I have decided to move to http://jarinefl.wordpress.com/ for 3 reasons:
1. I thnk Wordpress is better: for creating multiple pages, automatic RSS feeds, cropping pics, and more options (some cost though)
2. In general, the most visually appealing blogs that I've run into have overwhelmingly been wordpress blogs (and I'm vain).
3. There seems to be more room to grow in wordpress (and I'd like to grow)
Having said that, I'd like to express my thanks to this free blogger service for being relatively easy to navigate and for getting me started.
Cheers,
Steve Herder
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Takin my chances and the learning curve's gonna be a steep one!
Well, having thrown out all textbooks this year (ask if you wanna know why) I'm now forced to think just about each and every day. I just spent four months studying Syllabus and Materials via the Birmingham MA TEFL and now it's time to "put up or shut up". I used 4500 words to trash textbooks (sorry D.N.), define my theory of learning and present my new theory of practice.
In a nutshell, my recipe looks like this:
I'm going to explore Paul Nation's four strand approach as the base of my lessons (equal parts of input, output, focus on form, and fluency), throw in a supplementary extensive reading program, add a pinch of motivation and a dash of learner autonomy. I'd also like to try to garnish the whole thing with some juicy 'lexical chunks' and top it off with a "judicious" smidgeon of the mother tongue for the struggling girls.
Tomorrow, I'm going to try a dictogloss type activity with the following original text in a Ko II and Ko III Oral class (20 students/elementary level):
Why are Japanese people so good at business and so good at making things like cars, cameras and other electronics? Why are Japanese people so good at some sports like figure skating, baseball and synchronized swimmimg? Why do many people think that Japanese food is the most delicious food in the world? And finally, why are a few Japanese people really good at English but so many other people are not at all good at English? I think I recently found part of the answer. Actually, there are two answers:
1. You need to make an effort. All the things Japanese are good at take a really big effort. Most people fail at English because they don’t try, not because they have no talent. I’m pretty sure that if you make an effort, all of you can be better at English. This year I want you to get a little better at English by trying either listening, reading, writing or speaking.
2. You need to balance studying English and using English. In Japan, the balance is about 90% studying and 10% using. You must try to make more chances to use English in order to make the balance a little closer to 50-50. What are some ways you can make a better balance?
I may dictogloss the first paragraph and do an info gap activity with points 1. and 2. as follows:
1. You need to ________ an effort. All the things Japanese are good at take a really big effort. Most people fail at English ________ they don’t try, not because they have no ________. I’m pretty sure that if you make an effort, all of you can be ________ at English. This year I want you to get a little better at English by trying either listening, reading, ________ or speaking.
2. You need to balance studying English and ________ English. In Japan, the ________ is about 90% studying and 10% using. You must try to make more chances to use English in order to make the balance a little ________ to 50-50. What are some ________ you can make a better balance?
I'm walking into class with a plan and we'll see what happens when reality hits. This may turn out to be another activity to add to the "Retrospective Syllabus". I wrote in my latest essay:
A teacher’s primary role is to imagine opportunities for learning when planning a lesson or a syllabus; and then, more importantly, to notice opportunities for learning when interacting in the classroom. A classroom is a fluid environment and what is planned so often does not resemble what actually happens.
OK, I've put you through enough for one sitting. I apologize if anyone is still reading. Let's all go get some rest...
In a nutshell, my recipe looks like this:
I'm going to explore Paul Nation's four strand approach as the base of my lessons (equal parts of input, output, focus on form, and fluency), throw in a supplementary extensive reading program, add a pinch of motivation and a dash of learner autonomy. I'd also like to try to garnish the whole thing with some juicy 'lexical chunks' and top it off with a "judicious" smidgeon of the mother tongue for the struggling girls.
Tomorrow, I'm going to try a dictogloss type activity with the following original text in a Ko II and Ko III Oral class (20 students/elementary level):
Why are Japanese people so good at business and so good at making things like cars, cameras and other electronics? Why are Japanese people so good at some sports like figure skating, baseball and synchronized swimmimg? Why do many people think that Japanese food is the most delicious food in the world? And finally, why are a few Japanese people really good at English but so many other people are not at all good at English? I think I recently found part of the answer. Actually, there are two answers:
1. You need to make an effort. All the things Japanese are good at take a really big effort. Most people fail at English because they don’t try, not because they have no talent. I’m pretty sure that if you make an effort, all of you can be better at English. This year I want you to get a little better at English by trying either listening, reading, writing or speaking.
2. You need to balance studying English and using English. In Japan, the balance is about 90% studying and 10% using. You must try to make more chances to use English in order to make the balance a little closer to 50-50. What are some ways you can make a better balance?
I may dictogloss the first paragraph and do an info gap activity with points 1. and 2. as follows:
1. You need to ________ an effort. All the things Japanese are good at take a really big effort. Most people fail at English ________ they don’t try, not because they have no ________. I’m pretty sure that if you make an effort, all of you can be ________ at English. This year I want you to get a little better at English by trying either listening, reading, ________ or speaking.
2. You need to balance studying English and ________ English. In Japan, the ________ is about 90% studying and 10% using. You must try to make more chances to use English in order to make the balance a little ________ to 50-50. What are some ________ you can make a better balance?
I'm walking into class with a plan and we'll see what happens when reality hits. This may turn out to be another activity to add to the "Retrospective Syllabus". I wrote in my latest essay:
A teacher’s primary role is to imagine opportunities for learning when planning a lesson or a syllabus; and then, more importantly, to notice opportunities for learning when interacting in the classroom. A classroom is a fluid environment and what is planned so often does not resemble what actually happens.
OK, I've put you through enough for one sitting. I apologize if anyone is still reading. Let's all go get some rest...
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Are you a "Praise Junkie" too?
