Tree of Learning

 “Children do not need to be made to learn about the world or shown how. They want to, and they know how.”

John Holt

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    Students learn best in the most natural environment where there a balance of explicit and implicit strategies to the second language learner.  Like a tree, it grows in the warmth of the sun, the soil and water - all natural.  

An ESL Learning Environment



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There are major components that make a learning environment conducive for all learners and most especially for ESL students.  Academic standards have to be met to ensure that students' needs are met.  Teachers's understanding of culture and langauge creates a positive setting for the learner.

Stories, Music, Games for Learning

There are many ways to learn a second language. ESL students learn best in a welcoming environment that reduces anxiety and intimidation.  Games, music, chants, and storytelling motivates students and hold their interest in the most natural approach.

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Literacy in ESL

ESL students can be reached with a variety of ways using a literature-based curriculum.  A good book may stir up interest and motivation. 

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Chapter 19/20

 “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world” 

Ludwig Wittgenstein

In order to succeed in an ever changing world, we need to think and act globally.  In order to understand others, we need to speak other “languages.”

The concept of the “villages” of total immersion of language, culture and food leads to a global understanding of other cultures and language.  What a peaceful world it will be!

Image:  Children Around the World stock photography. Children Around the World  123rf.com

Teaching ESL and Others

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With techonology and training, instruction for English as a Second Language students has expanded and reaches all learners.  ESL students will find additional success in all content areas with language included. 

ESL -Being Diverse

ESL programs have reached beyond the elementary, middle and high school walls.  There are many programs that support language learners of all ages.  It shows how diversified our country has become.

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Contact the ESL Department. ESL students. Myo Myint - Division Chair

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ESL Programs



ESL programs have reached beyond the elementary, middle and high school walls.  There are many programs that support language learners of all ages.  It shows how diversified our country has become.

“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world”  Ludwig Wittgenstein

In order to succeed in an ever changing world, we need to think and act globally.  In order to understand others, we need to speak other “languages.”

The concept of the “villages” of total immersion of language, culture and food leads to a global understanding of other cultures and language.  What a peaceful world it will be!

Children Around the World stock photography. Children Around the World   123rf.com

Farewell

We must find strategies and educational arrangements for teaching young people according to their needs, rather than according to ours." ~Bernard Fryshman

As we bid this semester adieu, we reflect on what we have taken from the course.  I thought that this quote seems befitting...to finding the appropriate instruction for each child that enters our classroom doors…

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience….Best of luck to all you as you open many doors for the children in your care...

lorna

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Good-bye!

Awww man! I missed the food! :D I had fun in class! I'm going to miss everyone! :(

Farewell ED 481

I feel very privileged to have participated in a course that combines face to face interaction with online learning. No matter which setting we were in I think our learning will never end. Thank you all for your tips and perspectives on teaching. I will keep them handy when it comes to student teaching this fall. Finally this class has encouraged me to keep on pushing forward and working towards being a great teacher.


Adios my wonderful classmates!

And thanks for all the fish!

Again, thank you all for the experience. Thank you to my fellow undergrads. Our support circle shall always reign supreme with me. Thank you to the actual teachers, who have opened my eyes to the things I didn't think of when I signed up for this future. And thank you to Dr. Rivera as our Mistress of Ceremony.

This class has given me a lot and I can only hope that I have contributed to it as well.

Hope to see everyone soon!

Good bye!

Everyone did a great presentation today! Thank you!

Final Reflection

We finally submitted our last assignment! I had many assignments for this class and I now feel free :)

Nice thoughts to have...

I enjoyed how we worked to end this semester on a very positive note. The activities tonight really tied in the fact that although we only saw each other once a week and then every now and then, we still really learned a lot about each other. These are the kind of activities that I do not think about, but once I do them, I realize that I should really contemplate integrating this into my future plans for teaching.

Chapter 19 & 20

I liked these two chapters because they introduced new age style language immersion programs. I really think UOG would benefit from a language camp approach incorporated with the summer fitness camp. Also I think the idea of a bilingual and bicultural institute would be helpful in preserving the Chamorro language on Guam. Also it may help newcomers to Guam who do not speak English ease into the English language. Lastly I think students acquire language more in the academic setting rather than learning on their own with no help.

Chapters 15 & 16

These chapters presented the component that are important for lesson planning such as creating an approach to teaching and the materials needed for the activity. Both are important because they both are essential factors in creating a meaningful learning experience for ESL learners. However as ESL teachers we have to remember that an ESL curriculum must always be ready to be changed according to the students' levels of comprehension in reading, speaking, writing, and listening. Lastly for materials teachers should be creative and implement technological tools to introduce a higher learning skill in the classroom.

