We are almost finishing our course and I cannot explain how I feel.
I feel happy and quite sad. I feel so enthusiastic and I look forward the things I want to do in my classroom after all of the new concepts I learned.
I feel quite sad because I am sure I am going to miss this. The oportunity to share experiences with all of you wonderful people from whom I learned a lot.
During this week we have discussed about how technology can enhance different students' learning styles and I cannot see a better way to do this task. However the importance using technology for our students styles, the first step that we have to take into account is the recognition of the learning styles. In the past I was just focused in three styles: visual, auditive and kinesthetic; what a misconception!!!. We have to think about social relationships, environment, colors and sounds, global o particular facts, and more to determine in what way our students learn better. Then we have to determine what is the learning style of the majority students and with this we can apply different strategies and techniques to create and environment in class where everybody has the same opportunity to learn.
I cannot wait for the beginning of the new semester in my university to apply the project I elaborated here. I plan a completely new way to practice English outside classroom using technology for my students. In my class, because of its size, one of the problems I face with is the lack of opportunities for oral practice, for this reason I developed a project where my students can interact with other English students using Skype as a tool of learning. I think my students will love it, they really like technology, they have good Internet and especially they really want to improve their oral skills as prove of their progress.
In conclusion this was very productive week, the next one, I really believe, is going to be even better.
Dear Javier,
ResponderEliminarWeek 9 of the Web skills course was a productive one. But I am sad that the course is coming to an end. I really enjoyed the unique opportunity of interacting with E-pals like you. I enjoyed reading the articles on multiple intelligences and learning styles. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple intelligence addresses differences of learners in terms of teaching and learning from different perspectives.
I fully agree with your reflections. Human beings have multiple levels of intelligences, but people differ in the strengths and combinations of intelligences. We teachers can address and enhance all these intelligences in our classroom. Technology is an added tool in our hand. But we should be aware of individual differences and learning styles. The book you have referred to in your blog “Approaches and Methods in language teaching” by Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers is an outstanding one.
I liked the online peer reading of our project reports. It is an innovative way of giving feedback without face to face dialoguing. Technology has made the world smaller. I, P.K.Jayaraj, sitting here at Bangalore in India and Javier Burgos from Ecuador reading and responding to each other’s work without face to face meeting! It is really a wonderful idea. Thanks a lot Javier.
P.K.Jayaraj
Hi Gabriela,
ResponderEliminarIt's a mix of sensations, isn't it? I also feel happy, because I managed to do everything, in spite of all the hard work necessary. But I feel sad, because I know I'm going to miss it all! :-(
However the most important is what we've learned and the projects we created. ;-)
Thanks for everything!
Celeste
Dear Gabriela! I also feel already that I will so miss our course. I wish to communicate with our friends, probably we can find each other on Facebook. What do you think? I agree with you, we have to learn our students better and to provide opportunities to them to learn English well. It was a great discussion in a week! Thank you for that! The best, Natalia
ResponderEliminarDear Gabriela,
ResponderEliminarIt is sad indeed that we are approaching the end of our wonderful course thanks to which we made friends and learned so many things. I am going to miss it too.
I did not take learning styles as seriously as it should be before. You are right, we must pay much attention to our students' needs,to their interests, talents and emotions and to the environment where we teach,etc. Because helping our students learn through various ways we will develop efficient learners.
It is good that you intend to implement your project, that you want to make a change in your teaching - there will be obstacles to ovecome but only this way we can progress.I am sure that thanks to this course you will succeed.
Best regards,
Ion