Wow! What an article by Po Bronson in the New York Magazine! I just finished it and want to send it to anyone and everyone. It's not even settled in my brain yet but the reverberations I'm feeling are powerful - both as a parent of young children and as a teacher.I had previously decided that the two tenets of my approach to teaching this year would be EFFORT and BALANCE. This article gives some very clear and specific ideas about the importance of effort and ways to focus on the effort that students make. It also provides a number of results from studies, revealing the positive and negative results of what we say to our students.
Here's the link:
http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/
Another link to Carol Dweck, the researcher referred to in the article:
http://www-psych.stanford.edu/~dweck/index.html
Finally, thanks to this interesting blog for the link to the article:
http://realityonastick.wordpress.com/
Time to get to bed early for a change,
Steve
Saturday, April 7, 2007
More info for Jimbo
I sense you are a busy man, Jimbo, so I want to thank you for taking the time to leave comments and ask follow-up questions.
Jimbo said:
I really liked the themes you had written for each grade. I think it is the way English in schools should be. In the schools I worked at 中 3 was not the last chance to get the basics. It seemed to me that by the time students reached 中 3 they had absolutely no chance of catching up if they fell behind in 中１ and 中2. Perhaps your school is different from the schools I have worked at.
I say:
I have to totally agree with you regarding the 中３ comment - in theory. It seems to be that the cut off line for English students to either 'get it' or not happens much earlier than 中３. I'm not sure if more students give up on English in 中１ or 中２, but the 中２ theme actually came from hearing too many girls mumbling "Eigo dekinai" (I can't do English) to themselves during class.
I tend to see the glass half-full more than half-empty in most situations, and therefore when I was thinking about a 中３ theme, I wanted to appeal to their sense of "never surrender". Having survived puberty in 中２ and become top dog in the JHS, they start 中３ in an interesting psychological state. They are actually likeable again and almost ready to handle being negotiated with. In the past few years I've gotten more head nodding from the 中３s during this theme presentation than most other classes. They seem to believe that I'm on their side and speaking the truth (i.e. your life will be HELL in high school English class if you don't buckle down this year and make some progress - and I know you CAN do most anything if you put your mind to it).
Your comment makes me want to emphasize the reality of 'keeping up' in 中１ and 中２ even more than before. Thanks a lot.
You said:
In the high school I worked at the theme for 高III would have been "study, study, study for the exam".
I say:
Point well taken. Yes, the university exam takes almost all of their attention, for almost all of the year. For years I felt like I was adding to their stress rather than supporting them during this stressful time. So, a few years ago I changed my syllabus to focus more on 'self-awareness' and 'make yourself the best you can be'. I promised to try and make the two periods a week an 'oasis' from exam study, a place to "enjoy using all the English that you've learned til now". I do many personality tests, Show and Tell, movie scene-acting, poster presentations, impromptu speaking, simplified debating, poetry, warm fuzzies, the enneagram, 100 things about me, You teach a lesson, chicken soup stories, more psychological quizzes, etc.
The 'polish, polish' was a wimpy translation of "migaku, migaku" which has some meaning to most of the students via their mothers or teachers, that the more they become 'polished' young ladies, the brighter their future will be.
My batting average is about .750 using this approach. Happily, about 75% of the girls really do look forward to our class each week. Unfortunately, I lose the other 25% almost completely, either mentally or physically.
You said:
Just out of curiosity, what kind of school do you teach at?
It's a 80 year-old private Catholic girls junior and senior high school. We are not as academically oriented as we are holistically oriented. That being said, we certainly support all the girls - from those who want to go to national public universities to those who want to go to a trade school.
If you look around my blog, you'll find my school's HP.
You said:
Regarding your new theme, what do you mean by the right balance in life? Balance between work and play?
Yes, or risk/safety, excitement/boredom, challenge/comfort, praise/criticism, highs/lows - anything at all that we feel that we want more of or less of in our lives.
The older I get (soon 44) the simpler the formula seems to be. Everything in life works best when in balance. That's not to say that we need to live within a very narrow prism of experiences. In fact, my 'foreign-ness' cringes at the sometimes perceived sheltered life of many of my students in Japan. However, when I compare it to the ugliness of the reality that many Canadian kids have to face at such a young age, I always think the best scenario falls somewhere between the two extremes.
Being in Japan for 18 years, I've also realized few things in life are black and white. For example the differences between Japan and Canada are not good or bad, they are simply different. When we can take the best of both worlds and balance them together, we will be happier.
You said:
I am looking forward to hearing more about your new grading system and how it works out.
Thanks. So am I. I'm convinced that if we reward EFFORT, explicitly and consistently, we can reach the vast majority of the students who are not intrinsically test oriented. If we can then show students the relationship between EFFORT and improvement, the system will begin to feed into itself.
I would love to hear anyone's experience with this kind of approach.
If you're still reading at this point, thanks for your perseverence. I'm realizing I tend to babble...
Cheers,
Steve
Jimbo said:
I really liked the themes you had written for each grade. I think it is the way English in schools should be. In the schools I worked at 中 3 was not the last chance to get the basics. It seemed to me that by the time students reached 中 3 they had absolutely no chance of catching up if they fell behind in 中１ and 中2. Perhaps your school is different from the schools I have worked at.
I say:
I have to totally agree with you regarding the 中３ comment - in theory. It seems to be that the cut off line for English students to either 'get it' or not happens much earlier than 中３. I'm not sure if more students give up on English in 中１ or 中２, but the 中２ theme actually came from hearing too many girls mumbling "Eigo dekinai" (I can't do English) to themselves during class.
I tend to see the glass half-full more than half-empty in most situations, and therefore when I was thinking about a 中３ theme, I wanted to appeal to their sense of "never surrender". Having survived puberty in 中２ and become top dog in the JHS, they start 中３ in an interesting psychological state. They are actually likeable again and almost ready to handle being negotiated with. In the past few years I've gotten more head nodding from the 中３s during this theme presentation than most other classes. They seem to believe that I'm on their side and speaking the truth (i.e. your life will be HELL in high school English class if you don't buckle down this year and make some progress - and I know you CAN do most anything if you put your mind to it).
