PPP: Presentation - Practice - Production

Hi everyone, welcome back to my blog! ✌👀

And just like that, this is the last entry of the register ☹. 

But hey, life goes on, so does my blog. This week's topic is PPP which stands for Present - Practice - Production. 

Stages of a class:

Presentation: During the initial phase, referred to as the presentation, the teacher dedicates a significant amount of time to providing explanations. Within this phase, students grasp various concepts. Primarily aimed at instructors, this stage demands resourcefulness as they strive to effectively ensure student comprehension.

Practice: Interaction flows between students and teachers in a dual manner, and while students engage in active practice, teachers offer essential guidance and supervision.

Two practice modes exist: controlled practice and free practice. The former minimizes the potential for errors, requiring teachers to integrate a couple of controlled activities before transitioning to the latter mode—free practice. This second phase allows students to solidify what was presented by the teacher, granting them greater linguistic freedom to experiment and apply concepts independently.

Production: This phase belongs to the students; teachers must allocate adequate time. In fact, this phase should occupy most of the teaching plan. Up to this point, students should be able to show genuine results by performing tasks that reflect real-life situations.

Well, that's it for this entry. Stay tuned for the next one because it will be about us teaching our first classes, or something like that😅 See you later bye-bye!👽💜

Flexibility in Lesson Planning

Hello everyone, it's a pleasure to have you back! ❤✌

For this week's class, Teacher Orlando let us know if we could come a little early to class, as we would have senior students visiting us because of their thesis process, who wanted help to do a sight interpretation and fulfilling a survey, which I couldn't help them by reading the text because I was sick and my throat was sore.💀 We started by doing a short survey, and it helped me to refresh my memory on what sight interpreting is, I haven't practiced it since last year I guess, thanks to that it made me want to try it again.

Then came the second special guest who is a 20 years experienced interpreter and translator, she is a student of our career as well, Regina.👏 She mainly came to explain to us what this field of work is like, how we should be paid, what things to consider before accepting a job, knowing how to value what we do, and motivating us to move forward. She gave us some tips through a professional and useful presentation, the truth is that it was a great opportunity to have someone come and answer exactly the most common doubts we have as future translators and interpreters.👶

Both things were very interesting, but it took longer than expected and we had little time left to have our Didactics class that was already planned. Even so, teacher Orlando was able to explain some of the things he had prepared for that day. We engaged in a discussion about the flexibility and magical moments in our classes. As an example, Regina's presentation stood out for both situations. It was a magical moment because we learned a lot thanks to her, she spoke to us about a necessary topic that we have to take into account, and at the same time, thanks to her teacher Orlando was able to show us a clear example of flexibility because he had to adapt after not having the time he had planned to give his class.💅

Another notable aspect focused on objectives. According to Teacher Orlando's materials, key considerations include "time, particular subject, anticipated outcome, and how to identify it” A helpful phrase introduced was "SWABT (Students will be able to)..." followed by the topic you are going to teach. In addition, we learned that simplicity in the classroom can produce substantial effectiveness. This idea reinforced that our teaching methodologies must fit perfectly with our pre-established objectives.

I know this entry was a bit short but there was still a lot of new and useful information. So, that would be all for now, see you next time, bye-bye.👽💙

Activities in the classroom

 Hello everyone, welcome to a new entry! 💟

This week we returned to the classroom where we reviewed lesson planning and the topics covered in the previous week. Teacher Orlando provided us with examples of activities to group students in the class and ways to measure time, emphasizing the importance of creativity in the process. 

This class focused more on how we could make the class more dynamic so that students feel motivated and attentive at all times.💪 That is, physical activities can be done to keep them moving and active when they are about to lose their concentration, as teachers, they feel the responsibility to do something entertaining, that is why in the classroom they usually have materials and objects of all kinds. 💥

The first thing that was mentioned is that teachers should understand the importance of addressing students by name, as it promotes motivation and a sense of being valued. Remembering their names can make students feel special and appreciated.💜 Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide name tags for each student at the beginning of the term, as it helps to foster a friendly and welcoming environment where everyone can easily get to know each other.

Then we were talking about some activities to measure time and grouping people, Personally, to measure time I like the simple, but with something nice or allusive, so I thought that I could use an hourglass⌛ a little big to be pleasing to the eye, but at the same time to cause pressure because it is going to end.💀 And for grouping people, also something simple like the length of their hair, those with short hair in one group and long hair in another, or the color of the shirts they wear, even by their birthdays could be a good idea.👩 You have to consider that it must be something that as teachers we must make sure that it is true to be able to do it. 

We also thought of some activities to make sounds and ensure participation. I was thinking of something simple like snapping fingers, although I know not everyone can do it (I am an expert at that), or stamping feet, which I also think is fun, although tiring (I get tired pretty fast)👵. And to ensure participation, I was thinking of a bingo game format, make little pieces of paper where each one has the name of each student, put it on a wheel or something that spins or makes it mix them up, and then take them out.😋

After taking the time to write down our ideas, we played a game almost like a hot potato, passing around an object, in this case, a ball, a snake, a die, and a two-faced octopus, and whoever had the best idea would share it. 

