just as much as her students, if not more. 
The second part of the quote, I am not sure if I agree with it or not.  Yes, it is true that we want our students to learn as much as they can, but the time limitation in the quote makes me hesitant.  When I think of "short time" and "learning" in the same sentence, I automatically think a student is being rushed.  And if a student feels rushed or pressured, then that would make them nervous and could have an impact on their performance and ability to learn the information being taught.  In a perfect world, I would take all the time possible to make sure that my students could learn everything.  Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world and those are just setbacks  that come with the teaching profession.