Final week (semester 2)

Finally Learning reflection 

     Today is the last week that I learnt for Seminar in English Language Teaching course. The teacher taught me about Sociocultural theory and then, we have final examination.

       For today, I write my weblog to tell all about what I get from this course from the first day until today. I learnt and read many researches about English language teaching and I got many ideas of the researchers and I could get more knowledge that I don't know before. Moreover, I also enhanced my knowledge with my friends in the class and this made me learn the new things and many knowledge from them. In this course I learnt many topic as following;

1. Goals of language teaching 
2. Global English 
3. Contexts of English Language Teaching 
4. Contexts of English Language Teaching 
5. Factors affecting English Language Teaching and Learning 
6. Factors affecting English Language Teaching and Learning
7. Problems of English Language Teaching 
8. Problems of English Language Teaching 
9. ICT and English Language Teaching and Learning
10. Trends in ELT  

       In addition, I had Seminar presentation in final class for group and individual so, these presentation taught me to think about what my implication is and apply these for my job in the future.

       My problem in this course is I cannot manage my time to read the researches so,  some researches I cannot read in all chapter or topics. 

       Finally, I would like to say thank you teacher Usa about all of this course that taught me to realize about English language teaching. Moreover, I like to learn about foreign culture from teacher Usa that is a good knowledge for me. I will bring all of these to use and apply for my job in the future.

Week 15 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

    Today, the teacher taught me about communicative approaches that following;

1. Communicative approaches were influenced by functional linguistics.

Goal: To enable learners to develop communicative competence in order to use the target language in communication.

Classroom activities:

- Tasks that require students to share information and negotiate meaning

- Include problem-solving tasks, role-plays, simulates and games, and usually exclude use of L1

- Students are expected to play active roles through “negotiating for meaning” thus, they are expected to interact primarily with each other rather than with the teacher.

- Students have opportunities to experiment with new language.

-  Pair work and group work.

- Integrated skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing

- Use of authentic tasks and ”realia”/ authentic material to promote students’ communication

Teacher’s role

Been and Candlin(2001) specifics a variety of role:

- Facilitator

- Interdepentdent participant

- Organizer of resources, a resource, and a guide

- Researcher

Richard and Rodger(2001)

- Analyst

- Counselor

- Group process manages

Learner-centeredness

Learner-centeredness has four central characteristics:

1. Learner participant in the whole process of the course               content and selecting learning procedures

2. Learner participant in the design of language activities

3. Learner are encouraged to take responsibility to a great            degree of their learning

4. Enhancing learner autonomy

Constraints of CLT

-          Focus on fluency over accuracy

-          Learner and teacher roles

-          Cultural appropriacy: ESL and EFL

-          Student’s lack of target language exposure

-          Traditional teaching and learning culture

-          Teacher expertise and student English proficiency level

-          Lack of learning resource/ support

-          Class size

       Before we finished the class, the teacher assigned us to read about "Sociocultural Theory as an Approach to Aid EFL Learners" and The relevance and implications of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory in the second language classroom and summarize to present next class.  

       My problem for today is my friends and I were not clear about this research so, we use long time to summarize and discuss it.

Week #14 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today, The teacher assigned me to read the ELT journal about “The end of CLT: a context approach to language teaching of Stephen Bax” and then, I discussed with my friends in group to present in front of class.

       The teacher assigned us to discuss in the topic of materials of CLT, the problems in CLT, advantages and disadvantage of CLT. We summarized that;

Materials

- Authentic materials such as newspaper, radio and television broadcast, weather forecast, timetables.

Problems in CLT

- The approach is not always appropriate with the socio cultural context in which it is used. Culture is often considered as a barrier in creating a communicative form of English learning in EFL contexts. 

Advantages

- Students will be more motivated by learning to communicate.

- Students will learn to communicate effectively.

Disadvantage

- No grammar rules are presented.

       Moreover, the teacher taught me about Major trends in the Global ELT Field. She summarized that there are 8 trends;

Trends 1 : Changing perspectives on English teaching and learning

Trends 2: Changes in goals of English teaching and learning

Trends 3: Changes in approaches to teaching

Trends 4: Changes in teaching content, curriculum design, and                         assessment

Trends 5: Expanding the dimension of communicative competence

Trends 6: Changing views of an effective English educator

          

Trends 7: Rapid development and integration of information                             technology in ELT

Trends 8: Changing roles and increasing responsibilities of teachers

      Today, I found an easy things that this research use an easy language and easy to understand, so it make me clear about CLT and I found that CLT is not method but it is teaching approach for teacher to apply in suitable activities in classroom.

