To Keep in Mind While Planning...

The process of lesson planning is, in fact, a very complex activity.  While we have been given many tools and guidelines throughout our coursework, we have also become highly aware of the importance of attention to detail in combination with the awareness of the 'big picture'.  As I wrote in my last post, both are essential.  One without the other would result in ineffective lessons lacking one or another important aspect.

In Module 3, we have been focusing on the development of reading and writing skills by considering the types of activities that are possible at different stages in the learning process and their potential impact.  Some of the main topics I would like to keep in mind as I plan are listed below for future reference.

Teacher's role in teaching reading:

• select / create appropriate texts
• design useful tasks
• set up effective classroom procedures
• encourage critical reading 
• create supportive environment for practicing reading

Considerations for text selection:

• interest
• value
• abilities
• complexities of text
• complexities of task
• content appropriateness
• provide a range of texts

Purposes for reading include:

• get information
• respond to curiosity about a topic
• follow instructions
• pleasure / enjoyment
• to keep in touch 
• know what is happening in the world
• find out when and where

Pre-reading activities:

• structures of text
• vocabulary and meaning

While-reading activities:

• guided
• literal and interpretive

Post-reading activities:

• connect to reading purpose
• check and discuss
• make use of information in an informative way

SQ3R:

• Survey
• Question
• Read
• Recite
• Review

Writing:

Writing for learning:

• Reinforcement writing
• Preparation writing
• Activity writing

Writing for writing:

• focus is on the process of writing and how to do it more effectively
• Purposes:
• ESL
• ESP
• EFL
• Creative

Role of the Teacher in writing:

• Demonstrate
• Motivate and Provoke
• Support
• Respond
• Evaluate

Perspectives and Reflections from Course Planning

Perspective makes a difference.  In previous courses, we had the opportunity to consider one particular skill or language function and build an activity or lesson in which we would guide learning experiences for our students.  In last week's assignment, we had the opportunity to view the learning experiences from a more comprehensive perspective.  The experience of considering the major, over-arching themes and objectives and then working downward was challenging, but instructive.  It helped connect the ideas of flow that we discussed in our Grammar course to the idea of language learning in an entire course.

I suppose this experience made me more intensely aware that when we are planning the very specific elements of learning experiences, we also must always keep our learner's final objectives - through the design of main themes and focuses - within our sight.

I would like to take the opportunity to say that the University of Winnipeg program for teaching English as another language has been designed in a very effective way.  It has encouraged us to look at the learning of language from many perspectives and provides opportunities to implement the ideas in detail.  I am looking forward to the experience of the practicum, anxious to experience these issues in the classroom.

Bridging to Developing the Language Skills

My journey through the four courses of this certificate program has been quite enlightening.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the new information, reflection, activities, and processing involved.

In the first course, we learned quite a bit about language learning theory.  Although I have taught language before and have a masters degree in education,  I had not specifically studied the history and development of theory related to language learning in particular.  It was enthralling and I learned a lot that will most definitely impact the approach I use in my classroom.  We also learned about adult learners and their characteristics.  I had studied this in some depth before, but it always surprises me how significant a role learning plays in the lives of adults, whether they recognize it or not.

Skills became our focus in the second course, where we learned, among other things, specific techniques for teaching listening, speaking, reading and writing.  I discovered so many useful ideas and I made significant connections between the modalities and needs and progress assessments.  Learning about the modalities, planning for activities and assessments was an essential part of my development as a language teacher.

We spent our third course with a focus on grammar and vocabulary.  Although I didn't expect to, I enjoyed learning about the most effective ways to teach grammar and vocabulary.  I learned many new ideas I intend to implement in the classroom with my future students.  Through various exercises, we learned about planning, presenting, and practicing grammar, how and when to use error correction in an effective way and many new strategies for teaching vocabulary.  This course was incredibly important because it dealt with an issue that many of us may avoid - dealing with grammar!

I anticipate the upcoming course will provide us with opportunities to synthesize and apply our prior learning and experiences to planning, presentation, and instruction along with assessment within a larger scope of an entire course.  I am looking forward to the challenge of using my newly acquired knowledge in combination with previous experience to create better learning experiences for language learners.

Let's get started!