by Whitey | Dec 12, 2007 | Thoughts
With my move to Japan less than 3 weeks away (eek!) I’ve got lots of little things to do, as well as some not-so-little things. The visa application is out of my hands, the plane ticket is booked for the 28th, and just yesterday I shipped two boxes of stuff to Nagoya. The rest of the week my focus is on finishing my TESL course.
And on that subject, on to the real topic of today’s post: Teaching Methods. This article is a copy of one of my TESL course assignments, done several weeks back and posted here for you to read if you have any interest in teaching English. If you’re a teacher yourself, I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to respond with a comment.
It is certainly possible to adhere to only one teaching method throughout an entire lesson. The examples Larsen-Freeman shows us in Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, for instance, are all one-method lessons. All of these teaching methods have some value, but whether or not it is a good idea to use one method exclusively is another question. I think there is more value in using a variety of methods in the second language classroom.
Every learner is different, and comes to class with a unique mix of talents, weaknesses, and learning preferences. Each learner would best be served with a different teaching method. Some people learn best by hearing, some by seeing and some by doing – and for each of these learning styles there are a variety of possible methods to use in teaching. If all our classes were one-on-one, it might be possible to use one method for each student, with lessons targeted specifically for that one student and his/her learning needs. The reality is, though, that most English teachers need to teach a variety of personalities in the same class. It’s also probably true that each learner, while he/she might have a particular learning strength or preference, is actually mix of different strengths and learning styles. Therefore, a variety of methods would be a great asset in the ESL classroom.
Choosing the right method depends not only on the students, but on what aspect of the English language is being taught. Since language is meant to be used in the “real world”, it would be wise to give the students a lot of opportunities to practice. After all, this is how we learn our own language as children – by trying it out for ourselves, not by copying notes from a board or listening to a lecture. On the other hand, reading and writing, as well as listening and speaking, are important components in language learning. And some concepts do need some explaining before they can be practiced.
Before I became involved in ministry or considered living and teaching overseas, I was a graphic designer. When I was in community college learning graphic arts, there were a variety of classes and subject matter being taught. As such, there were a variety of teaching methods being used as well. For topics such as law and business, there was a lot of lecture and discussion. For software use and design techniques, there was more “hands on” learning.
Personally, I learn best by doing. In fact, there were many techniques and tricks I learned on the job, after finishing school, that I didn’t learn in the classroom. On the other hand, even in regard to the practical, on-the-job aspects of design, I needed both to be told what to do and to have the chance to do it for myself – to learn by trial and error. I might not have learned by doing without first having someone give me some direction. And it might not have “stuck” if I didn’t have the opportunity to put theory into practice.
I think language learning is much the same. For the sake of different learning styles, as well as the different parts of English to be taught, ESL teachers should use variety in the classroom. We need to remember, too, that not every method will work in every situation. So there is trial and error on the part of the teacher as well as the student. This will lead to even more variety, as we experiment to see what works in our own context. What is important is that the students are learning. It couldn’t hurt to keep things fun, either.
by Whitey | Dec 7, 2007 | Ministry News, Weekly Re-Cap
I’m writing today from my friends’ house in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Here’s some bullet points re-capping the week in life and ministry-related stuff:
- My Certificate of Eligibility arrived yesterday, basically meaning I’ve got the OK to work in Japan.
- Since I finally had my COE, I mailed my visa application this morning. Should be back to me in less than two weeks. Here’s hoping.
- I posted a new podcast last night (see previous post).
- I’ve started the final module of my TESL course. Should be wrapped up by next week.
- I’ve got a quote in my email inbox for a plane ticket to Nagoya (from Bangor ME, through Detroit MI) for a really good price, and I’m pretty sure I’ll book it; it’s got me flying out on the 28th.
- My car is for sale. I’ve also got an Apple iBook G3 for sale, if anyone wants a slightly old but still good laptop computer. Also lots of comics, mostly Marvel, from the 90’s. There’s lots of stuff I’ll need to leave behind, so might as well pawn some off.
- I’m really looking forward to spending Christmas at home and New Years in Japan!
That’s a wrap for this week; see you next time.
by Whitey | Dec 3, 2007 | Ministry News
The following is a copy of an email I sent out this morning to my supporters. I share it here for those of you who aren’t on the mailing list:
Dear friends, family and supporters,
I’ve been waiting a LONG time to write this email! I received word the other day from Global Partners that my support raising is now complete!
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who have been praying, giving, and committing to keep on giving! Not only are my financial faith promises all in, there are also over 600 people on my prayer partners list! I couldn’t have gotten this far without you, and I can’t do what God wants me to do without your continued prayer and support! So thank you for being on my team!
I’m hoping to make the trip to Nagoya, Japan sometime between Christmas and New Years day, so that I can ring in the new year there. In order for this to happen, I need two things: a visa and a plane ticket. Please pray that all the little details will be worked out on time — in God’s timing!
I’ll be sure to send out another email before take off time, but in the meantime, feel free to check out the website for the latest news and updates (www.japanlog.wordpress.com).
Thanks again and God bless you all!
Merry Christmas!
– robin
by Whitey | Dec 1, 2007 | Ministry News
Sorry for the lack of a weekly re-cap yesterday, but I was away at a wedding. The good news is that while I was away an email was sent to me from GP HQ, officially giving me financial release to go to Japan! In other words, my support raising is complete for this term and I’m free to go to Japan as soon as possible!