Your comment makes me want to emphasize the reality of 'keeping up' in 中１ and 中２ even more than before. Thanks a lot.
You said:
In the high school I worked at the theme for 高III would have been "study, study, study for the exam".
I say:
Point well taken. Yes, the university exam takes almost all of their attention, for almost all of the year. For years I felt like I was adding to their stress rather than supporting them during this stressful time. So, a few years ago I changed my syllabus to focus more on 'self-awareness' and 'make yourself the best you can be'. I promised to try and make the two periods a week an 'oasis' from exam study, a place to "enjoy using all the English that you've learned til now". I do many personality tests, Show and Tell, movie scene-acting, poster presentations, impromptu speaking, simplified debating, poetry, warm fuzzies, the enneagram, 100 things about me, You teach a lesson, chicken soup stories, more psychological quizzes, etc.
The 'polish, polish' was a wimpy translation of "migaku, migaku" which has some meaning to most of the students via their mothers or teachers, that the more they become 'polished' young ladies, the brighter their future will be.
My batting average is about .750 using this approach. Happily, about 75% of the girls really do look forward to our class each week. Unfortunately, I lose the other 25% almost completely, either mentally or physically.
You said:
Just out of curiosity, what kind of school do you teach at?
It's a 80 year-old private Catholic girls junior and senior high school. We are not as academically oriented as we are holistically oriented. That being said, we certainly support all the girls - from those who want to go to national public universities to those who want to go to a trade school.
If you look around my blog, you'll find my school's HP.
You said:
Regarding your new theme, what do you mean by the right balance in life? Balance between work and play?
Yes, or risk/safety, excitement/boredom, challenge/comfort, praise/criticism, highs/lows - anything at all that we feel that we want more of or less of in our lives.
The older I get (soon 44) the simpler the formula seems to be. Everything in life works best when in balance. That's not to say that we need to live within a very narrow prism of experiences. In fact, my 'foreign-ness' cringes at the sometimes perceived sheltered life of many of my students in Japan. However, when I compare it to the ugliness of the reality that many Canadian kids have to face at such a young age, I always think the best scenario falls somewhere between the two extremes.
Being in Japan for 18 years, I've also realized few things in life are black and white. For example the differences between Japan and Canada are not good or bad, they are simply different. When we can take the best of both worlds and balance them together, we will be happier.
You said:
I am looking forward to hearing more about your new grading system and how it works out.
Thanks. So am I. I'm convinced that if we reward EFFORT, explicitly and consistently, we can reach the vast majority of the students who are not intrinsically test oriented. If we can then show students the relationship between EFFORT and improvement, the system will begin to feed into itself.
I would love to hear anyone's experience with this kind of approach.
If you're still reading at this point, thanks for your perseverence. I'm realizing I tend to babble...
Cheers,
Steve
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Two secrets to life and learning English
Every year I try to pick a theme for the first day of classes. They are sometimes related to news events, "Welcome to the Major League" when Ichiro first went to the States or "Just Talk" based on a home-made video of a bar full of foreigners all riffing on the word TALK. The past few years I have used one phrase for each grade:
中１- Think Big!,
中２ - Be an 'I can do it' type,
中３ - Last Chance (to get the basics),
高I - A Fresh Start (your turn to lead),
高II - Express Yourself (speaking and writing),
高III - Polish, Polish (step into the world)
This year, I've decided to go with one theme for all six grades. I guess it's the result of all the reading I've been forced to do for the MA TEFL course.
I'm just starting to work on it now but it'll be something like:
In Life,
1. If you make an EFFORT the RESULTS will follow.
2. If you find the right BALANCE in your life, you'll also find HAPPINESS.
In Learning English,
1. If you make a big EFFORT in my class you'll get top marks.
2. If you can BALANCE English KNOWLEDGE and English USE you will be successful. School will give you plenty of KNOWLEDGE about English, but many people in Japan fail because they don't have any balance; you must also USE English in order to improve.
I'm hoping to change my grading system in such a way as to maximize points for EFFORT and minimize points for test results. This is based on my belief that tests are motivational for maybe 20% of the class and de-motivational for 80% of the students. I will claim that if students truly make an effort, the results will come naturally.
Any comments or suggestions are certainly welcome...
What do teachers "make"?
If you were ever in doubt about the value of what you're doing every day in the teaching "trenches", then here's a little test for you:
Watch the following video and and see how it makes you feel...
It's easy to be a mediocre teacher but what a challenge to be the best you can be!
Steve
Watch the following video and and see how it makes you feel...
It's easy to be a mediocre teacher but what a challenge to be the best you can be!
Steve
Friday, March 16, 2007
A Response to Marco Polo
Re: Yaruki Points, Marco Polo says...
I've done something similar, but now I'm wondering about it. Why give a grade for participation? Does it make a difference if students know beforehand whether the teacher is grading on a curve (norm-referenced) or not?
My C$ 0.02 - Participation makes a class more interesting, more active and more fun. Participation doesn't often happen naturally in Japan so forcing it at the beginning can lead to a more interactive process. Interaction can be a catalyst for "negotiated meaning", developing Interlanguage, starting or deepening T-S or S-S friendships, confidence building, etc
Are they "participating" because they fear failing, because they assume they are competing with their peers, because they are genuinely interested in learning?
My C$ 0.02 - Could be any number of reasons but I'm not really sure if it matters why they participate as long as they actually get experience USING English and can get used to doing so in a friendly, supportive environment.
It's a tall order for any of us, but if teachers are excited to teach and can create a positive feeling classroom, human nature dictates that most people are often likely "to want to join in on the fun."
Another question I have (for myself) is whether a subjective "participation/attitude" score isn't a cop-out because I can't be bothered (or have failed adequately) to assess their actual competence?
