My role as a teacher
The sky is the limit
The following text is a short reflection over my role as a teacher in the classroom. The assignment was to reflect upon what we need to do to best work with children. How important am I as a teacher and what do I need to know to be able to do a good job. The discussion should be based on my experiences from My VFU. Since I have been doing my VFU during the christmas holiday, I have based my reflection on earlier classroom experiences.
- Please reflect upon your role as a teacher in the classroom. (Do this assignment after your VFU so you have a chance to try). As a teacher of English in nursery school, pre-school and elementary school, what do you need to do to best work with the children? What do the pupils need to know and be able to do in 6th grade and how can you best prepare them? How important are you as a teacher and what do you need to know to be able to do a good job? Is normal school English enough to teach year 4-6 or could it be useful to consider doing some extra English classes? Base the discussion on your experiences and evaluate your English proficiency.
In the report, Lifelong Learning and Lifewide Learning, written by The Natioanl Agency for Education you can read the following text:
English is the mother tongue or official language of a large number of countries, covering many different cultures, and is the dominant language of communication throughout the world. The ability to use English is necessary for studies, travel in other countries and for social and professional international contacts of different kinds. The subject aims at developing an all-round communicative ability and the language skills necessary for international contacts, and an increasingly internationalised labour market, in order to take advantage of the rapid developments taking place, as a result of information and communications technologies, as well as for further studies. The subject has, in addition, the aim of broadening perspectives on an expanding English-speaking world with its multiplicity of varying cultures.
Therefore all students need to be prepared so that they can further develop their knowledge later on their own after completing school. in the long run this means in the prolongation that they will become part of the entrepreneurship that has a great influence in our new steering documents.
If I can, as a teacher, enthusiasm the students on a early stage, I would feel satisfied. I enjoy languages and to be part of making the students interested and learn to speak a language, would make me proud. Unfortaunately, I think, that if there is a big difference in the education level and lack of interest at home, it is harder to make the students see the reason why they should learn a language. It shows that parents with high levels of education have been more successful than those with low levels in encouraging their children to continue their studies. Therefore it is important to arouse there interest. The best way of doing that, I think, would be a varying form of teachingmethods. If I could find those, then I´m sure it will lead to a living interest.
First of all it should be fun. It is also important to make the students to feel secure. And make them dare to use English. Gun Lundberg writes in Engelska för yngre åldrar, that it is important not only to have English lessons once or twice a week, but every day. According to the syllabus, you suppose to aim at developing and maintaining a desire and ability to learn English. How can we do that if the students, don´t see a progression in their own learning? I think that one of the most important quality a teacher needs is flexibility, something I always have in mind when I am working. However many teachers are not. I know it is not always easy, but if I have a lesson and my students are really focused on something, which they normally are after a while, I would never say:
- Times out, time to take a break.
That could really kill the joy of any subject. Since we are suppose to meet all kinds of students, we also need to know that some are slow starters and some are not. It ought not to be difficult since the common way of working in the lower ages, from year six to twelwe, is to be responsible for more than one subject, compared to if you work in the higher grades. The advantage of this is also that it is easier to work with subject integration, with different themes
for example.
To use the European Language Portofolio
is definitely something I am going to use. That will make my students aware of their languageprogression. Use it to motivate them and follow their own progress. The Europeen portifolio has two purposes. The first is to motivate students to learn languages and at the same time follow their own progression. The second purpose is to give them a documentation over their languageskills and their significant contacts with other cultures.
The pedagogic purpose is to enhance the motivation among the student to:
- encrease communication ability in different language
- learn new languages
- seek interculture experiences
Help the student:
- reflect over it´s goal and different way of learning
- planning
- to be aware of the learningprocess
Encorage the student to:
- progression in multibingual and interculture contacts
A concept that I will continue to use, is to implement more digital tools in my classroom. Since I used to work with for example a blogg before, I can only see advantages of using this as a communication tool. Lay out exercises, as well for the students to use for reflection an to store their own work. This is something that is also mentioned in the book, Engelska för yngre åldrar
and as well in the steering documents. I also know the importance of using different methods. To make sure to meet all students. That is why it feels good to read the book, because it supportes my way of working. I also had the opporunity for the last three years to have an interactive white board, a Smart Board, and I can´t find a more perfect tool. When we suddenly changed classrooms at my old place of work, and my new classroom did not have a interactive Smart board, it felt like someone cut my arm off.
