THE PURPOSE AND PROCESSES OF EVALUATION

THE PURPOSE AND PROCESSES OF EVALUATION

In this chapter I reflected in the  way we used to evaluate our students, and how this process goes along nowadays. However, feedback is not often use to correct students at the moment. Principally, because of time and generally because in schools  there are too much studentsin each classroom  and the teacher cannot personalize her or his feedback.

Assessment is integrated within the learning process. Here the teacher gives formative feedback for the purposes of fostering improvement in all the skills. Students have multiple opportunities to assess themselves and their peers (E.g. self-assessment and peer-assessment). With these two techniques students could learn from their mistakes and then demonstrate mastery of language.

As teacher I could say that we must have a purpose to evaluate and assess our students. A test with clear objectives and testing what we have taught would have good results.  Being aware of the process that evaluation involves may help all teachers to provide useful feedback and provide students tips for improving their learning process.

References:

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching : Five Key Changes to Practice (2nd Edition). Somerset, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

CHAPTER 4 THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

                                                 THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

The role of a teacher is to create in the classroom an environment that could integrate different kinds of learning styles. A teacher would take different roles from one activity to another and must teach with methods and assessment consistently. What I mean with that is that teacher must go in a systematically order from the most simple until reach certain level of difficulty. A teacher must be clever and use multiple teaching techniques appropriate for students learning goals by design activities in which students interact with the material, the teacher and each other.  It also would motivate intrinsically students to learn. There are seven principles to help the teacher to create a pupil adjusted class.

1.  Teachers do learning tasks less.	Assign to students some of the tasks organizing the content, giving examples, summarizing, etc.
2.  Teachers do less telling; students do more discovering.	Let students discover information in assigned readings without presenting it first or summarizing it later.
3.  Teachers do more design work.	To motivate engagement in the course content by doing the work of practitioners in the discipline.
4.   Faculty do more modeling.	Revealing and modeling your thinking process to your students could follow. Show them drafts of your articles, notes, etc.
5.  Faculty do more to get students learning from and with each other.	Create tasks activities for small groups to do in class.
6.  Faculty work to create climates for learning.	The teacher should promote interaction, autonomy, and responsibility
7.  Faculty do more with feedback.	The teacher should give frequent feedback.

          In this chapter is explain clearly the role of a teacher. We as teacher must take in to account that we develop our pupil’s skills. To reach that improvement we as teachers must use supplementary materials as well as methodology.  Cooperative learning is also useful because it said that pupils may learn by each other. 

REFERENCES:

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching : Five Key Changes to Practice (2nd Edition). Somerset, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

UNIT 8 SPEAKING

Speaking is a productive skill. This is the part where you apply everything you have read, listen and write. When you speak you apply grammar, intonation, vocabulary, functions, etc.  We use all these to convey a meaning. This skill is the most important for English learners. Because them want to master it as soon they could.

Speaking happens in real time when we speak we interact each other in order to convey a message. However, applying grammar and vocabulary knowledge are not enough we also should take into account body language (e.g. gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, etc.)These have the power to emphasize a message we want to convey.

In order to teach speaking I would select drills for teaching the pronunciation of words. Later I would make my students practice through asking questions, interviews and role plays. That activities will help my students to master speaking skills. The practice of writing, listening and reading can improve our speaking skill.

Some pieces of advice to master speaking skill

References

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc4gh5gP1AE

Nal, E. (2014). Instructors' Attitudes&Practices on Assessing English Speaking Skill Assessing English Speaking Skill (1. Aufl. ed.). Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing.

Hall, D., & Foley, M. (1987). Skill of speaking. Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, Eng.: Nelson.

UNIT 7 LISTENING

In Unit number 7 we review about listening. It is a receptive skill that involves responding to the language rather than producing it. Personally for me  this is the most difficult part of learning English. However, for English learners in general and specially to those who have Musical intelligence it  would be easier than reading, speaking or writing. We as teachers must be aware of it to take advantage and success in the learning process. According to my professional experience I could said that the majority of the students prefer tasks that includes listening  activities (e.g.listening to music, conversations,etc.) rather than reading or writing.