Please pray that my visa application goes quickly and smoothly, that I can get a good flight at the right time for a decent price, and that I’ll get all the other little things on my to-do list done before it’s time to go. I’m still hoping to land in Nagoya in time to ring in the new year.
by Whitey | Nov 28, 2007 | Ministry News
The paperwork I need for my visa application is finally on its way from Japan! Once I have that, I can apply for my visa, which should be a one or two week process. AND… I’m expecting word from GP this week about my support numbers, officially giving me the “go”. It’s all coming together…
by Whitey | Nov 23, 2007 | Weekly Re-Cap
It’s been quiet week in general, but a good week on the support raising front. I’ve had two churches increase their support commitments and one let me know they’re joining the team. I don’t have all the exact numbers yet, but we’re almost there! Now, as long as that paperwork I need for my visa comes in soon enough, it’s Japan by the new year!
by Whitey | Nov 18, 2007 | Etc.
Click here to check out a fun little flash animation. Starts out a little slow (especially if you have a “semi high speed” connection like I do) but it’s pretty cool once it gets going.
by Whitey | Nov 16, 2007 | Weekly Re-Cap
It’s been a pretty good week. Regarding my TESL studies, it hasn’t been as productive as I’d have liked, but I’m hoping to make up for that today by finishing this big assignment I’ve been slowly working through and thus wrapping up module 3. On the support raising front, I’m still having trouble connecting with new contacts, but the support is still rolling in. In fact, I now have less than $9,000 to be raised! Check out the Support Info page for the details.
I’m pretty amazed at how much new support has come in just lately. It seems like all the seeds I planted for the past year and a half are finally starting to bear fruit. I guess that’s how it works, though. People are usually reluctant to commit to something on the spot (and I can’t blame them). And with church budgets, meetings are required before commitments can be made. So it’s taken time for some to jump on board, but jumping they are! Also, churches who couldn’t support me in last year’s budget have started to support me in this year’s budget, and some churches who have been supporting my ministry have increased support.
So… stuff’s happening. It’s looking totally possible that I could have my support raised by December, and maybe even be in Japan by the new year. I just hope the COE and visa processing don’t hold me back when the support’s raised and HQ gives me the go ahead. Let’s pray the timing’s right.
And that’s a wrap for this week. See you next week.
by Whitey | Nov 14, 2007 | Ministry News
Approximate Amount Remaining: $9,445 — that’s only about 39 people at $20 per month! Please pray with me for the rest of the faith promises to come in quickly. If you can help out financially as well, check out the Support Info page and sign up. Thank you!
by Whitey | Nov 14, 2007 | Thoughts
The following article is from a paper I wrote for my Teaching English as a Second Language course. It’s based on the interview I did a while back, which I also used for my podcast. The focus of the paper is, of course, on language learning.
Haruka Kudo comes from Saitama (near Tokyo), Japan but has been living in Fredericton, New Brunswick since 2002. She originally came to Canada to study journalism, graduating last year from Saint Thomas University, but liked Fredericton so much she decided to stay. Haruka now works for the Multicultural Association in downtown Fredericton.
Recently, Haruka and I had the opportunity to sit down at a local coffee shop and talk about her experiences learning English. She told me that speaking English was one of the biggest adjustments she faced when she first came to Canada. Like most young Japanese, she had taken English in school, from junior high through high school. In Japanese public schools, however, most English teachers are not native English speakers, and the focus is on grammar and reading, with very little practice in actually speaking the language.
After high school, when she was working but not yet in university, Haruka went to a private English school for lessons. Yet when she first moved to Canada, she still didn’t speak English very well. This was because in Japan, she didn’t have many opportunities to practice.
Haruka told me that the hardest things about learning English were pronunciation and slang. Proper pronunciation is hard to achieve without practice, especially when your native tongue is so much different than the target language. And slang, course, is usually not a big part of the curriculum in public schools. But in every day life, it can be a big part of communication.
Haruka said that meeting native speakers and having the chance to practice the language were the most helpful things in learning English. She also pointed out that TV and books were helpful tools. When I asked her what people in particular were most helpful to her, she said her university ESL teachers here in Canada were, because they knew how to communicate with non-native English speakers. They were very patient with her and were willing to slow down and speak clearly when talking to her, in order to help her understand what they were saying.
Haruka said that if there was any advice she could give to a person learning a second language, it would be to find lots of opportunities to practice with native speakers. She also said not to be shy – this was difficult for her at first. I can relate to that because I’m learning Japanese and am a little bit shy about speaking up when I have the opportunity to use it in the real world (which isn’t very often these days).
It would seem that immersing herself in an English-speaking culture was the best thing Haruka could have done for her English language skills. Immersion gives people the opportunity to talk to native speakers every day. And if a person is shy about speaking out in the target language, necessity might force them to do so like nothing else could. So it is probably the best thing any of us can do if we are learning another language.
Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to be immersed in a foreign culture. But what ESL teachers should learn from this is that students usually need practical experience as much as, or more than, being taught grammar, spelling or vocabulary. In a sense, if we plan our lessons well, we can give them an opportunity at a “mini-immersion” of sorts, even if it is just for an hour at a time.