Another important task in school is to impart fundamental values and promoting learning in order to prepare the students for life and work in society and guide them to be efficient critical thinkers. Therefore I need to impart different forms of knowledge that constitute the common frame of references that we all need in society. We should encourage all students to discover their own uniqueness as individuals as well and thereby help them actively participate in social life by giving their best in responsible freedom. Education should be adapted to each students circumstances and needs. Regarding to The National Agency for Education, the central administrative authority for the public school system in Sweden says:
The students should be able to keep their bearings in a complex reality where there is a vast flow of information and where the rate of change is rapid. It is also necessary for students to develop their ability to critically examine facts and relationships and appreciate the consequences of the various alternatives facing them. Language, learning, and the development of a personal identity are all closely related. By providing a wealth of opportunities for discussion, reading and writing, all students should be able to develop their ability to communicate and thus enhance confidence in their own language abilities.
As a teacher I need to have positive expectations on my students. I want to make sure that I take advantage of any learningsituation. I will always use different methods to make sure that all students, no matter diffculties or needs, and then I also consider students that need more of a challenge. If I can make sure that the students´entrepreneurial competences are stimulated it will make them able to see their own progress. There will always be a few students who prefer to work in a more traditional way, and the reason for that could be for example a disability.
However the majority of a the group would probably prefer working according to the entrepreneurial competences. Entrepreneurial learning, with all that this implies, is not only one pedagogic method, but among the pedagogic form to have the ability to combine different methods. The form is built on the thought that, at the same time that you should reach the national goals, you should stimulate the entrepreneurial competences. All pedagogic methods that leeds to these competences represent entrepreneurial learning.
There are a lot of advantages working with entrepreneurial learning. The possibility to use different pedagogical methods to stimulate the entrepreneurial skills among the students will lead to more happy, more motivated and responsible students. No matter how, it is my job to make sure that I meet everyones needs so they will grow and reach their own goal, as well as achieving the national goals.
Referenser
Emil Tyberg, Engelska för yngre åldrar
Gun Lundberg, Engelska för yngre åldrar. +
http://www.skolverket.se/2.308/amnesutveckling/sprak/europeisk-sprakportfolio-1.834
Maria Estling Vannestål, Engelska för yngre åldrarhttp://www.skolverket.se/2.308/amnesutveckling/sprak/europeisk-sprakportfolio-1.834
Peterson och Westlund, 2007, Så tänds eldsjälar
Lesson Plan - Describing a Picture
Students should in pairs describe a picture to each other. The picture could contain different things, depending on the age and skills. One of the students should describe the picture while the other student is trying to draw what the classmate says.
Connections to the Curriculum Lgr 11:
Teaching of English should aim at helping the students to develop knowledge of the English language and of the areas and contexts where English is used, and also students confidence in their ability to use the language in different situations and for different purposes.
They should also be equipped to be able to use different tools for learning, understanding, being creative and communicating. Teaching should encourage students to develop an interest in languages and culture, and convey the benefits of language skills and knowledge.
Teaching in English should essentially give students the opportunities to develop their ability to:
• understand and interpret the content of spoken English and in different types of texts
• express themselves and communicate in speech and writing
- use language strategies to understand and make themselves understood
This activity can be used to focus on accuracy or fluency. If you want to focus on fluency, you might want to do this as a review of the language forms they have already learned. If you want to focus on accuracy, you need to think about what forms you woud like to teach them, based on their level. You could use this to teach at the top, on the bottom, in the left-hand corner.../there is, there are/it must be..., it must be spring/they look happy, sad, excited/they are running, shopping, biking, buying things, colors, bodyparts and so on. Write these forms on the board so they can use them in the activity.
In order to deal with spoken language the students should be given the opportunity to develop their skills in relating content to their own experiences and interests. (Lgr 11, 2011). If you select pictures that the student could connect to, you will reach this in a way that would make them feel comfort and inspired. You could also in the prolongation, make the students more involved and let them choose pictures and content. The school should stimulate students’ creativity, curiosity and self-confidence, as well as their desire to explore their own ideas and solve problems. Students should have the opportunity to take initiatives and responsibility, and develop their ability to work both independently and together with others. In doing this the school would contribute to students developing attitudes that promote entrepreneurship, and in that way achieve the goal of entrepreneurial learning.
The way of doing it
Pre-teach any vocabulary words that the students might need to use in order to describe their pictures.
You could start up the lesson with a new rhyme or song, and choose pictures connected to the chosen song or rhyme.
| Two example on pictures you can use. Lots of verbs, adjectives and substantive. But also mathematics terms. |
Show the students one picture and have them describe it to you, for example, "There's a yellow flower in the picture. It´s in the right corner....etc.”
Then, explain to the students that in pairs they are going, to get their own picture and that they should describe it to each other. At the same time they should draw what the classmate is telling, without looking. They should sit with their back against each other.
Then, explain to the students that in pairs they are going, to get their own picture and that they should describe it to each other. At the same time they should draw what the classmate is telling, without looking. They should sit with their back against each other.
