Chapter 4
First off, I indeed enjoy reading Kuma’s definition about the cultural stereotypes which is written from such a refreshing and original perspective, particularly in the description of Asian students,such as the unconditional obedience to the authority, lack of critical thinking ability. I am so delighted that Kuma speaks in defense of those Asian students who have suffered a long time from their stereotype images.
When talking about stereotype, what often comes to my mind is the conventional image/impression of a certain group of people who we have assumed even before getting to know them.(P.50) “ It is a simple and simplistic description of people about whom we have very little personal knowledge” Stereotype is so annoyingly pervasive that sometimes block teachers away from the students. It is true the way that teachers judge students will have a completely different impact on them. The fear and the threat of the stereotype students got from their teachers may affect students’ performance in the long run. Thus, as ESL teachers, we need to learn to overcome this oversimplified and shallow conception.
Chapter 5
The immigration waves over the past centuries contributed tremendously to America’s ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity. I didn’t understand the importance of culture in ESL classes before taking TESOL courses, probably because I come from a small town in China. After reading this chapter, what have come acrossed my mind is a well-known phrase by John Donne: No man is an island. Currently, we are living in a globalized and multicultural society, in which increasingly more people assimilate and share the same values, attitudes and beliefs. While assimilating the new culture, some make great effort to maintain theirs and some deliberately tried to get rid of their own culture.
What has attracted my attention is Schumann’s Social Distance in this chapter. As far as I am concerned, the social distance is somewhat similar with the social identity I have read last week,Schumann pointed out (P.90)”Even formal teaching, he concluded, will be of extremely limited benefit to the second language learner who lacks social and psychological proximity to the members of the TL community”I do realize the existence and influence of social distance that will affect second language learner’s English performance. But after having read so many theories,I am not sure of what other factors affect students SLA to the largest extent, besides the formal English teaching in school. However, I have a very naïve idea. After school, some students will review the knowledge they have learned,some students just throw the text books away and have fun. Undoubtedly, those hard-working students have made great progresses in English and seem to better fit in after they moved abroad. Therefore, I am simply wondering if their diligence were taken into account in the SLA.
2009年9月20日星期日
WEEK 3,Social Identity,Investment,and Language Learning
I resonate with the writer’s conceptualization the relationship between the language learner and the social environment. A great many language learners were very excited when they first arrived in an English speaking countries, for they were exposed to an ideal English speaking environment. Some people survived and acquired the necessary skills, some people failed as the writers explained in the article: it is the social identities which block them from conversing with the native speakers.
Eva, an immigrant working in a restaurant in Canada, is a highly motivated English learner, refusing to speak English to the native speaker because of the biased viewpoints/unpleasant relation with the native speakers in the social world. As an immigrant, the shift of their social identity sometimes causes uneasiness, resulting in misunderstanding and unwillingness to practice their English, regardless of their self-confidence, personality, English proficiency level, and motivation.
Based on my personal experience, I couldn’t agree more on (P.12)” power relation plays a crucial role in social interaction between language learners and target language speakers” I have been an enthusiastic English learner for many years and cherish every opportunity I have when talking with native speakers, but after I arrive in the US, sometimes I cannot catch up with the local people and feel embarrassed to repeat over and over, or some people may not want to talk with me, I gave up my opportunity to practice English. Even though I understand”(P.14) the more exposure and practice, the more proficient learner will become” I believe most of the international students here have gone through this period of depression and anxiety.
With the data the writers have drawn, the writer pointed out(P.26)” This investment, in turn, must be understood in relation to the multiple, changing, and contradictory identities of language learners.” Then she called forth “classroom based social research” to help the language learners improve their English and claim their right to speak outside the classrooms. Of the 5 objective he/she has suggested, I think they will work very well on the students and help them gain their rights back in the informal learning environment.
Eva, an immigrant working in a restaurant in Canada, is a highly motivated English learner, refusing to speak English to the native speaker because of the biased viewpoints/unpleasant relation with the native speakers in the social world. As an immigrant, the shift of their social identity sometimes causes uneasiness, resulting in misunderstanding and unwillingness to practice their English, regardless of their self-confidence, personality, English proficiency level, and motivation.
Based on my personal experience, I couldn’t agree more on (P.12)” power relation plays a crucial role in social interaction between language learners and target language speakers” I have been an enthusiastic English learner for many years and cherish every opportunity I have when talking with native speakers, but after I arrive in the US, sometimes I cannot catch up with the local people and feel embarrassed to repeat over and over, or some people may not want to talk with me, I gave up my opportunity to practice English. Even though I understand”(P.14) the more exposure and practice, the more proficient learner will become” I believe most of the international students here have gone through this period of depression and anxiety.
