Hello everyone - 

 

I just watched the short video that Miriam posted (
http://www.mlots.org/vermont/louisgiancola.html
<http://www.mlots.org/vermont/louisgiancola.html>  ).  It was nice to
see such a happy, active class!  In response to the questions that were
posed:

 

a.      What practices in the video do or don't you like? Why?

I liked the natural, friendly, but also energetic way that the teacher
taught the class.  He was as engaged as they were, and focused on their
fun as well as their learning.  Before the video, he spoke about his
desire that their "affective filters" be low, and I think he was
certainly successful - there were a lot of smiles and some risk-taking
there, even among students who seemed shy.  

 

            b. What questions would you like to ask the teacher or
students?

I liked the game and have used something similar in my own classes.
I've heard criticisms of such games before, though, that they are
inauthentic - in that students probably wouldn't make such statements in
real life.  For example, it's unlikely a student would really say, "She
is sitting down and standing up".  So, perhaps I would like to ask the
teacher how he would respond to that criticism. 

 

            c. Were there any surprises? If so, what?

The use of the baseball diamond was really creative! Especially since
students had said that they are interested in learning more about how
baseball works.  In this way, they can start to understand the rules and
the terminology, and that content can be reinforced later on when they
go to a baseball game, as the teacher said they would in the video.

 

            d. Do you have any other comments? 

                        I like having video of a classroom to respond to
- it's a fresh way to talk about teaching.

 

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Miriam Burt
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 6:34 PM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4311] Using group games to teach the
presentcontinuous - a video and questions.

 

Hi, all.

I've enjoyed the conversation today and think we've had several
interesting suggestions on teaching the present continuous explicitly
and implicitly. Please feel free to continue to post on the topic as you
like, but.....

 

I'd like to direct you to the next part of our online study circle - the
watching of a short video of a teacher using games to teach the present
continuous and the answering of some questions about what you see in
that video.

 

The video, "Using Group Games to Teach the Present Continuous Tense," is
at the  Media Library of Teaching Skills (MLoTS):www.mlots.org
<http://www.mlots.org/> 

  

The page you will be looking at is 

 http://www.mlots.org/vermont/louisgiancola.html
<http://www.mlots.org/vermont/louisgiancola.html> 

 

To watch the video, click on the image of the video on the right hand
side. The video is less than 5 minutes long and shows teacher Louis
Giancola teaching the present continuous. 

 

On that Web page you can also read a synopsis of the affective filter
concept - a concept the teacher refers to in the video. Please read that
brief description.

 

After viewing the video once or twice, I invite you to post answers to
these questions:

 

            a. What practices in the video do or don't you like? Why?

            b. What questions would you like to ask the teacher or
students?

            c. Were there any surprises? If so, what?

            d. Do you have any other comments? 

 

Note to early bird readers and posters: I might not post your responses
to these questions right away;  I might wait a least until the end of
the day tomorrow to allow others time to view the video on their own
before reading others' ideas. But I will post your responses!

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Miriam

 

Miriam Burt

Moderator, Discussion list for practitioners working with adult English
language learners

mburt at cal.org

 

P.S. You will probably notice that there are also links on the Web page
to two longer pieces on linguist Stephen Krashen's theories at
http://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html <http://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html>
and http://www.languageimpact.com/articles/rw/krashenbk.htm
<http://www.languageimpact.com/articles/rw/krashenbk.htm>  You don't
have to read these unless you want to; I don't see them as integral to
the discussion. Also, as I don't espouse Krashen's theories in their
totality, lock stock and barrel, everywhere and in all cases, I can't in
all good conscience ask you to read these rather long pieces. The
synopsis of the affective filter on the Web page is enough, I think, for
a discussion of the video on this list. 

 

 

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