ASSIGNMENT 10: Tweet on a theory of learning

THEORIES OF LEARNING

Learning is defined as a process that brings together personal and environmental experiences and influences for acquiring, enriching or modifying one’s knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, behaviour and world views. Learning theories develop hypotheses that describe how this process takes place. Various theories of learning have been suggested, and these theories differ for a variety of reasons. 

Now, I am going to explain briefly one of these theories of learning: CONSTRUCTIVISM

Constructivism is a theory about how people learn. It says that people construct their own understanding of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences.

Piaget's theory of constructivism argues that individual’s new knowledge is the result of two processes: accommodation and assimilation. When we face something new, we have to connect it with our previous ideas and experience (assimilation), maybe changing what we believe (accommodation), or maybe leaving the new information as irrelevant. In any case, we are active creators of our own knowledge.

In the classroom, the constructivist view of learning means encouraging students to use active techniques (experiments, problem solving) to create more knowledge and then, to reflect on what they are doing. The teachers’ role is to guide the students, encourage them and help in this process.

ASSIGNMENT 9: PHOTOVOICE PROJECT

ASSIGNMENT 8: UNFAIR (Pennycook)

PENNYCOOK- English is an unfair language

- It acts as a gatekeeper for education, jobs and social mobility, favouring a monolingual élite, both in the Centre and in the Periphery.

-It makes certain domains inaccessible to many people.

- It is causing many minority languages to disappear and prevents many people from identifying with their mother tongue.

- It hinders literacy in the mother tongue for speakers of minority languages.

- It is not receptive to the needs of many people.

- It privileges the figure of NS in the ELT profession, together with many other fallacies.

- The prevailing, barely communicative, pedagogical orientation of EFL education in Spain tended to silence & marginalize learners (even though those coming from advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds).

REFLECTION:

If we only take into account these statements, we will finally arrive to the conclusion that English is an unfair language, a communication barrier which is also eradicating other languages.

I do not say that these statements are false, however, sometimes we should analyse the advantages and drawbacks of something, and then, to make decisions and arrive to solutions.

In this case, I think that if we analyse the pros of this fact, we finally agree that English is more a helpful tool than a barrier or obstacle.

What would happen if we could not communicate with people from other countries? Thanks to this language, we have a common instrument of communication and international relationships. Therefore, we can develop any kind of communication, at social but also economical, political and cultural levels.

So it is clear that we need a common language to communicate and maybe, the question is more like: why English?

To answer this question I also think there are lots of reasons: 

•      Historical reasons: because of the legacy of British and American imperialism, institutions of many countries carry out their proceedings in English.

•     Internal political reasons: because English has a role in providing a neutral means of communication between its different ethnic groups

•     External economic reasons: The USA’s dominant economic position acts as a attraction for international business and commerce.

•     Intellectual reasons: English is the main language of the scientific, technological and academic information of the world.

•     Leisure reasons: English is the main language of the popular music, videogames, technology, etc.

And finally, Practical reasons: English is a simple and easy language that facilitates its learning.

A SCHOOL IN FINLAND

THE FINLAND PHENOMENON

LESSON 12: A LESSON PLAN ABOUT CONFLICTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

- Age group: children of 15-16 years old

- Time: 50 minutes

- Materials: PowerPoint, projector

- Goals of this lesson:

• To make students aware of the situation than other children are living in another country.

• Reflect on negative effects that conflicts cause.

• Become students sensitive of misfortunes of the world.

•  To think about the lives of people living in other places and times, and people with different values and customs.

• To transmit the idea that differences and similarities between people arise from a number of factors, including cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity, gender and disability.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON:

ACTIVITY 1 (20 minutes)

Introduction: I will read this information to the whole classroom:

·      “Since civil war broke out in Syria in March 2011, more than two million Syrians have fled Syria and are now living as refugees in neighbouring countries such as Jordan and Lebanon. The UN estimates that 80% of refugees are women and children. This lesson explores the life of Israa, a 13-year-old refugee”

After that, I will show them a PowerPoint of Israa and I will ask some questions:

•       Who do you see in the photo? I will ask pupils to describe whom they can see in the photograph, drawing out as much detail as possible.  Suggested questions:  What is the age of the girl? Where is she? What does she like/dislike? Does she have any family?  Pupils will share their ideas. After that, I will introduce Israa and her story using notes on PowerPoint.

This is Israa, a 13-year-old girl from Syria.  Israa lives with her mum, dad and five younger brothers and sisters.

In Syria, Israa’s day starts with breakfast, which might include cheeses, eggs, hummus, olives, fal (like a broad bean salad) and hot, sweet tea or coffee to drink. 

She enjoys going to school where she studies subjects like Arabic, English, maths and sports. 

Her favourite subjects are drawing, sport and music.  After school, Israa likes to play out with her brothers and sisters and her friends. 

• Where is Israa and what is she doing? Pupils will share their ideas. I will explain what has happened to Israa and her family following the outbreak of civil war in Syria and using notes on PowerPoint.

Israa is walking ‘home’ after collecting water for her family. Her family had to leave Syria after civil war broke out in March 2011 and home is now a small-prefabricated unit – a bit like a caravan that doesn’t move - in Zaatari Refugee Camp in northern Jordan.

Life changed a great deal for Israa and her family once war broke out.  She says: “after the war started we had to stay in all the time. Sometimes we went to school but when there was bombing and shelling we would stay at home. We missed a lot of school - sometimes we only went once per week.”

•       Pupils will complete Activity Sheet 1 by filling in what their day is like in the left hand circle, what Israa’s day is like in the right hand circle and then writing similarities in the circle overlap.

ACTIVITY 2 (15 minutes)

•       I will make small groups of three pupils.  Each group has answers a question from the PowerPoint, using ‘Think – Pair – Share’ technique.  Pupils can use the Information Sheet to help with their answers.  Pupils can use Activity Sheet 2 to write down their answers.

•       Finally, I would ask to the children to write a letter to Israa pointing out that they are aware of her awful situation and offering help to her family and to her. (15 minutes).