第二语言课堂的反思性教学剖析

第二语言课堂的反思性教学ReflectiveTeachinginSecondLanguageClassrooms1ApproachestoclassroominvestigationinteachingJournalsAjournalisateacher’sorastudent’swrittenresponsetoteachingevents.1.Eventsandideasarerecordedforthepurposeoflaterreflection.2.Theprocessofwritingitselfhelpstriggerinsightsaboutteaching.LessonreportsAlessonreportisastructuredinventoryorlistwhichenablesteacherstodescribetheirrecollectionsofthemainfeaturesofalesson.Thepurposeistogivetheteacheraquickandsimpleprocedureforregularlymonitoringwhathappenedduringalesson,howmuchtimewasspentondifferentpartsofalesson,andhoweffectivethelessonwas.SurveysandquestionnairesItisagoodwaytoinvestigatestudents’attitudes,interests,studyeffect,studymethodsandsoon.AudioorvideorecordingoflessonsOneoftheadvantagesofrecordingalessonisthatitallowschoiceoffocus------thiscouldbetheteacheroraparticulargroupofstudents.Anadditionaladvantageisthattherecordingcanbereplayedandexaminedmanytimesandcancapturemanydetailsofalessonthatcannoteasilybeobservedbyothermeans,suchastheactuallanguageusedbyteachersorlearnersduringalesson.ObservationObservationinvolvesvisitingaclasstoobservedifferentaspectsofteaching.Itissuggestedasawayofgatheringinformationaboutteaching,ratherthanawayofevaluatingteaching.ActionresearchActionresearchisusedinthisbooktorefertoteacher-initiatedclassroominvestigationwhichseekstoincreasetheteacher’sunderstandingofclassroomteachingandlearning,andtobringaboutchangeinclassroompractices.PlanningActionObservationReflection2Exploringteacher’sbeliefsThesourceofteachers’beliefsTeachers’beliefsystemsarefoundedonthegoals,values,andbeliefsteachersholdinrelationtothecontentandprocessofteaching,andtheirunderstandingofthesystemsinwhichtheyworkandtheirroleswithinit.Thesebeliefsandvaluesserveasthebackgroundtomuchoftheteachers’decisionmakingandaction.1theirownexperienceaslanguagelearners.2experienceofwhatworksbest3establishedpractice4personalityfactors5educationallybasedorresearch-basedprinciples6principlesderivedfromanapproachormethodBeliefsaboutEnglishBeliefsaboutlearningBeliefsaboutteachingBeliefsabouttheprogramandthecurriculumBeliefsaboutlanguageteachingasaprofession3focusonthelearnersLearnerbeliefsystemsLearner’sbeliefsystemscoverawiderangeofissuesandcaninfluencelearner’smotivationtolearn,theirexpectationaboutlanguagelearning,theirperceptionsaboutwhatiseasyordifficultaboutalanguage,aswellasthekindoflearningstrategiestheyfavor.BeliefsaboutthenatureofEnglishBeliefsaboutspeakersofEnglishBeliefsaboutthefourlanguageskillsBeliefsaboutteachingBeliefsaboutlanguagelearningBeliefsaboutappropriateclassroombehaviorBeliefsaboutselfBeliefsaboutgoalsCognitivestyleKnowlessuggeststhatdifferencesofthiskindreflectthecognitivestylesoffourdifferenttypesoflearners.Concretelearningstylelearnersofthisstyleuseactiveanddirectmeansoftakinginandprocessinginformation.Theyareinterestedininformationthathasimmediatevalue.Theyarecurious,spontaneous,andwillingtotakerisks.Theylikevarietyandaconstantchangeofpace.Theydislikeroutinelearningandwrittenwork.Analyticallearningstylelearnersofthisstyleareindependent,liketosolveproblems,andenjoytrackingdownideasanddevelopingprinciplesontheirown.Suchlearnerspreferalogical,systematicpresentationofnewlearningmaterialswithopportunitiesforlearnerstofollowupontheirown.Analyticallearnersareserious,pushthemselveshard,andarevulnerabletfailure.Communicativelearningstylelearnersofthisstylepreferasocialapproachtolearning.Theyneedpersonalfeedbackandinteraction,andlearnwellfromdiscussionandgroupactivities.Authority-orientedlearningstyleLearnersaresaidtoberesponsibleanddependable.Theylikeandneedstructureandsequentialprogression.Theyrelatewelltoatraditionalclassroom.Theyprefertheteacherasanauthorityfigure.Theyliketohaveclearinstructionsandtoknowexactlywhattheyaredoing;theyarenotcomfortablewithconsensus-buildingdiscussion.LearningstrategiesLearningstrategiesarethespecificprocedureslearnersusewithindividuallearningtasks.Oxford(1990)identifiessixgeneraltypesoflearningstrategie:Memorystrategies,whichhelpstudentstostoreandretrieveinformation.Cognitivestrategies,whichenablelearnerstounderstandandproducenewlanguage.Compensationstrategies,whichallowlearnerstocommunicatedespitedeficienciesintheirlanguageknowledge.Metacognitivestrategies,whichallowlearnerstocontroltheirownlearningthroughorganizing,planningandevaluating.Affectivestrategies,whichhelplearnersgaincontrolovertheiremotions,attitudes,motivations,andvalues.Socialstrategies,whichhelplearnersinteractwithotherpeople.4teacherdecisionmakingPlanningdecisionsIninitialteachertraining,teachersaregenerallyencouragedtodeveloplessonplansforeverylessonthattheyteach.Thelessonplanisintendedtohelptheteacherorganizethelessonefficientlyandeffectively,andusuallyincludesadescriptionoftheaimsorobjectivesofthelesson,theactivesstudentswillcarryout,thetimeneededforeachactivity,teachingaidstobeused,teachingstrategiestobeused,groupingarrangementsemployedforeachactivity,possibleproblemsthatmightbeencountered,andalternativepossibilities.InteractivedecisionsAlthoughplanningdecisionsmayfromthestartingpointofalesson,theyarenotthesoledeterminantofwhathappensduringalesson.Lessonsaredynamicinnature.Teachershavetocontinuouslymakedecisionsthatareappropriatetothespecificdynamicsofthelessontheyareteaching.Thesekindsofdecisionsarecalledinteractivedecisions.Thereareanumberofcomponentstoaninteractivedecisions:Monitoringone’steachingandevaluatingwhatishappeningataparticularpointinthelesson.Recognizingthatanumberofdifferentcoursesofactionarepossible.Selectingaparticularcourseofaction.Evaluatingtheconsequencesofthechoice.EvaluatingdecisionsEvaluatingdecisionsarethosewhichateachermakesafteralessonhasbeentaught.Theyarisefromaskingthefollowingkindsofquestionsaboutalesson:Wasthislessonsuccessful?Whyorwhynot?Whatwerethemainstrengthsandweaknessesofthelesson?Didthestudentslearnwhattheywereintendedtolearn?Whatdidthestudentsgetoutofthelesson?5theroleoftheteacherThenatureoftheroleArolecanbedefinedastheparttakenbyaparticipantinanyactofcommunication.RolesreflectinginstructionalfactorsDifferentteachingsettings(e.g.secondaryschools,universities,privatelanguageschools)createparticularrolesforteachersbasedontheinstitutionaladministrativestructure,thecultureoperatingineachinstitution,anditsteachingphilosophy.InastudyoftheAustralianmodel,BartlettandButler(1985:112-13)foundthatteacherassistancewasrequiredinthefollowingareas:Needsassessmentskills;courseguidelines;bilingualhelpinnegotiatingthecurriculum;educationalcounseling.RolesreflectingateachingapproachormethodTheroleofateacherinthecontextofclassroomteachingandlearningmayalsobeinfluencedbytheapproachormethodologytheteacherisfollowing.Someteachingmethodsdefineveryspecificrolesforteachersandprescribethekindsofbehaviorswhichteachersshouldorshouldnotallowintheclassroom.Forexample,theDirectMethod,whichwasoneofthefirstoral-basedmethodstobeusedinforeignlanguageteaching,describedtheteacher’sroleinveryspecifictermsandproposedthefollowingguidelinesforteacherstofollow:Nevertranslate:demonstrateNeverexplain:actNevermakeaspeech:askquestionNeverimitatemistakes:correctNeverspeakwithsinglewords:usesentences…Otherinstructionalapproaches,suchasCooperativeLearning,attempttoredefinetheroleofbothteacherandlearnerthroughamethodologywhichrelieslessonteacher-directedteachingandmoreoncooperativegroupworkandpairworkactivities.CulturaldimensionsofrolesTeachingisanactivitywhichisembeddedwithinasetofculturallyboundassumptionsaboutteachers,teaching,andlearners.Theseassumptionsreflectwhattheteacher’sresponsibilityisbelievedtobe,howlearningisunderstood,andhowstudentsareexpectedtointeractintheclassroom.Insomecultures,teachingisviewedasateacher-controlledanddirectedprocess.Manyoftheassumptionsthatlanguageteachersandlearnersholdaboutlanguagelearningreflectattitudesderivefromtheirparticularculturalbackground6thestructureofalanguagelessonOpeningsTheopeningofalessonconsistsoftheprocedurestheteacherusestofocusthestudents’attentiononthelearningaimsofthelesson.Researchonteachingsuggeststhattheopening,or“entry”,ofalessongenerallyoccupiesthefirstfiveminutesandcanhaveanimportantinfluenceonhowmuchstudentslearnfromalesson.Thewayalessonopensreflectsanumberofdecisionsthatateachermakes,eitherconsciouslyorunconsciously.Forexample,ateachercouldchooseto:DescribethegoalsofalessonStatetheinformationorskillsthestudentswilllearnDescribetherelationshipbetweenthelesson/activitiesandarealworldneedDescribewhatstudentsareexpectedtodointhelessonPointoutlinksbetweenthislessonandpreviouslessons…SequencingAnotherdimensionofstructuringinlessonshastodowiththeformatofthelessonitself.Insecondandforeignlanguageteaching,anumberofprincipleshaveemergedfordeterminingtheinternalstructureoflessons.SimpleactivitiesshouldcomebeforecomplexonesThanks