9th Learning Reflection in Seminar in English Language Teaching Course

To begin, teacher presents video “The Effect of New Technologies on English.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVqcoB798Is  After the video ends, we discussed about the Internet and history of social network, advantages & disadvantages of social media. Then, teacher gave the article “Computer Assisted Language Learning by Mark Warschauer” to me study at home. At 10.00 a.m., I had a midterm test. The midterm test was contained 3 items, they are about global English, ESL and EFL and factor of English teaching.

From the lesson I think it is easy for me because the vocabulary and some information from the video aren’t too complex. Another, I always use social network to study, find some information or relax.

But the exam is difficult for me. My writing skills and vocabulary are not good and I have 1.30 hours to answer the questions. So I'm quite worried about the test. After the exam finished, I reviewed my knowledge with my friends.

Even the exam will be difficult for me, but the exam made me assess myself and investigate my fault.

8th Learning Reflection in Seminar in English Language Teaching Course

I learned English teaching problems in Thailand. At first, teacher asked me to think about the problems that occur in Thailand. There are many problems for examples, teacher’s responsibility, teacher’s tasks, large class, students lack motivation to learn etc. After that, teacher assigned me to read the article about English teaching problem in Thailand, and I discussed with my group as follows:

Teachers;

- teaching writing

- lack of experience into English classes

- their own very few opportunity to use English

- teaching listening and speaking

- using games and songs don’t effective in English classes

Students;

- The students have not more opportunity to practice English in class and outside.

- The students always translate in Thai before English.

- The students lack knowledge and skill of English insufficiently.

- The students have the problems about writing.

- The students lack out confidence to speak English.

- The students lack patience to practice English.

- The students have the problems with listening and pronunciation.

I like group discussion because it is a good way to make me understand many contents.

However, I was limited to read with time. So, I discussed with my friends to exchange ideas.

When I learned the lesson, I’m aware that these problems should solve from the cooperation of all parties. It’s not just to the teacher as a modifier. However, these problems give me the power to be a teacher because I wanted to solve the problems.

7th Learning Reflection in Seminar in English Language Teaching Course

Today I learned about Factors Affecting English Language Teaching & Learning in High Education. There are 3 factors as follows:

          1. Age

          Yong children – response meaning, learn indirectly, understanding come not just from explanation, but from they see, listen, and touch. They want to talk about themselves and have limited attention span. They can easily get bored and losing interest in 10 minutes. 

          Adolescents – discipline problem, like challenges, less motivated, need approval, individual identity

          Adult learner – come with experience, have expectation learning process, more discipline, struggle, have clear understanding of what they learn, have more motivation, critical teaching methods

          2. Learner differences

          Ø Aptitude

          Ø Good learner characteristics

          Ø Learner styles

             ØLanguage levels

          Ø Individual variations

Today I knew about factors that affect students’ learning.  It was very helpful for me. Knowing the style of the learner makes me more aware of learners’ needs.

But some vocabulary about learner styles that teacher presents on the board are difficult for me, so I consulted online dictionary.    

6th Learning Reflection in Seminar in English Language Teaching Course

Teacher assigned me to study about classroom learning context in Malaysia, Mozambique and China. Teacher lets me to study in pair then answer the questions;

1. Make comment on each classroom learning context

w Malaysia: Good atmosphere for young students, teacher can motivate students by using activity.

w Mozambique: Teacher teaches in meaningless, give only pattern to students and isn’t related with the context in daily life.

w China: Teacher dominate classroom

2. Which classroom do you like most?

I like classroom in number 1 because students and teacher can interact and make a good relationship. Students was activated by teacher. Teacher set the activity appropriate for students. It makes students feel relax and warm.

3. What are strengths and weaknesses of each classroom?

classroom learning context	strengths	weaknesses
Malaysia	- good atmosphere - motivate students	take time
Mozambique	correctly according to the dialogue pattern	students can't speak without pattern in dairy life with contexts
China	give the chance for students to ask questions	students not active and feel bored

After that, teacher involved me to summarize factors affecting ELT and learning consists of 3 factors;

          1. Teacher - teaching experience

                             - technics

                             - teaching strategies

                             - teaching ,methods

                             - managing classroom

          2. Students         - learning style

                             - background knowledge

                             - attitude

                             - motivation, attention

                             - age

          3. Learning environment   - role of teacher and students

                                                - relationship between teacher and students

                                                - activities

                                                - time management

                                                - large class

From examples classroom, the text is contained with simple vocabulary for me. I can read

text easily. I understand the text and feel happy to work in pair.

