SLAM Poetry

So I was SUPER excited when I heard that our class was going to watch the SLAM Poetry on campus. I have never been before but have seen some similar events on television and I quite enjoyed them. As we walked into the room where the event was held, there was coffee, tea, and pastries to nibble on which I personally loved. The atmosphere was pretty lively and soon every seat was filled and people were standing in the back. The first two or three acts were what I was expecting: students reading or reciting their poems. Most of the poems were about who the poets actually were and involved a lot of their life experiences. Some were better than others in my opinion, but I enjoyed them all. One person sang instead of reciting poetry which I did not exactly understand, but I guess song lyrics are a form of poetry. The last act I saw, however (because I had to leave early), confused me and made me feel awkward. I still do not completely grasp the concept of the routine that was performed by a trio from Chicago. It started with a woman reading "poetry" at the podium while two others sat across from each other at a table with laptops, typing random words and phrases as she spoke. Some of the things typed did not make much and, at times, were creepy. Other media was used like video clips shown on the screen and props and costumes used by actors. I think that the whole act was supposed to be about people's subconscious minds and how we think. Maybe? Like I previously stated, I am not sure. All I know was that I was not a fan of this last performance, but I would definitely go again to a poetry Slam. I would also recommend others to go because it really opens your eyes to another culture and gives you an inside look into other people's personal lives an histories.

Linguistic Diversity and Instructional Practices

When I first started reading Ann M. Johns' article "Linguistic Diversity and Instructional Practices", I wondered why on earth was my teacher making me learn how to better understand linguistically diverse college students and how to best instruct them? After all, I am not planning on getting my Master's Degree in order to teach at a university. My certificate is only K-12. Soon I realized that the information that Johns provides is not reserved solely for college-aged students, but can be applied to most linguistically diverse students, no matter what their age.

This article started by defining who our linguistically diverse students really are and how extensive that diversity is within each specific linguistic group. Some native Spanish speaking students, for example, were born and raised in the U.S., but Spanish is spoken in their homes while others are a part of Generation 1.5, foreign born, but not very literate in their native tongue. They do not feel like they are truly American or truly Mexican/Colombian/Peruvian/etc.  Obviously these students with different backgrounds need to be taught differently. Johns stresses that we teachers need to figure out who our students are and where they come from if we want to teach them to the best of our abilities. She suggests having the students fill out a questionaire about where they were born, what languages they can speak/write/read and how well they do so, how they would describe themselves, etc. Doing this allows us teachers to know more about out students so we can relate to and instruct them better.

As stated in the conclusion, it is easier to teach people that are culturally the same as us because we know how to relate to them and how to phrase things so that they can understand. When we add culturally diverse students into the classrooms, it also adds to the difficulty level of instruction. However, despite any extra work or thought it takes to instruct this group, it is undoubtedly worth it because it is necessary and beneficial for all. People in general-from all cultures, backgrounds, age and gender groups-deserve the best education we can offer and we should constantly be bettering ourselves as teachers in order to offer the very best.

Module 5: Learner Feedback

The concept of giving proper feedback has always been a bit intimidating to me. When should I correct a student's mistake? How exactly do I correct it? I decided to watch this video clip in particular with hopes of having my questions answered. In the end, I think I just realized that providing good feedback is something that I will learn over time with practice and experience.

The main point that this module expressed is that teachers need to make their classroom environments safe and open where students feel comfortable to speak and make mistakes in doing so. Students need to practice speaking in order to learn a language. They cannot hold back or be afraid. We must encourage our students rather than discourage them. Through trial and error, students will eventually learn a new language. We can assist them by providing proper feedback.

Before we even make any attempts to provide feedback, we must identify an error/mistake (was it a guess, careless mistake, or an error?), diagnose it (vocabulary, pronunciation, pragmatic, etc.), and then determine whether is needs to be corrected (does it hinder understanding?). When providing feedback on oral production (during a greeting, telling or retelling of a story, debating, etc.),  teachers can use on-the-spot feedback techniques which include: correction, reformulation/repetition, asking for clarification, and using gestures/silent mouthing. Sometimes recording students with a tape recorder or even video is beneficial and allows them to self-reflect and get feedback from peers and their teachers. Actually, the in ESL class I am currently observing, the teacher videotaped the students' "book talk" presentations and hey are going to do some self-evaluations. I a anxious to hear what the kids have to say.

