domingo, 30 de noviembre de 2014

UNIT 9 "MOTIVATION"

This unit is about motivation what is motivation?  It is the inner power that pushes you toward taking action and toward achievement. Also is the thoughts and feelings which make us want to and continue to want to do something and which turn our wishes into action. It means that teacher has to encourage students to achieve their goals. How does teacher do it? Teacher must change their attitude, 
In the classroom, teacher must create a good atmosphere inside of the class, because students may feel comfortable and secures about themselves.  The motivation is a positive aspect inside of the education. For example: A person decides to learn English. Why does person choose this option? Maybe he or she hopes to finish the studies in order to travel to the United States in the future. This is the motivation for this person, For this reason i consider that the motivation depends on the dreams that everyone has.
In addition, teacher should provide students extra material because students feel demotivated when something is not clear. On the other hand, students receive extra material about the topic studied before. They feel good. As a result, teacher promotes learner autonomy. It means that students have the capacity to understand a subject easily.
It is important to mention that teacher keep the motivation in the students because When there is lack of motivation, students either get no results, or only mediocre ones, whereas, when there is motivation, you attain greater and better results and achievements. For this reason, the motivation is one of the most important keys to success.

Here are some links where you will find more information about the topic.





UNIT 10 “EXPOSURE AND FOCUS ON FORM”



The unit 10 is about Exposure and focus on form. Exposure is when a person learns a language unconsciously. It means people listen information. Then, their brain record the information automatically without think n the grammatical part. On the other hand, focus on form is when a person wants to learn a language particularly as adults, exposure to language is not enough. For this reason, the learners need to focus on form of the foreign language.
The teacher must teach students a foreign language how does teacher do it? First, the age of the learners is important, because the teacher realizes what kind of strategies could use in their classes. Second, the level of the learners it is other important aspect, because teacher has to plan the class and students have to achieve goals for this reason the goals propose will be achieve by students depending on level that students have. Finally, teacher has to use extra material in order to students understood better the subject.
In conclusion, exposure is when learners listen to or read language without being consciously aware of it. In others words the language that you learn as a baby, which is usually the language spoken to you by your parents is called L1. On the other hand, focus on form is when the learners pay attention to the words or parts of words that make a language structure or to spelling or pronunciation. It means that learners have to follow grammatical structure in order to learn a foreign language. As a result, we don´t learn a foreign language best through learning grammar and translating. Nor do we learn by constantly practicing until we form habits or just by communicating. We learn by picking up language, interacting, communicating, and focusing on form.

Here are some links that will be useful for you





UNIT 11 "THE ROLE OF ERROR"

The unit 11 is about the role of error. What it means? First, you have to know that mistake is often categorized into errors and slips. Second, students have mistaken when they are practice the language it is normal, because they are experimenting with the language. Finally, Teacher has to find a good way for correct students' mistakes avoiding to students fossilized the language.
Slips are when the learner say or write something. As a result, they have some erros. but, after students realize what was the mistake. Then, the learners have the ability to correct the mistake. On the other hand, errors are when students make a mistake. But, they don´t have the capacity to correct it. For this reason they need teacher's help.
How can teacher correct the mistake? It depends on some factors for example: the age of students is an important factor, because they cannot lose the motivation when they are developing the language. On the other hand, the adults can understand more easily the different correction that the teacher provides students. Another factor is the activity that students are going to do, because if students are working in a role play, students have speaking mistakes and the teacher could use drill, unambiguous feedback in order to student’s don´t fossilized the language.

Here are some links that you can check about this topic.




UNIT 12 " DIFFERENCES BETWEEN L1 AND L2 LEARNING"

The unit is about the difference between L1 and L2.L1 or mother tongue is learnt unconsciously. However, L2 or target language is learnt consciously in a specific environment, in this case in a class with a native person or a person who manages English language.
First of all, in the L1 a teacher is who accurate the language because learners have already got the language, but they need to use it accurately. On the other hand, when students are learning L2 they need the appropriate environment with the appropriate language to be successful at the end of the training.
L1 is easier to use instead of L2 because they have learnt it at first time. L2 is learnt naturally when teacher uses correct material Such as: realia, posters, handouts in order to students acquire new knowledge easily. Also, teacher is a person who must plan the class and manage a good way in order to students feel comfortable in the learning process.  
Here are some links where you will find more information about the topic.

UNIT 13 “LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS”








This unit is about learner characteristics. Learner has different characteristics that may affect his/her success in second language acquisition. It means that they are factors which influence learners’ attitude to learning a language for example: Learners want to get a high score on a grammar test or they want to communicate with people in different social’ situation.  How can learner do it? It depends on the motivation, learning style, learning strategies, and maturity that the learner has.
How much does learner want to learn the language?  First, the teacher has to identify the age´s learner and what kind of personality the student has. Then, the reasons that learners have for learning a language as well as the intensity of their feelings for example:  some learners  only study the language  because, it is a requirement, while others expect to use the language in their future career. Also, the learning style. It means teacher has to realize how learners like to learn how students learn best. For example they are visual learners where they learn best through watching and looking, kinesthetic learner where they learn best through being physical, while moving or touching things, and so on. Finally, the learning strategies and maturity are characteristic that teacher must manage in order to students develop their skills.
Teacher must use a correct material because learners have different characteristics that influence in the learning process For this reason, the teacher has to be prepare to share his/ her knowledge with students in order to contribute with the learning process.

Here are some links where you will find more information about the topic.





