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3691. My Students Make Mistakes ... Well Then, They Are Learning!

  From here we thank Larry Whitted for his help in class these days. He’s a native speaker – from the USA and based here in Spain – and it seems he’s helping out great in class with my adult students. As well these ones are talking with him so they can practice their English, also out of class.  By the way today I wanted to write about the learning process, of anything you may be learning, math, a second language, history, chemistry … . Okay, when you are learning – and I’m also learning English – you have to take some risks. For example when learning to walk when you’re a toddler, well you’ve got to put one foot in the air to keep walking, and then when that foot is set then another foot in the air. And we’ll have progress.  Also when learning to ride a bicycle, you may fall and fall later on again, but in the end you are able to cycle too.  When learning English, you kind of have to take some risk to venture an expression you think you’ve learned. It’s nice, and we...
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3690. Motivation in Class You Said?

 I've written a lot on motivation in the classroom. Ok, but you may find something I'm lately considering about motivation, and which you can find on my new blog, whose link is on the left hand of this very blog. That new post is #4. I hope you enjoy it. Motivation is ok but since we wish the best to our kids, you might find out other perspectives about motivation and love. Have a nice day. And you may leave your comments. Oh, the label where you can find my other blog is called Other experiences. 
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3689. Initiatives Driven by the Teacher or by his Students?

  So the teacher has some authority in the classroom – even some moral authority, gotten through several factors, from dressing up correctly to his or her carrying out their profession in a right way.  Anyway, also this teacher must face the fact that also his or her students ought to have and drive some initiatives about their learning: no decision-making by them, no learning, or perhaps poor learning.  Something I implement with my adult students is I encourage them to work on the textbook on their own. We have two lessons a week, which, you know, is okay, but if they really wish to learn … then they ought to work on the coursebook by themselves, and actually they do so, and I note their progress over the years.  As well I tell them they’re going to learn a lot by reading books by themselves, the ones they choose.  Also if your students are kids, well, they also could work on the textbook – definitely it may be something good learners do. You can encourage the...
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3688. The Teacher as a Learning Facilitator

  Who is the protagonist in class, in the classroom I mean? Obviously both the teacher and the students.  That person is developing his or her job, hopefully with professionalism. And their students … also are developing their job or profession now, for their job is learning and studying, if they are kids.  Today I wanted to pinpoint that in a second or foreign language lesson the teacher must speak a lot, thus showing a model to his or her students.  I’ve taken that idea from Spanish teacher, pedagogue, and philosopher Gregorio Luri, although anyone could think that way too: the teacher has to show – and teach – the language to those kids, or adults. Only in that way will he be able to attain his students will learn and acquire English, or French, or any other language.  As well that teacher should show a lot of written language to those learners – and as you may know, I’ve insisted on the fact that you may learn and acquire English through massive and intensiv...
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3687. The Teacher Is Essential in Class

  I teach English to adults, as you know. And I would like to consider each lesson as a study session with my dear students. It’s an occasion for us to learn English. To learn new words, phrases, some syntax. Plus an occasion to have nice discussions about the topics from the textbook and from life itself.  If I consider that lesson as a study session, I will not get a bit nervous for acting in public, because on the other hand I like studying and learning English.  Even more, in that way I can have sort of a contemplative attitude in class, and that will positively influence on my students and my students’ learning and acquiring that target language. It will.  Something essential – you know – is planning that lesson, and there will be activities we carry out on the spot, and others that they, the students, will carry out on their own, working silently, and thus learning and acquiring English in some likely peaceful and quiet atmosphere: this latter is also essential...
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3686. How Flexible Are You as a Teacher, eh?

  So you have heard me that we teachers ought to plan our lessons, so they may really help our students learn a lot of things in class and at home with homework.  Today I wanted to share some things with you online, things that might perhaps help you plan your lessons effectively and in a rather short time.  If you teach a second or foreign language, you could start the lesson with a warm-up set of questions to those students, like for example asking them today’s date, having some discussion about the weather, and practicing some grammar patterns they’re learning or any stuff about lately lessons. That may be a nice occasion to communicate with your dear students in the target language, with authentic communication, and by using the vocab and grammar you’re dealing with.  Then in class you may carry out activities where the four language skills are combined: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Or otherwise if you utilize a text- or a course-book, well those bo...
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3685. Are Your Students Free in the Classroom? Trying Some Balance

  I teach English, as you well know. And I consider that a second or foreign language teacher, well, you know, he or she has to give clear instructions to their dear students, in that target language, or ninety-something percent in that tongue. In English for instance. And at a level a bit higher than their students’ one, or than their average level.  In that way it’s easier to manage classroom behavior. That teacher will try not to contradict himself, ok?  At the same time, however, he will have his dear students at freedom, he’ll get them free, for they are human beings who are learning how to deal with their own freedom.  Many years ago one member of the directive board of the school where I taught in Jaén, another town south of Spain, told me – before my will of managing the classroom behavior perfectly – that ultimately those kids were free, so let them a bit behave as they are, perhaps sometimes – often actually – they’re talking to each other to ask something ...
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