Learning to Teach Adults

 

How will I attend to the individual learning style needs of Ss, both instructionally and personally? 

 

Since none of them learn in the same way, we will always find in our classes activists learners, theorist learners, reflector learners, and pragmatic learners. So, all of them will have different needs and make different demands on us. We, as teachers, have to take into account all our Ss’ needs in order to balance our classes. Because we know that some of our Ss like active ways of learning or having their minds stretched and challenge, and others like to have time to reflect upon an activity before take part of it or to know the point of something, we must include a variety of activities that make all our Ss feel engage in the class.

So I will attend to the individual learning style needs of Ss, both instructionally and personally by creating a positive atmosphere and by developing a variety of activities in my classes; activities that take into account my Ss’ previous knowledge, experiences, and motivations. I’ll try to balance my classes by using a variety of techniques, methods, and exercises that make all my Ss take an active role in their learning process so that all their needs are fulfilled.

How will I see growth in the learners according to their stated needs/ goals, as well as my course goals?

Well, taking into consideration that we’re dealing with adults, we have to know that all of them might be at different phases of their lives and have certain amount of previous knowledge since this is not their first learning experience.

 So their growth will depend on their previous experiences. If their experiences are good, Ss will be more likely to easily learn more, so will see their growth very soon since our goals will be easily achieved, but if their experiences are not so good, they will not be able to easily learn; it will be more difficult to achieve our course goals with them.

How do I use the learner’s experiences within the instruction?

We have to know that all adult learners bring something to their learning process. Besides certain knowledge about the subject matter, they also bring experiences to their learning process. We, as teachers, must take advantage of it, and make it part of our course. We must take into account and respect all our opinions, thoughts, and feelings.

We need to match the activities that are to take place in our classroom with all our Ss; this means that everything we want our Ss to learn must be related to their daily lives, to what is important and useful to them. So while planning our classes, we must include and take into account our Ss’ experiences in order to develop the appropriate activities that make our Ss learn and enjoy our classes, so it is essential identify our Ss’ specific physical and educational needs beforehand.

Classroom management and Strategies-Based Instruction

How is order set up and kept in learning environments?  

    After reading chapters 15 and 16 of the book “Teaching by Principles” I can say that, the order set up and kept in learning environments is an order developed trough classroom management and based on SBI (Strategy-Based Instruction).Chapter 15, classroom management, provides us different aspects that we, as teachers, must take into account in order to set up an appropriate order in our classrooms.

Since one of the simplest principles of classroom management centers on the physical environment for learning, we as teachers must consider that most Ss are deeply affected by what they see, hear, and feel when they enter the classroom and that since Ss are members of a team, we as teachers must make sure that they are able to see and to talk one another and forget about the traditional and boring seating arrangement; however, the traditional and boring seating arrangement may be very useful at tests’ time in order to prevent chating. We also have to be aware that the chalkboard and certain equipment  are two of our greatest allies if we make appropriate use of it.

 

    Moreover, in order to set up an appropriate order in our learning environment, we must take into account our voice and our body language. While talking in front of a class, we must project our voice so that even the person sitting farthest away can hear us clearly. Besides that, we also have to make use of body language since nonverbal communication is really important in a class because we can get our Ss’ attention through nonverbal communication.

    Furthermore, the teacher’s role and the teaching style play a very important role in classroom management. Since we, as teachers, have to play many roles like authority figures, leaders, managers, facilitators, etc, we must know ourselves, our limitations, our strengths, and our likes and dislikes because our teaching style will almost always be according our personality style which can vary from individual to individual. so in order to set up a good order in learning environment, we must take into account all classroom management’s aspects so that learning takes place in our classroom.

   

What is the impact of Atrategies-Based Instructions on teaching English as a foreign language?

Most teachers around the world are trying to apply successful and modern strategies to promote interaction in their classrooms; that’s why, nowadays, many teachers are trying to put into practice some interactive principles such as automaticity, intrinsic motivation, and strategy investment; for example, in strategy investment, teachers try to make their students aware that in order to successfully master a foreign language, they need to invest their time, effort, and attention to the second language. In this strategy, teachers are focusing on the learner’s role in their learning process; this means that teachers are trying to make their Ss understand that they have to play an active role in their learning process.     

SBI (Strategy-Based Instruction) have had a great impact on teaching English as foreign language. Taking in to account what  Dr. H Douglas Brown said in his book “Teaching by Principles” page 258 “In an era of communicative, interactive, learner-centered teaching, SBI simply cannot be overlooked.” We can say that teaching means almost nothing without having all the SBI and other modern interactive teaching strategies. Besides that, SBI is what guide many teachers to have successful interactive classes in which learning takes place. So, through SBI Ss are encouraged to continue their learning outside the classroom, to go beyond his classes, and to develop their own strategies for success since that is what Good Language Learners do, to find their own way, taking charge of their learning.

Moreover, we, as teachers, must promote awareness and action in our Ss in order to make them go beyond their classroom. So, we as teachers must foster an interactive learning environment in all our classrooms applying interactive principles, strategies, and techniques in order to make our Ss active participants in their own learning process. That’s why, we as teachers must notice that SBI play an important role in the teaching environment.       

Dialogue, a Quantum Process!!!!