 To carry out listening activities we have to take into account that listening is a process that involves understanding while the listening track is played. Sometimes it is quite difficult because there are linking sounds and words that are used with reduced forms that may confuse the listener.

Being a good listener would help you to become a good speaker. Listening is not only to understand when someone talk to you. But also would help you to use correct intonation, stress patterns, and communicate easily. Then you will become fluent and accurate in English language.  

This viedo will provide us some tips for improve our listening skills.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtKX_H5wr5o

For you further reading

Allen, M. (1995). Listening: The forgotten skill (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Thomas, E. (1972). Teaching music appreciation through listening skill training. West Nyack, N.Y.: Parker Pub.

UNIT 6 WRITING

In Unit 6, writing was the topic that we review. This is a productive skill through it we produce language also it is said that Writing is the visual representation of a language. Writing is an integrate skill because we have to read and write at the same time. However, to master this skill the writer must know about grammar rules, punctuation, and sentence structure. In addition, it is also necessary to know vocabulary and correct spelling of English words.

There are two mean writing subskills accuracy and communicating a message. Accuracy involves the correct use of language. Also it includes correct spelling, writing legible and correct punctuation. Furthermore, when we write we must take into account the features typical of each type of writing in order to use appropriate functions and cohesive devices. The stages of writing are drafting, editing, proofreading and re-drafting. This stages form part of the process of writing through it we could write correctly and improve the quality of your writing project.

To teach writing me as a teacher could start writing simple tasks and then we could go to more complex ones the teacher must be a guide for students through this process.  In order to master this skill I could recommend to practice a lot. 

This video will provide us some tips to improve our writing skill.

References:
Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgkRoYPLhts

McCarter, S., & Whitby, N. (2007). Writing skills. Oxford: Macmillan Education.

Byrne, D. (1979). Teaching writing skills. London: Longman.

UNIT 5 READING

In Unit 5, I learned a little bit more about Reading. This is a receptive skill through it we receive information. For me reading is not difficult as listening. To be a good reader we must know about reading subskills or reading strategies, and those are Scanning, skimming and reading for detail.  But what each of those terms mean?

First, I understood that scanning is when we read for specific information while skimming is reading for the main Idea, and reading for detail is when we look for something in special for example dates, names, and etc.

Also, there are two types of reading Intensive and extensive. I understood that Intensive reading is reading for a particular interest or because we need to know the information that the text contains. While extensive reading is done individually for the purpose of enjoyment.

As a teacher I could said that teaching reading would be the principal skill to work with my students. Because through it I could teach them vocabulary, grammar structures and develop their critical thinking.  Reading is also a tool to students to learn how a text is structured and applied it in a writing task.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSYw502dJNY

For you further reading:

Grellet, F. (1983). Developing reading skills: A practical guide to reading comprehension exercises. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press.

Greenall, S., & Swan, M. (1986). Effective reading: Reading skills for advanced students. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press

UNIT 4 FUNCTIONS

In this unit I learned that a functions are everything we write or speak.so I could said that function is the purpose why we communicate. The language we use to express a function is called exponents. We use a –ing forms of verbs (e.g. greeting, inviting…) which express different levels of formality, there are two levels first formal language which is used in more official and important situations and informal language which often happens in relaxed situations, it occur when people know each other well and it is called colloquial (very casual) or neutral (neither great respect nor too much casualness). Furthermore, people usually choose to use the level of formality that suits a situation, this is called appropriacy that is using correct vocabulary and expressions in a situation, when something is inappropriate (unsuitable) it is not according of the situation  and appropriate(suitable) when we use the expected language.

As a conclusion, I could said that functions must be teach to language learners communicatively. Trough role-playing, debates, interviews, business dialogs, etc. Because students will be aware which vocabulary is appropriate in each situation making it meaningful for them.

Watch te video below  for a better undertsanding.

References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i98jVTrJl9k