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What
are the aims
of this Course?
Introduction:
- There
have been many different teaching methodologies in the history
of Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL). However,
they all address the same fundamental question: "How
can we help students to learn the target language efficiently
and effectively?" This course focuses on this question,
and investigates the factors involved in teaching English
in Korea.
- The
course is a practical one. Not only will theory be investigated
through the textbook, How to Teach
English, but there will be practical activities
in class, in which students try out the ideas and talk about
the results.
- A Teacher's Resource Book ("Tell Me More!") will be used in this class. This book offers examples of Form-Focused, Task-Based activities that can be used in Middle school and High school. Instead of learning vocabulary and grammar by rote substitution drills, these activities help students to learn the same things enjoyably, meaningfullt and authentically.
- Students
will also be designing, presenting and reflecting on their own
lessons. These lessons
will be self-assessed and peer-assessed, and will be valuable
practical applications of teaching/learning theory.
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Explanation:
- In
addition to the many methodologies, there are also
many approaches to teaching English. However, at
the heart of all these approaches is the same goal of enabling
learners to learn English. Although every teacher is different
and every learner is different, there are certain basic
factors from which all teaching starts. This course will
look at these basic concepts:
- How
to be a good teacher
- How
to be a good learner
- How
to manage teaching and learning
- How
to describe teaching and learning
- How
to describe language
- How
to teach language
- How
to teach reading, writing, listening, speaking
- How
to use textbooks
- How
to plan lessons
- How
to assess language
- How
to promote learner training (learning how to learn)
- How
to promote positive affect
- How
to set up a non-threatening learning environment
- An
important aspect of teaching and learning is that the learning
process itself starts with the learner. There can
be no learning if the learner is not motivated, or has negative
attitudes to the language, the culture, the people, or the
teacher. A vital aspect of teaching, therefore, is to address
these affective filters, since they are even more important
than the cognitive aspects upon which teaching often focuses.
This course will therefore stress the importance of making
a non-threatening learning environment, in which students
do not feel anxious, in which they can develop positive
attitudes to learning, and in which they are encouraged
to be confident, motivated and independent.
- Another
important aspect of learning a language is autonomy.
It has been said that there is no learning without autonomy
- the freedom of the individual to choose what to learn
and how to learn it. This might sound impossible to achieve
in the Korean education system, but it can actually start
in the school classroom by offering smaller freedoms of
choice. If we consider that our students must become adult
citizens, and will be faced with problems which we cannot
even imagine, then we can see that they need to learn from
us the ability to think for themselves, to make informed
decisions based on critical thinking skills, and to learn
new skills. "Learning to learn" is thus a vital
aspect of the language classroom.
- Yet
another important factor in the language classroom is that
students do not learn what the teacher teaches. Learning
is unpredictable, and results from a complex interaction
of many factors. Thus every class of students is different,
and every lesson is different. Teachers must be aware of
this, and must see themselves as facilitators of
learning, rather than as controllers of learning.
The student is the person who is acquiring the language,
so it is the student who must be involved in everything
that happens in the classroom. In other words, the classroom
must be student-centred.
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Conditions
that facilitate learning:
-
Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
which encourages people to be active.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
that facilitates the individual's discovery of the personal meaning
of ideas.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
that emphasizes the uniquely personal and subjective nature of
learning.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
in which difference is good and desirable.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
that consistently recognizes the right to make mistakes.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
that tolerates ambiguity.
-
Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
in which evaluation is a cooperative process with emphasis on
self-evaluation.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
which encourages openness of self rather than concealment of self.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere
in which people are encouraged to trust in themselves as well
as in external sources.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere in which people
feel they are respected.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere in which people
feel they are accepted.
- Learning is facilitated in an atmosphere which permits
confrontation.
- The most effective teacher creates conditions by which
he/she loses the teaching function. (Rogers 1951:p 122)
Learning
can be facilitated by an environment in which:
- Students are allowed to progress at their own pace.
-
A large variety of learning activities can occur simultaneously.
-
The ability of a student to become concerned and committed
is an important gauge of growth.
-
Students initiate much of the classroom activity. They
set learning goals and design activities with teacher assistance
and guidance.
-
Time, space, and materials are manipulated to meet the
needs of students and enhance their learning.
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Opportunities for wonder, imagination and humor are part
of the classroom.
-
The student's unique style of learning is recognized and
used, so that emphasis is placed on learning by the student, rather
than on teaching by the teacher.
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Students learn from each other.
-
The teacher raises questions for students to respond to
concerning their personal roles and responsibilities in learning.
- Students behave in ways that least interfere with the activities
of other students and the teacher.
-
Students have formulated learning goals and selected approaches
for accomplishing their goals.
- The teacher is an active resource person who provides materials,
shares knowledge and understanding, listens carefully, gives encouragement,
and effectively uses time, space, and materials to develop a facilitative
learning climate.
-
Instruction is carefully personalized in an attempt to meet the
individual needs, interests, and abilities of students.
-
The materials provided are perceived
as meaningful and relevant to the student.
- There is freedom to peruse personal
interests, raise questions, make decisions, explore, and discover.
- Provocative interest centres and
materials that demand interaction and constant investigation are
provided to help bring about self-initiated learning.
- An attitude of competitiveness
need not exist.
- The student has the freedom to
make mistakes and still feel competent.
- Opportunities are provided for
the student to grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually
through working as an individual, and as part of a wide variety
of group and peer learning situations.
- Respect, trust, love, and concern
for one another are nurtured.
- The teacher's role is facilitator
of learning.
(Pine & Boy 1977:132, 156)
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There
will be many things to do in this course, and many things to talk about.
However, please remember that education is aimed at students, and the
students are the most important people in this course and in every course.
There is therefore a continuous focus on learner-training, self-assessment,
goal-setting, reflection and evaluation. This course is for you, and
you will therefore be helping to make it and evaluate it!
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