I really appreciated that Dr. Smidt gave a chance to that Korean guy to deliver his presentation in our class. One because that guy seemed really affected by the harsh system of educatioin of his country and this was a way of getting releived from those stress and depression. Second because by hearing about such harsh educational systems, we can realize the value of the educational system in the US and in our own countries. In my country due to the war now we are not having as effecient education system as we had before and has not developed to its highest level as it is here in the US or other countries, but it is based on logic and capacity of the learners. For example, we are never forced to stay in the school or study all the time and we are never asked to memorize things.
Here is a little background about the university where I did my bacholar degree:
Kabul University is located in a big and beautiful campus area east of the city centre. The University was started already in 1931 during the rule of King Nadir Shah, and it played a major role for the development of the Afghan society up to 1979. During the 20 years of Soviet occupation, and civil war, the standard however severely declined, mainly because most proficient scholars fled the country. And for those who remained the isolation from the outside World meant that the development in research stopped completely.
http://www.sasnet.lu.se/kabul3.html
However now I am very hapy that it has been improving since 2002. Now, One thing which makes me feel proud about is that I was one of the seven student-teachers who after the completion of an intensive methodology course for the first time applied some new methodology techniques such as group work and so on in English department freshmen classes. It was very challenging because students never had this experience before and would love to just set and listen to the lecture as it used to be like this.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Reading Reflection: April 6
In this reading, many point struck me, but i will mention three of them here.
I liked the point in MCM which says that since the ESL learners might not have had the enough chance of doing extensive readings in Englilsh, it is less possible that they devolop a profissional writing skill. So it is suggested to teachers to put reading part also in their writing courses syllabus. This to me sounds very effective because it will improve students reading skill as well as writing skill. If the teacher use the reading as the model genre for writing and then scafold it then ask students to produce the writing, it would work much better.
The second point is that as the book, MCM, mentions that it is better if the writing assignments are as a self reflection and revelation of the students experience, I also agree with it because it is the real way writers write something. To ellaborate, I would say that I myself and other writers as well write when they are inspired about something and get a feeling to write about something. Background knowledge is not suffecient to be the motive for writing. we have background knowledge about many things, but we dont write about them. We only write when we really feel to write something. So, I think, as much as possible the chance should be given to the students to choose their topic either personal experience or other topics, but the important things is that the students should feel as a writer and focus on what he wants to pass on to the reader.
The third is point is about that one way of peer reviewing can be to ask the studnets of the higher level to tutore and review the writing assignments of the lower level students and this should be as a formal responsibility of the higher level learner and part of his assignments like the way we are assigned for tutoring in Dr. Lybeck's class. This will help both students in many ways. for example, the higher level studnets will feel responsibility and experience teaching, also learns from the mistakes and errors of the tutee, and the lower level for sure learns alot from his/her tutor and they may also develop a friendship.
I liked the point in MCM which says that since the ESL learners might not have had the enough chance of doing extensive readings in Englilsh, it is less possible that they devolop a profissional writing skill. So it is suggested to teachers to put reading part also in their writing courses syllabus. This to me sounds very effective because it will improve students reading skill as well as writing skill. If the teacher use the reading as the model genre for writing and then scafold it then ask students to produce the writing, it would work much better.
The second point is that as the book, MCM, mentions that it is better if the writing assignments are as a self reflection and revelation of the students experience, I also agree with it because it is the real way writers write something. To ellaborate, I would say that I myself and other writers as well write when they are inspired about something and get a feeling to write about something. Background knowledge is not suffecient to be the motive for writing. we have background knowledge about many things, but we dont write about them. We only write when we really feel to write something. So, I think, as much as possible the chance should be given to the students to choose their topic either personal experience or other topics, but the important things is that the students should feel as a writer and focus on what he wants to pass on to the reader.
The third is point is about that one way of peer reviewing can be to ask the studnets of the higher level to tutore and review the writing assignments of the lower level students and this should be as a formal responsibility of the higher level learner and part of his assignments like the way we are assigned for tutoring in Dr. Lybeck's class. This will help both students in many ways. for example, the higher level studnets will feel responsibility and experience teaching, also learns from the mistakes and errors of the tutee, and the lower level for sure learns alot from his/her tutor and they may also develop a friendship.
