My Preferred Teaching Setting

 

My Preferred Teaching Setting

I prefer to teach students who are elementary school students and middle school students especially, students whose age is in between 10 to 15. Also, I prefer to teach students whose level is pre-intermediate or intermediate. I would like to teach small size of class composed with 10-15 students. I am looking forward to work with students who are interested in learning English in communicative ways rather, in traditional ways. I think that communicative ways of teaching is much effective to develop student’s capability of using English in a long-term perspective. Also, lately, the trend of English education in Korea has been a lot changed. It used to significantly emphasis on grammar and reading but, as time goes by, speaking in English gets the most important part in English.

Personally, using English in text-based is not effective anymore in general usages because, the world gets globalized and people are able to travel all around the world whenever and wherever they want. Therefore, naturally, people are given higher chances of meeting foreigners whose nations and ethnicity are numerous and diverse. Especially, in Korea, people avoid to speak when foreigners, mostly spoken in English, ask directions. Even, some of people who has high score on official English exams are afraid of having communication with foreigners. To prevent these happens during the process or at the end of learning English, the methods of teaching English should be changed. Teachers would be willing to put more stress on developing students’ communication skills in terms of using context-based and authentic materials.

For me as a teacher, I like to use articles, movies, storybooks, pictures and many Relias based on students’ interests and levels so that students can reduce their Affective Filters while they are learning. There are tons of awesome resources outside of textbooks which focus on grammar and reading. It seems like I do not like to teach grammar and reading. Obviously, it is not true! I definitely teach grammars and readings because these are also still very crucial parts in English. I just want to teach grammars and readings in implicit ways as possible. For example, using one of interesting articles which might be interesting to students. While students are studying a particular article that I would mention some of grammar points which are important or useful in a real conventional circumstance. It would be much helpful to students learning grammars which has high usages rather, students memorizing whole the chapters of grammar books.

Also, I believe reading can be improved by building the capacity of vocabulary knowledge. Instead of memorizing 10000 words in boring and conventional vocabulary books that are published, making frequent chances that students are exposed to various words through reading fun cartoon books, articles, storybooks and real sources. Actually, according to many researches, intensive memorizing particular at instance far less effective in long term memory of students. Frequent readings in various contexts are much effective in building vocabulary knowledge. In addition, knowing meaning of thousands of vocabularies are important but, for me, knowing using vocabulary knowledge in right time in right place is much more important. That is why I am emphasis on using diverse materials outside of textbooks so that students can apply words they learned in right context and place properly.

Lastly, I am a person who think that teaching different cultural aspects is also very important. It could be hard for students to know different cultural aspects of English spoken countries without living foreign countries. But, at least, I can provide some information from my experiences as an experienced hand. Understanding some of different aspects would be definitely helpful to students in learning English much easier.

Prezi – Listening Activity

Click here to go my Prezi: http://prezi.com/jvbuednwhbhr/lets-imagine/#

Lesson Plan

Target Age: middle and high school students
Target Level: advanced
Topic: Home of the Future (technology)

<Pre-listening> Draw students’ attentions by showing some pictures about future home. Have students guess what kinds of technologies they will have in a future.

<Listening> Teachers ask two questions in slide #3 to students before watching the video. Students can listen actively, being asked by these questions. Then show the video in slide #4 to students. After watching the video, teachers ask four questions in slide #5 to students. If students cannot answer those questions correctly, teachers could allow them to listen one more time. Those questions are narrow so that require students to focus on more detailed information in the video.

<Post-listening> Let students imagine that they just moved into new house, and give them opportunities to think about what kinds of technology they like to have in their house and why do they want that technology in their house. Students have time to share their ideas among group members. Make sure that each member has a chance to speak about one’s thought. Let students present one of the most creative ideas among group members’ so that the whole class can share those ideas.

I worked with Olivia and Celina

http://ucanflyguys.wordpress.com/ (Olivia)

http://AngryCelina.wordpress.com/ (Celina)

Mindmap – Entertanimnet

What kinds of movie(tv shows) do you like? What kinds of songs do you like to listen?

Target Age: middle school students (age 16-17)
Target Level: Intermediate
Topic: Entertainment (Songs, Movies, and TV Shows)

Intention of the activity: A group of 3 to 4 students ask each other what they like or dislike. For example, students can speak what kinds of movie do they like and what songs do they listen for entertaining themselves. Further, they can stretch out the topic so, they are also able to share why they like the TV shows for entertaining and why they like certain celebrities so on.

Through the activity: students not only have chances to communicate in English with their own opinion but also have opportunities to interact with their classmates. Also, entertainment as a topic of the activity, students are likely to be interested and engaged in the class. Moreover, the topic is very well-known especially, among teenagers so that it decreases the level of affective filter. Thus, students can easily share their ideas.

I worked with Jong and Yulia

http://jssonn73.wordpress.com/ (Jong)

http://splendidyulia.wordpress.com/ (Yulia)

 

Grammar Website Evaluation

1. http://englishgrammar101.com/

   The website provides free online grammar lessons which are organized as modules. These modules are well organized with various grammar rules which are subdivided in detail.  Also, the website gives not only lessons of grammars, but also materials for quizzes. These quizzes can be useful resources for testing learners’ degree of understating on grammars which were taught. However, the modules are all in one level so that learners are unable to use them efficiently if learners are higher level or lower level than those modules. In other words, online lessons cannot cover a broad range of students. Moreover, there are no particular activities and games which definitely give learners much fun. Also, giving prompts of targeted grammar points in each modules rather than full explanation. The prompts are not enough for students who are in learning process. Therefore, detail is surely needed. Additionally, not all services are free trials, if learners want to go in deeper of using resources, they should pay for using extra sources.

