Reaching the World through English language

As future teachers we often have a lot of expectations about how to teach, or what kind of strategies to use in order for students to enjoy learning English. In our particular case, to work with kids was an amazing experience, and a huge challenge.

At the beginning, we tried to think in what they wanted or would enjoy, and what they needed to learn about the language. It was obvious that they did not know anything of the language. Then, when we started to teach them, sometimes we felt frustrated because many techniques or activities we used in classes did not work the way we expected, but that helped us to be more creative, and improve our strategies.

The final result of almost six months in practices was one of the best memories of our life, due to the love that children showed us, their joy and happiness in each class, and their enthusiasm for learning English. Those were some of the aspects which made us gain experience and notice that hard work brings wonderful rewards.

It is a language teaching method which is based on the assumption that the coordination of speech and action will boost language learning. It was developed by James Asher in the 70s He drew from a variety of areas, including psychology, learning theory and humanistic pedagogy.

PPP approach, is an EFL technique. Presentation, practice and production is its meaning. In this kind of class the teacher presents the topic in a meaningful way. The students make workgroups and work over specific themes related to the idea (topic) of the class. In this kind of class, students can practice vocabulary and other aspects of the language by asking some questions and sharing opinions or by performing role plays. The theme about cultural shock, presented in this class, was really interesting. We think the team did a great job in the development of the class and they chose the most suited activities.

In Task based learning, presentation of the material is given by applying different activities. What is really important in this method is that students can learn and work based on adquired knowledges in a meaningful way.

The explanation given for the group was interesting and understandable, the activities were appropriated and easy to do for us. We consider they applied the method during the class.

The silent way is an approach to language teaching, developed in the States by Caleb Gattegno, involving a highly structured system of specialized techniques and apparatus. The teacher is encouraged to restrict his own speech to a minimum, in order that students become involved in establishing meaningful language behaviour themselves.

Taken from: http://globeenglishconsultants.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=72

The silent way method presented in class was focused on the idea that the teacher has to talk as minimun as possible. For that reason the team or the teachers chose an activity based on a role play about urban tribes, in which everybody had to speak and creat their own dialogue or script. Then one or more members of each team made a presentation about their topic. It was really great because the whole group had the oportunity to create and construct their own speech and show it to the others with little help from the teachers, just using their own knowledge and skills in the language.

Also, they asked us to make a sort of collage with pictures and key words about the different urban tribes presented in the class. After every group finished it, we had to present and explain our work to the others.

It was six men of Indostán, to learning much inclined,

who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind),

that each by observation, might satisfy his mind.

The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall,

against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:

"God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!"

The second feeling of the tusk, cried: "Ho! what have we here,

so very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear,

this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!"

The third approached the animal, and, happening to take,

the squirming trunk within his hands,

"I see," quoth he,the elephant is very like a snake!"

The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee:

"What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain," quoth he;

"Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree."

The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; "E'en the blindest man

can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,

This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!"

The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope,

than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope,

"I see," quothe he, "the elephant is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostán, disputed loud and long,

each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!

So, oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,

tread on in utter ignorance, of what each other mean,

and prate about the elephant, not one of them has seen!

“Too many students are like blind men in the fable, each one having a limited and truncated experience of the language elephant.” Andrews (1995)

Language Exploration and Awareness

This is a different approach that Andrews show us, with a view of the study of English Language from a broader perspective. For this reason, Andrews (1995) says, “Students are taught only about parts of language. They need instead awareness of the whole elephant.” This is a view which helps learners to experience more of the language elephant, and it helps the students to be aware of the wholeness of language, with a social and communicative purpose and not as many teachers do when they apply the traditional approach and just teach: grammar drills, the usage of worksheets and so forth.

Andrews tells us some exercises or explorations (as he uses to call them) to do in order to practice and recognise of where the words come from, in special the words that we use everyday. Here one of those exercises or explorations:

Exploration: Selective

Direction: Make a list of your most frequently used slang expressions.

1. Who else used these expressions? Be specific by listing (a) the names of other people who used them, and (b) their relationship to you (best friend, cousin, neighbor).

2. Are there similar expressions you hear everyday but would you never use? Why? Who use them?

3. How do you determine when, where and with whom certain expressions can or not be used?

By: Deisy Ramírez & Tiffany Rangel (2010)

From: youtube

Teaching English to kindergarten kids at Aire English school. It is an extensive Kindy Kids program at the school incorporating colors, numbers, phonics, vocabulary, songs and listening activities. This is all taught using a fun student-centered methodology.

In the same order of ideas, and taking some points from Searle, he talks about pre-linguistic and linguistic capacities. The first are related to those things we can express through movements, sounds, body language, or even our face, but without say any word. An example of this are the animals, as they do not have the ability to develop a structured linguistic system. The second, implies more complicated actions and the capacity to create and develop an organized form of communication and meanings, such as the language that humans have established.

Nowadays, the researches and studies about this issue are huge and continuous. We cannot say that all about language is completely said, because we have much road to walk through in this specific area.

By: Susana Bello (2010)