Class Reflection:
Responding the question that whether writing is a skill or art, I would say that writing is more of a skill than an art especially in the stage of learning. After someone have learned all those skill necessary for writing, then it takes the form of an art but on the condition that the writer has a gifted talent in writing. Writing can turn to an art more because he will no longer think of mechanics and other organizations techniques and he/she will only focus on implying the meaning in a beautiful, attractive, and clear, finally artistic way.
As I am an artist I love any types of art and I would say that art is the highest level for any skill. In other words, when a skill reaches to its best and peak, it becomes creative and unique. So this is true with not only painting, calligraphy and etc., but also with writing, speaking, acting, sports, dance, and so forth. But not to forget that the first thing that helps it is gifted talent, the second is long term learning, the third is constant practice to turn a skill to an art.
As I am an artist I love any types of art and I would say that art is the highest level for any skill. In other words, when a skill reaches to its best and peak, it becomes creative and unique. So this is true with not only painting, calligraphy and etc., but also with writing, speaking, acting, sports, dance, and so forth. But not to forget that the first thing that helps it is gifted talent, the second is long term learning, the third is constant practice to turn a skill to an art.
Reading Reflection: March 30
I agree with the fact that it is enormously significant to focus on the mechanics of writing while working with especially beginning level learners. Becuse it not only helps in improving the correct spelling, but also helps in reading comprehension and writing and appropriate pronounciation.
I still have difficulty spelling even simple words. This forsure reminds me of the time when I was a beginning learner of English. When I was learning English in a private school, I was not used to writing and we were not given any writing practices either in class or out of the class except we had to take some extra grammar notes for which we need to write and memorize the rules.
I still have difficulty spelling even simple words. This forsure reminds me of the time when I was a beginning learner of English. When I was learning English in a private school, I was not used to writing and we were not given any writing practices either in class or out of the class except we had to take some extra grammar notes for which we need to write and memorize the rules.
Class Reflection:
I the activity of finding some materials and then thinking of how to apply that in which grade students and then make activities based on that. I think as teacher student we need to do more of these kinds of group works and activities because it gives a real taste of finding materials and applying them in classes. More intersting was that we pretended to be kids and acted out a real class situation.
Reading Reflection: March 23
There were several points that cought my attention but I would like to breifly mention one of them here.
Usually among ESL teachers there is less understanding of how much war can influence one's literacy which can affect second langauage learning as well in the end. I felt happy that the writer of the MCM book mentioned to this reality of some ELLs' life. He says that the process of the ELLs who come from a warzone background might have not had a smoth and uninterupted flow or continuation as a result of which they might have some reading and writing problems even in their first language which can affect second langauge learning as well.
It reminded me of my exprience that at the time of war there was 1 year that we could not go to school because rockets were coming to where we were living in Kabul. So, at the end of the year without having read anything, we took the exams and the school administration helped us all to pass to the next year of school. this was applied to all schools that year, but the war was not over even then.
Thus, war affects the literacy of people and no ESL teacher should be ignorant about the literacy challenges that a student who comes form a warhit country face.
Usually among ESL teachers there is less understanding of how much war can influence one's literacy which can affect second langauage learning as well in the end. I felt happy that the writer of the MCM book mentioned to this reality of some ELLs' life. He says that the process of the ELLs who come from a warzone background might have not had a smoth and uninterupted flow or continuation as a result of which they might have some reading and writing problems even in their first language which can affect second langauge learning as well.
It reminded me of my exprience that at the time of war there was 1 year that we could not go to school because rockets were coming to where we were living in Kabul. So, at the end of the year without having read anything, we took the exams and the school administration helped us all to pass to the next year of school. this was applied to all schools that year, but the war was not over even then.
Thus, war affects the literacy of people and no ESL teacher should be ignorant about the literacy challenges that a student who comes form a warhit country face.
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