Lesson study 

          It is important to mention that a lesson study is a teaching improvement process where teachers try to find new methods that will work well with their students at the moment of giving a class. In order to carry out this lesson study teachers need to do a collaborative research about which of their ideas will work better in the classroom with their students. For that reason, I will write why I agree about applying this methodology to improve the quality of teaching.

            For applying a good lesson study we have several steps such us:

1.      Analyze what we want to achieve with our students

2.      Identify our group of study

3.      Share ideas with other teachers

4.      Teach and observe the class

5.      Find problems

6.      Find solutions

7.      Apply it in other classes.

As a conclusion, I can say that I will apply a lesson study since in this way I will manage the class and problems better by adapting materials or changing my way of teaching but always taking into consideration my students’ needs.

References:

- YouTube,. (2016). What is Lesson Study. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f58eP_S1hLc

- Tc.columbia.edu,. (2016). what is lesson study. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from http://www.tc.columbia.edu/lessonstudy/lessonstudy.html

- Uwlax.edu,. (2016). Lesson Study Project Overview. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from http://www.uwlax.edu/sotl/lsp/overview.htm

Writing lesson objectives

At the moment of planning a lesson teacher need to take into consideration what they want learners to achieve and the kind of objectives. The reason of writing lesson objectives for a class is because teachers need to provide instructions, guidelines for assessment or to convey instructional intent to others.

We have three kind or types of objectives:

1.      Cognitive: understanding or awareness. For example: list and explain

2.      Psychomotor: special skills.

3.      Affective: attitudes or relationships

Given that, it is necessary to write the objectives of the lesson according to the level of students, their needs and age. Furthermore, we do not have to make our objectives time consuming or so simple because those objectives have the purpose of making students understand in a clear and unambiguous way.

Finally, I will consider these tips at the moment of writing the lesson objectives of my future classes since I need to be focus on students’ comprehension rather to achieve my own goals.

References: 

- Educationoasis.com,. (2016). Writing Learning Objectives. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from http://www.educationoasis.com/curriculum/LP/LP_resources/lesson_objectives.htm

- Depts.washington.edu,. (2016).Assignment 1. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from http://depts.washington.edu/eproject/objectives.htm

- YouTube,. (2016). 3.2 - How to Write Learning Objectives Using Bloom's Taxonomy. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgkLV9h69Q

Bloom’s taxonomy

      What I learned about bloom’s taxonomy is that it was created in order to promote a higher way of thinking and analyzing learning. It is more focused on the way teachers ask questions. For example we have different competences that are demonstrated in specific skills.

-          Knowledge: observation and recall of information

-          Comprehension: understanding information

-          Application: use of information

-          Analysis: identification of components

-          Synthesis: use old ideas to create new ones

-          Evaluation: compare and discriminate between ideas

As a conclusion, I can say that it is really important the way we ask questions because sometimes those questions are not clear and do not have a specific objective. Given that, teachers need to know the level of their students at the moment of asking something.

References:

- YouTube,. (2016). Bloom's Taxonomy for Teachers (Revised). Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGXANN3MUsg

- Nwlink.com,. (2016). Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains: The Cognitive Domain. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

- Cft.vanderbilt.edu,. (2016). Bloom’s Taxonomy | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt University. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

Categorizing learners’ mistakes - Unit 29

            At the moment of learning a second language it is normal that students make mistakes and these could be errors or slips that it usually occurs when there is l1 interference or when learners are developing their stage in order to learn the second language.

            Students’ mistakes occur when there are problems of accuracy (when they do not use the correct form of language) and appropiacy (when students do not use the language according to the context or situation).

            For example we have different ways of categorizing learners’ mistakes:

-          Inaccuracy: pronunciation

-          Inaccuracy: grammatical

-          Inappropriate style or register

-          Inaccuracy: lexical

-          Inaccuracy: spelling

-          Inaccuracy: punctuation

All of those mistakes are giving because sometimes students lose motivation or when teachers do not correct mistakes at the right moment. For that reason, it is really necessary to know how to correct learners and make them feel courageous of learning.

            In conclusion, I will apply the knowledge gained on this chapter at the moment of correcting my students’ mistakes by giving them clear examples about the correct use of the language they are learning.

