Members: Mustafa, Tomo, Canan, Michael, Meili, Abduljabbar, Sumeyra
a) What does this questionnaire say about you as a learner on this module?
Most of us think that this questionnaire showed us that we have some sort of a ‘potential/capacity’ of being autonomous learners. Some of us think that they are already autonomous learners (?) , and this module showed them new/better ways to expand their knowledge about learner autonomy.
What does this questionnaire say about the tutor’s expectations of students on this module?
After completing the questionnaire, most of us pointed out that our tutor has high expectations. For example, in the preparation for the assignment and finding resources parts, most of us ticked no predominantly.
On the other hand, we decided that from the very beginning of this module, she showed us how to be autonomous by having us generate our own questions, and addressing these questions during sessions.
What are your feelings about these?
We feel that this module taught us a lot about learner autonomy. It was well-designed. As we discussed in our last session, although there are so many regulations at the university, Barbara overcame them, and designed this course accordingly. Also, we decided that Barbara was the only tutor who checked whether we read the required readings and learned the content. Additionally, at the beginning of each session, she spent at least 15 minutes to address the topics discussed in the previous session(s).
Regarding the questionnaire, question 2.5. was not clear enough. It asks us to rate our participation in the class session. We thought that there should be at least subsections such as: group discussion, designing materials, etc.
b) Are there any issues you feel we still need to cover in the last class?
Our group is still quite confused about ‘assessing the learner autonomy’. So we would like to see materials that focus on assessment specifically.
Do you have any further questions you would like to raise?
We would like to see more materials addressing learner autonomy. Moreover, we want to see a sample material which does not include the aspects of learner autonomy, and the final-revised version of this material. (preferably revised by Barbara )
Thursday, 25 March 2010
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Learning Circle Task -Session 9
Group members: Anara, Meili, Nadeyah, Nancy (Secretary), Suzie
a) What does this questionnaire say about you as a learner on this module?
Most of us think that we did not do enough reflection during this module. For some of us, the concept of learner autonomy is quite new so basically what we do during the module is simply to absorb what has been taught in a passive manner.
b) What does this questionnaire say about the tutor's expectations of students on this module?
We feel that the tutor wants us to get as much information and konwledge as possible from this module in order to prepare ourselves to be autonomous if we want to explore more about learner autonomy. Also, we think the tutor wants us to become a more autonomous learner for all sorts of learning. Moreover, based on the questionnaire we assume that the tutor encourages constant reflection on one's own learning as well.Finally, the tutor might also expect us to take a critical view on learner autonomy by raising issues for discussion.
c) What are your feelings about these?
After completing the questionnaire most of us felt that we should have reflected more often during the module instead of doing this in the end of the module. Some of us were not satisfied with the result because it made us feel that we were being passive and not reflective during this module.
d) Are there any issues you feel we still need to cover in the last class?
We would like to know more about how to integrate learner training into a syllabus. Also, we are interested in knowing more about what aspects we need to take into account when we want to design a learner training lesson or a course.
Some of us raised an issue about doing learner training in L1. Sometimes L1 might be used to do learner training. In which case our concern is that learners might not benefit from learner training in terms of language gain.
a) What does this questionnaire say about you as a learner on this module?
Most of us think that we did not do enough reflection during this module. For some of us, the concept of learner autonomy is quite new so basically what we do during the module is simply to absorb what has been taught in a passive manner.
b) What does this questionnaire say about the tutor's expectations of students on this module?
We feel that the tutor wants us to get as much information and konwledge as possible from this module in order to prepare ourselves to be autonomous if we want to explore more about learner autonomy. Also, we think the tutor wants us to become a more autonomous learner for all sorts of learning. Moreover, based on the questionnaire we assume that the tutor encourages constant reflection on one's own learning as well.Finally, the tutor might also expect us to take a critical view on learner autonomy by raising issues for discussion.
c) What are your feelings about these?
After completing the questionnaire most of us felt that we should have reflected more often during the module instead of doing this in the end of the module. Some of us were not satisfied with the result because it made us feel that we were being passive and not reflective during this module.
d) Are there any issues you feel we still need to cover in the last class?
We would like to know more about how to integrate learner training into a syllabus. Also, we are interested in knowing more about what aspects we need to take into account when we want to design a learner training lesson or a course.
Some of us raised an issue about doing learner training in L1. Sometimes L1 might be used to do learner training. In which case our concern is that learners might not benefit from learner training in terms of language gain.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Problem: Lower intermediate students (aged 14-15) can't understand the listening tasks on the cassettes the teacher uses in class.
Problem: Lower intermediate students (aged 14-15) can't understand the listening tasks on the cassettes the teacher uses in class.
Nancy, Nadiyia, Ranata, and Suzie(secretary)
Possible Causes:
1. Many Accents
2. Background noise
3. Not understanding key words
4. Low proficiency
5. No interests to listen
6. Not familiar with the topic
7. Lack of listening practice experiences
Learner training needed:
Every listening materials are planned to be listened at least three times.