I often wonder about the same thing. I also wonder if my grades reflect anything realistic about their competence or whether grades only reflect students' ability to jump through the hoops I create.
On the other hand, participation can be considered an important aspect of learning, especially in the light of Vygotsky's ZPD theory. (see James Lantolf for further work on this). But... after reading this paper by David Jeffrey, I wonder, isn't this just bribery? You could substitute the tokens with cookies, thousand-yen notes, or sex, and get pretty much guaranteed successful "results". But is that what I want?
My C$ 0.02 - Cookies, thousand-yen notes, or sex certainly work wonders on me. I know I often need to be pushed to get things done. Deadlines, expectations, guilt, flattery, praise, etc., are all motivators that again are a part of the characteristic that all teachers and students share - human nature.
Polo さん - Thanks so much for taking the time to both read and comment. I look forward to continuing to share ideas, experiences and perspectives. There's still so much to learn and to be reminded of having learned at some point in the past.
Steve
I've done something similar, but now I'm wondering about it. Why give a grade for participation? Does it make a difference if students know beforehand whether the teacher is grading on a curve (norm-referenced) or not?
My C$ 0.02 - Participation makes a class more interesting, more active and more fun. Participation doesn't often happen naturally in Japan so forcing it at the beginning can lead to a more interactive process. Interaction can be a catalyst for "negotiated meaning", developing Interlanguage, starting or deepening T-S or S-S friendships, confidence building, etc
Are they "participating" because they fear failing, because they assume they are competing with their peers, because they are genuinely interested in learning?
My C$ 0.02 - Could be any number of reasons but I'm not really sure if it matters why they participate as long as they actually get experience USING English and can get used to doing so in a friendly, supportive environment.
It's a tall order for any of us, but if teachers are excited to teach and can create a positive feeling classroom, human nature dictates that most people are often likely "to want to join in on the fun."
Another question I have (for myself) is whether a subjective "participation/attitude" score isn't a cop-out because I can't be bothered (or have failed adequately) to assess their actual competence?
I often wonder about the same thing. I also wonder if my grades reflect anything realistic about their competence or whether grades only reflect students' ability to jump through the hoops I create.
On the other hand, participation can be considered an important aspect of learning, especially in the light of Vygotsky's ZPD theory. (see James Lantolf for further work on this). But... after reading this paper by David Jeffrey, I wonder, isn't this just bribery? You could substitute the tokens with cookies, thousand-yen notes, or sex, and get pretty much guaranteed successful "results". But is that what I want?
My C$ 0.02 - Cookies, thousand-yen notes, or sex certainly work wonders on me. I know I often need to be pushed to get things done. Deadlines, expectations, guilt, flattery, praise, etc., are all motivators that again are a part of the characteristic that all teachers and students share - human nature.
Polo さん - Thanks so much for taking the time to both read and comment. I look forward to continuing to share ideas, experiences and perspectives. There's still so much to learn and to be reminded of having learned at some point in the past.
Steve
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
"Yaruki" points as part of a classmark
"Yaruki" (やる気), loosely translated means "one's desire to do something, or one's enthusiasm or drive".
Dave Kees, http://davekees.blogspot.com/ has cleverly elicited three responses from me on the topic of how and why to use a classmark as part of my oral communication classes. I started calling students' efforts they made in class, YARUKI POINTS, as a way to praise students. Here are my responses linked together:
1) I found this link by Christine Coombe http://exchanges.state.gov/forum/vols/vol42/no1/p18.html talking about portfolio marking, and plan to try it out in my EFL high school situation in Japan.
2) I've had tremendous success with a simple visual grid with student names on it this year. As soon as they saw me recording participation points next to their names, hands shot up all year.
The courses are "Oral Communication" (about 20 students)and therefore there is a premium placed on communicating. I welcome questions, follow-ups, and comments on what I or other students say in class. I also semi-regularly elicit error corrections and attempt to give non-verbal types the chance to collect points through written efforts. Whenever students participate they get credit for that. The students are told that their tests make up 60-70% of their grade and their classmark is 30-40% (depending on the class).
Of course, there are many ways to calculate a classmark. From objective formulas to subjective opinions, the classmark evolves from class to class. Say a typical class has a 30% classmark. I first present the classmark idea and explain my belief that learning should be a goal throughout the course, not just for the tests. I state in a loud voice that I believe that using English leads to more learning than simply studying “about” English.
Some components of the mark can include how many diaries they hand in (graded at 1 or 2 points each), how many participation stars (*s) they accumulate next to their name on my seating chart, how actively I've noted that they participate in pairwork or groupwork, how much effort I see and feel them making in class, etc.
The calculation can be general (pick a class average, say, 20/30 and mark each student up or down from the average) or it can be specific (using excel, breaking the classmark into various columns, and totaling their efforts). I have used both systems.
The whole classmark concept rests on the premise that you must get to know your students. I'm always trying to find ways to connect with them both inside and outside of class. Each time I get to know them a little more, it pays dividends in terms of classroom interaction, a relaxed, friendly study environment and, hopefully, learning opportunities.
Steve
Dave Kees, http://davekees.blogspot.com/ has cleverly elicited three responses from me on the topic of how and why to use a classmark as part of my oral communication classes. I started calling students' efforts they made in class, YARUKI POINTS, as a way to praise students. Here are my responses linked together:
1) I found this link by Christine Coombe http://exchanges.state.gov/forum/vols/vol42/no1/p18.html talking about portfolio marking, and plan to try it out in my EFL high school situation in Japan.
2) I've had tremendous success with a simple visual grid with student names on it this year. As soon as they saw me recording participation points next to their names, hands shot up all year.
The courses are "Oral Communication" (about 20 students)and therefore there is a premium placed on communicating. I welcome questions, follow-ups, and comments on what I or other students say in class. I also semi-regularly elicit error corrections and attempt to give non-verbal types the chance to collect points through written efforts. Whenever students participate they get credit for that. The students are told that their tests make up 60-70% of their grade and their classmark is 30-40% (depending on the class).
