The chapters from Brown and Kumar this week focused on context, models of integration, and integrating language skills. In chapter 9, Kumar focus mostly on context in the idea of linguistic, extralinguistc, situational, and
extrasituational realities. In my opinion, it is extremely important to keep these four factors of context in mind when teaching and speaking in an L2. Depending on your culture, diverse ways of expressing things can be seen as acceptable or unacceptable. For example, when I was in Spain, when referring to others, the people there would be very blunt and ask questions such as "where is the gordo"? In English "gordo" means fat. Although this is acceptable for their culture, it would not be seen as acceptable to ask that in American culture. It would be seen as rude. Also, in terms of linguistics there are words that can have diverse meanings causing L2 learners to possibly use them in the wrong context and people are then not able to understand them.
In chapter 10 discusses the importance of integrating language learning skills and not just focusing on teaching reading, writing, listening, and speaking separately. I completely agree with this because now a days in order to communicate all four of these need to come naturally with one another. For example, they reflect off of each other as in speaking and listening, when conversing one needs to speak and listen, not just focus on one or the other. Also, when learning Spanish because they focused so much on writing and reading skills, I lack confidence and skill in regards to my speaking.
Brown chapter 17 bounces off of the ideas in chapter 10 regarding integrating language learning skills. However, he goes in to the models of integration that include content, task, and theme-based. I feel that a good combination of all of these helps cater to the diverse learning needs of L2 learners in becoming successful and well rounded in their L2. Of these three models, which one tends to be the most utilized?
Monday, October 29, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
ENG 345 Post # 7
The chapters that we had from Brown dealt with teaching reading and writing in the classroom. As a second language learner, I have always found reading to be the easiest out of the two for me.
In regards to reading Brown proposes techniques in how to provide students with good teaching steps in successfully reading in their target language. In order to be able to comprehend and understand a reading, one needs to have prior knowledge of basic vocabulary (or vocabulary of that certain topic), and be aware and recognize grammar structures and conjugations. Due to this, I found Brown's top down approach to be the most beneficial out of the two approaches. The other being the top down approach. However, because learners all have their own way of learning and connecting to things differently, a combination of the two and providing the students with both of the approaches would fully benefit my students. They will be exposed to a various genres of reading context that can range from 18th century to poetry. Since these genres can tend to be a bit more difficult, it is good to have approaches and techniques for how to have a full understanding when reading.
In regards to writing, Brown states that "the process of writing is the most important rather than the product". I like his perspective on this topic. Although it may be easier to just grade a final product and not the process of it in the idea that it can be a little more subjective, I feel that paying attention to the process of how the student came to the finishing product is also more beneficial that just seeing the final product. Being able to base progress and writing levels is within the process; not necessarily always at the end of it. Not every student starts off at the same level finishes the same as another student. It is a learning process and students should learn from their mistakes in order to continue the process of creating better and better writing.
What are some techniques that students can use to practice their writing skills and find their voice in their writing pieces?
In regards to reading Brown proposes techniques in how to provide students with good teaching steps in successfully reading in their target language. In order to be able to comprehend and understand a reading, one needs to have prior knowledge of basic vocabulary (or vocabulary of that certain topic), and be aware and recognize grammar structures and conjugations. Due to this, I found Brown's top down approach to be the most beneficial out of the two approaches. The other being the top down approach. However, because learners all have their own way of learning and connecting to things differently, a combination of the two and providing the students with both of the approaches would fully benefit my students. They will be exposed to a various genres of reading context that can range from 18th century to poetry. Since these genres can tend to be a bit more difficult, it is good to have approaches and techniques for how to have a full understanding when reading.
In regards to writing, Brown states that "the process of writing is the most important rather than the product". I like his perspective on this topic. Although it may be easier to just grade a final product and not the process of it in the idea that it can be a little more subjective, I feel that paying attention to the process of how the student came to the finishing product is also more beneficial that just seeing the final product. Being able to base progress and writing levels is within the process; not necessarily always at the end of it. Not every student starts off at the same level finishes the same as another student. It is a learning process and students should learn from their mistakes in order to continue the process of creating better and better writing.
What are some techniques that students can use to practice their writing skills and find their voice in their writing pieces?
Monday, October 8, 2012
Eng 345 Post # 6
The readings from this week were very interesting to me due to the idea that I could relate to them. To begin with, in the Cary article, there was a focus on the benefits of bringing diversity in to the classroom along with culture. Diversity and culture are huge proponents in successful second language learning. Due to L2 learners of the English language all being diverse, it it smart to bring in their own culture to make them more comfortable and have a better understanding of their identity. It is already frustrating and challenging to learn a new language and be exposed to culture aspects that are diverse from your own. By having the familiarity of ones own culture when learning a language helps for them to compare and identify as well as feeling more comfortable in the classroom that leads to more motivation put towards learning an L2. The teacher in the article did a good job in supporting the other cultures that existed in the classroom. Along with this, as Kumar emphasizes in chapter 5, is the interaction between the student and teacher. Having the learners and the teacher negotiate through out the class and maximize learning opportunities will also increase this motivation and success. In order to maximize these learning opportunities, we, as teachers will need familiarize ourselves with our students and how they learn.
The reading from Brown, in regards to speaking and listening, is the reading that I could relate the most to. He talks about the difficulty and also the aspects of ease in the speaking aspect of learning a second language. I myself have trouble with speaking in my L2. I can get very timid and reflect on every little mistake that I make which sometimes makes me not want to speak. The techniques that he discusses were not only a benefit to me for helping teach students, and to see the levels that they were at, but to also help myself. The characteristic that ideally helps listening and speaking easier was redundancy. When learning my L2, I definitely repeated things over and over to fully understand and feel comfortable with it. This is one of the things I plan on doing in my classroom. I do believe that these two components, listening and speaking, are the two most important in learning a language. In order to communicate one needs to not only comprehend but also produce.
The reading from Brown, in regards to speaking and listening, is the reading that I could relate the most to. He talks about the difficulty and also the aspects of ease in the speaking aspect of learning a second language. I myself have trouble with speaking in my L2. I can get very timid and reflect on every little mistake that I make which sometimes makes me not want to speak. The techniques that he discusses were not only a benefit to me for helping teach students, and to see the levels that they were at, but to also help myself. The characteristic that ideally helps listening and speaking easier was redundancy. When learning my L2, I definitely repeated things over and over to fully understand and feel comfortable with it. This is one of the things I plan on doing in my classroom. I do believe that these two components, listening and speaking, are the two most important in learning a language. In order to communicate one needs to not only comprehend but also produce.
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