Homework to be handed in on Monday 13th

1) Fill in your two-sided handout of the Learner Profile questionnaires.
2) Correct your written work by understanding the correction code I used to mark it.
3) Draw up a lesson plan for a typical group of your students.

• It should be to do with the subject you teach but also now include a few of the ideas we have seen this week.
• You can write it by hand, type it or print it from a computer.
• Is should contain timings, aims, materials, activities, possible homework assignment or follow up research task and a clear understanding of the 'type' of students the class is planned for.

Please have these ready to hand in on Monday.

That Was The Week That Was !

WOW !
Well done everyone !
What a wonderful end to a very powerful week.
You all showed a great deal of understanding of the content of this week's study together as well as a very refreshing humanistic approach in your micro teaching today...Thank you.

Group 1: Victor, Diana, Rigo, Mauricio, Raul
This group's activity focussed us on auditory and visual learning intelligences and confirmed how we learn. They included excellent use of the physical classroom and the acting done through the two-way mirror window was superb, very dynamic and humourous.
In a real classroom situation, you could get 2 student volunteers to do this type of role playing for you. There was a very clear confirmation of the vocabulary needed for the subject; they used the 'elicitation' technique to get the vocabulary from us, automatically meaning that we were peer teaching.
The use of the white board was also fine and made me realise we need a new board pen !!!
Be careful of the false cognate 'picture' for movie.
Movie-USA Film-UK Picture is a static thing...it doesn't move
Each teacher in this team had an individual responsibility and was actively involved in the success of the group as were the 'students'.
Very well done !

Group 2: Ana, Raquel, Margarita, Rodolfo, Daphne
The element of surprise, urgency and engagement in the task of this group's activity had us all engaged very quickly. The instructions were not very clear at the beginning and this meant that the activity needed all the 'helper' teachers to go to the individual groups and explain and confirm the instructions again.
Try to give clearer instructions. We can look at this on Monday.
By sticking the vocabulary words on the 'students'' backs, every single member of each group was active and a vital part of the group success. The round up after the activity and the questions we were asked (How did you manage to guess so quickly ?) were perfect to have us confirm our learning and also for the teaching team to understand how we managed to not only learn the new words, but also to teach them as well.
CHILLY: does indeed have many meanings, but I was concerned about the definitions given today. Can you all check the 4 main definitions for 'Chilly' for Monday please and we will look at it then.
Another very positive thing was the way that Ana asked the 'student' who was whispering to her colleague at the back, the sum-up question...Ana showed here that she was aware of which 'student' was distracted...a good technique.
Very nicely done guys !

Group 3: Jorge Luis, Ireri, Vladimar, Jorge, Mariana, Caro
This group showed how some simple yet colourful and attractive materials (which Jorge had prepared the night before and has now shared with you and will use again himself) can be used to not only teach and review language but also show what we as students like, enjoy doing, are able to do and therefore good at.
Jorge gave very clear instructions and used a natural tone of voice and speed of speech.
The round up activity of questions to individual students about the cards they ended up with was also a very good way to create a group understanding of individuals.
We were all engaged in the activity very quickly because speed mattered. Obviously today there wasn't enough time for the teaching group to fully allow us to fill in our cards, but they gave us a very clear idea of how to achieve a good group rapport early on in the course.
Very well done guys !

Group 4: Lulu, Ivonne, Isaac, Daniel, Miguel, Yolanda
Lulu and Miguel made good use of the board for us and confirmed the language focus visually. Daniel gave a clear introduction which focussed us on the task at hand; measurement.
By simply observing what we were all doing and how we went about measuring the things they specified, the teaching team learnt a lot about how we learn. It was a very quick and concise way of finding out a lot of very important information about us and a very cleverly devised activity.
All you 'students' worked quickly together as teams and your individual contributions were vital to the success of the group. Many different vocabulary words were taught and learnt and even a few mistakes were cleared up.
Isaac had a good way of motivating us to get up and do the activity...his smiling face shows a feeling of confidence which he passed on to us.
Yolanda managed a great sum up at the end all the teaching team were involved in observing.
This meant that they achieved their objective of finding out more about our learner profiles while teaching subject through English.
A very nice job indeed guys !

I was able to see today that even though you began on Monday, a little scared, a little shy and a little nervous of speaking English with me too, you have managed to break through these barriers already and are doing very well indeed.
Thank you for all your effort this first week.

Some reminders from Thursday 9th July

Today we all experienced quite a dynamic activity...that of helping each other to be more aware of how effective our teaching techniques are and what effect they have on our students and on our general classroom environment.

Exploratory teaching is ...
... the gathering of research information about teaching
...the trying out of ideas, both tried and trusted formulas as well as innovative approaches
...observing the impact this way of teaching has on the audience/Ss
...understanding through investigation and observation why something works or doesn’t
...being the link between the research and the learner
...help our teaching colleagues to become more effective and innovative

How aware did you become today about ways in which your colleagues from other departments can help you and about how you can help them ?

Interdepartmental collaborative projects
• What opportunities are there for you to collaborate with colleagues ?
• How could you benefit others by sharing your knowledge ?
• What could you gain from another colleague ?

Uses everything that you reflect on now to help your team in the micro teaching tomorrow.

WORKING WITH VOCABULARY

Look at the following text and identify possible ‘problem’ words...that is, words that your students might not know and might have problems understanding.
Make a list of these 'problem' words and think how you would explain them WITHOUT using Spanish !

A New York man has been arrested for impersonating his dead mother in order to claim $115,000 (£70,500) in social security benefits and rent subsidies.
Thomas Prusik-Parkin, 49, is accused by prosecutors of regularly dressing up in a wig, dress and make-up in order to fool the authorities.
The alleged scam has been going on ever since Mr Prusik-Parkin's mother, Irene Prusik, died in 2003 at the age of 73.
He faces charges of theft, forgery and conspiracy.
"I held my mother when she was dying and breathed in her last breath, so I am my mother," Mr Prusik-Parkin said when he was arrested, according to police.

BBC 2009

A good start !

Thanks to everyone today for making it a positive start to our 60 hours together...I am working on the UVM giving us a propper coffee break every morning from now on; thanks for your patience on that one today.

Don't forget to do the little piece of homework for tomorrow as we will use your responses in class.

Homework:
complete these statements and hand in tomorrow

1. This course will be a success if…

2. Something I would not like to experience in this course is…

3. Something I would like the trainer to know about me is…

4. Something I am particularly worried about is...

5. By the end of this course, I expect to...

OK guys, well done for your concentration and experimentation today...see you all in F 407 tomorrow at 9am !

Did You Know ...

A video to be watched and thought about ... As you watch, think about the consequences that this information will have on your teaching situation.