UNIT 14 “LEARNER NEEDS”



This unit is about learner needs. The needs of a learner represent the gap between what the students want to get out of the learning experiences, and his or her current state of knowledge, skill and enthusiasm. For example at the beginning of the class the learner has enthusiasm they need direction, how? Teacher give students clear instruction. Then, students have failures they need support, how? Teacher is a guide and he or she gives students technical support. Finally, students have skills they need ownership, how? Teacher evaluates students and he or she gives students a feedback.
Why identify learner needs? In the class the learner has different needs that teacher has to recognize in order to students acquire new knowledge easily. Also, teacher has to know that each learner is unique, and brings to the learning situation his or her own different learning style, knowledge set, and motivation. It is important for the teacher to consider the level of the learner in order to apply strategies into the class. The best way to get this information is by asking the learners themselves. It means when a learner learns a foreign language he or she has various kinds of needs which influence his/her learning.
In addition, teacher has to help learners to acquire the foreign language how can teacher do it?  Teacher has to realize these states. First, identify what skills and knowledge the learners already have. Then, identify clearly what students wish to achieve. Finally, identify the content that best suits students’ needs. For this reason, teacher must have different qualities that help students to contribute with the learning process.
Here are some links that will be useful for you


UNIT 15 “APPROACHES TO LANGUAGE TEACHING”

This unit is about approaches to language teaching. What is approach? Describes how people acquire their knowledge of the language and make statements about the conditions which will promote successful language learning. Also, teacher hast to know that the language is a set of grammar rules, and that the language learning takes place by learning those rules and using them to work out the meaning of texts through translation. But, the most important aspect is that in this unit the terms approaches and methods will be used interchangeably to refer to views of language and language learning and the classroom practices that correspond to these views.
Teacher has to identify useful approaches according with the age and level that each student has. Then, the type of the class and the resources. It means If the teacher has a correct book, internet, and projector in order to students learn easily. Finally, teacher could use different approaches for example: Audio lingual, TPR, Community language learning, suggestopedia and so on. For this reason, The best approach depends on you as a teacher.
Here are some links that you can check about this topic.


UNIT 16 “PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES AND INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES”

This unit is about presentation techniques and introductory activities. Presentation techniques are used by the teacher to introduce a lesson or teaching a topic. It means when teacher wants to present new vocabulary, grammatical structure, and pronunciation. It helps students to involve into the lesson and focus on its content.
Teacher would use some presentation techniques for example visual aids like pictures, handouts, and power point presentation. Also, teacher can tell stories or his or her experiences according to the topic and the level of student. Then, there are some introductory activities like read from text, essays, and assessment activities. On the other hand, there are several ways in how can teacher present it. For example ppp is presentation practice and production. Teacher presents language, gets students to practice it in exercises or other controlled practice activities and then asks students to use the same language in a communicative way in their practice. In others words, ppp gives students an opportunity to practice language in a safe learning environment where it is difficult to make mistakes. Then, TBL is task-based learning. Teacher gives students meaningful tasks to do. Also, teacher monitors students from a distance so that students can feel free to try out what they have learned. It means that TBL consists in learning from the process and involves many different skills. For this reason, teacher is center of the class because teacher is a model.
Here are some links where you will find more information about the topic.



UNIT 17 “PRACTICE ACTIVITIES AND TASKS FOR LANGUAGE AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT”


This unit is about practice activities and tasks for language and skills development. It is important to mention that the activities and tasks help students to acquire the target language because teacher promotes students to practice and develop their different skills. In others words are activities and tasks designed to give learners opportunities to practice and extend their use of language such as new vocabulary and functional exponents. There are many different kinds of activities and tasks with different names and different uses.
The activities can be categorized according to how much teacher controls students’ use of language. For example: Teacher can use controlled activities like copying words or sentences, drills, and jazz chants where students repeat practice in accuracy and the form of language, and allow them to make few mistakes. Then, teacher can use free activities like problem-solving activities, discussion, and sharing or comparing ideas where teacher allow students to use whatever language that they wish in order to complete a task. Finally, teacher can use freer activities like role plays, information gaps activities, and sentence completion where teacher can predict to some extent what language the student will need to use. On the other hand, there are also many activities and tasks that are commonly used to develop reading and listening skills. These can’t divide into controlled, freer, and free as they practice receptive, not productive skills. For this reason the activities depend on students’ needs and preferences.
Here are some links that will be useful for you

UNIT 18 “ASSESSMENT TYPES AND TASKS”


This unit is about assessment types and tasks. Assessment task take many forms including written, oral, performances. Also, is when a person learns a language consciously. It means people do different kinds of activities in order practice and acquire the language. On the other hand, tasks are the tasks that the teacher uses for assessing learners. For this reason, the learners need to practice the target language through of different task that teacher provides students.
The teacher must teach students a foreign language how does teacher do it? First, at the beginning of the class teacher give students a test to find out what they know and don’t know. This is called diagnostic test. This information helps to teacher to know the level of students. Then, age of the learners is important, because the teacher realizes what kind of strategies could use in their classes. Second, teacher has to evaluate students constantly in order to follow the students’ progress, because teacher has to plan the class and students have to achieve goals for this reason the goals propose will be achieve by students depending on level that students have. Finally, teacher has to apply continues assessment in order to students practice and teacher can control them.
In conclusion, there are informal assessment and formal assessment. The first one is when teacher observes learners in order to control them. On the other hand, the formal assessments are the quizzes or exams students take in order to achieve a grade.

Here are some links where you will find more information about the topic.