Reflect learning of Seminar in English Language Teaching, Sociocultural Theory as an Approach to Aid EFL Learners (Blog 14)

Sociocultural Theory as an Approach to Aid EFL Learners

On April 25, 2017.

         Last week, The teacher assigned us to find the article about Sociocultural Theory for discussing in this week but my friends and i did not find the information about socioculture theory so she got angry with us but not long time. The teacher gave sheet about socioculture theory and worked in group.
In my group, we discussed that;

      Sociocultural theory
Sociocultural theory or ‘cultural-historical psychology is a theory of the development of higher mental practices which regards social interaction as the core of communication and learning process. Its origin is derived from the sociological and economic writings of Marx and Engels in eighteenth-and nineteenth century. The theory emerged from the work of the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1978), Leont’ev (1981), and Wertsch (1985).

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Scaffolding

Vygotsky describes it as “the distance between the actual development level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1978).

Vygotsky defined scaffolding instruction as the “role of teachers and others in supporting the learners development and providing support structures to get to that next stage or level”(Raymond, 2000).

In this classroom, through social activity, students develop a framework for their learning under the guidance of an expert. Here, the teacher’s role is central, as it is the teacher who provides a supportive environment for students to learn as they become involved in the performance of different language tasks deemed necessary for learning

 In this lesson, I find difficult about some vocabulary in the article and I don’t know the meaning of some vocabulary so I solve the problem by using dictionary online and some time I ask my friends. I felt tired and worry about the final exam on next week.

Reflect learning of Seminar in English Language Teaching, Seminar presentation (Blog 13)

Seminar presentation

 

On April 22, 2017

Today, we have presentation class and there are seven topics as follow;

1. Roles of English in ASEAN Community: the implications for Teaching and Learning

2. Factors Affecting English Language Teaching and Learning

3. Problems of English Language Teaching and Learning in Thailand

4. ICT Enhancing English Language Teaching and Learning

5. Communicative Language Teaching: Strengths and Constraints

6. English Language Teaching and Learning for 21st Century skills

7. Developing Thai Students' critical Thinking Skills.


In my group, we got the the topic about Factors Affecting English Language Teaching and Learning and we summarized  that;

-Student can divide into 3 main topics:1. age: the interested of students, challenge and work experience etc.
2. learner differences: aptitude, good learner characteristics,learner styles, language levels, and individual variations.
3. motivation:extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

-Teacher can divide into 4 main topics:
1.teacher's beliefs, teacher's ability in using English,
2.teacher's methods
3.teacher's styles
4.teacher's use of teaching and learning materials.

-Environment can divide into 3 main topics:1.class size
2.atmosphere
3.family


     In this presentation class and work in group are very important class because each group have to present and create their knowledge that they had learned and give some idea to other in presentation class.     In my opinion this lesson is easy to understand because in each topics are learned already.

Reflect learning of Seminar in English Language Teaching,The end of CLT:a context approach to the language teaching (Blog 12)

The end of CLT: a context approach to the language teaching 

On April 18, 2017.

Today, we learned about "The end of CLT: a context approach to the language teaching" and the teacher lets us worked in group and discussed about what is CLT, the main goal of CLT,and the advantage and disadvantage of CLT, Components of Communicative Competence. After that each group sent the representative to present in front of the class.

What is CLT (communicative language learning)?

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an approach to the teaching second and foreign language that emphasizes interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of learning a language. It is also referred to as “communicative approach to the teaching of foreign languages” or simply the “Communicative Approach”.

What is the main goal of CLT?

The main goal of CLT is to develop the communicative competence of the learners in the classroom, and make learner’s are involved in the learning process so that language develops automatically.

 The advantage and disadvantage of CLT

Advantage:The interaction between students and teachers.
                   To pass on the basic knowledge and ability to skillfully combine the development.

                   Greatly enhanced the student’s interest.

Disadvantage: Not real

                        Classroom Environment (too many students)
                        Focusing too much on oral skills

                        Wu (2011) study also highlights that difficulties included:

          - Students’ lack of motivation for developing communicative competence

          - Low English proficiency, and resistance to class participation

          - Insufficient funding and lack of support.

Components of Communicative Competence
Grammatical Competence

Grammatical competence, which refers to Chomsky's notion of linguistic competence, is indispensable for the practice of linguistic formation of the language. The focus is on suitable structure which helps the learners to use the language appropriately and freely.

Sociolinguistic Competence

Sociolinguistic competence refers to an understanding of the social context in which communication takes place, including role-relationships, the shared information of the participants and the communicative purpose for their interaction.

Discourse Competence

Discourse competence refers to the interpretation of individual message elements in terms of their inter-connectedness and of how meaning is represented in relationship to the entire discourse or text.

Strategic Competence

Strategic competence refers to the coping strategies that communicators employ to initiate, terminate, maintain, repair, and re-direct communication.

