1. Language learners learn best by using plenty of ANALYSIS. Any effort made by the learner will be useless, unless, there is some sort of reflection on what was done, checking what was done well, to keep it, and what was not so well done, to improve it. I encourage my students to keep all their tests and writings, so after some time they can go back to them and see how much they’ve improved.
2. A teacher’s feedback to the students should be given FREQUENTLY. Students are quite absent-minded and have a lot on their minds; therefore a constant feedback will sink in more if it is right after students’ performances. However, I believe it is just sensible to do this when it comes to tests or other forms of evaluation, not when students are participating in classes.
3. Teaching learners to use their own learning strategies is USEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE. What I think is that the teacher should provide students with a set of strategies and students are the ones who get to choose the ones that suit them best, that way, strategies will be worth using them.
4. Mistakes that students make in speech ARE INFORMATIVE. Of course! In terms of how anxious or stressed students feel towards the language. That is quite useful information for me as a teacher. With that knowledge, I can create a more comfortable environment, whenever these students have to face oral activities.
The statement which I agree most with is the number 3: "Teaching learners to use their own learning strategies is USEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE.". If we are constantly answering our students all the questions they have, and giving them the correct answer to everything, they will not learn efficiently. I consider that more than giving the answer is to give them some strategies on how to reach the correct answer.Maybe it is going to be difficult, slow and rather frustrating for them at first. But once they get the strategy, it´s going to be all lot easier for them.
ResponderEliminarRelated to number 2 "A teacher’s feedback to the students should be given FREQUENTLY." I think that positive feedback should be given always or as frequently as possible. Now, if students answer incorrectly, for example, feedback should be given in a appropiate way meaning the correct tome and volume of voice, being aware of the wrods you use. And also, I agree with leyla in the sense that we don´t always have to give this later type of feedback.
Leyla
ResponderEliminarIt´s very interesting to read a different point of view. Giving feedback to the students is really important because they need to know what they already know and what needs to be improved.
The information given by their mistakes should be taken into account when we plan our next lesson. I liked your reflexions Leyla!!!
According to giving feedback to students... we have to find the adequate moment and way to correct them, making them aware of their mistakes. One good idea is to register what they say (mistakes) and handing them the next class or once a week a worksheet with lots of sentences, which have mistakes and they have to correct them. After that, share orally why is it incorrect and how would them fix it.
ResponderEliminarLeyla I Found very interesting your point of view on feedback because you are right when you say that they have too many things on their mind so if we are constantly doing feedback is going to be too much information so we shouldn´t say to them all the time. But we should have a register of it and found the perfect time to let them know.
ResponderEliminarI have never thought on the point of view that the mistakes that the students make in speech give information about how stressed they feel with the language. I would thought on the management of the language, but it is a good point!! Of course there is a relationship between the mistakes and the anxiety.
ResponderEliminarSome nice points here. I think the last point needs clarification though. I agree that students make mistakes because of stress but that is only one of the reasons.
ResponderEliminarStudent's mistakes can show limited competence, lack of practice or understand of how something functions or many other things related to everything from knowledge of their own language to pronunciation.
I think the point being made here (and that many of you picked up on) is that mistakes give information of students "interlanguage", that is, their own personal grammar related to the language they have acquired and how that demonstrates what they believe about how the L2 works. I think the point about anxiety or stress relates to performance, and this affects L1 performance too. Think of how dificult it can be to find the right words in your own language if you are emotional, stressed or angry. The negative affects are much more noticeable with an L2.
What a good idea to ask your students to keep their tests, paragraphs,,etc. Do they analize on their own or you teach to do it in class? It's great to learn from your mistakes and identify what caused the mistake, was anxiety or misunderstanding?
ResponderEliminar