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Class as Relational Peer Response
Class as Relational Peer Responses
Peer 1: Jack
Your assertion that the biggest variable when it comes to “income tier” would have to be education level for all individuals. Again, I agree that age also plays an important role. When you flip the ages around for each race and education level, there is a dramatic increase in middle and upper class income levels. It is also true that race is a massive variable in income tier differences. In summary, the income levels are completely incomparable based on the amount of money and distribution across the different races and ethnic groups: whites make more compared to Hispanic and Black people. You pose an interesting question on the steps that can be taken in the future to increase the chances to be in the middle and upper income tiers besides the focus on education. I think there is no way of avoiding the role of education in determining where one falls in the income tiers. Primarily, education levels mean the level of specialization, and therefore we can never eliminate it as a variable.
Peer 2: Angelica
I agree that the area one lives in plays a vital role in defining the income tier. I also agree with your position that education is an important variable because the higher the education the higher the chances of one becoming middle or upper income increased especially with White and Asian people. Additionally, age, race, and capitalism play a big role because the majority of people who have a strong chance of becoming upper-class are white and Asian, up to a certain age where income begins to fall. He patterns are further supported by the ability of white and Asian people to invest, through capitalism thus allowing them to remain wealthy over time. Your question on if the results would remain the same or different if the study was conducted elsewhere is interesting. I think the same would apply in all other capitalistic nations in the Western countries. However, the issue of races would not play such a huge role. The differences between black and white people would not be so pronounced.
My Teaching Responsibilities
Teaching Philosophy and Goals
My Teaching Responsibilities
I work as an instructor of English language in New York City College. Since establishment of language department in the college in 1993, enrollment in the department has risen from 150 to over 1,100 students by 2013. The increase has mainly occurred due to presence of numerous immigrants in the United States from non-English-speaking countries who undertake studies the US. Students from China, Spain, Japan and other countries may not have adequate knowledge in English yet all lessons in the college are taught in this language. My role is to take such students through English lessons for them to sharpen linguistic skills and hence, comprehend texts and tutors’ talk in other lessons. The lessons also enable such students to converse effectively with American students and hence, make meaningful social relationships with fellow students (Fry et al, 2009).
I have a Masters degree in linguistics and teaching experience of more than two decades in the same field and thus, I fit well in the faculty. I have established that most people taking English as the second language (ESL) encounter various difficulties in the learning process, especially during initial stages, including cognitive load, cultural load, language load and learning load (Scales, 2008). Thus, I have a role to do extra instructional work to make lessons more meaningful and less confusing and overwhelming to the students.
My Teaching Philosophy and Goals
I like my teaching career since I love learning. I learn from students as I share my knowledge with them. I believe that a successful teacher must be a lifelong learner. My ideal classroom is comprised of students who love learning and who work together to understand new concepts and ideas and to solve problems. It is exciting, though a bit noisy. I am either moving around providing guidance or assistance to the students or am in the midst of an exciting debate with them. I believe in developing an atmosphere where students are willing to learn, do not fear making mistakes and are comfortable to express their problems.
The following are my goals that guide me to become an effective language instructor:
To encourage students to always seek clarifications and elaborations through asking questions
To encourage students to engage in debates and to teach them to think rather than to memorize
To teach students to solve problems rather than to always rely on me
To be always prepared through continuous research and practice
To integrate technology in the teaching practice
To inspire the students through good impressions and making fun during lessons
To instill passion for self-reflection among students and always inspire them to improve
To always answer questions regardless of number of times that a student asks
To be available to assist students even after classes
To always acknowledge students’ improvements
To be prepared to learn as I teach
To encourage lifelong learning
To recognize and embrace diversity
To be a mentor to students and represent what they aspire to be
Description of Teaching Methodology
I engage in various vital teaching activities, on top of those indicated in the goal’s section. When dealing with a new student the first thing I do is to cultivate positive attitude through making the student understand that grammar is a liberating rather than a constraining force. I support this by allowing students to pursue topics of their interest. However, I allow this only for topics that are valuable for learning. As Power (2007) and Osterman and Kottkamp (2004) argue, student’s interests should be broadened through a creatively selected and implemented curriculum. I also adopt several activities that help to minimize difficulties in understanding grammar terminologies. I try to lighten learning difficulty through rewriting and providing explanations of grammar terminologies. This involves breaking them down and explaining them in ways that are comprehensible to the students. I like presenting grammar terminologies at the start of a lesson and define them. I avail different texts to learners containing terminologies but varying in reading difficulty and linguistic complexity. Finally, I constantly search for knowledge in available resources to gain understanding of grammar issues and how to explain them. As Borova (2012) and Biggs and Tang (2007) explain, it is vital to give explanations to errors in students’ work and avoid giving negative feedback that might de-motivate them.