When it comes to written production (job applications, essays, plans for the future, etc.) teachers can give good feedback through modeling, providing self-edit checklists and resources, focusing on fluency and comprehension, and allowing peers to give feedback as well. This module also provided some questions  to ask oneself before giving feedback, which I found extremely helpful. For example, if I ask myself when someone makes an error, "Are many students making this same mistake?" and the answer is yes, I would then know that is should probably teach that certain point during class so that everyone can learn. If one one student is struggling, I can go to them individually and explain to them how to correct their speech, writing, etc. If I ask myself, "Is this the first time the student has spoken up during class in a long time?" after a student makes an error in class, I would know whether or not I should correct that student  immediately or not and how I should go about doing so. Other questions include: "Is this error offensive or irritating?", "If this 'mistake' actually 'wrong'?", and "Does the error affect communication?".

Although this video clip did not tell me exactly how to and when to provide my future students with the perfect feedback in order to best assist them in learning English, it did give me some great tips and advice on how to better give feedback. I feel more comfortable with this concept just knowing that I am not alone in the struggle and that I will get better over time.

Kuma Chapter 9

In chapter 9: Contextualizing Linguistic Input, Kuma describes the four realities of teaching and learning a second language. Theses realities include linguistic, extralinguistic, situational, and extrasituational. Linguistic context “refers to the immediate linguistic environment that contains formal aspects of language required for the process of meaning-making.”  I think this is very important yet extremely difficult to not only teach, but to now when it is appropriate to teach.  In the ESL class that have been observing, I notice that the teacher realizes this is an important reality to teach her students and she does a great job, but I wonder if at times she should go more in depth and perhaps tell them what are other meanings that, for example, their vocabulary words have.  Just the other day they learned the word “mob” as in a large group of people. I wondered if they should also be taught in that same moment about gangsters (Italian mob) and what it is to “mob” someone.  I think that the age of students and their level need to be considered. Afterall, this was in a Basic ESL class with 6th and 7th grade students. If this words came up in an Intermediate or Advanced level class, more definitions might be showed in context.

Even though English is my native language, I am still confused by it.  Sometimes I am asked questions such as why people have two shoulders and two eyes, but not two foots.  In those instances, I tend to get nervous and uncomfortable since I do not have a good answer and I respond with, "Because English is crazy." As I read about extralinguistic context, I got that same feeling.  After learning what a prosodic signal even is, I realized that I do use them corecctly (usually), but I have no idea 1.) why or 2.) how define the ways inwhich to properly use them or 3.) how to teach those ways to ESL learners. I realy liked the examples on p. 208 that show what words need to be stressed when answering a question.  Honestly, it was a "light bulb moment" for me to see that when somene asks me a "what" question, in my response I emphasize the "what." This is just second nature for English natives, but if features like these are never taught to ELL, then there will be a lot of confusion and miscommunication.

Curriculum Design and Materials Development

In the article, “Curriculum Design and Materials Development,” Murcia-Celce did a nice job defining curriculum and showcasing it's depth and importance to not only teachers and students, but also to other stakeholders such as text writers, teacher educators, teaching aid developers, etc. Before reading this article, I already had an idea what curriculum was. I previously knew what a syllabus was as well. However, my mind was stretched as I continued to read and know I am sitting in awe, wonderment, and confusion. How can anyone create a curriculum that is suitable for one diverse class, let alone an entire school or program? There are so many factors to account for. Plus, the general field of curriculum development is constantly changing, so how do we know if the curriculum that teachers are currently using is up to date? I realize that my questions are nothing to really be concerned with, but I cannot help wondering. It seems like such a daunting and time consuming task to develop curricula that by the time everything is set in stone, it is out of date because new research had been done during the development. The never-ending process overwhelms me. Thankfully I will not have a huge role in the process.

I will however have to implement it into my classroom. Part of that implementation includes finding a textbook that correlates with the curriculum that my school has selected and then incorporating it into my classroom.  From my experience, most schools already have textbooks designated for each course. In that case I would just have to familiarize myself with the ENTIRE text-front to back (according to Patricia Byrd) and figure out how I can use its content, exercises, quizzes, etc. in class and find other texts to improve/add to the course. If I actually have to or get to choose the textbook for the classes I will teach (which are normally chosen by a board), first I will probably freak out and become stressed. Then I would follow the guidelines for analyzing a text provided in the article, "Textbooks: Evaluation for Selection and Analysis for Implementation."

Getting my Intuitive Heuristics on!

