Learning as a web of support and collaboration
I believe that inside of a classroom there are a multitude of elements that can fuse together to create an environment that welcomes each individual student and allows him or her to maximize their potential to learn. Learning should also be done in an interactive and meaningful manner, which will, in turn resonate more with students. Regarding this, there are several elements that can be manipulated in order to better facilitate learning and create an accepting environment. These elements consist of communicative interaction between students, cultural enlightenment and acceptance between each member of the classroom, and finally, the use of authentic materials.
Communication and interaction
When students are provided with the opportunity to interact with their peers they are then susceptible to the strengths their peers possess. By exchanging and sharing knowledge, students not only grow closer, but also create a foundation of support, which they can continue to build on throughout instruction.
Once an idea is introduced to the class it is important to provide the students with a chance to interact with their neighbors and move around sharing their opinions via the use of the target language. Therefore, through practice and expression students are not only speaking the target language but also relating it to themselves.
I would implement this idea by having the students take a concept and brainstorm on their own in order to uniquely make sense of the topic. Once the students have developed meaning and understanding they will then share their ideas with their classmates. Therefore, the students are not simply relating the topics to themselves but also sharing and explain how and why it important to them, which also relates to other aspects that should be incorporated into the classroom—sharing and acceptance.
Cultural enlightenment and acceptance
Outside of opportunities provided to students there also needs to be acknowledgment of individualistic and cultural traits the students uniquely posses. This includes students’ own personal experiences, beliefs, and preferences. By addressing cultural differences and including them as a natural part of the lesson, students not only develop their language skills but they also gain a sense of worldly acceptance.
Everyday topics may be seen from different perspectives depending on a student’s background and beliefs, therefore, it is important to provide students with the freedom to express themselves if the opportunity arises during class discussion. When students share their beliefs and experiences with each other they then grow as a class and, therefore, further strengthen the accepting atmosphere within the classroom. In order to have the students express themselves I would implement activities that have the students connect the material to their character and life experiences. As a teacher it is also important to be approachable and relate to students so that the environment between teacher and student is also light and free yet also respectful. In order to have my student feel comfortable talking to me I need to respect them and put forth the effort to not only know them in the classroom but also outside of the classroom. By knowing their likes and dislikes and characteristics I can relate to the students and also better direct the material we would cover in class.
Authentic material facilitation
It is also important to expose students to authentic language. This does not mean a cookie-cutout representation of the target language. Instead, this authentic language has meaning and realistically can be heard outside of the classroom. Using authentic language as an example not only makes the lesson more relatable but it also creates realistic expectations for the students. In order for students to grow they need to feel comfortable and at ease. When there is a welcoming classroom environment filled with motivation and encouragement students will be more likely to open up and experiment with language. Through experimentation they can express their creativity and their personality. Therefore, authenticity is not only realistic but also encouraging.
In order to incorporate authenticity in the classroom I would seek material, whether reading passages, assignments, topics, or audio files, which replicate the spontaneity of English as spoken by a native speaker or even a proficient second language speaker of English. Since students are the focus of the lesson they should facilitate their own materials in order to apply meaning to the content and make it relatable to their lives. They can do this by recording themselves or creating questions that they ask their classmates, which also ties into communication and interaction.
Continuum of interaction, acceptance, and creativity
Overall, these factors relate to one another in the sense that the lesson is created for the students and, in an ideal situation, by the students. I believe that the students are the most important aspect of the lesson and that they should feel and welcome to communicate and interact. This not only motivates them but also creates an atmosphere that I hope inspires students to learn and apply lessons to experiences outside of the classroom.
I believe that inside of a classroom there are a multitude of elements that can fuse together to create an environment that welcomes each individual student and allows him or her to maximize their potential to learn. Learning should also be done in an interactive and meaningful manner, which will, in turn resonate more with students. Regarding this, there are several elements that can be manipulated in order to better facilitate learning and create an accepting environment. These elements consist of communicative interaction between students, cultural enlightenment and acceptance between each member of the classroom, and finally, the use of authentic materials.
Communication and interaction
When students are provided with the opportunity to interact with their peers they are then susceptible to the strengths their peers possess. By exchanging and sharing knowledge, students not only grow closer, but also create a foundation of support, which they can continue to build on throughout instruction.
Once an idea is introduced to the class it is important to provide the students with a chance to interact with their neighbors and move around sharing their opinions via the use of the target language. Therefore, through practice and expression students are not only speaking the target language but also relating it to themselves.
I would implement this idea by having the students take a concept and brainstorm on their own in order to uniquely make sense of the topic. Once the students have developed meaning and understanding they will then share their ideas with their classmates. Therefore, the students are not simply relating the topics to themselves but also sharing and explain how and why it important to them, which also relates to other aspects that should be incorporated into the classroom—sharing and acceptance.
Cultural enlightenment and acceptance
Outside of opportunities provided to students there also needs to be acknowledgment of individualistic and cultural traits the students uniquely posses. This includes students’ own personal experiences, beliefs, and preferences. By addressing cultural differences and including them as a natural part of the lesson, students not only develop their language skills but they also gain a sense of worldly acceptance.
Everyday topics may be seen from different perspectives depending on a student’s background and beliefs, therefore, it is important to provide students with the freedom to express themselves if the opportunity arises during class discussion. When students share their beliefs and experiences with each other they then grow as a class and, therefore, further strengthen the accepting atmosphere within the classroom. In order to have the students express themselves I would implement activities that have the students connect the material to their character and life experiences. As a teacher it is also important to be approachable and relate to students so that the environment between teacher and student is also light and free yet also respectful. In order to have my student feel comfortable talking to me I need to respect them and put forth the effort to not only know them in the classroom but also outside of the classroom. By knowing their likes and dislikes and characteristics I can relate to the students and also better direct the material we would cover in class.
Authentic material facilitation
It is also important to expose students to authentic language. This does not mean a cookie-cutout representation of the target language. Instead, this authentic language has meaning and realistically can be heard outside of the classroom. Using authentic language as an example not only makes the lesson more relatable but it also creates realistic expectations for the students. In order for students to grow they need to feel comfortable and at ease. When there is a welcoming classroom environment filled with motivation and encouragement students will be more likely to open up and experiment with language. Through experimentation they can express their creativity and their personality. Therefore, authenticity is not only realistic but also encouraging.
In order to incorporate authenticity in the classroom I would seek material, whether reading passages, assignments, topics, or audio files, which replicate the spontaneity of English as spoken by a native speaker or even a proficient second language speaker of English. Since students are the focus of the lesson they should facilitate their own materials in order to apply meaning to the content and make it relatable to their lives. They can do this by recording themselves or creating questions that they ask their classmates, which also ties into communication and interaction.
Continuum of interaction, acceptance, and creativity
Overall, these factors relate to one another in the sense that the lesson is created for the students and, in an ideal situation, by the students. I believe that the students are the most important aspect of the lesson and that they should feel and welcome to communicate and interact. This not only motivates them but also creates an atmosphere that I hope inspires students to learn and apply lessons to experiences outside of the classroom.
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