MEETING INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

As future teachers we should learn how to cope with all the differences that we will find in our class groups. We have t be aware and recognize these individual differences and use methods that help them to learn in a positive way.

Of course it is very difficult and the ideal situation doesn’t exist but we can find a way to help them in feeling better and comfortable.

How can we do it?

When asking this question I can’t stop thinking about my own situation. I have dyslexia and when I was studying at school and specially when studying the English subject I remembered that I was so motivated.

The English teacher used different resources and materials, and instead of doing a normal class when teacher explain everything we used to play games, use different manipulative material and that was very helpful for me because me and the other students in the class were so motivated.

We used to do projects in small groups and I felt this responsibility inside the group, which helped me in feeling positive and better when working with the whole-class activities.

 I also did tutorials with the teacher and they helped me in expressing my feelings to the teacher because we did it individual. When teachers have these interactions with students, teachers can connect with the individualities of each one and help them in feeling secure and better.

I had been always supported by all the teachers of the school and I feel they worked very hard to make me feel better, encouraged and helped me in being what I am today.

In the future I would like to be like them because they make me feel better and comfortable and not differentiated and special like most of the teachers do.

Which method should we use to teach foreign languages effectively?

Today I want to talk about which method should we use to teach foreign languages effectively.

While I was learning English I had been always feeling that English lessons are always the same, a lot of grammar and few vocabulary and speaking exercises, and here is when the demotivation comes. Students are learning English during all their lives and when they go abroad (either to study or just to visit other countries) they are completely unable to speak in English.

What I am doing actually with my students (and this is the method of the school I am working for uses) is follow next strategies:

-       - Having an appropriate physical environment: the classes are decorated with multilingual labels, posters, displays of work… So when kids go into the class, they get a good impression of the use of a foreign language.

-    . Using the target language: this is he most important strategy because kids can be immersed in the language. Immersion is the ideal situation for language learning at school and it can be improved if we, as teachers, use the target language as a medium of communication. If we use it, students listening skills will improve and also it will develop strategic and discursive competences in hearing communication in real contexts.

-    . Using rhythms, songs, games and stories produces a lot of benefits because it improves listening, pronunciation and speaking skills. Using this kind of activities helps them because they learn and enjoy at the same time. In working with stories they develop their language skills and sense of identity because they have top lay different roles.

I really like using these strategies because I’ve seen that they are productive. So that’s why I want to share with all of you!

Is it really necessary to assess very young learners?

While working last week and this week my students have been assessed by an external teacher. It is now when I ask to myself if it is really necessary to assess these very young learners and how can we do it. We don’t have to forget that I am teaching kids who are from 2 to 7 years old.

Assessment is the process of finding about what children can do and where there may be difficulties. When assessing children’s learning, the main aspects that are assessed are:

-       - Knowledge and understanding,

-       - Skills,

-       - Attitudes and values and behaviour.

Assessment is important in primary education and especially when teaching languages because it provides information on which to base the next teaching and learning activities; feedback for the learners to motivate them; information to assist in evaluation of teaching; information that can be shared with parents and carers and information on which judgements are made about school effectiveness.

In my opinion, assessing them has no sense because they are very young and especially when is not their teacher who is assessing them, that is why is so difficult and why I don’t see the meaning and the point in assessing such a very young kids or learners.

My thoughts about english and other after school activities.

After being at school the whole day, a lot of students are going to extra activities which means that they don’t arrive home until 7-8pm. There are lots of activities such as sport (football, swimming, handball, gymnastics...) English lessons, music, arts, theatre… that can take place at school or in a private place (sports centre, language schools, music schools…).

As most of you probably know, actually I am working in an English school giving lessons to very Young kids. That’s why I want to write about English after-school lessons today.

A lot of teachers believe that gran part of the parents are interested in English after-school activities.

From my point of view English (and other foreign languages) is very important because it is highly beneficial for everybody and especially for kids because it is reflected in everybody’s cognitive growth.

When kids go to another school to do English lessons they are more motivated because they have a new and appropriated physical environment and it gives them a good impression of the use of a foreign language. And this is one of the basics and most important requirements for kids who want to learn a foreign language effectively. 

At last but not the least, as a future teacher that  I am going to be, I have to admit that all the after school activities are designed for kids to have fun, because after being the whole day at school we cannot expect that kids give 100%, when they are tired after the whole day doing things and activities.