Sorry for the lame title. I was trying to be creative, but failed miserably. Better luck next time. Anyway, what is intuitive heuristics? Kumaravadivelu's Chapter 8 says that as a method of teaching, heuristics allows students learn by finding the answers themselves instead of being spoon-fed by their teachers. I think this is a great method. The only times I remember things I have learned at school and in life are when I have to struggle in some sense in order to reach a solution or find the answer. I have to have a personal connection and apply the particular fact or concept with my life, experience, background knowledge if I ever plan on recalling it in the future. I think most if not all learners function the same way. In the future, I want to be sure to help my students "activate their intuitive heuristics and discover the linguistic system by themselves", however, it is easier said than done. Some times it is easier and faster to just tell students the answers rather coaxing and encouraging them on their path of discovery. I can see my future self getting flustered and incapable of really explaining myself and the situation and simply reverting to saying the answer and moving on, even if not everyone is on board. That is definitely something I need and want to work on and I especially liked this chapter because if provides great examples of how to better teach (both deductively and inductively) intuitive heuristics.  As I read the sample microstrategies, I envisioned myself in the classroom implementing them, thought of ways to apply them to Spanish language classrooms, and tried to think of others. Microstrategy 8.1 about teaching the articles of trouble to ELLs really hit home with me. Article are second nature for native speakers, but they are quite troublesome for those just learning English. This example broke down the teaching of them into steps that helped give me a better idea on how I can teach other grammar points so that my students truly understand. Honestly, I kind of got excited reading about these different strategies. I feel as though my passion to teach is like a roller-coaster. One day I cannot wait to get my own classroom and create relationships with my students, and the next day I try thinking about other careers I can get with a Spanish Education degree. Knowing that there are so many resources with excellent teaching examples/activities out there at my disposal and seeing this specific samples helps calm my nerves about completely ruining the lives of children by not teaching them properly. I just do not want to fail, like I did with the title of this blog...

Do Whites Make Terrible Teachers?

In her article titled “Preparing Teachers for Culturally Diverse Schools”, Christine E. Sleeter argues that data-based research studies on preservice teacher preparation for multicultural schools show that Whites tend to lack knowledge, experience, and the ability that people of color naturally have in order to teach in the aforementioned schools. I found this article to have stereotypical undertones and make jabs at whites for being white.  Despite slight unease I had reading this, I did agree with a lot of it.

I actually just watched a video called “Eye of the Storm” in which a third grade teacher, Jane Elliot, introduces her class or white students to the evils racism and discrimination by treating them terribly based on their eye color.  She did the same experiment on adults in recent years.  In one of the video clips, a white woman in the “bad, stupid, and ignorant blue-eyed” group gets so upset about being treated poorly by Elliot that she leaves the room. When she tries to come back in, Elliot lays into her telling her that she is not allowed back until she apologizes to everyone.  Elliot says that what she did was basically a slap in the face to all people of color who never have the opportunity to leave a room or an area when they are being discriminated against because no matter where they go, discrimination and racism will follow. The white lady in this case could just leave the room and find refuge from being persecuted for having blue eyes.  People of color do not have that luxury.  I think that is the point that Sleeter is trying to make in her article.  No matter if a colored person has grown up in an all white, all black, or multi-cultural environments, they still are a part of a group of people that is discriminated against in some way, everyday, all day.  They know exactly how it feels and despite whatever stress, fear or hurt they feel, they have to keep pressing on in school, their career, and life in general.

That is why Sleeter says that people of color make the best teachers in multi-cultural settings, because they can relate with the students and they know how to handle situations dealing with hate and violence better than white people. Yes, there are other factors that make up great teachers, but having to live your life as a member of a minority group is an experience that cannot be taught or explained.  The lessons learned throughout their lifetime automatically put people of color a step above “normal” white people in the multicultural and culturally responsive teacher category.  I understand the message that Sleeter is sending, I just hope that I am able to relate and respond properly and sensitively to my future students despite the fact that I am white because if I cannot, why was I even allowed to enter the field of education?

My Final Project

For my final project, I am observing/assisting in an ESL classroom at Kingsley Jr. High School. I have only been there three days now, but I have already learned so much. I will be writing a reflection paper after each week I observe talking about what I have learned and how I have grown. I will be setting goals for myself each week trying to become the best teacher I can be and taking every opportunity available to grow. I really like my cooperating teacher and the students are phenomenal. I look forward to the rest of this semester and I will definitely keep you posted!