Final thoughts....

When I started this course I thought it would be pretty simple to think about the needs of ELLs in terms of speaking and listening. Quite clearly I felt that practice was the key to acquiring a new language. I still believe that to be true but there is so much more to take into consideration. How we present the information initially is key, ensuring that our students have opportunities to practice with other learners from various levels and providing feedback in a respectful and productive manner are all essential components of listening and speaking. At times during this course I felt overwhelmed by all the components. When I looked at a big lesson plan and put my ideas all together it seemed easier than isolating just speaking and listening. I will have to see as I continue my learning journey how all the pieces fit together. I have learned a lot in this four weeks and I am excited to continue the next piece of this learning puzzle.

Unit 4: Keeping it real!

One of the best strategies I heard about in this unit was the teacher recording daily conversations to use in class. She explained that she would record exchanges (with permission) of her and others conducting daily business, such as a return or ordering a meal at a restaurant. She tailored what she recorded, to the needs of her students. As she mentioned, I think that students would appreciate the time and effort the teacher put in and that they would enjoy hearing the conversations that involved her and those she interacted with throughout the day.  I might even expand on the idea and engage students in creating recordings as well, especially if I had a multi-level classroom. The recordings could be used for self or peer assessment or as a teaching tool. This is definitely a strategy that I would use in my class

TESL 0120: Speaking and Listening

I am excited to embark on this new course on speaking and listening and I look forward to incorporating my new learning into my teaching. Prior to starting the course I reflected on the times when I have taken language courses. I know that I spent a lot of my time anxiously waiting for my turn. I would rehearse in my head what I should say, hoping that I wouldn't pick up on the grammar or pronunciation errors of the student before me. In the classes where I had multiple opportunities to use the language, with practical rather than derisive correction, involving engaging activities that I was a more successful and confident learner. This excerpt from the book Teaching English language learners across the content areas, reminds us of always taking the first step to create a positive and engaging learning environment.

Creating a friendly learning environment

Haynes, J. and Zacarian, D. (2010). Teaching English language learners across the content areas. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.