References: 

- Google Books,. (2016). An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://books.google.com.ec/books?id=-V3fAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=categorize+learners+mistakes&source=bl&ots=UqapEEYiXY&sig=88P-JtM7QKnTEicmXM34y40QwjU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJueDegdLKAhVGyT4KHThsAkk4ChDoAQgZMAA#v=onepage&q=categorize%20learners%20mistakes&f=false

- YouTube,. (2016). Correcting mistakes in language learning, does it work?. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5CE52uLMgQ

- Google Books,. (2016). Exploring English Language Teaching. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://books.google.com.ec/books?id=ZyGZhjYPaHQC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=categorize+learners+mistakes&source=bl&ots=JlN93F59Tc&sig=S92N4FAzozah4jj0ckW21G7y4rg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJueDegdLKAhVGyT4KHThsAkk4ChDoAQhLMAk#v=onepage&q=categorize%20learners%20mistakes&f=false

Identifying the functions of learners language - Unit 28

            In a class, students use the language for different purposes and it is called functions of learners. For example, when they are taking part of tasks or interacting with their teacher or classmates, students are using the language for a specific purpose such us: greeting, suggesting, asking for clarification or negotiating about an important topic.

            It is important that teachers take into consideration learners’ needs at the moment of making their students participate in the class. Moreover, educators need to model the language for their learners since they are going to be aware about the use of it and they will use it in an appropriate way because during the entire lesson they are not going to use the same style, they can use a neutral, formal or informal language in order to differentiate the use of each other and when to use them.

            In conclusion, as a future English teacher I will bear in mind the different needs of my students in order to make them use the language appropriately in all the learning contexts because they need to realize that we cannot use the same style with all the people.

References:
- Caballero, E., Caballero, E., & profile, V. (2012). Mis notas para el TKT: Identifying the functions of learners' language. Tktportafolios.blogspot.com. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from http://tktportafolios.blogspot.com/2012/10/identifying-functions-of-learners.html

-  YouTube,. (2016). Functions of Language 1/3: Origins. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jc6DbvW31g

- prezi.com,. (2016). Identifying the functions of learners' language. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://prezi.com/iv91jmjajd1m/identifying-the-functions-of-learners-language/

Using language appropriately for a range of classroom functions - Unit 27

Using language appropriately for a range of classroom functions - Unit 27

As we already know when we want to communicate with other people we need to have a specific purpose to do it, especially when we talk about communicating inside the classroom since learners need to use the language appropriately because it is not the same to talk to a teacher that to another classmate. I want to start by saying that in the classroom the language has different functions that are the reasons why we use it. For example we have: inviting someone, explaining something or instructing someone to do something.

Moreover, when learners want to share their ideas to others about a specific topic their use of language will depend on the context and their needs. For teachers, it is not so easy to make students speak since they do not know the language perfectly but educators can make them participate in a classroom discourse and try to model the target language by giving clear examples about the pronunciation of a word or the correct use of grammar.

As a conclusion, it is really important and meaningful for students that their teacher can give them models about how to use the language appropriately. In my personal opinion, I will apply the knowledge gained about this topic with my future students since we as future teachers as well , we are the principal tools for learners in order to make them understand and manage the target language correctly.

References:

-  2012books.lardbucket.org,. (2016).Functions of Language. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/a-primer-on-communication-studies/s03-02-functions-of-language.html

- YouTube,. (2016). Formal Writing: Using Appropriate Language. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1jG-mKSQgo

- prezi.com,. (2016). Using language appropriately for a range of classroom functi. Retrieved 30 January 2016, from https://prezi.com/oj-dkjoulfyg/using-language-appropriately-for-a-range-of-classroom-functi/

Selection and use of teaching aids – UNIT 26

            I learned about this unit that teaching aids are all the resources or materials that are available in the class such as: the board, the overhead projector or cd players that teachers use at the moment of giving a class. In order to use these kinds of sources we have to think and analyze our specific teaching purpose and all the aims of the class such as: the subsidiary aims, and the stage aims of the lesson we are preparing.

            In addition it is necessary to use realia in a class since learners need of a real situation with real materials because they are going to make relation their learning with their daily life in order to understand the class better. Furthermore, we have to be aware that the procedure of the lesson goes according with the aims we stablished at the beginning of the class.

            In conclusion, I will always apply this knowledge in my classes because the use of teaching aids in a class will make your class relevant and meaningful for students and they will feel comfortable about the class and about the teacher.

Bibliography

• Slideshare.net,. (2016). Teaching Aids. Retrieved 16 January 2016, from http://www.slideshare.net/deepati1/teaching-aids-39749045

• Templates.joomla-monster.com,. (2016).Welcome to the Teaching Aids. Retrieved 16 January 2016, from http://templates.joomla-monster.com/joomla16/jm-teaching-aids