Of course, there are many ways to calculate a classmark. From objective formulas to subjective opinions, the classmark evolves from class to class. Say a typical class has a 30% classmark. I first present the classmark idea and explain my belief that learning should be a goal throughout the course, not just for the tests. I state in a loud voice that I believe that using English leads to more learning than simply studying “about” English.
Some components of the mark can include how many diaries they hand in (graded at 1 or 2 points each), how many participation stars (*s) they accumulate next to their name on my seating chart, how actively I've noted that they participate in pairwork or groupwork, how much effort I see and feel them making in class, etc.
The calculation can be general (pick a class average, say, 20/30 and mark each student up or down from the average) or it can be specific (using excel, breaking the classmark into various columns, and totaling their efforts). I have used both systems.
The whole classmark concept rests on the premise that you must get to know your students. I'm always trying to find ways to connect with them both inside and outside of class. Each time I get to know them a little more, it pays dividends in terms of classroom interaction, a relaxed, friendly study environment and, hopefully, learning opportunities.
Steve
Monday, March 12, 2007
Follow-up on Exploratory Practice
To the prolific Marco Polo,
I met a friendly, approachable teacher, Craig Smith, about a year ago at an ER colloquium at Kyoto Gaidai Nishi High School. He gave a wonderful presentation, complete with live KUFS students, on extensive reading. He also handed out a paper he wrote on his experience with EP at KUFS and Kyoto University. His writing was very clear and meaningful. Here is the link:
http://ltr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/9/4/448
If anyone can't access it, and wants to read it, I have it at home.
Cheers,
Steve
I met a friendly, approachable teacher, Craig Smith, about a year ago at an ER colloquium at Kyoto Gaidai Nishi High School. He gave a wonderful presentation, complete with live KUFS students, on extensive reading. He also handed out a paper he wrote on his experience with EP at KUFS and Kyoto University. His writing was very clear and meaningful. Here is the link:
http://ltr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/9/4/448
If anyone can't access it, and wants to read it, I have it at home.
Cheers,
Steve
Dick Allwright's Exploratory Practice
What a wonderful distraction! I first came into contact with Allwright's ideas when researching the topic of classroom interaction for my first essay. He immediately struck me as being practical, wise and accessible in his ideas. I have since read various things he has written about Exploratory Practice (EP) and always look forward to bumping into him again.
Serendipitously, through trying to buy some used books online, I was introduced to Jane Rose, a recent Bham grad, who did her distinction level thesis on EP. One e-mail led to another and I just finished reading her wonderful thesis reflecting her research in an EFL situation in Finland.
I may have been scared to death of EP at the start of my teaching career, but the older/more experienced I get, the more interesting it looks. I hesitate to try to describe it here and now, but encourage anyone who is interested in better understanding 'life in the classroom' to check it out.
Many thanks to Marco Polo for this updated link:
http://www.letras.puc-rio.br/epcentre/
Cheers,
Steve
Serendipitously, through trying to buy some used books online, I was introduced to Jane Rose, a recent Bham grad, who did her distinction level thesis on EP. One e-mail led to another and I just finished reading her wonderful thesis reflecting her research in an EFL situation in Finland.
I may have been scared to death of EP at the start of my teaching career, but the older/more experienced I get, the more interesting it looks. I hesitate to try to describe it here and now, but encourage anyone who is interested in better understanding 'life in the classroom' to check it out.
Many thanks to Marco Polo for this updated link:
http://www.letras.puc-rio.br/epcentre/
Cheers,
Steve
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Essay time...
The Birmingham MA TEFL is a distance course consisting of six modules and a thesis (six 4000 word essays and a 12,000 word thesis). Each module contains two topics. The current module is LEXIS, then SYLLABUS & MATERIALS. We read like hell for as long as it takes and then have to crank out a 4000 word essay answering one of about 10 preset questions. The module lasts for 4 months and it feels like I'm reading for 3 months and then writing for the last month.
I've read a great deal (maybe even too much) and everything is still sifting its way to the bottom of my brain. It is really quite an unreasonable task to try and process all of this and come up with anything meaningful in such a short time, isn't it!
I was all set to offer up my own brave new world of TBL for my JSHS situation and now realize that TBL is pretty much dead according to many, even though Ellis, Willis, J. and Willis, D. may not admit it yet. I don't think they are entirely wrong in their ideas, just off track somewhat. I'll hopefully explain why in my essay. If you can't wait, go google Michael Swan, among others.
I'm hoping I can somehow salvage some new perspective/approach to the essay before I crash and burn at the end of March. Last week, one of our study group, Anthony, offered up his outline and sat in the online skype "hotseat" while we all attacked him (lovingly). At the end of an hour, he said that he now knew what he wanted to write in his essay, and felt ready to get writing/editing. It's my turn tomorrow evening and I hope my experience will be equally as clarifying. God knows when I'll send a draft to my tutor, but my classes ended last Friday, so I'll have more daytime hours to deal with my essay angst.
Still cheerful,
Steve
I've read a great deal (maybe even too much) and everything is still sifting its way to the bottom of my brain. It is really quite an unreasonable task to try and process all of this and come up with anything meaningful in such a short time, isn't it!
I was all set to offer up my own brave new world of TBL for my JSHS situation and now realize that TBL is pretty much dead according to many, even though Ellis, Willis, J. and Willis, D. may not admit it yet. I don't think they are entirely wrong in their ideas, just off track somewhat. I'll hopefully explain why in my essay. If you can't wait, go google Michael Swan, among others.