Danah Zohar calls dialogue a quantum process since the quantum approach to adult learning is based on twelve principles which hold that adults have enough life experience to be in dialogue with the teacher. Moreover, adult learners are more likely to learn knowledge if it related to their lives’ experiences, but how will the teacher know their lives’ experiences in order to relate new knowledge to it? Well it is through “Dialogue.”

Danah Zohar present us the “ Quantum approach” to adult learning which, as I said before, is based on twelve principles and practices that are different forms to begin, maintain, and foster the dialogue;  Some of these twelve principles are the followings:

 

• Needs assessment: The dialogue between the teacher and the adult learner must begin long before the course stars in order to listen to learners’ wants and needs so that teachers can design a course that meets all their learners’ needs. This listening effort is what is called a learning needs and resources assessment.

• Safety: Danah Zohar describes safety as a principle which is linked to respect for learners as decision makers of their own learning. So this is what it is all about, about making our adult learners feel safe in a learning environment so that they can be willing to participate in class, ready to learn, and eager to take an active role in their learning process. One of the ways in which we can make our Ss participate in the class and find their voices to enhance the power of safety is by making them work in small groups. So, what teachers must do is to look for the different ways in which he or she can create a safety environment for his or her Ss so that learners are able to be active participant of their learning process.

• Praxis: Praxis a Greek word meaning action with reflection. Praxis  is doing something with reflection; this means that while you are doing a task you are reflecting upon it at the same time. 
 

 

• Respect for learners as decision makers: To respect learners as decision maker of their own learning, we as teachers, first must recognize that adults are decisions makers since they themselves decide what works for them from the content they are studying and what doesn’t work. One way in which we as teacher can foster our adult learners as decision makers is asking open questions since while answering an open question, our adult learners will share their own ideas and be critical thinkers who make their own decisions. So this principle is directly related to participation.      

• Teamwork: Since teams provide a safety environment even while solving the most difficult tasks, it is a very effective technique to use in class that cannot be overlooked. Besides that, while respecting our learners’ choosing of team members, we, as teachers, are also fostering the principle of safety.

  

• Engagement: We, as teachers, must include in our lessons, activities that make our learners feel and be actively engaged in their learning process in order to make learning take place.

So, Danah Zoahar calls dialogue a quantum process since all the twelve principles and practices make adult learning a process that needs to go step by step; that’s why, you cannot skip any of them since they are linked together in order to begin, maintain, and nurture the dialogue.

This Quantum Thinking approach is a new way of looking adult learning since it goes beyond the subject-object dichotomy honoring and respecting all adult learners as subjects, as decision makers. Moreover, quantum thinking is teamwork since we learn together by being actively engage in the learning activities. So, I consider that Danah Zoahar calls dialogue a quantum process because the Quantum approach is based on the twelve principles that help teachers to begin, maintain, and foster dialogue.

This entry is based on the book “Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach,” the power of Diologue in Educating adults Jane Vella, Part 1 Twelve Principles for effective Adult Learning.

Initiating Interaction in the Classroom and Sustaining Interaction through Group work

How is order set up and kept in learning environments?  and What is the impact of Atrategies-Based Instructions on teaching English as a foreign language?

    Having reflected upon chapters 13 and 14 of the book “Teaching by Principles” I can say that actually, the order set up and kept in learning environments is an interactive order based on SBI (Strategy-Based Instruction). Most teachers around the world are trying to apply successful and modern strategies to promote interaction in their classrooms, so the order presented in these chapters is set up and kept through many interactive principles, through the role of the interactive teacher, and through group work.

 

      The learning environment presented in these chapters are based on how to promote interaction; that’s why, nowadays, many teachers are trying to put into practice some interactive principles such as automaticity, intrinsic motivation, and strategy investment; for example, in strategy investment, teachers try to make their students aware that in order to successfully master a foreign language, they need to invest their time, effort, and attention to the second language. In this strategy, teachers are focusing on the learner’s role in their learning process; this means that teachers are trying to make their Ss understand that they have to play an active role in their learning process.

          

       So, the order set up and kept in the learning environments must be one in which interaction can take place not only between Ss but also between teachers and Ss. One of the most relevant and modern strategy or technique that many teachers are using to promote interaction in their classrooms is group work since working in groups or in pairs, Ss have the have the opportunity to exchange their thoughts, feelings, and ideas, so in that way, interactive communication can take place. Besides that, when Ss have interactive communications through group work, they are putting in to practice their language skills, and taking an active role in their learning process; they are also able to self-evaluate their own learning and giving feedback on their errors which are some of the advantages that group work provides.

 

 

       Moreover, I can say that SBI (Strategy-Based Instruction) have had a great impact on teaching English as foreign language. Taking into account all the ideas presented before and as Dr. H Douglas Brown said in his book “Teaching by Principles” page 258 “In an era of communicative, interactive, learner-centered teaching, SBI simply cannot be overlooked.” That’s why, teaching means almost nothing without having all the SBI and other modern interactive teaching strategies. Besides that, SBI is what guide many teachers to have successful interactive classes in which learning takes place. So, through SBI Ss are encouraged to continue their learning outside the classroom, to go beyond his classes, and to develop their own strategies for success.

            

     So, we as teachers must promote an interactive learning environment in all our classrooms applying interactive principles, strategies, and techniques like group work in order to make our Ss active participants in their own learning process. That’s why, we as teachers must notice that SBI play an important role in the teaching environment.