Finally, we talked about warm-up activities, which are done before talking about a new topic. Usually, you ask questions like "What do you remember from the last class?", or to measure the knowledge you have, or you can also just do something fun to let the students start the class in the right mood😁. Since it is an introductory activity, while it is fun and dynamic, it should also be short, and try to keep it to no more than 5 minutes, or else the purpose is lost and the agenda can fall behind. 

To be honest, this class was a lot of fun, it made me realize how creative some teachers are and how they make an effort not to bore us and teach us as much as possible.💓

And that's it, I hope you liked this week's entry. And I hope you are ready to have a great vacation (I already am). Happy vacation, and see you soon. bye-bye.💚

Lesson planning, CCQs & ICQs

 Hi everyone, welcome back! Let's get ready for a new entry👀❤

Well, first I would like to say that last week was a little different because we didn't go to the University for its anniversary, and for some classes, we worked virtually, which made me realize that I prefer to go to receive my classes and not at home. 😚

For Thursday's class as we could not attend, teacher Orlando left us some things to do, first, we had to watch some videos about Lesson Planning, which was very interesting for me because it always surprises me to realize how many things you have to keep in mind when teaching and everything that can be done in the classroom. The video provided valuable information and helped me understand the importance of the whole process of class preparation. It made me realize that without proper preparation, many problems can arise that prevent us from achieving our goals. 💪 Also, we have to consider certain key elements, such as clearly defining the objectives to be accomplished, determining the most effective way to conduct the class, and identifying the appropriate materials necessary for the lesson. These points are related, but they play a crucial role in delivering a successful lesson. This was basically my opinion that I had to record on Vocaroo😋

Then, I read the PPT that the teacher prepared for us where there were some questions, that we had to post on Padlet, about how we expected to be in the future, if we have achieved what we wanted, or if some things changed. This activity made me think more about myself and motivated me because I said "Wow, if I have achieved this I never imagined I would" It's nice to see and know that we can do anything in the end.💟

Lastly, I learned about a topic that, to be honest, took me a while to understand because I got confused, but I think I got it. I learned about the CCQs, which stand for Concept Checking Questions, and what I understood from this was that include precise questions related to a topic to evaluate students' understanding of the material being taught. These questions serve to measure their understanding of concepts, grammatical structures, and vocabulary. Having students participate in class discussions and write on the board allows you to check whether they have really assimilated the content of the lesson. 

On the other hand, we have the ICQs which stands for Instruction Checking Questions. The main objective is to determine whether students understand their assignments and whether they are working together in groups or individually. Instead of offering direct instructions that might add to their confusion, you can simply ask straightforward questions like "What are you planning to do?" This method fosters their active involvement and ensures they fully comprehend the task. It's not essential to provide immediate solutions; instead, let them attempt, explore, and even make mistakes, as it is a valuable part of the learning process.

And that would be all, as you could see despite not being able to be there, there is still a lot to learn. I hope you liked it and see you next time, bye-bye. 💚💙

Welcome back!

 

Hello everyone, welcome again to my blog!✌👽

Once again it will be a pleasure to share with you every class and experience developed, in this case, it will be about English Didactics II! 💫

It is amazing how fast time goes by and we are almost at the end of this journey, regarding this subject, I feel a little nervous, but at the same time excited and ready for what is to come. 💪

Well, first we were introduced to and explained how we would be working the 3 registers, although there will be theory in the first, the second and third will be more about putting into practice our knowledge and placing ourselves in the shoes of a teacher, that will be a great experience.😬

Then, we had a diagnostic evaluation, which I did pretty bad because I didn't remember anything about the first two parts of the test. However, the only thing I got right was the teaching methods which are still fresh in my memory because I saw them last semester. Afterward, the teacher gave us the test back to answer together and we watched some videos that helped us answer the theories part. 

I got 6/15, I said I didn't do that well. 😅

As I said before, I'm a little nervous about taking on the role of a teacher, but I'm still looking forward to it, I'm sure I'll do my best.👻

And that would be all for this introduction entry... see really you soon, bye-bye.💙

Demostrations

Welcome to the last entry 😢

This last entry is a compilation of presentations made by me and my classmates in English Didactics I, basically, there were activities that you can do when you are teaching Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. This time we took the role of teachers, which was very fun and interesting to do and see.💙 I hope you enjoy this last post. 

1. Listening 👂

The first group focused on listening skills and did some interesting activities. First, they did a listening test where we as participants had to identify all the verbs that were mentioned in that conversation/anecdote. After that, they did a Kahoot game that was related to the same conversation we listened to, which helps to see how much attention we paid to the audio. And their last activity was to listen to the rap part of a song and identify a phrase and say what structure it had. 

