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Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
“You have to teach German in Sterna (a small village in Argos). Based on
the principles and theories of Educational Psychology, how you would
organize your course and what issues would you take into consideration
in order to achieve the most effective learning environment for your
students (your students are adolescents , High School,3th grade and in an
advanced level of German)
Student: Euridiki Damoulianou
Instructor: Professor Tina Stathopoulou
PSY 210: Educational Psychology
Hellenic America University
Spring 2011
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
Teaching is a complex procedure which requires a set of different skills,
adequate knowledge of the material, varied teaching methods,
communication between professors and students, implementation of the
principles established in the educational research and the active
participation of the learners(Gurvey,2007).
Thus, if i had the opportunity to teach German in a High school in my
mother’s village (Sterna), i would take into account all the multiply
factors which contribute to effective teaching.
Initially, before starting teaching German in this particular class, (which
consists of 15 students who have been learning German since elementary
school), i would form a teaching-plan where the specific teaching
outcomes would be defined. My purpose would be to make my students
capable of implementing German in real life situations such as in
workplaces where German are required.
In addition, other purposes of teaching German in this High-school would
be to make my learners capable of understanding long- complicated texts
in German and analyzing different concepts, issues and facts with critical
analysis. Finally, my aim would be to provide them with knowledge
about the German Culture, German History and German society.
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
In my first day as an educator in this particular school, i would try to get
know my new students, to communicate with them my objectives and to
ask their personal evaluation about how they view them. Afterwards, they
would be supplied with some tests, in order their level to be assed.
In general, my teaching approach would be focused mainly on the active
participation of the learners. According to Piaget (1972) theories students
should be encouraged to learn (German in this case) through spontaneous
interaction with the environment. Thus, teachers should provide them a
rich variety of activities that permit them to act directly on the physical
world (Piaget, 1972). Moreover, through the active learning, students
gather evidence through observing, analyzing and evaluating learning and
teaching (Piaget, 1972).
Firstly, a classroom’s check is needed, in order to figure out whether it is
designed to such a way that stimulates the student’s learning. Thus, i
would adjust the room to the appropriate temperature and lighting .These
factors influence student’s performance -for example, according to
studies high quality lighting improves student’s moods, behavior and
concentration-(Texas, 2002).
Secondly, the teaching methods would be based on the developmental
stage that the students are. According to Piaget, adolescents (the students
are 17 years old) are in the formal operational level, according to which
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
they are able to use their logic in order to solve complicated tasks, make
critical analysis to various issues and to form and answer to hypothetical
situations( Psychology Lexicon, 2007). Thus, hypothetical scenarios can
enhance student’s imagination and creativity.
For example, i would divide the students into two groups (the one group
would pretend that are Greek students and the other group that they are
German students who have travelled to Greece). Once a week for one
hour students would go outside to school, for example in a café and the
two groups would develop various discussions only in German. They
would ask personal questions to each other ,such as their age and they
would exchange some personal experiences and opinions into various
issues and controversial topics. Also, both groups would tell their
impressions about German and Greece and the reasons why they have
developed them. This technique (scenario) can help students to increase
their imagination, to improve their verbal skills and hypothetical
deductive reasoning and to learn how to interact with others in German in
various places and situations.
Thirdly, because one of my aims would be to introduce the students with
the German literature and history, i would present in the class once a
week documenters about the German history and society (the class would
have video-recorder installation). I would, ask them to write a report
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
about these documenters and to express their opinions about them (this
technique, would increase their hearing and writing skills and provide
them with knowledge about German with a pleasant way).
Furthermore, the students would be provided with German magazines,
newspapers, literature books and comics. Once every two weeks, they
would be divided into groups of three and would be assigned to read two
articles from the magazines, comics or newspapers that interest them and
talk about them in class. Student’s collaboration in verbal and other tasks,
according to vygotsky is essential because kids ,especially the more
competent ones, can help others to improve and practice their language
skills and solve any deficiencies’ or problems they might have such as
poor articulation in German(Wertsch,1985). Also, the group projects help
students to learn a subject completely, because working in a team they
exchange different point of views, engage in more discussion and learn
how to interact harmoniously with others-(Wertsch, 1985).
In addition, students would be assigned to choose a text from the German
literature books, from 20 to 40 pages, formulate a question based on the
text and answer it (with a deep critical analysis). They would give me this
assignment two weeks before the end of the school-year, i would correct
and give it back to them again to make any necessary changes and they
would return it to me for their final grade. This extra reading and writing
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
material would help them to familiarize with long –complicated texts in
German and with German literature, to increase their vocabulary and
critical thinking and to improve their writing skills.
In addition, my learners would have to present orally via power point -
presentation, (in the end of the school year) their assignment based on the
literature book. This procedure will help them to practice both on their
verbal and public skills.
Besides these extra activities, we would use 4 main course books ( one
with grammatical rules and exercises, one for listening , one with German
texts and vocabulary and one book only with exercises (multi-choices and
essays questions). The students are in an advanced level of German and
have already been taught the most basic Grammar rules and have
acquired a wide range of German words as well. Thus, the main aim of
their course books would be Grammar, vocabulary and other material
review.
Thus, i would show to my students through power-point
presentations, photos with various topics in different situations such as
images with animals and i would ask them to describe these images and
to guess which grammatical phenomenon should be applied in each
situation. For example, i would show them a photo with a diagram which
depicts the prices of various products during different decades, and they
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
would have to decide which grammatical phenomenon should be used
(for example passive or active voice) in order to tell that the price of
bread, for example, has been increased during the recent years.
