After reading chapter 1 "From Grammar-Based to Communicative Approaches: A Historical Perspective" I felt like, here I am sitting in another class completely confused by theory and foundation. However, our discussions and presentations of the various sections really helped me to make connections and understand the reading.
I was excited by our small group discussions because I got to mingle with other individuals from our class. I was able to speak with people and there was an overwhelming wealth of knowledge being shared. It was motivating to see a group of professionals working together towards a common purpose, which was to teach second languages more effectively to students.
Hi Fina,
ReplyDeleteAs I am halfway done with my bachelors degree in ESL, I too have been confused and overwhelmed by all the theories, terms and methods presented in my courses. However, I am starting to make connections between the information I have been learning, and hopefully when I do start teaching all these information will come together to fit a complete puzzle in which I can comprehend as a whole. I also enjoyed the group discussions we had last class because I am very interested in hearing and learning from experienced teachers, such as yourself and the others in class.
Theories! Theories! Theories! It is difficult to understand at first, but the various exposure and applications help me make sense of it all. The discussion and presentations in class were a helpful way to comprehend the chapter. Conversing with individuals who have different perspectives and forming questions and seeking answers during the jigsaw activity was extremely helpful.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Jackie, Pedro and I are really fortunate to be in a classroom full of teachers who are knowledgeable professionals. I think that this will be beneficial for us aspiring teachers because we get to learn through all your experiences.
ReplyDeleteThank you Fina for bringing this up. I am was confused and overwhelmed by all the rules of linguistics and theories from chapter 1. At one point,I thought i made a big mistakes for getting in to ESL in the first place. The class discussion and group presentation helped me realize that I have made a right decision. My personal theory for ESL is that "one must be an expert in English to be able to teach it" I have to be honest with you all. I left class that night feeling like a different person. Now for the second chapter, its easier to understand the theories and relate to the examples given. I am also excited to hear everybody's point of view and personal experiences.
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