First time:
Before listen, teachers need to give students reasons for listening to motivate them to listen carefully to seek the answers. (1.How do you feel..?)
After the first listen, teachers give some tips for listening, such as,
1. Listening for the gist 2. Not listen word by word, but key words 3. Teachers can explain more explicit. (2.What do you know..?)
Listen again (the second time):
This time, teachers need to evaluate how well they are doing. Ask questions like, how well are you doing? (3.How well are you doing...?)
Then, check the feedback from students. Did you use the strategies mentioned before? How did these strategies work? Which way you prefer?(4. What do you need to do next...? 5. How do you prefer to learn..? Teachers can break the step to analysis the listening materials to help students to understand how exactly use the strategies in the listening. This is aim to emphasize how to use strategies and help students to find their own ways to get the answer and check whether they need to build up your self-confidence.( 6. Do you need to build up your self-confidence..?)
Third time:
Teachers can try different tasks to check whether students master the materials in the listening, such as using “gap filling” test or “multiple choices” to check
(7. How do you organise..?)
No. of sessions: at least 3 times a week – the main reason is to give more practice
Integrated?: Yes
Special sessions?: No.
Nancy, Nadiyia, Ranata, and Suzie(secretary)
Possible Causes:
1. Many Accents
2. Background noise
3. Not understanding key words
4. Low proficiency
5. No interests to listen
6. Not familiar with the topic
7. Lack of listening practice experiences
Learner training needed:
Every listening materials are planned to be listened at least three times.
First time:
Before listen, teachers need to give students reasons for listening to motivate them to listen carefully to seek the answers. (1.How do you feel..?)
After the first listen, teachers give some tips for listening, such as,
1. Listening for the gist 2. Not listen word by word, but key words 3. Teachers can explain more explicit. (2.What do you know..?)
Listen again (the second time):
This time, teachers need to evaluate how well they are doing. Ask questions like, how well are you doing? (3.How well are you doing...?)
Then, check the feedback from students. Did you use the strategies mentioned before? How did these strategies work? Which way you prefer?(4. What do you need to do next...? 5. How do you prefer to learn..? Teachers can break the step to analysis the listening materials to help students to understand how exactly use the strategies in the listening. This is aim to emphasize how to use strategies and help students to find their own ways to get the answer and check whether they need to build up your self-confidence.( 6. Do you need to build up your self-confidence..?)
Third time:
Teachers can try different tasks to check whether students master the materials in the listening, such as using “gap filling” test or “multiple choices” to check
(7. How do you organise..?)
No. of sessions: at least 3 times a week – the main reason is to give more practice
Integrated?: Yes
Special sessions?: No.
Friday, 19 March 2010
Problem: Lower intermediate students (aged 14-15) can't understand the listening tasks on the cassettes the teacher uses in class.
Ellen&Tomo(secretary)
Possible Causes:
1. Anxiety, being nervous
2. Lack of vocabulary
3. Lack of experience & exposure, not being used to listening
4. Students don't know that they don't have to listen to everything to solve listening tasks.
5. They can't differentiate similar sounds (eg. 'l'&'r', 'm'&'n', etc).
6. Lack of motivation
7. The topic doesn't interest them.
8. Noisy environment
Ellis&Sinclair(1989): 7 steps
1. How do you feel..? Nervous, anxious, difficult.
2. What do you know..? Some vocabulary, grammar, and chunks.
3. How well are you doing...? Not so well.
4. What do you need to do next...? Getting good score in next listening test.
5. How do you prefer to learn..? In class, not homework.
6. Do you need to build up your self-confidence..? Yes.
7. How do you organise..? Ask the teacher to do some listening tasks in class.
Learner training needed:
Time: 15 minutes, secured by speeding up usual reading content
Preparation:
1. The teacher finds something authentic & relevant to the reading topic from the Internet. The text should suit the students' level.
2. The teacher reads the text aloud & record it (or ask a native-speaker to do so if available).
3. The teacher designs questions which students can answer without listening everything but some key words.
Class:
4. The teacher explains aim of the task. Aim: Practice listening with catching only key words. Students will understand that they don't have to listen to everything to solve listening tasks.
5. The teacher asks students to read the questions beforehand.
6. The teacher plays the recording and students try to answer the questions.
7. The teacher asks some students to share their answers with the class.
8. The teacher can play the recording again if necessary.
No. of sessions: once a week (on-going)
Integrated?: Yes, the content of recording is relevant to the reading in class.
Special sessions?: No.
Comment: We believe we can deal with the causes 1,3,4 by this learner training task. It looks like an ordinary language learning task very much. We will need to explain aim of the task to the students explicitly.
