EFLTdraft.doc

english foreign language teachingintroduction to learning/class formation concepts:a basic foundation of principles should be kept in mind and adhered to when building any language learning system or program. following are the key concepts or ideas that i have chosen:1. language learning must be driven by inner necessity/desire to understand and be understood in order to interact with/join others. this is the motivation that drives babies to interpret situational clues and learn language.2. the language-learning environment should not be limited to known words, phrases or ideas. there should be a focus on reviewing/using what they know coupled with new words/phrases/ideas with an encompassing sea of english environment all about them. in the same way that babies are immersed in their own language long before they know it, so should we strive to immerse language learners in an english environ.3. the environment should be full of colors, tastes, textures, sounds and varied subjects. just as we attract babies attention with such, we can capture and hold the attention of students. while the teaching units are set, the application of them should fit the profile of the students. (age/ gender/ interests/ level of fluency should all be considered.)4. praise should be plentiful but appropriate. one student may require excessive praise at first whenever any effort to understand and respond is made. more advanced students must be driven to go farther and not fed their praise until measurable advancement is made.5. more intense one-on-one teacher/student interaction should be conducted each lesson to 1) reduce the stress the student feels speaking to a foreigner (or speaking english aloud) and 2) to allow for specialized assessments of the students actual proficiency and pronunciation, etc. this requires great attention to each student on the part of the teacher.6. classes should no longer be formed on the basis of age/class/friendship ties but on the actual, determined level of the student in speaking english and their level of self-discipline within the class setting. there must be no exceptions to this rule. students whose english is good, but do not make every effort to interact and progress should not be graduated automatically to the next level simply because they sat through the lessons with everyone else.7. teachers must sculpt each lesson according to the lesson plans and the actual regularly assessed levels of the students. if the students have not grasped the unit goals completely, then the teacher(s) must creatively use the unit materials to review and fill in the remaining gaps.8. there should be opportunity for a range of learning experiences using all the senses. each unit will contain language targets/ new vocabulary/hand work or activities to practice at home/ music and chants. students will regularly utilize old unit materials as they learn their new ones.9. the teachers must set the tone for the class. he/she/they must have the final say regarding the admission of new students, as well as the recommendation for students to either jump ahead to a higher level, be held back, or be sent to a lower level. other staff or students parents cannot make these decisions. 10. our goal is for this type of english language learning system to be made available to all teachers and students in all the schools in this area. general unit contentseach unit will be lined out in advance. materials will be copied and given to the students in a progressive manner. students at lower levels will focus more on repetitive lessons followed by practice and then play. advanced students will be required to learn their new words/phrases/ideas through reasoning and use as well as through the creation of their own dialogues. set dialogues will be utilized merely to introduce the unit, but students will not be allowed to rely upon memorized text dialogues. unit contents:1. a theme (an umbrella subject/topic) is used to tie the language goals together. (colors/counting/greetings for lower levels; sports/ occupations for higher; directions/questions/introductions for the highest levels).2. songs highlighting the theme/using the language goals/vocabulary reinforce the lessons (3-4 for the lower; 1-2 for higher; 1 related/ 1-pop music for the highest level).3. chants will introduce basic grammar structure targets/ intonation.4. unit conversations (1-3) will range from introductory to advanced regarding the unit theme and using the unit vocabulary.5. unit vocabulary list will be provided for lower level students with complete information to assist parent/guardian to help them at home. gradual blanks will be left in the vocabulary sheets as students progress to make notes/ look things up by themselves.6. activity flashcards/ game pieces for use in the game time during class and reinforce learning when played at home for “home play”.7. storybook/reading/listening script materials to be given after introduction in class. high-level students can review and practice using them at home. lower level students should listen to them while they play at home.8. special sense materials for each unit will be provided to use several of their 5 senses and give them a personal connection to the unit. it could be an art kit to make a puppet for the zoo unit, or how-to instructions about making homemade costumes for halloween.9. homework detail check list to help the student/parent-guardian understand what kind of “homework” or “home play” is suggested for the unit. the approach should be to do a little everyday in a relaxed state, not to rush through under pressure just before coming to class. the teacher will know the difference!10. materials checklist will detail things such as scissors, paste, crayons and so on that are required for each weeks lessons. the student should bring all the materials listed in a clear protector envelope along with the current unit materials and any previously used materials on the checklist for that lesson. (i.e.crayons, unit 10 materials, unit 9 playground flashcards).foreign teacher administratedclass structurethe classes should be run with a small class size (ideally 20, with a maximum of 30) and very close teacher-student relations. this means that the same teacher(s) and students must meet on a regular basis following the unit materials at regularly scheduled intervals. the ideal situation would be a team teaching set up with one experienced room teacher teaching alongside a foreign teacher. the foreign teacher could come at regular intervals to open new units and assess students. the room teacher would work/ collaborate with the foreign teacher and help the students on a weekly/daily basis to use and review their unit targets/vocabulary. when the room teachers lessons and reviews are complete, the foreign teacher would be called in to conduct final testing/assessment and open a new unit. in this way, the foreign teacher could see and assist many more students and teachers effectually at the same time. a side benefit is that the quality of the room teachers technique should also improve over the course of the academic year as well. a room teacher who became well grounded in the course/program could function as a foreign teacher as the program expands to other locations or branches. regardless of the teaching staff, (two team teachers/ one foreign teacher/ one room teacher) the class schedule should be as follows:1. check-in time for each student to meet with the teacher and go over their vocabulary/targets learned using game pieces/reading materials / free conversation for assessment.2. class greetings / song to warm up and gather everyones attention.3. review interaction covering the previous lessons of the unit led by the room teacher. low-level classes would do chants/listen and repeat; high-level would answer and ask questions or perform dialogues; advanced levels would perform their own dialogues or take turns leading the class in free conversation using the previous unit lessons.4. new lesson points are presented by the teacher(s).5. repetition/practice by students.6. presentation by selected students.7. new song/ game/ activity to reinforce the lesson.8. repeat the lesson targets again.9. assign homework/ home play.10. parting greetings.the main advantages of this program lie in the highly interactive nature of the class and home play (items 1,2,3,6,7,9 and 10).foreign teacher assistedclass structurethese same ideas and materials can also be used in smaller proportion to the lessons/materials already chosen by a school or program. the foreign teacher then serves as an assistant to the room teacher, teaching additional songs, games, and learning activities that draw out the lesson that has already being planned/taught by the room teacher.in this application, the room teacher can review the new materials introduced that he/she thinks will best interest/benefit the class. it “spices up” his/her usual lesson. when the foreign teacher comes again, a favorite skit/song using the materials can be presented by the class as a whole, or by selected top students. then the next new materials would be taught and the process would be repeated. the advantage of using this program in the boarding school environment is that the games/songs/activities could be repeated often (even in their free time if they have interest). their language abilities will progress quickly and their positive attitude towards learning and participating should increase.as it requires less evaluation, and less time per week with each student, the foreign teacher would be able to be spread out to see more classes/students wit