Course Syllabi and Assignments
I am responsible for creating detailed tutorials, assignment sheets, handouts week by week logs, quizzes, rubrics, presentation outlines and other documents provided in this department. The following are exhibits of such documents:
Presentation outline: L104 Language development
Rubric: L103:Non-verbal communication techniques
Quiz: L106 Culturally responsive communication
Handout: L102 Verbal communication techniques
Assignment Sheet: L201 Responsive listening
Tutorial exhibit: L203 role of language in learning
Teaching Effectiveness
Peer Assessment of My Teaching
Teacher’s name ________ Tom Franklin ___________________________ Date May 30, 2013
Rating: Good
Strengths Identified:
Demonstrates knowledge of students
Selects instructional goals
Manages classroom procedures
Establishes a culture of learning
Creates an environment of respect and rapport
Uses questioning and discussion techniques
Maintains accurate records
Identified growth areas:
Need to use both implicit and explicit approaches to teaching grammar
Teacher’s name ________ Jane Doe ___________________________ Date May 30, 2013
Rating: Good
Strengths identified
Demonstrates knowledge of students
Selects instructional goals
Manages classroom procedures
Establishes a culture of learning
Demonstrates knowledge in behavior and teamwork management
Uses assessments for instruction
Identified growth areas
Need to use both implicit and explicit teaching approaches
Teaching Improvement Activities
One main weakness that I have in teaching grammar, as identified by my peers, is failure to adopt both implicit and explicit approaches in teaching grammar. I have learnt that grammar teaching should not be restricted to analysis of written documents. Rather, it should also be provided in context or in an implicit manner by examining living speech. To incorporate this approach, I will provide function-based lessons in which I will be applying grammar in context after undertaking grammar-based lessons (Merriam et al, 2007).
Future Teaching Goals
Drawing from this reflection, I find the need for more methodologies and approaches that will help in creating and in cultivating positive attitude among ESL learners towards grammar. Secondly, I will have to incorporate implicit teaching of grammar, alongside the explicit approach. I also find the need for additional supplementary materials that will help in clarifying terminologies to students. Generally, this reflection has helped me in identifying my competencies and competencies and needs for personal development as a grammar instructor. The reflection has helped me to identify areas of improvement which may lead to a culture of excellence evidenced by improved learning and reduction in learning difficulties encountered by grammar students.
References
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Berkshire:
Open University Press.Borova, T. A. (2012), The higher school teaching staff professional development
system creation on the adaptive management principles, Pedagogics, Psychology, Medical-Biological Problems of Physical Training and Sports. 3, pp. 16 – 20
Fry, H., Ketteridge, S., & and Marshall, S. (2009). A Handbook for Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education: Enhancing Academic Practice. New York: Routledge.
Merriam, S., Caffarella, R., & Baumgartner, L. (2007). Learning in Adulthood: A
Comprehensive Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Osterman, K., & Kottkamp, R. (2004). Reflective Practice for Educators:
Professional Development to Improve Student Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Power, J. (2007), Staff Development, Journal of Access Services, 3(3), pp. 65 – 70
Scales, P. (2008). Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Berkshire: Open
University Press
my Swedish teaching context
Example: my Swedish teaching context
The Swedish language classes I was to teach were part of undergraduate degree programmes at a US university. The same modular system is used university-wide with predetermined modules, length, credits and grade system. The university is organised on a trimester system with three 10-week terms, across which language modules are taught in 4 credit modules (Swedish 101, 102, 103 and Swedish 201, 202, 203), meeting four days a week for 50 minutes each class.