I'm hoping I can somehow salvage some new perspective/approach to the essay before I crash and burn at the end of March. Last week, one of our study group, Anthony, offered up his outline and sat in the online skype "hotseat" while we all attacked him (lovingly). At the end of an hour, he said that he now knew what he wanted to write in his essay, and felt ready to get writing/editing. It's my turn tomorrow evening and I hope my experience will be equally as clarifying. God knows when I'll send a draft to my tutor, but my classes ended last Friday, so I'll have more daytime hours to deal with my essay angst.
Still cheerful,
Steve
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Mother Tongue (L1) in an EFL classroom
I made a new friend at a Temple University Seminar featuring the charming, convincing and prolific vocabulary researcher Batia Laufer on 2/17/07.
His question:
[Batia Laufer said] ... a language teacher must be proficient in the L1 in order to be an effective teacher. I was wondering what are your thoughts about that statement in regards to the seminar and your personal experience.
My thoughts:
I just wrote a 4500 word essay on the Use of the mother tongue (L1): Successfully negotiating the Slippery Slope in the classroom. I am sure that the mother tongue is just one more effective TOOL or RESOURCE, among many, that an effective teacher uses when necessary. Everyone, including Batia Laufer, uses the phrase, "a JUDICIOUS (sensible and careful) amount" to describe how much L1 to use in the classroom. Nation goes further by saying that the teacher should use no more than 10% of the L1. I think that is a good target depending on the class and level of students. I argued that low level students can benefit greatly from L1 support. I also believe that somewhere around the intermediate level, students begin to wean themselves of the L1 and want more English-only instruction.
So, if you plan to stay in Japan for a while, get your butt into a Japanese class as soon as you can. The deeper you go into learning Japanese, the better you will understand (in an eavesdropping kind of way) so many things about your students and classroom dynamics. This will lead you to being able to connect much better with your students and your school as well. Moreover, the benefits of studying a language (i.e. being a student yourself) are countless. Finally, knowing Japanese for your personal life will open more doors than you could imagine.
My own opinions, supplemented by reading about 32 published articles on the topic, go way beyond this short answer and I welcome further discussion on this topic.
Keep in touch. If you ever want to chat about the Birmingham program, try calling me through Skype (http://www.skype.com/)
His question:
[Batia Laufer said] ... a language teacher must be proficient in the L1 in order to be an effective teacher. I was wondering what are your thoughts about that statement in regards to the seminar and your personal experience.
My thoughts:
I just wrote a 4500 word essay on the Use of the mother tongue (L1): Successfully negotiating the Slippery Slope in the classroom. I am sure that the mother tongue is just one more effective TOOL or RESOURCE, among many, that an effective teacher uses when necessary. Everyone, including Batia Laufer, uses the phrase, "a JUDICIOUS (sensible and careful) amount" to describe how much L1 to use in the classroom. Nation goes further by saying that the teacher should use no more than 10% of the L1. I think that is a good target depending on the class and level of students. I argued that low level students can benefit greatly from L1 support. I also believe that somewhere around the intermediate level, students begin to wean themselves of the L1 and want more English-only instruction.
So, if you plan to stay in Japan for a while, get your butt into a Japanese class as soon as you can. The deeper you go into learning Japanese, the better you will understand (in an eavesdropping kind of way) so many things about your students and classroom dynamics. This will lead you to being able to connect much better with your students and your school as well. Moreover, the benefits of studying a language (i.e. being a student yourself) are countless. Finally, knowing Japanese for your personal life will open more doors than you could imagine.
My own opinions, supplemented by reading about 32 published articles on the topic, go way beyond this short answer and I welcome further discussion on this topic.
Keep in touch. If you ever want to chat about the Birmingham program, try calling me through Skype (http://www.skype.com/)
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Context, Context, Context
A teacher's question to Paul Nation at the online TESOL Vocabulary seminar (1/30/07): How do you convince learners that extensive reading done during valuable class time is worth it? My students have said they think it is a waste of time although I have tried to convince them otherwise when we have done it 2 times per week for 20 min each time.
His answer: A tough question. I think you are on the right track by persisting. The hope is success leads to enjoyment and valuing the activity.
My answer: CONTEXT is the most important consideration (too few people put what they say or think into context) . In Japanese high schools, there is a huge difference between 'learning' English and 'studying' English. For GENERAL COURSE students, I think ER and story-telling are key components of Nation's four strand approach (I'm starting an ER program from April). If students are in the ENGLISH COURSE or SCIENCE COURSE and attempting to enter a good university, they may need to know upwards of 4000 - 5000 words, so ER will be a tough sell because there isn't enough 'bang for the buck'. From the students realistic and sincere perspective, all that matters is studying content/techniques that will lead to passing the obscenely wicked university entrance tests. Focusing on reading speed/comprehension in ER can help somewhat for 'chobun' (long readings) on the entrance exams. I think a better use of time would be getting them away from the standard Japanese TARGET series of vocabulary books. From what I understand at this point, they are based on an obscure and endless compilation of words that have appeared over the years on previous univ. entrance exams. They overwhelm students with too many low-frequency words. The General Service List (GSL) http://www.languages.salford.ac.uk/staff/dickins.php would be a much better use of their study time. I don't know if there is anything in Japan for using the GSL???
My question to everyone: I have 3 research ideas from Nation's talk:
1. The 10 minute writing data research (amount and quality of output gain)
2. Comparing the TARGET series that almost all Ss use to the GSL. (efficiency of study time)
3. Researching the difference between using single words on word cards vs. using chunks on word cards (e.g. "threaten" vs. "Tanaka sensei threatens me everyday)
I will teach 5 new WRITING classes from April (Ko II and Ko III). They provide a wonderful new opportunity and challenge at this point in my teaching life. I'm excited to figure out how to teach them well. On the other hand, it also creates a huge dilemma. How do I balance my needs to teach a real English Writing course with the students' impending "university entrance tests from hell?"
Anyone interested in jumping into some collaborative research?
His answer: A tough question. I think you are on the right track by persisting. The hope is success leads to enjoyment and valuing the activity.