With the data the writers have drawn, the writer pointed out(P.26)” This investment, in turn, must be understood in relation to the multiple, changing, and contradictory identities of language learners.” Then she called forth “classroom based social research” to help the language learners improve their English and claim their right to speak outside the classrooms. Of the 5 objective he/she has suggested, I think they will work very well on the students and help them gain their rights back in the informal learning environment.
2009年9月13日星期日
Kumaravadivelu Toward a Postmethod Pedagogy
The author, identifying the limitation of concept of method and transmission models of teacher education, puts forward postmethod pedagogy which the writer envisions as a three-dimensional system consisting of the parameters of particularity, practicality, and possibility. The article starts with the brief introduction of 3 main purposes of postmethod pedagogy, then articulates the conceptualization, actualization for prospective learners, teachers and educators, and problematization of the related issues and concerns over the postmethod pedagogy.
I echo with the writer’s interpretation of the Pedagogy of Praticality. People lay too much stress on the experts/specialists’ theory, while the teachers theories are ignored. “no theory of practice can be useful and usable unless it is generated through practice.”(P541) I remember when I was teaching in China, I had many guiding writing books that all were written by the authorities. Those books did not work on students very well for many reasons, including the outdated topics, tedious lengthy explanation of grammar. I have always thought these were the theories created by the experts without realizing that my own teaching experience can be a part of theory that can enable me to better meet students needs. Teacher generated theory should be paid attention to, for the teachers converses and interacts with students everyday, thus understand what works best on students and what should be abandoned. According to Van Manen(1977), this ability that teachers acquire is called Sense Making, which the writer believes will naturally matures within the teacher as time goes by.
In orde to actualize the postmethod pedagogy, he describes the learner, teachers and teacher educator’s roles in details. As a teacher, we should be sensitive to the educational context. He continues to ask the teachers to do research based on their classroom observation. From my opinion, teacher should keep an open mind for every new possibility that can improve our teaching.
Another interesting point that grabs my attention is the questions and challenges we will encounter from this innovation. In China, people highly respect the authorities and few will criticize/cast doubts on their works. Under such environment, how to practice the postmethod pedagogy remains an enormous challenge.
After reading this article, I feel that I have benefited a great deal. Starting from the basic grammar translation of Latin in the middle ages of Europe, we have always been brainstorming about how to reach the learners with different methodology and pedagogy and witness great improvements in this field. I believe, we explore, and we go through hardship, we may fail, ultimately we will make great advances.
I echo with the writer’s interpretation of the Pedagogy of Praticality. People lay too much stress on the experts/specialists’ theory, while the teachers theories are ignored. “no theory of practice can be useful and usable unless it is generated through practice.”(P541) I remember when I was teaching in China, I had many guiding writing books that all were written by the authorities. Those books did not work on students very well for many reasons, including the outdated topics, tedious lengthy explanation of grammar. I have always thought these were the theories created by the experts without realizing that my own teaching experience can be a part of theory that can enable me to better meet students needs. Teacher generated theory should be paid attention to, for the teachers converses and interacts with students everyday, thus understand what works best on students and what should be abandoned. According to Van Manen(1977), this ability that teachers acquire is called Sense Making, which the writer believes will naturally matures within the teacher as time goes by.
In orde to actualize the postmethod pedagogy, he describes the learner, teachers and teacher educator’s roles in details. As a teacher, we should be sensitive to the educational context. He continues to ask the teachers to do research based on their classroom observation. From my opinion, teacher should keep an open mind for every new possibility that can improve our teaching.
Another interesting point that grabs my attention is the questions and challenges we will encounter from this innovation. In China, people highly respect the authorities and few will criticize/cast doubts on their works. Under such environment, how to practice the postmethod pedagogy remains an enormous challenge.
After reading this article, I feel that I have benefited a great deal. Starting from the basic grammar translation of Latin in the middle ages of Europe, we have always been brainstorming about how to reach the learners with different methodology and pedagogy and witness great improvements in this field. I believe, we explore, and we go through hardship, we may fail, ultimately we will make great advances.
2009年9月7日星期一
Firth and Wagner 1997 On discourse, communication, and (some) fundamental concepts in SLA research.
Calling for a discrepant and broadening understanding on SLA which challenges the conventional methodologies, approaches, theories and foci within SLA, the writer believes those existing methods has led to an oblique viewpoints on foreign language speakers while carrying out a conversation. He requires an enhanced awareness of the contextual and interactional dimension of language use in SLA research.