Possible Causes:
1. Anxiety, being nervous
2. Lack of vocabulary
3. Lack of experience & exposure, not being used to listening
4. Students don't know that they don't have to listen to everything to solve listening tasks.
5. They can't differentiate similar sounds (eg. 'l'&'r', 'm'&'n', etc).
6. Lack of motivation
7. The topic doesn't interest them.
8. Noisy environment
Ellis&Sinclair(1989): 7 steps
1. How do you feel..? Nervous, anxious, difficult.
2. What do you know..? Some vocabulary, grammar, and chunks.
3. How well are you doing...? Not so well.
4. What do you need to do next...? Getting good score in next listening test.
5. How do you prefer to learn..? In class, not homework.
6. Do you need to build up your self-confidence..? Yes.
7. How do you organise..? Ask the teacher to do some listening tasks in class.
Learner training needed:
Time: 15 minutes, secured by speeding up usual reading content
Preparation:
1. The teacher finds something authentic & relevant to the reading topic from the Internet. The text should suit the students' level.
2. The teacher reads the text aloud & record it (or ask a native-speaker to do so if available).
3. The teacher designs questions which students can answer without listening everything but some key words.
Class:
4. The teacher explains aim of the task. Aim: Practice listening with catching only key words. Students will understand that they don't have to listen to everything to solve listening tasks.
5. The teacher asks students to read the questions beforehand.
6. The teacher plays the recording and students try to answer the questions.
7. The teacher asks some students to share their answers with the class.
8. The teacher can play the recording again if necessary.
No. of sessions: once a week (on-going)
Integrated?: Yes, the content of recording is relevant to the reading in class.
Special sessions?: No.
Comment: We believe we can deal with the causes 1,3,4 by this learner training task. It looks like an ordinary language learning task very much. We will need to explain aim of the task to the students explicitly.
Friday, 12 March 2010
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Learning circle - learner training task
Week 4 – learning circle (task design for learner training)
Group members – Suzie, Nancy, Meili, Nadeyah, Anara (secretary)
We have noticed immediately that the main focus in the exercise is language although the attempt was made to learn linguistic structure in a communicative way. Also it was suggested that there should be a chance for students to reflect on their own experiences. That is why we suggested the following process of presenting the exercise that would look as a learner training activity:
1. Brainstorming, whereas the teacher asks students questions such as “Where (when) do you think you can use comparatives?” (probably in L1). At this stage the teacher intention is to raise students’ awareness of a new grammar element without explicitly showing or explaining it. In addition, we think that the given instruction “In pairs, ask and answer the following questions” might be substituted with something like “What pattern(s) can you notice in these sentences?”
2. After brainstorming we think that two students might go in front of the class whereas other students will need to find any differences they see in them, or alternatively students and the teacher might compare something which is in the classroom. For instance, sentences like “X is short, Y is tall, X is light, Y is heavy” might be encouraged by the teacher so that students get ready for the main part of the exercise which is to spot the patterns of comparative forms.
3. As for the second task in the exercise, students might be asked to number the activities they find easy and/or difficult from the easiest to the most difficult ones, and while doing this they might probably work out the patterns for themselves. Also, this activity will help them to identify their weaknesses and strengths, which leads to the development of self-evaluation.
4. As a final part we think that asking students to evaluate their understanding of the comparatives, and how comparing works in English will prompt further development of meta cognitive strategies such as self-evaluation, self-monitoring.
Group members – Suzie, Nancy, Meili, Nadeyah, Anara (secretary)
We have noticed immediately that the main focus in the exercise is language although the attempt was made to learn linguistic structure in a communicative way. Also it was suggested that there should be a chance for students to reflect on their own experiences. That is why we suggested the following process of presenting the exercise that would look as a learner training activity:
1. Brainstorming, whereas the teacher asks students questions such as “Where (when) do you think you can use comparatives?” (probably in L1). At this stage the teacher intention is to raise students’ awareness of a new grammar element without explicitly showing or explaining it. In addition, we think that the given instruction “In pairs, ask and answer the following questions” might be substituted with something like “What pattern(s) can you notice in these sentences?”
2. After brainstorming we think that two students might go in front of the class whereas other students will need to find any differences they see in them, or alternatively students and the teacher might compare something which is in the classroom. For instance, sentences like “X is short, Y is tall, X is light, Y is heavy” might be encouraged by the teacher so that students get ready for the main part of the exercise which is to spot the patterns of comparative forms.
3. As for the second task in the exercise, students might be asked to number the activities they find easy and/or difficult from the easiest to the most difficult ones, and while doing this they might probably work out the patterns for themselves. Also, this activity will help them to identify their weaknesses and strengths, which leads to the development of self-evaluation.
4. As a final part we think that asking students to evaluate their understanding of the comparatives, and how comparing works in English will prompt further development of meta cognitive strategies such as self-evaluation, self-monitoring.
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