My answer: CONTEXT is the most important consideration (too few people put what they say or think into context) . In Japanese high schools, there is a huge difference between 'learning' English and 'studying' English. For GENERAL COURSE students, I think ER and story-telling are key components of Nation's four strand approach (I'm starting an ER program from April). If students are in the ENGLISH COURSE or SCIENCE COURSE and attempting to enter a good university, they may need to know upwards of 4000 - 5000 words, so ER will be a tough sell because there isn't enough 'bang for the buck'. From the students realistic and sincere perspective, all that matters is studying content/techniques that will lead to passing the obscenely wicked university entrance tests. Focusing on reading speed/comprehension in ER can help somewhat for 'chobun' (long readings) on the entrance exams. I think a better use of time would be getting them away from the standard Japanese TARGET series of vocabulary books. From what I understand at this point, they are based on an obscure and endless compilation of words that have appeared over the years on previous univ. entrance exams. They overwhelm students with too many low-frequency words. The General Service List (GSL) http://www.languages.salford.ac.uk/staff/dickins.php would be a much better use of their study time. I don't know if there is anything in Japan for using the GSL???
My question to everyone: I have 3 research ideas from Nation's talk:
1. The 10 minute writing data research (amount and quality of output gain)
2. Comparing the TARGET series that almost all Ss use to the GSL. (efficiency of study time)
3. Researching the difference between using single words on word cards vs. using chunks on word cards (e.g. "threaten" vs. "Tanaka sensei threatens me everyday)
I will teach 5 new WRITING classes from April (Ko II and Ko III). They provide a wonderful new opportunity and challenge at this point in my teaching life. I'm excited to figure out how to teach them well. On the other hand, it also creates a huge dilemma. How do I balance my needs to teach a real English Writing course with the students' impending "university entrance tests from hell?"
Anyone interested in jumping into some collaborative research?
Views from Abroad
The little stats counter (free download) is a wonderful addition to any blog. It tells you how many hits you collect each day, and even identifies where they come from. I am giddy to have received my first visitors from outside of Japan. In fact, I had viewers from The U.S., Korea and Mongolia all on the same day.
I heartily invite you to contact me if you have any interest in high school level EFL teaching, extensive reading, interest in action research or would like to discuss our MA TEFL course. One of the 3 main purposes in starting this blog is to expand my circle of like-minded teachers.
Initially, I was terribly hesitant to go from voyeur to poster, but like everything else, it gets easier with each and every post. Once I got started I realized that most of the 'good' people were very open to being contacted as long as I was earnest and sincere.
I have three good ideas for research related to vocabulary and hope to start at least one of them from April 2007. I would love to do some collaborative research because the process of working with someone is at least half the fun in doing these kinds of projects.
I can be reached through this page, at bluesteed@hotmail.com or skyped as bluesteed.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
I heartily invite you to contact me if you have any interest in high school level EFL teaching, extensive reading, interest in action research or would like to discuss our MA TEFL course. One of the 3 main purposes in starting this blog is to expand my circle of like-minded teachers.
Initially, I was terribly hesitant to go from voyeur to poster, but like everything else, it gets easier with each and every post. Once I got started I realized that most of the 'good' people were very open to being contacted as long as I was earnest and sincere.
I have three good ideas for research related to vocabulary and hope to start at least one of them from April 2007. I would love to do some collaborative research because the process of working with someone is at least half the fun in doing these kinds of projects.
I can be reached through this page, at bluesteed@hotmail.com or skyped as bluesteed.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
What an opportunity; what a dilemma
I have been asked to teach 5 new classes from April, 2007. I'm in my 14th year at an all girls private JSHS in Osaka, Japan, and have taught Oral English almost exclusively up to this point. The new classes will be Ko II (grade 11) and Ko III (grade 12) writing classes. They provide a wonderful new opportunity and challenge at this point in my teaching life. I'm excited to figure out how to teach them well. On the other hand, it also creates a huge dilemma. How do I balance my needs to teach a real English Writing course with the students' impending "university entrance tests from hell?"
I am looking for ideas from any other teachers who have faced a similar situation. I have found a few starting points on the internet already. If you have any experience or thoughts on this topic, particularly within an EFL framework in Japanese high schools, I would LOVE to hear from you.
I just listened to a January 30, 2007 TESOL Virtual Seminar “Teaching Vocabulary, Is It a Waste of Learning Time,” with Paul Nation. It was so good that I may not sleep tonight (I AM prong to hyperbole, but it was really good!)
He gave everyone so many specific, practical ideas and is obviously a wonderful TEACHER. He explained, reviewed, gave great details and examples. I highly recommend it.
I am looking for ideas from any other teachers who have faced a similar situation. I have found a few starting points on the internet already. If you have any experience or thoughts on this topic, particularly within an EFL framework in Japanese high schools, I would LOVE to hear from you.
I just listened to a January 30, 2007 TESOL Virtual Seminar “Teaching Vocabulary, Is It a Waste of Learning Time,” with Paul Nation. It was so good that I may not sleep tonight (I AM prong to hyperbole, but it was really good!)
He gave everyone so many specific, practical ideas and is obviously a wonderful TEACHER. He explained, reviewed, gave great details and examples. I highly recommend it.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Too many interests, too little time
I'm only on the 3rd of 6 modules but my interests are quickly piling up. Being a type 7 on the Enneagram, http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/, it is no big surprise to me, but I'd better keep on top of things or else...
For anyone who golfs, the following tip I heard should be analogous:
Standing on the first tee, with driver in hand, ominously looking down the fairway, we are advised to, "Stay focussed on the ball and try to keep less than 300 things from racing through your brain at once."
I can clearly see that I'm evolving as a teacher through this MA TEFL. I find that trying to stay "practical" while piecing together the many potential components that will form both my own theory of learning and the English program at my school can be overwhelmimg at times.