The writer starts by examining the predominant view on discourse and view within SLA, criticizing the imbalanced theoretical concern and methodologies in the SLA. To make SLA field more theoretically and methodologically richer and better explicate the process of second/foreign language acquisition, the writer analyzes the previously published date from which he gives disparate insights and conclusion.
The writer furthers his discussion from three aspects, discourse and communication, communication strategies, and input modification studies in his article.
Personally, I am very interested in the writer’s conversation analysis involving a well-educated American and a Japanese office worker at beginner level in the 3rd part, which were presented by Larsen-freeman and Long(1991)(P.293). It was a conversation with predictable, familiar and here-and-now topics. The writer disagrees with them by claiming both had not performed at their native and nonnative competencies due to a variety of reasons (setting-imposed tasks meeting for the 1st time, given roles). From my perspective, because of NS’s superior language competence, NNS will have a certain amount of pressure that they may make some mistakes and may not be able to express themselves at their best while having a conversation with NS. It is this concern and inconfidence that lead to more repetition and narrower range of topics.
Moreover, “The NS is not taking the initiative, NS is being given the initiative by NNS, and is taking it on this basis” NNS, a Japanese office worker, being at beginner level, was not proficient in speaking English. Under any circumstance, the NS is expected to take the initiative. However, if the NNS was at higher level and with an outgoing personality, who takes the initiative might be different.
By analyzing the NNS & NNS’s conversation（p.295）, the writer indicates it is acceptable to speak erroneous English, which is an integral part of progression, normal conversational discourse. I am far away from advocating either speaking correct English constantly or repeating the mistakes frequently. It is debatable if NNS should pay attention to the mistakes they have made or fluency they have improved. However, I know it depends on instructor’s teaching goal, if the instructor wants to encourage the students to improve their fluency, the teacher should not interrupt and correct their grammatical errors. If the instructor has a grammar focus lesson, the instructor is welcomed to correct their mistakes. Majority of teachers do not want to discourage their students enthusiasm in speaking English, especially obvious in some Asian countries in which people are told to avoid errors, therefore, they sometimes ignore students’ inaccurate English and compliment their progression in fluency. The issue I am facing is how should we balance them?
Please feel free to leave your suggestions and comments.
The writer starts by examining the predominant view on discourse and view within SLA, criticizing the imbalanced theoretical concern and methodologies in the SLA. To make SLA field more theoretically and methodologically richer and better explicate the process of second/foreign language acquisition, the writer analyzes the previously published date from which he gives disparate insights and conclusion.
The writer furthers his discussion from three aspects, discourse and communication, communication strategies, and input modification studies in his article.
Personally, I am very interested in the writer’s conversation analysis involving a well-educated American and a Japanese office worker at beginner level in the 3rd part, which were presented by Larsen-freeman and Long(1991)(P.293). It was a conversation with predictable, familiar and here-and-now topics. The writer disagrees with them by claiming both had not performed at their native and nonnative competencies due to a variety of reasons (setting-imposed tasks meeting for the 1st time, given roles). From my perspective, because of NS’s superior language competence, NNS will have a certain amount of pressure that they may make some mistakes and may not be able to express themselves at their best while having a conversation with NS. It is this concern and inconfidence that lead to more repetition and narrower range of topics.
Moreover, “The NS is not taking the initiative, NS is being given the initiative by NNS, and is taking it on this basis” NNS, a Japanese office worker, being at beginner level, was not proficient in speaking English. Under any circumstance, the NS is expected to take the initiative. However, if the NNS was at higher level and with an outgoing personality, who takes the initiative might be different.
By analyzing the NNS & NNS’s conversation（p.295）, the writer indicates it is acceptable to speak erroneous English, which is an integral part of progression, normal conversational discourse. I am far away from advocating either speaking correct English constantly or repeating the mistakes frequently. It is debatable if NNS should pay attention to the mistakes they have made or fluency they have improved. However, I know it depends on instructor’s teaching goal, if the instructor wants to encourage the students to improve their fluency, the teacher should not interrupt and correct their grammatical errors. If the instructor has a grammar focus lesson, the instructor is welcomed to correct their mistakes. Majority of teachers do not want to discourage their students enthusiasm in speaking English, especially obvious in some Asian countries in which people are told to avoid errors, therefore, they sometimes ignore students’ inaccurate English and compliment their progression in fluency. The issue I am facing is how should we balance them?
Please feel free to leave your suggestions and comments.
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