Finding factors that affect learning English is still difficult for me because learning English

well is caused by many factors, both teachers and the environment.

But working in pairs helped me get more new ideas. I have a friend who help me to think

and we help each other to find the factors. It is a good way to work smoothly.

From the lesson, I feel enjoyable and happy with class.

5th Learning Reflection in Seminar in English Language Teaching Course

Teacher assigned me to study articles about "The roles of English Language Education in Asian context by Bok-Myung Chang:  Namseoul University" I knew about the history of English Language Education in Asian countries: Singapore, Philippine, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. After that teacher lets us to present in front of the class.

The Roles of English Language Education in Asian Context

          1. To recognize the importance of NNS (Non-Native Speaker) interactions in communicating through English, to activate people for using English in daily life.

          2. To emphasize the bi-directionality in communicating among NS and NNS in global social.

          3. To accept the effectiveness of NNS teacher in teaching English in Asian

The importance of non-native interactions in Asian context  

          Prof. Yana; pointed out the effects of NS-NNS as follows:

          1. Using English in the NS-NNS help Asian students to expose themselves toward NS

          2. Using English for communication in English, learner in Asian helps them to be positive and active in the international communication and forces them to be ready to interact immediately.

          3. Non-NS realized that the main important of using English is able to discuss and express their ideas and opinion. So, Non-NS often makes the grammatical mistakes. 

Moreover, good teachers should be good in various factors, including psychological factors, social factors, ability to adapt different strategies and creating interesting activities for students.

          Some content in the article is quite easy for me. Group discussion is a good way to make me understand the article because my friends explain some topics or vocabulary that make me clear more.

          For my difficult, the article are contained many content. I have to read and try to understand, so I have to spend a lot of time.

          For this reasons, I ask my friends to explain more.

          I rather like group discussions because everyone in my group express opinion, share ideas fill the knowledge together. These things make me happy in learning.

4th Learning Reflection in Seminar in English Language Teaching Course

For this week, I learned about 21^st Century Learning: Pedagogical Perspectives. It makes me know about information of teaching and learning in 21^st Century and helps me to prepare myself for my teaching in the future as follows:

Key subjects

? English, reading or language arts

? World languages

? Arts

? Mathematics

? Economics

? Science

? Geography

? History

? Government and Civics

Themes

          ü Global awareness

ü Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy

ü Civic literacy

ü Health literacy

ü Environmental literacy

From these information, I learned new vocabulary. It is “ literacy (n.) ” It means the ability to use…….

Learning and Innovation Skills

µ Creativity and Innovation

µ Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

µ Communication and Collaboration

Information, Media and Technology Skills

& Information Literacy

& Media Literacy

& ICT Literacy

Life and Career Skills

< Flexibility & Adaptability

< Initiative & Self Direction

< Social & Cross-Cultural Skills

< Productivity & Accountability

< Leadership & Responsibility

          I already known some information about 21^st at semester 1, so it was quite easy for me.

          On the other hand, applying with Thai context is difficult. I think Thai context emphasize teacher-center more than students-center because Thai students don’t express their ideas in class, lack opportunities to use their skills to do activities and teacher isn’t support their skills that they have.

          For me, creating various activities for students to learn and practice in the classroom. It helps students to improve their skills.

          I like the content at this week. It is interesting for me and helps me to prepare my teaching as well. It's hard to give students the knowledge and skills I need. But I will do my best. AAA

3rd Learning Reflection in Seminar in English Language Teaching Course

After we had discussed from last week, we presented the topic in front of the class.

After that teacher lets us watched a video about World Englishes by David Crystal. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_q9b9YqGRY)

I like some his speech that “If you go to South Africa, you don’t understand some of the language. You think I’m a foreigner and not a native speaker of English. Don’t think like that I go to South Africa, I don’t understand the language and I’m a native speaker of English. You see there’s no difference between me and you when it comes to going to different parts of the world and encountering these new varieties of English and everywhere is the point you have to pick up on everywhere in every country in the world. There is a new variety of English going growing which is culturally influenced” that showed English is used as a language which each country use English differently. English is not language of only England or America but it is a language of all.

I have known some information about Global Englishes from last week that it is a foundation make me rather understand. I like the video because Crystal’s speech taught me know other information.

For my difficulty, I think that it is my listening skill because I can’t understand something with listening 1 round. I need to listen more, then I can understand more.

I solve the problem by attention to listen for my first time. Next time I looked description from the video. Moreover I asked my friends about some topic that I don’t still understand.

From watching the video, it make me think that learning from books or sheet are not enough. The teacher should use other materials to encourage or challenge students to learn. For my future, I going to use various materials like my teacher.