In Japanese high schools, there is a big difference between 'learning' English and 'studying' English. The former works best through a holistic approach to the language (like TBL) whereas the later centers on a rigorous and grueling mental study of English in order to pass university entrance exams. At the high school level, it feels almost impossible to convince JTEs to adjust their grammar-translation (GT) methods into a more holistic TBL approach. There are many universities that have recently been implementing TBL into the university setting and this seems like a very good idea according to many experts including, among many others, Nunan and Ellis. I think TBL is a reasonable approach because the focus can be on 'learning' English more than 'studying' English. I don't know how many JSHSs have found a way to use TBL within the current world of "Juken Benkyou".
I'm very interested in finding a way to "sell" the idea of TBL to the average JTE (who hasn't got an MA TEFL) so that JTE and NT goals can be more aligned and their students can enjoy English more and be more successful in English as well.
Personally, I am determined to find the right mix of approach, based on theory, to lead me to my goal. Here's where I am or my "recipe" at this point:
For anyone who golfs, the following tip I heard should be analogous:
Standing on the first tee, with driver in hand, ominously looking down the fairway, we are advised to, "Stay focussed on the ball and try to keep less than 300 things from racing through your brain at once."
I can clearly see that I'm evolving as a teacher through this MA TEFL. I find that trying to stay "practical" while piecing together the many potential components that will form both my own theory of learning and the English program at my school can be overwhelmimg at times.
In Japanese high schools, there is a big difference between 'learning' English and 'studying' English. The former works best through a holistic approach to the language (like TBL) whereas the later centers on a rigorous and grueling mental study of English in order to pass university entrance exams. At the high school level, it feels almost impossible to convince JTEs to adjust their grammar-translation (GT) methods into a more holistic TBL approach. There are many universities that have recently been implementing TBL into the university setting and this seems like a very good idea according to many experts including, among many others, Nunan and Ellis. I think TBL is a reasonable approach because the focus can be on 'learning' English more than 'studying' English. I don't know how many JSHSs have found a way to use TBL within the current world of "Juken Benkyou".
I'm very interested in finding a way to "sell" the idea of TBL to the average JTE (who hasn't got an MA TEFL) so that JTE and NT goals can be more aligned and their students can enjoy English more and be more successful in English as well.
Personally, I am determined to find the right mix of approach, based on theory, to lead me to my goal. Here's where I am or my "recipe" at this point:
- I'm trying to wrap my head around understanding TBL in order to implement a TBL approach into my classroom.
- I'm starting an Extensive Reading program for both in-class and out-of class. I want to expose my students to a large amount and wide range of English.
- I'm evaluating how to give "Vocabulary" its proper place in my lessons.
The weeks seem to be flying by, with readings from the MA TEFL modules scheduled towards a weekly SKYPE session (online FREE conference call format, http://www.skype.com/helloagain.html) on Monday nights at 10 pm. If you are interested in what we are doing, skype me via bluesteed. We discuss, compare, clarify and try to understand the implications of what we are studying. We also laugh.
This week I joined TESOL http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/index.asp and renewed my membership to JALT http://jalt.org/. I figured that for the duration of this MA, I would like to open as many avenues to new ideas, interesting people and new opportunities. I think both associations are worthwhile for my professional development.
The following link is a wonderful, up-to-date introduction to TBL. Thanks to Mark for sending it to me. http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/September_06_home.php. The editor's introduction to some 8 articles is wonderful and the first short article by Nunan offers a variety of clear definitions of 'task'. Check it out.Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Where to begin?
I was somewhat dubious about beginning the MA TEFL course because I have run into too many academic types over the years who seemed like they couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper bag. They were long on theory, but unbelievably short on the practicalities and/or realities of teaching. I swore to myself that, if I started the MA, I would endeavor to become a "practical academic'. I would focus on things that were directly relevant to the students in my classroom, things that could actually help them to learn English.
So, since the beginning of this MA course, I've been collecting interesting articles and research papers that relate to teaching EFL in Japanese junior and senior high schools (known as JSHS from now on) and I would like to make them available on this blog for others to use. I have also collected things that relate to affective issues such as motivation and learner expectations. Additionally, I have already developed a few "pet interests" such as the role of questions and feedback in class, extensive reading, vocabulary acquisition, and the role of the mother tongue in EFL classes.
As I begin to figure out how to organize my collection in order to make it available to others, I'll happily begin sharing...
So, since the beginning of this MA course, I've been collecting interesting articles and research papers that relate to teaching EFL in Japanese junior and senior high schools (known as JSHS from now on) and I would like to make them available on this blog for others to use. I have also collected things that relate to affective issues such as motivation and learner expectations. Additionally, I have already developed a few "pet interests" such as the role of questions and feedback in class, extensive reading, vocabulary acquisition, and the role of the mother tongue in EFL classes.
As I begin to figure out how to organize my collection in order to make it available to others, I'll happily begin sharing...
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Looking for some answers
After 18 years of teaching EFL in Japan by instinct and by trial & error, I began an MA TEFL through the distance program at the University of Birmingham in April 2006. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to develop professionally or to 'go deeper' into teaching. It is challenging and stimulating albeit overwhelming at times.
I have found myself becoming increasingly frustrated that most of the readings in my course are ESL based and/or based on research done in countries other than Japan.
Therefore, my aim with this blog is three-fold:
1. I would like to collect relevant research that has been conducted in Japan.
2. I would like to do some collaborative action research related to junior and senior high school teaching.
3. I would like to build a network of teachers with similar interests.
I look forward to the adventures that lie ahead.
Steve
I have found myself becoming increasingly frustrated that most of the readings in my course are ESL based and/or based on research done in countries other than Japan.
Therefore, my aim with this blog is three-fold:
1. I would like to collect relevant research that has been conducted in Japan.
2. I would like to do some collaborative action research related to junior and senior high school teaching.
3. I would like to build a network of teachers with similar interests.
I look forward to the adventures that lie ahead.
Steve
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