Week #13 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

Today, I learnt about Current Trends and Issues in English Language Education in Asia and the teacher assigned me to discuss in group. We summarized that;

1. The starting Grade of English Language Education

     English language education starts at first grade in 11 nations/regions, as shown below

1st grade: Hong Kong(including kindergarten, nursery                              school), Taipei in Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines,                  Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,                       Sri Lanka, the UAE 

3rd grade: Korea, China, 9 cities in Taiwan

4th grade: Israel

6th grade: Iran, Vietnam

7th grade: Japan, Indonesia 

2. English class hours
     
     In Thailand, which is an EFL context, English is taught from first grade, as seen in the previous section, and primary English class hours per week (about 3 or 4 hours) are larger than the other Asian countries in EFL context (e.g., 1 to 4 hours). 

Today, I found an easy from this topic is I realized that if we will be the teacher, we should concern about teaching methods and techniques and interaction between teacher and student to understand what happens in real classroom. 

3. National English Curriculum

    The results of the survey reveal that all the 18 Asian countries/regions have a national curriculum for primary or secondary English.

4. School textbooks

       In many Asian countries/regions, primary and secondary schools use textbooks are national or government-authorized and the teachers cannot create textbook by themselves. On the contrary, a more bottom-up approach is used in the construction and selection of university English textbooks. 

5. Teaching English Through English

    In ESL countries, English is taught in English and taught in native language in senior secondary schools.

6. The Use of Computer for English Language Education 

    ICT facilities are usually utilized for whole-class or individual work in most of the Asian nations/regions such as Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Israel, the UAE, Vietnam (only for whole-class work), and Bangladesh (only for individual work). Only in Israel and the UAE is it used for group or pair work. This might be accounted for by technological limitations. 

    CALL, MALL, or e-learning is a common trend in Asian countries/regions. The computer is often used for whole-class work in English classrooms. However, it should not be ignored that the use of computer itself cannot enhance the quality of English language education or replace human teachers (Kawabata, 2006; Warschauer, 1996). Training of the teachers and the students must precede computer use for its effectiveness and efficiency, as noted in Choi and Kang (2002) and Wen and Hu (2007).

7. The University Entrance Examination 

    Most of the Asian countries/regions surveyed have a nationwide university entrance examination. 
     MCQs (multiple-choice questions) are the test format most prevalently used across the Asian nations/regions, as shown in the list below. Fill-in-theblanks are also another common format as well as TF (true-false) questions and SAQs (short-answer questions). These trends may be accounted for by the issue of practicality and reliability (Kwak, 2004). 

Picture: Iranian University Entrance Exam

8. English Teachers

9. Tertiary English Education

10. English-medium Subjects



      Next, the teacher taught me about 21st century skills and Major Trends in the Global ELT Field.

Major Trends in the Global ELT Field

Trend 1: Changing perspectives on English teaching and learning

Trend 2: Changes in goals of English teaching and learning

Trend 3: Changes in approaches to teaching

Trend 4: Changes in teaching content, curriculum design, and                          assessment

Trend 5: Expanding the dimension of communicative competence

Trend 6: Changing views of an effective English educator

Trend 7: Rapid development and integration of information                            technology in ELT

Trend 8: Changing roles and increasing responsibilities of teachers

       The easy thing I found today is teaching and learning in 21st century skills. I understand the information that the teacher shown me because I have learnt this topic with teacher Putsadee and teacher Usa taught me clear in the topic more.

Week #12 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today, the teacher taught me about "Computer Assisted Language Learning: an Introduction by Mark Warschauer" and after that, she assigned me to discuss with friends about Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL).