Explain that they first have 5 minutes, for example, (it all depends on their level) to draw and write down as many sentences as they can to describe the picture. Monitor and help out with any language problems. Collect the papers and the pictures.
After this you could extend the exercise and let them write their own story, and complete it with their own pictures. Explain to the students that you are going to read the sentences out loud and they have to guess which picture it is that is being described. Attach the pictures to the whiteboard with a magnet or blue tac and write a corresponding number next to each picture.
Alternative, students can also simply practice talking using each picture with a partner with given language forms that are written on the board for them.
This could as well lead to a small film or a presentation in 3-D. It´s a never ending exercise!
Have fun!
Have fun!
| If you work on the senior level you could put in pictures and also for example discuss commercial purposes. |
Referenser
Lgr11
How do we learn languages?
This was suppose to be a short reflection about how we learn languages and a try to give an answer to the questions, if there is a difference regarding languagestudies in Sweden as opposed to China. If f it´s more difficult depending on what mother tongue you have and wich kind of language you are trying to learn is. And when we talk about teaching English in Sweden, regarding to Lgr 11, we should aim at develop knowledge of the English language and of the areas and contexts where English is used, also aim to give pupils’ confidence in their ability to use the language in different situations and for different purposes.
Referred to the book, Engelska för yngre åldrar, there is one interesting way of working with the English knowledge, internationalisation. For example in the classroom, invite people from an other country, and if possible exchange students from an university. Regarding to the book this will end up in a positive experience. Our task was to interview two international students and it was made with two female students from China, one from the north and the other one from the south, studying at Kristianstad University.
However, after this conversation, a conclusion that lies near at hand, is that our focus during the interview ended up in that we got so into talking about culture and differences between our schoolsystems. And since they didn´t take English class here at Kristianstad University, it seemed like a interesting way of having a discussion, and at the same time take the opportunity to learn something about the culture in China.
Our conversation started up with a lot of different small talk about Sweden and China, and the overall view how the schoolsystem is built up. The differences between the two countries especially regarding the vast difference when it comes to the great demands they have on the students in China compared to the students in Sweden, from the very beginning. There is also a small diversity depend on where you from, the south or the north. And it is not an exaggeration to say that their aim in life is to be admitted to the university. That is why they have to aim high, because it is the university in China who selects the students they would like to have at their school. Of course the university want to have those who are clever and competent.
They have like us, first nine years, then they have four and a half more years. After that comes the university. The four and a half years seems to be tough, since their time in school are from
8 a´clock a.m to ten a´clock p.m, six days a week. With two weeks of Christmas holiday and two months summer holiday. It is not to be wondered that they don not see any problem with this, contrary, that is how it is. If you want to get somewhere in life, have good job and so on, a good education plays a crucial part. And they emphasizes that they are happy over knowledge and about the schoolsystem in China.
When we start to talk about the English language, if they think it is hard to communicate in a other language than their mother tongue. It seems that they don not think so. Because they booth had English from early grade in school. They seem to feel confident about their English skills, even though I think they occasionally are a little bit hard to understand. People from Asia have a different kind of pronunciation.
Since they already have good English skills they don not study English here in Sweden. To be eligible to studies at a Swedish university, an applicant must fulfil general and (in most cases) specific admission requirements which include language proficiency. According to Tyberg, who writes a chapter in, Engelska för yngre åldrar, is English a language that takes an increasing extent in a number of countries and they seem to know the importance to be good in English.
They booth seem to really enjoy studying here, however studying in Sweden is different from China. They think the Swedish university have an open climate, with a strong focus on group work. Which will give them valuable skills for the future. When we talk about learning Swedish, they says it is very hard to pronounce Swedish words but they really like it and want to be master of the Swedish language. Since they have so much work here in school they don not find any time for lessons in Swedish. They know that the global and international job market values ambitious, innovative and perceptive team players and one of them already considering moving to Sweden. Tyberg also think that we in school should, as teachers, aim and work towards the goal to prepare the students to gain more and more ground to stand on when it comes to their English skills, since we are moving towards a more global and international world with English as a universal language. ”The English language surrounds us in our daily lives and is used in such diverse areas as politics, education and economics. Knowledge of English thus increases the individual’s opportunities to participate in different social and cultural contexts, as well as in international studies and working life.” (Lgr 11).
Tina Brandt
Referenser
Estling V. M, Lundberg, G (2010), Engelska för yngre åldrar. 1 uppl. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
Skolverket, Curriculum for the compulsory school, preschool class and the leisure-time centre 2011
Norstedts ordlista på nätet http://www.ord.se/oversattning/engelska/
http://ec.europa.eu/education/study-in-europe/