 2. http://www.azargrammar.com/

   The website is especially useful for teachers because it provides teacher’s note and PowerPoint supplements. Also, all materials are offered with Word and PDF so, learners or teachers can freely print those resources. Also, these materials are classified with three different levels so that teachers can apply or adjust them accordingly depending on students’ level. Also, expansion activities are given that students should use their knowledge and apply what they’ve learned fallowing of description written in the worksheet. By doing these activities, students comprehend the materials in broad and can be more creative. Song lesson activity is also a remarkable activity that is based on acquiring meaning of vocabs and grammar background so, it definitely gives a chance to students in leaning new words and grammar in easier way. Also, vocab sheet contains some pictures and fill in the blank style instead of the conventional way that only focus on memorization. However, the website does not include simple games that do not requires deeper understanding of materials on what they’ve learned; therefore, it possibly reduces students’ interests. The contents on the websites are basically from particular language books so the materials are only from those books, possibly limited on variety.

3. http://www.funbrain.com/verb/index.html

   The website draw users’ attentions at once because it is colorful and depicted with characters and cartoons. One of significant merits of the website is that it has lots of resources of readings. Books are uploaded. These books are definitely be loved by children because visualized illustrations are shown. Not only fun books are located but also lot of fun games based on learning. Diverse games are helpful to get children’s attentions. However, the website is not suitable for teaching grammar because it does not have any resources of teaching grammar. Also, it does not provide testing materials or worksheet for practices. In some case, excessive inputs of games on children possibly disrupt true learning process of English. Games are supposed to be assistance materials in instruction, not the main focus in leaning English. Also, the website provides supplements for math which is not significantly important in learning English. It may possible give a chance to students learning about math in English, but not crucial at this point.

 4. http://www.englishmedialab.com/

   The contents of the web-page are having many different subjects. Its targets are ESL students and old learners. For old learners’ contents are practical that is related with business terms and idiom. Also, the website provided dictionaries, also provided videos on teaching materials. Flash cards are given that users can download. Also, phonics is provided that it concerns with accurate pronunciation of students in learning. There are also lots of games that students can play with after learning certain grammar points. It definitely increases efficiency of learning grammars. However, the explanations of grammar points are not sufficient rather, quizzes and exercises are mainly focused. Accessibility of webpage is convoluted; the website transfers user to other websites which actually provide contents of teaching/learning materials. In other words, the site does not provide its own materials; it is just a mediator. No reading materials are on. Also, lack of worksheet and practices are weaknesses of the web-page. Not really organized either.

5. http://www.englishgrammarconnection.com/lessonstart.php

   The website focuses on grammar rules and writing mechanics which are good sources for writing in particular. Before, start learning, users can select their level. It links to other useful website like café. By accessing the café, teachers can get some ideas and tips for teaching effectively. Also, introducing the books based on that web-page is well-described and users are able to see the preview before purchase. In addition, the website is not attractive at all. Conventional, plain, and typical looks of website makes users feel having a distance. Therefore, users are less likely to revisit the site and look up the resources. Not much explanation about grammar rules, the website just gives drills and exercise. Through the consistent practices with drills and exercises, learners are able to figure out grammar rules and mechanics of writing by oneself. However, this method is inefficient and contributes to losing learners’ interest. No activities and teaching methods are exited. Moreover, in order to access for getting materials, users must fill out certain types of forms which are asked by the website. It definitely bothers users. Also, free grammar lesson for beginners is not provided.

6. http://www.1-language.com/englishcourse/index.htm

   The website is one of the best sites among six because it is very concrete materials and well-balanced on dealing content in multiple ways. The website provides free courses which are sub-divided into Audio lessons and English lessons.  In audio lesion provided two big category of topics which are practical topics and school topics. Most of all contents has attachment files of script recording; therefore, users are able to obtain resources about listening. Providing scripts and question of listening materials, students are high likely to engage in class by seeing scripts and doing practices. English lessons provided dialogue first and then grammar points are given. After learning grammars, learners can have exercises on that certain grammar points. It is very efficient and effective way of learning. Also, the website provided materials to users in 4 types of different stages. Specific courses contain courses for particular ethnics like Chinese and Japanese. It is very useful for foreigners whose English is as a second or foreign language. It also helps foreigners to relieve their stress or pressure because materials are derived from their ethnic background knowledge. Thus, circumstance of learning English would be much comfortable for them. References are listed with several dictionaries, bunch of useful idioms, and online activities. Games are also distributed. Children as well as adults would love the games. More articles are on the website so that users can read more. Even though the webpage have a great amount of merits, it also has some shortcomings. The section of grammar point is too long to learn and remember; it possibly causes boredom of students. Also, the font of letters is too small for young kids. Moreover, the website is not attractive which possibly fail to draw learners’ attentions. No pictures and illustrations are exited.

I worked with Sally and Yulia

http://www.surprisesally21.wordpress.com (Sally)

http://www.splendidyulia.wordpress.com (Yulia)

My First Blog Post