Chapters 19 & 20: Finally done! whew! :)

Foreign Language Programs is encourage in today's generation. The bilingual population in our society is continuing to increase. Moreover, bilingualism is now viewed as a positive thing. On the other hand, Bilingual and Heritage Programs can also be effective in reviving languages that are becoming extinct. These two programs are tested in the U.S. and they are proven to have positive results.

Chapter 18

ESL Programs are one of the programs that is essential to the success of education in a country or nation with diverse populations of people with different ethnicity.

Chapter 15

As with everything else in life, it is imperative to devise a plan when teaching students a second language.  Planning is important because it is the leveraged time, provides framework for informed decision making, reduces crisis management, and allows focus and personal energy direction.

Chapter 14

The one thing that stood out to me the most in this chapter is the little excerpt on the first page.  "When given the opportunity to talk about themselves in personally relevant ways, students tend to become much more motivated.  The result is that they want to be able to express their feelings and ideas more in the target language.  They want to communicate.  When this happens, growth becomes a reciprocal process; enhancing personal growth enhances growth in the foreign language."  I agree with Moskowitz a hundred percent.

Chapter 13

This chapter is about numerous ways to promote literacy development in a second language.  Some of the methods mentioned are, Language Experience Approach, Literature-based Curriculum, Writing Workshop, and Advanced Academic Literacy. All these methods are effective in one way or another. However, in order for  literacy development take place, it is critical for the teacher to know his/her students' learning styles, what method is best for the class, and the kinds of activities to utilize during the delivery of instruction.

Chapter 12

Based on the reading, as well as additional research, I found that "games are very useful in a class because they provide an opportunity for students to use their language in a less formal situation, without pressure of doing it absolutely right or not, but with enthusiasm for winning the game, as well as practicing the language."  There are also many advantages of using games in the lesson.  One advantage is that games are flexible in that they can be used to teach different parts of the lesson. Another obvious advantage is that games make the lesson much more fun.  It is also obvious that when students are having fun, they are more motivated to learn and are more willing to participate in the lesson.

Chapter 11

I agree with the author when she states that "storytelling, role play, and drama allow students to explore their inner resources, empathize with others, and used their own experience as scaffolds on which to build credible action."  When  a story is told in the first language to the point that students are familiar with the story, the student will not only be able to interpret the story when told in the second language, but they will also be able to internalize the words in the second language.  Role play and drama are just extensions of storytelling in that they help students get in touch with their creative sides to act out the story.

Chapter 10

I totally agree that chants, music, and poetry are helpful tools for teaching a second language.  They help improve listening and speaking skills, vocabulary and reduces anxiety and inhibition in second language students.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 is about Interactive Practices.  I believe that interactive practices are great methods  for teaching a second language.  Natural Approach is one method discussed,  and its based on four stages.  Stage 1 - comprehension, Stage 2 - early speech production, Stage 3 - speech emergence and beyond, and Stage 4- is when activities are more complex, and requires greater understanding of the language in order to be fulfilled/completed.
As with everything, the Natural Approach has its limitations, which I am not surprised based on the interactive activities used.  The activities proved that the method was geared toward beginning to low intermediate students.
  

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 focuses on physical involvement in the language learning process.  I feel that physical response activities are only effective in the beginning because as the lesson becomes more complex, the less physical activity is required.  Instead, mental activities are required at advanced stages of the lesson.

Chapter 7

This chapter focuses on testing in second language teaching.  There a various methods of testing, i.e. norm-referenced vs. criterion referenced, indirect vs. direct, discrete point vs. integrative, that teachers may utilize to evaluate students' progress.  However, regardless of what method is used, I believe that students should not just be tested to determine progress.  Instead, teachers should utilize tests results in lesson planning, student placement, and as a means of incentive.

Chapter 6 - Affective Domain

I agree that affective domain can either enhance or hinder second language learning.  Attitude, motivation, and level of anxiety, each play a different role in a student's experience with second language learning.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 focuses on implicit and explicit teaching strategies.  I personally feel that although there should be a mixture of both strategies when teaching a new language, implicit teaching strategies should be focused on more than explicit.  Explicit teaching strategies should be used in the introductory stages of teaching a new language for it enhances implicit learning in which individuals actually apply their knowledge.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 is about participatory language teaching, in which students learn best when learning strategies are well timed, suited to the students' needs and compatible with students' cognitive styles and cultural expectations. Learning a second language can be a frustrating and tedious process; therefore, students must be given ample time and allowed to learn at their own pace.  Students' needs must also be taken into consideration and accommodations must be provided.