Eugene, or is a small city with a high student population. Students tend to be in the 18-23 age bracket and full-time, but members of the public can sign up to take modules on a one-off basis if they choose, like a short courses, meaning there can be a wider range of ages and backgrounds. Students taking language modules are usually doing so because it’s a requirement of their degree programme or out of interest in language learning, or sometimes because they have never had an opportunity to learn a foreign language. Spanish however is different in that there is a sizeable proportion of Spanish speakers living both in Edugene and the wider US, making Spanish is by far the most popular language to take at this institution and one that can be learnt for professional reasons and used regularly outside of the classroom, whereas Swedish speakers are few and far between in the area.
The campus is quite old; rooms are usually bright and large enough, but basic, with movable chair-desks, a blackboard and an overhead projector. Tape and CD players can be borrowed from the department or the Yamada language Centre, which has language learning facilities and resources for a number of languages, though with few Swedish resources. There is a large library and some Swedish language and language learning resources in the US.
I was to be the only teacher, though there was also a Norwegian teacher, a Finnish teacher and several German teachers in my department, as well as a range of teachers of other languages, particularly French and Spanish. My fees, earnings and visa status in the US depended on my succeeding in my job; my students’ grade point averages (GPA) and eventual graduation could be affected by their performance in their language classes and eventual grades.
2. An introductory section that (a) situates the course design process within the models and frameworks we have considered, and within the larger context of curriculum/programme and project planning in general, (b) discusses the role of principles/beliefs about learning and teaching language in the design process and what key principles/beliefs have driven your own process, and (c) briefly introduces the three elements of C&SD you have chosen to focus on and complete for you portfolio in sections 3-5. (1000).
3.In this section, you may want to briefly present on or more of the overall curricular, course and or programme models we have looked at or you have read about; discuss the scope of your own course design project within one or more of these models; and show from your discussion which elements of which frameworks have guided you in this course design process. Treat it like an introduction to the course design process and how your portfolio of work relates to the models, frameworks and theories of curriculum, course and syllabus design as well as the principles guiding your design.
4. a section on each of: environment analysis, needs analysis, goals/aims/objectives, syllabus selection and sequencing of content, format and presentation, assessment and evaluation. Each section should show which principles have guided your decisions for that stage and why/how and the relationships between different elements of the design process.
Example: my Swedish teaching environment
Environment analysis
A table presenting an analysis of your context (one or more elements such as learners, teachers, situation or people, time, resources, institution).
People Physical setting Nature of course and institution
Students- 15, mostly 18-23yrs, mix of genders, mainly white native US English speaking and ethnic background, some with exposure to Spanish but little or no other language learning experience, one or two with some exposure to Swedish tough family or travel, intrinsic purpose or requirement depending on programme. Other stakeholders-see table 3 below Location/setting- most students don’t live far from campus, the classrooms are a good size and have movable furniture though little in the way of resources. Not always the same room- differs from term to term. There isn’t too much noise from outside or from other rooms nearby. Type/purpose of course simply academic/arts and sciences subject. Can be taken as a minor but not as a major. Otherwise can be taken to satisfy language requirement of programme or simply for credits to fulfil optional credit requirements of degrees.
Teaching Resources Time Few materials available, text already decided in advance of module start but with room for change in further presentations. Teacher’s responsibility to develop syllabus and all materials and assessment. Equipment: one or two tapes/CDs, some photocopying allwoed, OHP 4×50 minutes per week for 10 week; 3× terms a year. Monday to Thursday 9am Students’ timeliness unknown. Teacher’s contract is for 21 hours of work per week but also with full-time postgraduate student workload on top Table 2: environment Analysis following Graves (2000)
Aspect of situation Analysis
Institutional interests and policies: Swedish programme very smal-only 15 students first year, and 10 in second
Old tradition of Scand. Dept at the uni- set up due to high numbers of Scandinavians who migrated to OR+ Pacific NW
Quality requirements for modules at each level
By no means official in fact, a less commonly taught language
Paid programme- so expectations of both students and often parents coughing up the money to support them
Language setting Very few speakers Of Swedish in the WORLD outside of Sweden and to a lesser extent, Finland
Patterns of language use Very few opportunities to use language outside of classroom
Group/ individual attitudes Unlikely to be considered of professional use outside of classroom unless intend to travel or move to Sweden or in e.g. business
Swedish relatives, boyfriends etc.
