When working out "Understanding" in the backward design, I wonder , when does an understanding become meaningful for teachers and students?
Doubtlessly when it is based not only on facts but also on experiences.This is absolutely true, because students need to inquire, think, ask questions of the facts instead of getting only the meanings of data.
Besides, teachers must guide our learners to get more transferable knowledge and apply the big ideas in real-life situations.
As a concrete example in my teaching environment, I make use of specific comprehension strategies such as summarizing, making inferences, questioning the texts and predicting to get understanding and at the same time to develop reading skills on the learners, especially with upper -intermediate students who have acquired prior knowledge and have experienced a more creative thinking.
But, how can we increase the use of Understanding as a worthy target in our teaching reality? Unquestionably, it is a challenge in our teaching -learning process, but we can not deny the benefits our learners can get in order to enrich their learning process and live more stimulating experiences.
I think it is time to be up and start doing it little by little!!!
domingo, 7 de noviembre de 2010
sábado, 6 de noviembre de 2010
Chapter 9: Planning for learning
This chapter highlights key words that I describe as meaningful elements to achieve a good understanding on our learners. I mean: a learning plan , learning activities, engaging and effective and the Whereto elements.
Firstly, a learning plan will work if it is covered with activities that foster understanding, knowledge, skill, student interest and performance goals. This aim continues being a challenge for us when thinking less about teaching and more about learning with the time constraint that impedes to devote our time on getting the feedback our learners need to revise and improve their learning .
Secondly, what helps a learning plan be more engaging and effective? Apart from planning appropriate activities, it is relevant to take our sts to different intellectual levels that must be centered on either big ideas and challenges or an interesting and motivating work. In order to be effective, both teachers and learners must be aware of the unit goals and the activities must conduce our learners to be more competent and productive in skills, knowledge, understanding, intellectual power and self-reflection.
Therefore, the emphasis is constantly focus on interesting ideas meaningful feedback , clear goals and explicit challenges. Again, a hard task to be performed by teachers nowadays?
Finally, the Whereto elements will probably guarantee an apropriate learning. These elements emphasize the student's performance obligations and the criteria by which sts work will be assessed. Moreover, it helps sts to create interest in a subject making use of different issues and mysterious and funny stories.
Besides, the teacher 's responsibility is to make our sts explore and experience the big ideas and essential questions, adding scaffolding and graphic organizers for the sake of a meaninful learning. What can teachers of English do to make it applicable?
Firstly, a learning plan will work if it is covered with activities that foster understanding, knowledge, skill, student interest and performance goals. This aim continues being a challenge for us when thinking less about teaching and more about learning with the time constraint that impedes to devote our time on getting the feedback our learners need to revise and improve their learning .
Secondly, what helps a learning plan be more engaging and effective? Apart from planning appropriate activities, it is relevant to take our sts to different intellectual levels that must be centered on either big ideas and challenges or an interesting and motivating work. In order to be effective, both teachers and learners must be aware of the unit goals and the activities must conduce our learners to be more competent and productive in skills, knowledge, understanding, intellectual power and self-reflection.
Therefore, the emphasis is constantly focus on interesting ideas meaningful feedback , clear goals and explicit challenges. Again, a hard task to be performed by teachers nowadays?
Finally, the Whereto elements will probably guarantee an apropriate learning. These elements emphasize the student's performance obligations and the criteria by which sts work will be assessed. Moreover, it helps sts to create interest in a subject making use of different issues and mysterious and funny stories.
Besides, the teacher 's responsibility is to make our sts explore and experience the big ideas and essential questions, adding scaffolding and graphic organizers for the sake of a meaninful learning. What can teachers of English do to make it applicable?
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