In CLT classrooms, the teachers need to create activities that would necessitate learners to practice well in the target language.

For today, I got a lot of knowledge about CLT and I like to learn on discussion because it made me share idea and got some ideas from my friends. This lesson I am not find any difficult because my teacher taught very clearly. I like to learn with her very much.

Reflect learning of Seminar in English Language Teaching, Current Trends and Issues in English Language Education in Asia (Blog 11)

Current Trends and Issues in English Language Education in Asia.

On April 11,2017.

Today, we learned about Current Trends and Issues in English Language Education in Asia.
The teacher assigned us to read and discuss about Current Trends and Issues in English Language Education in Asia and there are consist of 10 parts.

1. The starting Grade of English Language Education
English language education starts at first grade in 11 nations/regions, which means that students study, English for about 10-13 years in these regions, excluding tertiary English education.

The results of the survey reveal that most of the Asian countries/regions start English language education from first grade, which is earlier than most of the European countries.

2. English Class Hours
English class hours in Thailand are larger than the other Asian countries.

3. National English Curriculum
The national curriculum covers first-grade English to the highest high school grade English (10 12 or 13^th
grade English) in the countries/regions where English is introduced from first grade (e.g., Hong Kong,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan). In Pakistan, interestingly, the national curriculum covers up to the graduate level.  In Korea, China, Israel, Vietnam, Iran, Japan, Indonesia, and Taiwan the national curriculum covers from the grade where English is introduced to the end of secondary education.

4. School Textbook
The results of the survey on English textbooks reveal that primary and secondary English textbooks are national or government-authorized commercial, especially for state-run or public schools, in 12 Asian nations.

5. Teaching English through English
Teaching English through English, in the five Asian countries in ESL context: Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the UAE.
English is taught in Mother tongue such as Thailand.

6. The Use of Computer for English Language Education

the computer is used for English language education in most of the Asian nations/regions surveyed, except for Japan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, and Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, This trend may be closely related to ICT development in each Asian country.
-ICT is used mainly in class or at home.
-ICT is used mainly for listening, reading, writing, pronunciation or grammar.
-Computer is used for studying, teaching and testing.

7.The University Entrance Examination
Most of the Asian countries/regions surveyed have a nation-wide university entrance examination.
Nation-wide exam such as Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand
and No Nation-wide exam such as Malaysia, The Philippines, India, Pakistan.

8.English Teachers
Primary English is taught by English specialty teachers in seven nations/regions, while it is taught by generalists in five nations.

9. Tertiary English Education

All the Asian nations/regions surveyed have general English courses at universities, except some countries.

10. English-medium Subjects
English is used as the medium of instruction in non-language classes across school levels in four Asian nations where English is used a second language.

In this lesson is easy because we read it before and the teacher taught me very clearly but I did not get some ideas from the teacher because the air conditioner in the classroom was broken so I am not concentrated at that time.

Reflect learning of Seminar in English Language Teaching, ICT and English Language Teaching and learning (Blog 10)

Computer Assisted Language Learning: an Introduction by Mark Warschauer.

On April 4, 2017.

What did you learn in this lesson?

   Today, we learned about "Computer Assisted Language Learning: an Introduction" by Mark Warschauer.

  There are consist of four part; Frist Behavioristic CALL, Second Communicative CALL, Third Step toward integrative CALL: multimedia, Fourth  Step toward integrative CALL: the internet.

Frist, Behavioristic CALL
Implemented in the 1960s and '70s, was based on the then-dominant behaviorist theories of learning and repetitive language drill and can be referred to as "drill and practice".  Drill and courseware is based on the model of computer as tutor that rationale is as follows: Repeated exposure, provide immediate non-judgmental and proceed at own pace and freeing up for other activities.

Second, Communicative CALL
         Based on the communicative approach to teaching which became prominent in the 1970s and 80s.                        -focus more on using forms rather than on the forms themselves.
- teaches grammar implicitly rather than explicitly.
- encourage students to generate original utterances.
-does not judge and evaluate everything the students nor reward them.
- avoids telling students they are wrong.
- uses the target language exclusively and create an environment.
-never try to do anything that a book can do just as well.

Third, Step toward integrative CALL: multimedia
Based on two important technological developments of the last decade- multimedia computer and the internet. Multimedia technology- by the CD-ROM- allows a variety of media.

Fourth, Step toward integrative CALL: the internet
The World Wide Web
Computer Mediated Communication (CMC);
-This communication can be asynchronous (not simultaneous)
-can be asynchronous (asynchronous, "real time")
-one-to-one communication, but also one-to-many

What did you find easy?

In my opinion, I think this lesson is easy to understand because we familiar with teaching language by using various computer program. 

What did you find difficult?

 I am not find any difficult because my teacher taught very clearly.

What did you attitudes towards the lesson?

I felt happy in this lesson because the content quite easy and the teacher taught clearly.