Table 3: wider Analysis of Situation following Dubin & Olshtain (1987)
A sample questionnaire designed to elicit information about a particular aspect or aspects of context
Dear participant,
Thank you for agreeing to complete this questionnaire about language teaching at this institution. My aim is to find out about the environmental constraints within which we work as language teachers here and consider how this might impact on the design of other language modules. Your responses are completely anonymous, and you have the right to withdraw at any time if you wish, which you can do by emailing me.
Once again, thank you for your time.
Kerry Bannister
By completing this questionnaire, you are agreeing to participate.
Please answer the following questions in as much detail as you can.
When you have completed the questionnaire, please email it to me at:
1) which language do you teach, which modules, and at which level(s)?
2)are you a native speaker of the language you teach?
3)how many years have you been teaching at this institution?
4)is there a required textbook for the module(s) you teach or do you get to choose a textbook?
5) do you have to develop own materials? If so, how much time do you spend on materials development?
6) are there any resources that you would like to have access to for teaching that you currently do not? For example, textbooks, audio-visual materials, coloured paper.
7)what proportion of your time do you need to devote to administrative tasks such as recording grades writing exams, making photocopies, administering evaluations etc ?
8)what day(s) and time (s) does your class meet?
9)how long is each class?
10) how would you describe student participation and interaction in your classes?
11) how would you describe the motivation of the learners you meet in your classes?
12) do you think the time of the class affects student attendance, timeliness or active participation?
Figure 1: questionnaire to survey other teachers in Germanic Department regarding situational constraints, resources and the learners.
A list/table of ranked major constraints and solutions/effects on course design.
Ranked major constraint Solution/effect on course design
1. lack of exposure to, access to and possibility of using language outside of the classroom, including lack of audio and video and other resources for language practice (language resources, use and setting constraint) Expectations need to be low for amount of content to be covered
Repetition and in-class practise built in and ranked above number of syllabus items covered, within constraints of institutional quality assurance
Set and incorporate tasks for students to access Swedish outside of the classroom for extra credit.
Look for avenues to obtain or get access to CALL and other audio, video and visual materials
2. time and resources for materials development (time constraint, materials constraint) As much as possible, recycle activity and task types with different types of content to reduce time
Use OHP to present syllabus content rather than handoutsRe-use/adapt old materials and textbooks from my own Swedish classes
Look for avenues to obtain or get access to a range of textbooks
3. motivation factor in 9am classes Classes need to be lively and include warm-up activities
Make attendance and participation part of grade
Classes need to be interesting and fun
Table 4: ranked major constraints and solutions/effects on course design.
Your discussion section will then explain which models/frameworks you used, what you chose to find out more through the questionnaire and why, summarise the main points you have drawn from your findings and show how you came to your final list of constraints, making reference to the literature, your principles and your example products as required to support your points. For example ,I chose to focus for my questionnaire on other teachers in the department and about (1) the time needed outside of the classroom for materials development and admin, to get a better idea of overall workload and how much time it would take to develop materials and lessons(teacher orientation); (2) about student motivation and participation, particularly in relation to whether time of class affects motivation, to find out how the 9am time slot might affect learning and to better understand the types of activities that students might respond to best (learner orientation); (3) to find out if lack of resources was am major issue throughout the department and could be used to lobby for more resources to be provided (institution/resources orientation). I chose these also because details about these aspects of the situation were unknown to me but could be accessed by surveying experienced staff members in the department. This then led to one of my major chosen constraints being motivation of the learners for 9am classes in an environment where there is little access to the language outside the classroom.