The teacher taught me that;

1. Three phases of CALL

     1.1 Behavioristic CALL

      - drill and practice; based on the model of computer as tutor. The rationale behind drill and practice was not totally spurious, which explains in part the fact that CALL drills are still used today. Briefly put, that rationale is as follows:

• Repeated exposure to the same material is beneficial or even essential to learning
• A computer is ideal for carrying out repeated drills, since the machine does not get bored with presenting the same material and since it can provide immediate non-judgmental feedback
• A computer can present such material on an individualized basis, allowing students to proceed at their own pace and freeing up class time for other activities

     1.2 Communicative CALL

           - based on the communicative approach to teach

           - focuses more on using forms 

           - teaches grammar implicitly rather than explicitly;                            - allows and encourages students to generate original utterances 

           - does not judge and evaluate everything the students nor reward them with congratulatory messages, lights, or bells;

           - avoids telling students they are wrong 

           - uses the target language exclusively 

           - will never try to do anything that a book can do 

      1.3 Steps toward integrative CALL: multimedia

           - based on two important technological developments of the last decade - multimedia computers and the Internet

       The problem I found today is I did not understand some vocabulary such as hypermedia, synchronous and asynchronous,  so I searched on the internet for their meaning and study about them with friends in group.

Week #10 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today, the teacher asked me to watch the video about the effect of new technologies on English from David Crystal. In the video, David Crystal talk about the internet and history of social network. He said that when new technology comes along, it influences language. It has to technology always has influenced language. I agree with him because nowadays English language appears in everywhere whether is on the internet as I see such as Facebook, Twisters, Instagram, and etc.

     Then, the teacher gave the papers "Computer Assisted Language Learning: an Introduction by Mark Warschauer" and lecture to me. After that, I have a mid-term test when I finished the lesson.

       Today I found difficult from listening to and watching the video. I have some problem with native speaker that he speak so fast and I did not understand but I try to ask my friend with sentences that I did not understand. 

       

   

Week #9 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today is the ninth week that two last week ago I did not learn because they are final week and University athletic event. In this class,  the teacher taught about English-Teaching Problem in Thailand and Thai teacher's Professional Development needs and assigns us to discuss in group. I got many knowledge about causes of failure of Thai learner from the teacher as following;

Causes of Failure 

     1. unqualified and poorly-trained teachers

     2. poorly-motivated students

     3. learners of mixed abilities in overly large classes

    4. rare opportunities for student exposure to English outside of class time.

     5. teachers' heavy teaching loads

     6. inadequately equipped classrooms and education technology

     7. the university entrance examination system

  8.teachers' insufficient English language skills and cultural knowledge

     9. lack of qualified teachers because of overloaded burden, their teaching styles start to fossilize into ones of rote-learning, teaching grammar and translation with Thai as the medium of instruction, teacher-centered classroom activities, spoon-feeding.

       Next, I discussed with friends about English-teaching problems in Thailand and Thai teachers as following;

1. Teacher: There are 5 problems

   

   1) teaching writing

   2) incorporative learning into English

   3) their own minimal use to English

   4) teaching listening & speaking

   5) using games & songs effectively in English class

2. Students: There are 8 problem

   

   1) Students not having practice English enough.

   2) lack of chances to use English outside classroom.

   3) Students not have enough English skill.

   4) thinking into Thai before translate into English.

   5) Having problems with listening & pronunciation

   6) lacking of patient

   7) Having about writing

   8) Lacking of confident in English

3. Curricula and textbook

    

   Teacher don't understand detail of the Curricula and textbook.

       Today, I found that teaching English in Thailand depend on many problem between the teacher and the students. So, I think this is the problem that cannot solve these problem in Thailand. As I will be the teacher in the future, I think the teacher is an important to find the way that make the students to good at English and motivate them ready to use English language to communicate with other people in asean. 

Week #7 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today, The teacher taught me about factor affecting English language teaching and learning in higher education and let us to discuss in group about the topic. Before I discuss with friends, the teacher asks us to create a map to think about factors affecting English teaching and learning. 

       Moreover, I discuss with my friends about the research "Factor affecting English language teaching and learning in higher education" and we summarize that there are many factors such as;

1. Language teaching and learning

    1.1 Goal of language teaching and learning

    1.2 Major methods in language teaching

    1.3 Issue relating to the activity of English teaching and learning

          1.3.1 The roles of teachers and learner

          1.3.2 The use of teaching materials 

       This research found that there were many problems affecting the quality of English teaching and learning at HUTECH. These problems included: the teachers's teaching styles and methods; teachers' classroom management; teachers' investment for teaching; and students' abilities and attitudes.