Then, the second group did other activities that were a bit similar. The first one was to listen to a song, but again the rap part, and point out the verbs we identified from the list we were given even though I knew the song and it was one of my favorites it was a little challenging to identify all the verbs, plus there were distracting verbs that sounded similar. The second activity was to play Telephone with sentences that sounded like tongue twisters, the sentence had to go through several people and find out how similar it got to the end. All in all, these groups created engaging activities that merged listening comprehension with elements such as music and games, resulting in an enjoyable learning experience.

2. Speaking 🗣

The first group did several activities that help improve their speaking skills. They started with a small spelling bee, in which the difficulty of the words increased as the rounds progressed. The next activity was to use modal verbs such as can, should, may, etc. They provided random scenarios and those who participated had to say sentences related to the situation and using the mentioned structure. The last activity (which I participated in) was about making up a story with the completely random images they showed us. 

The second group was in charge of involving the whole class. We were asked to make small groups to discuss certain topics, each group had a different situation. Each group was tasked with discussing the question of when an individual is considered too old or too young to partake in those activities. Certain subjects, like getting a tattoo or taking a selfie, triggered contentious discussions. 

In short, these speaking activities not only encouraged creativity but also the participation of all students. 

3. Reading 📖

The first group provided material to read about delicate situations that we can find on the internet or the misuse of social networks. Following this, they asked true and false questions to check reading comprehension. Also, they added a word search with words related to the reading, this activity was my favorite because I enjoy these games. Although the reading was a little heavy to digest in less than 5 minutes, I think it was a good activity. 

The second group also presented reading material, in their case, there were two and each one was totally different because the first one was very simple and easy to understand, while the second one had dates and much more information with important details. After reading we played the "hot potato" game, whoever had the ball had to answer something related to the reading, the good thing was that the group gave the options. 

I think these types of activities are essential for students to develop their reading skills so that they get used to working with any type of material. 

4. Writing ✍

Here came my moment to shine because my group was the first to present. We decided to do some very simple activities, the first one was about grammar where before doing the exercise we explained to them the structure and the proper tenses. Then, we gave them each a page with 5 messy sentences and they had to put them in the correct order. For the second activity, we asked them to write an informal invitation letter, but first, we explained the structure they had to follow and showed them some connectors they could use. 

The next group prepared totally different and interesting activities. First, we were asked to create sentences with our names, for me this was a bit difficult because of the X in my name, so in the end I just decided to use the first three letters (Ale). In the second activity, they didn't say categories for us to fill in so we could create a little story.

And just like that, we made it to the end again. It's amazing how another register flew by, and I am so grateful for everything I was able to learn with English Didactics I, it helped me realize that I can do more than I think I can. I want to thank Teacher Orlando for telling me that even though I don't see my progress, he did notice it and for me, that's already a win.💚 Thank you for this incredible register full of new experiences, a lot of knowledge, and a good time together. 

Here's the end of this blog, that's all for now, but I hope to meet you again later. Bye-Bye💜
                                       

📚Teaching Receptive Skills 🎧

 Hello again! Welcome to a new entry, and also almost the last one😢

This week's topic is "Teaching receptive skills". Receptive skills refer to the ability to receive and understand spoken and written language. As the name suggests, with this skill we receive all kinds of information we listen around us, and even when we read. Teaching receptive skills is essential for learners to effectively communicate and interact with others. 

To carry out these receptive skills, we can use different materials in the classroom to create interactive activities because we want students to hear and see the language in different ways and have fun things to do that match their skills. To achieve this we need to keep the following in mind: 

Teaching Listening Comprehension👂: Effective communication requires the ability to understand what others are saying. It's crucial to use real resources when teaching listening comprehension, such as videos, podcasts, and songs. These resources help students improve their listening abilities while exposing them to real-world scenarios. Roleplays, group discussions, and listening games are just a few interactive exercises that can be used to make learning more interesting and enjoyable. 

Teaching Reading Comprehension📚: Another crucial receptive skill is reading comprehension. It's essential to use materials that are appropriate for the level and interests of the students when teaching reading comprehension. This can include verifiable sources like news articles, novels, and short stories. Reading circles, summarizing exercises, and discussion groups are all interactive activities that can be used to increase engagement and understanding. Furthermore, teaching students strategies like skimming, scanning, and predicting can help them become better readers.

Differentiated Instructions📑: Differentiated instruction is an effective method for teaching receptive skills. This entails adapting training to each learner's unique needs and abilities. Teachers can accomplish this by using a variety of practices such as flexible grouping, tiered tasks, and diverse instructional resources. Teachers could make sure that every learner is engaged in the learning process and is challenged by embracing differentiated teaching. Additionally, this method enables students to develop their receptive skills at their own rate and in a manner that suits them best.

That was all for this week's entry, see you in the last one, bye-bye.💙