Or i would ask from them to read aloud in class a text that is in their text-
book and to figure out which grammatical phenomenon is being applied
in this particular text. Finally, i would present directly them the
grammatical rules and we would do some exercises together.
This technique would help them to learn how to apply the grammatical
rules they already know into context and real-life situations ,which means
that they would understand deeply these rules and not only memorize or
apply them into their text-books or in tests.
In addition, i would not enhance their hearing – skills only with the
typical hearing-exercises from their hearing-book, but we would hear
German songs as well (i would bring a stereo recorder from my home).
Afterwards i would ask them to comment briefly the phrases they liked
more in these songs. This procedure would help them to practice their
hearing- skills in a more playful way and to learn some new words.
Moreover, together with their course book which includes German texts
and vocabulary, i would ask them once a week to search through the
vocabulary book and other resources for one or two new words ,that they
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
do not know and find them interesting and to write them down in a note
book. Until the end of the school year, they would have written down to
their note books a list of new interesting words. This procedure would
help them to acquire new words with an indirect and pleasant way.
As far as the essay questions are concerned, every two weeks i would
assign them to choose one essay question from their book of their and
write them down an essay. Initially, i would underline with red pen their
mistakes but i would ask from them to try to correct them alone. Or i
would divide them into groups and each group would try to correct the
wrong sentences.
Also, i would ask from some students (each time different ones) to
present their essays orally in class or to give them to their classmates in
order to evaluate them and make suggestions on how the essays would
become more interesting. This technique enhances the critical thinking of
the students, so they do not just learn passively their mistakes, and
encourages them to corporate with others ,for example , when they make
suggestions on how an essay can become better).
Finally, i would often assign them to do the exercises from the book that
contains only practical exercises (multi-choices) and i would grade them.
With this way each time in addition to the tests, that they would have
each month, they would compare their actual performance with their
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
previous one, which means that they would know up to a certain degree,
where they stand and how much progress they have achieved so far.
Although, grades cannot fully indicate a student’s performance, in some
way according to Skinner’s theories, they can motivate them to study,
because a good grade can present for a student a kind of reward and
therefore reinforcement to study (Tayo, 2001). According to Skinner, all
humans behavior can be explained by the principle of reinforcement,
which means that behaviors such as doing all the assignments,that are
followed by rewards, for example high grades, are likely to be repeated
(Tayo, 2001).Skinner also believed that individuals adapt their behaviors
according to the environmental consequences that follow them (for
example, students study because they do not want to fail an exam)(Tayo,
2001).
However, teaching German in a village is not always ideal because there
are some limitations. Firstly, as a class we cannot visit a lot of places that
exist in big cities, such as theater which presents a German play. It is not
always easy the organization of such mini-trips due to financial causes.
Moreover, it does not exist a library in Sterna. Although as a teacher i
have a collection of German books, a library could provide students with
a wider collection of books.
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
The same issue happens with the absence of stores in Sterna, which sell
German magazines, disks and films. If existed stores like them in Sterna,
students would be supplied with a variety of German magazines, disks
and films.
Furthermore, although it exists a video-recorder in the classroom, it is in a
bad state and not in a very good quality. In general, the school, like the
most schools that exist in small villages, needs renovation because it is
very old and with a set of deficiencies, which can distract students from
learning.
Finally, the majority of students in small villages come from poor
families. Thus, the organization of a trip in Germany for German practice
would be difficult due to financial reasons.
However, teaching German in a small village can provide you with some
opportunities. To begin with, although schools in small villages do not
provide any luxuries to their students, their environment is warm and
loving. All the students and teachers know each other well, there is
adequate communication and much less bulling and other anti-social
behaviors in comparison to the schools in the big cities.
In addition, although there is a limitation of places we can visit as a class
in a village, the lesson can frequently be conducted in natural settings,
such as the school’s garden and forests. The physical environment, the
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
nature and the fresh air that exists in villages, help the students to
concentrate more on the lesson and feel less anxiety.
Also, the small size of students in the class (15 students) would give me
the opportunity as a teacher to focus on each student’s needs separately
and to detect easier learning disabilities and other difficulties. The large
student’s size that exist in schools which are in big towns, make it
difficult for the teacher to give the equal amount of attention and help to
each student.
To sum up, an efficient teaching should combine different techniques and
materials, encourage student’s corporation and critical thinking and let
children to be active learners and to learn mainly through social
interaction, observing, analyzing and guessing.
Resources
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING
Piaget, J. (1972). To Understand Is To Invent. New York: The
Viking Press, Inc.
Psychology Lexicon, 2007 http://www.psychology-
lexicon.com/lexikon/formal_operational_stage_11-
15_years_piaget_.htm.
Wertsch, J.V. (1985). Cultural, Communication, and Cognition:
Vygotskian Perspectives. Cambridge University Press.
Tayo (2001). B.F.Skinner’s Theory and Education: a Christian
Critique. Education Department of Seventh-day Adventists.
Texas (2002). Classroom lighting: Know How. Northeast
Energy Efficiency partnerships.
Gurney (2007).Five factors for Effective Teaching .New
Zealand Journal of Teacher’s Work, 4(2), 89-98.
Running head: FORGEIN LANGUAGE TEACHING