#task1question1


#task1question1  
For me affective language learning is related to paying attention to people, telling them that they are able to do whatever they want and that we believe them. 
One of the first things I try to do is to remember students' names and details about their family or interests. This may sound obvious, but with large groups you have to be really commited to do so. I used to teach in public High Schools here in Brazil and my groups had about 45 students. Some teachers just called them by their attendance list numbers. Sad but true. I always call students by their names.
Another important thing is showing that you care. Some students in this public school didn't believe they would be able to write a word in English and it was usual for them to hand in tests and activities in blank. I always tell students that do so that I believe they can do a test or activities, but if they give it to me in blank it means that they gave up learning. Then I say that I won't give up teaching them, therefore I won't accept if they give up learning.
It always works.
Here is a picture of two of my High School groups

Comments

  1. Marwa TounsiApril 10, 2016 at 3:04 AM

    Great!  I have classes of 35 students here in Tunisia and I always complain about it, mainly because it widens the gap between high achievers and low achievers and it leaves me at loss to encourage the low achievers to never give up learners! as you mentioned they are reluctant to improve their languages and even to try. I never cease showing them that I care about their success and encouraging them to work harder! but with those large classes it become even harder to focus on every individual's weaknesses! any practical solutions that you tried and it works apart from showing care and encouragement?

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  2. Daniela SensatoApril 10, 2016 at 5:53 AM

    Yes, I like working with writing projects. Monitoring and giving feedback to oral production is more difficult. So I usually create a writing task in which they have to put in practice all grammar and vocabulary project. I bring them some model texts and they create their own texts with some research about the topic they have done at home.
    It is a way of personalizing language, making it relevant and achievable for everyone. Once the piece of writing is done, I have a chance to comment their production individually, which is also important for them.

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  3. Juan UribeApril 14, 2016 at 1:06 PM

    Daniela and Marwa, 

    Have you watched a movie called Freedom Writers? Your conviction in showing that they are and not giving up on them reminded me of the teacher in the movie. 

    Calling students by numbers is a very alienating procedure that comes from the industrial era. One thing I do is I ask how they like to be called as they have multiple names and nicknames. Getting the pronunciation of their names right is also very important as it shows we respect who they are and their culture, specially when we are teaching outside our country. 

    I could not agree more that learning about who your students are impacts immensely their learning. Also knowing their previous learning experiences, their fears, and their dreams. 

    Giving individual attention is certainly a challenge with bigger groups. You have found a good way of doing it by giving them feedback on their writing. Monitoring while they are writing also allows lots of opportunity for validation. 

    Your post is very inspiring, Daniela.

    ReplyDelete

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