I am very happy to write my experiences about this week which have been very useful. I know teaching by technology supports the learning process. Students can keep having contact and interaction with knowledge in and outside the classroom. By means of technology we can make even our shy learners who are reluctant to ask questions participate actively in the process.
Large classes can be effectively managed by a series of strategies where students can feel more comfortable.
Group or pair activities can result by giving students the chance to reflect on some questions and then discuss them with a partner.
Another useful strategy to manage large or small classes are the power point presentations. This kind of activity can help students to be interested in what they are learning or reinforcing from the beginning to the end of the lesson. They can benefit from the concrete learning experiences that graphic presentations offer.
I also like the interactive story strategy which I consider very creative and participative. Students can actively produce ideas about what could happened, will happen or express reasons about a story. This activity lets students to analyze a situation, identify specific aspects and give solutions.
I want to tell that I am working to help my students to improve language skills such as: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, collocations, etc. I want them to enhance them by reading since it is essential to improve communication. My principal aim is to create and present opportunities to motivate reading without the necessity that the teacher gives assignments to make students read. I want my students be independent readers.
First, I had an extensive talk to my students to increase my student's motivation, curiosity and self confidence. We identified the principal aspects that influence them to read. We not only talked about it, we organized a dramatization and a discussion about it.
Then, I made students choose the type of texts they wanted to read according to their level and interests the next day they brought ideas like traditional stories, magazines, newspapers, cartoons, books from movies.
Now they are working on to decide the type of texts they would like the best and they have to give their comments to sustain their choices as well as more ideas to implement something new based on their readings.
I am positive that this project goes well but I still need your comments. They will be welcome.
Mory-Ecuador.
Hi Mory,
ReplyDeleteIn fact, there are plenty of strategies we can use to manage large classes. As you mention some of them are making students work in pairs and groups, using Power Point presentations, encouraging them to do reading to improve communication. I completely agree with you.
As for including music in the class.....I was just amazed to see the video you shared last week. It´s certainly great to see how music can transport us to a magic world where we feel immersed in joy and happiness. Students for sure will feel happy by watching this video. There are music rhythms and words for everybody. Every student would enjoy the kind of music they prefer, exactly the way they have preferences for learning, they would feel happier when we, teachers, give them plenty of different activities to do. They surely will find some od them better, more interesting, more useful or just more enjoyable. I loved the video. I really enjoyed it from the beginning to the very end. Thank you Mory, and congratulations!!. Go on with your challenging work.
Warm regards,
Loli Paredes :) :)