       For this lesson, I found some problems in some topic of the research and I ask a friend in group to help me and ask her to describe to me. I think the topic for this lesson is interesting topic because its factors reflect to teaching and learning of Thailand in the current too.

Week #6 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today, Teacher gave some worksheets about Classroom learning context: teachers' descriptions and asked us to read by ourselves and then, analyze in the table follow by given analysis of sample classrooms. In this lesson, I analyzed about an English lesson in Malaysia, an English lesson in Mozambique and an English lesson in China.  I analyzed as following:

1. An English lesson in Malaysia

The pupils sit around the teacher at front of the class. When the pupils has sat quietly, the teacher begins her story. Then, the teacher reads the story slowly. when she's finished, she asks a few questions to the pupils and the pupils answer positively and the rest stay quiet. 

2. An English lesson in Mozambique

The students sitting in pair and the teacher at front of class and then, moving around class. The teacher reads the dialogue aloud line by copying a dialogue from the blackboard. There is quite a lot of noise.

3. An English lesson in China

The students sit in rows and the teacher stands in front of the blackboard and behind the teacher's desk. There are copy of the textbook, teaching notes and teaching aids on the teacher's desk. The teacher begins his lecture and stop lecture and then, gives the students a chance to ask questions about what he has been teaching.

       When I finished analysis in the table, I works with a partner to answer some questions from the teacher and discuss with a partner. The questions are following.

1. Make comments on each classroom learning context?

2. What are strengths and weaknesses of each classroom?

3. Which classroom do you like most? why?

       

       

After that, the teacher taught about the research " Factors Affecting English Language Teaching and Learning in Higher Education" and finished class and also assigned the task for my homework today. 

I find an easy from analysis classroom in the table that I can analyze the classroom in Malaysia, Mozambique and China with a partner and I answer the questions with my partner.

I find a difficult about a part in the table but I ask my partner to help my understanding.

Week #5 (semester 2)

Learning Reflections 

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today,  I learned the new topic about "The Roles of English Language Education in Asian Context by Bok-Myung Chang from Namseoul University". Then,  Professor Usa Noytim assigned me to discuss with friends about The roles of English language education in Asian context in group. I summarized in many countries such as Singapore, The Philippines,  Hong Kong,  China, Malaysia, Taiwan,  Japan,  Korea. But, now I will show two counties that I summarized, and then conclusion.

      1. Singapore

Singapore had been colonized by the United Kingdom after that English was influenced in Singapore and English is an official languages in Singapore too. Moreover,  English is used in public's administration,  education,  commerce, science and technology (Lin,  2002). English education in Singapore has two form are formal and informal.

       2.The Philippines

The Philippines were dominated by Spain and the USA in later. Even after independence,  the language and the government of the U.S.  have greatly influenced the politics and lives of Filipinos (Bolton & Bautista,  2004) In addition,  English be continued as a medium of instruction but that primary school teacher be allowed to use the local languages as a supplementary tool for instruction (Bernardo, 2004 p. 19)

Conclusion

Asian Englishes play the bi-directional roles: the first role is to establish the identity of each cultural and ethnic group by using both English and each group's mother tongues in Asian context.

       For topic today,  I think each countries use English because English was influenced in these countries in the past, so this make people in each countries can communicate with others in English.

       Today, I don't have any problems in learning because I asked my friends in group when I didn't understand some topic and I were representative from my group to come in front of class to present our discussion.

Week #4 (semester 2)



Learning Reflections 

Seminar in English Language Teaching

       Today, teacher assigned us to discuss about different teaching and learning in EFL and ESL. I disscuss with my friends in group to present our disscussion in front of class. For today, teacher allowed us to make group by ourself and disscussion about 30 minutes. The things that I got in class are about teaching and learning in EFL and EFL. For ESL is students are immigrants or visitors. The class mixed nationalities, so students don’t share a native language or a common culture. For EFL is students share the same language and culture. The teacher may be the only native English speaker they have exposure to. Outside of the classroom students have very few opportunities to use English.

       After we finished our discussion, teacher teached us about 21st century Learning Pedagogical Perspectives by using Powerpoint. Before we finished class, teacher assigned us to choose the topics to do report and for my group we got the topic about "Factors Affecting English Language Teaching and Learning"

       For today, I don't have any problem with learning in class because I discuss with friends about the things that I don't understand or I don't know. I think the discussion with friends in class help me in learning better than study by oneself.