Partner Task
Alexandra and I have spent very productive 90 minutes discussing various insights we got from the course. Certainly, I've read my partner's comments, which fully resonate with me. However, here are some things which I would like to highlight as crucial ones:
1. Transcript can show to what extent your learners are willing to take risks with the language. This is the evidence which demonstrates who is willing to negotiate the meaning and experiment with the language forms and who might need additional support.
2. It is crucial not to be criticalof others and yourself in the course of examining the transcripts. Any choice a teacher makes is context specific. Therefore, we need to walk in the shoes of the teacher so that we could make conclusions. Otherwise, it is better to share your feelings and impressions in a non-judgemental, but supportive way. You asked about the way I could relate my CELTA experience with this course in terms of feedback and reflection. During my CELTA course I had a constant feeling of being imposed some 'dogmas' . At a certain point some of these even started contradicting each other (namely, sit (not, walk around and monitor) while your students are reading or listening (individual work). So what was I supposed to do? Sitting and walking at the same time? :) Evidently, the positioning of the teacher is really important, but it could serve a better purpose if they just gave me the opportunity to experiment with my positioning in relation to the class and self-reflect, rather than give a straightforward remark. My conclusion is as follows: people need time to digest such remarks, reflect on them... No rather I would get the trainees to work out for themselves if their positioning is right for the given circumstances and, eventually, work out their own action plan. I guess, this is what scaffolding is about. As you mentioned in one of the video - if there is too much info given, students are not motivated to learn. The same works for teachers as well.
Alexandra and I have spent very productive 90 minutes discussing various insights we got from the course. Certainly, I've read my partner's comments, which fully resonate with me. However, here are some things which I would like to highlight as crucial ones:
1. Transcript can show to what extent your learners are willing to take risks with the language. This is the evidence which demonstrates who is willing to negotiate the meaning and experiment with the language forms and who might need additional support.
2. It is crucial not to be criticalof others and yourself in the course of examining the transcripts. Any choice a teacher makes is context specific. Therefore, we need to walk in the shoes of the teacher so that we could make conclusions. Otherwise, it is better to share your feelings and impressions in a non-judgemental, but supportive way. You asked about the way I could relate my CELTA experience with this course in terms of feedback and reflection. During my CELTA course I had a constant feeling of being imposed some 'dogmas' . At a certain point some of these even started contradicting each other (namely, sit (not, walk around and monitor) while your students are reading or listening (individual work). So what was I supposed to do? Sitting and walking at the same time? :) Evidently, the positioning of the teacher is really important, but it could serve a better purpose if they just gave me the opportunity to experiment with my positioning in relation to the class and self-reflect, rather than give a straightforward remark. My conclusion is as follows: people need time to digest such remarks, reflect on them... No rather I would get the trainees to work out for themselves if their positioning is right for the given circumstances and, eventually, work out their own action plan. I guess, this is what scaffolding is about. As you mentioned in one of the video - if there is too much info given, students are not motivated to learn. The same works for teachers as well.
Marina, Working out for themselves which you mention in your conclusion is to me central, both for us as teachers and us and our students as language learners.
ReplyDeleteI quote Whitman in my new book who says what we are saying in this way:
Walt Whitman in Leaves of Grass (1855):
I tramp a perpetual journey, (come listen all!).
I lead no man to a dinner-table, library, exchange,
But each man and each woman of you I lead upon a knoll,
My left hand hooking you round the waist,
My right hand pointing to landscapes of continents and
The public road.
Not I, not any one else can travel that road for you.
You must travel it for yourself.
As you continue your comments, try to circle jargon you use and then write a description of what actually you saw or experienced to substitute for the bits of jargon you use such as scaffolding.
See you soon.
Experiment and self-reflect, and have a chance to talk it through with someone who knows how to listen - I love that. That resonates with me 100 percent!
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