1. BACKGROUND
1.1 Grammatical and communicative approaches: It explains the differences between the grammatical approach, the communicative approach and also integrates a thirs approach that is called the situational syllabus.
1.2 Competence and performance: it discusses the differences between competence and performance and introduces the the concept of communicative competence, which integrates the knowledge (competence) and the use of the language (performance).
2. SOME THEORIES OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE:
2.1 Theories of basic communication skills: it explains that those theories should be focused on meaning and oriented to develop the basic level of communicaton.
2.2 Sociolinguistic perspectives on communicative competence: it shows the importance of knowing how to use the language in context. That is called analysis of the ethnography of speaking.
2.3 Integrative theories of communicative competence: it explains that those theories must integrate the grammatical knowledge, the use of language in different contexts and how communicative functions can be combined.
2.4 General comments: it reflects about aspects that haven't been discussed about the theories of communicative competence.
3. TOWARD AN ADEQUATE THEORY OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE:
3.1 Guiding principles for a communicative approach: there are 5 principles that a communicative approach must have: 1. Integration of grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence and communication strategies. 2. Based on the learners' communication needs. 3. Meaningful communication interaction. 4. Basic communication aspects. 5. Teach about language and about the culture.
3.2 A proposed theoretical framework for communicative competence: integration of grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence and strategic competence.
3.3 Implications fo a communicative approach to teaching: The activities must be meaningful and the teacher must have an activating role.
3.4 Implications for a communicative testing programme: the objective is to evaluate if the learner can demonstrate his communicative knowledge in a meaningful communicative situation.
martes, 27 de septiembre de 2011
viernes, 23 de septiembre de 2011
Beliefs...
1. The main focus in a language class should be on meaning:
I teach in Kinder, so my lessons are mainly focused on meaning beacuse my purpose is that my students understand the language and try to produce some words. I really don't teach grammar. They learn the structures through listening to me, but in a very implicit way.
6. With new language learners, teachers need to be gentle and empathetic:
Being gentle and empathetic doesn't mean that you don't establish limits and rules. It means to generate an appropiate atmosphere to learn a second language, which is very important. The anxiety and the frustration don't collaborate with the learning process.
7. Because learners have differing learning styles, a teacher should give individual attention:
This is a very difficult task, but I am convinced that a good teacher must give special attention to each of her students. We are all different, and the perfect classroom doesn't exist. That's why we need to take the time to develop each student's abilities.
10. A teacher's feedback to the student should be given frequently:
I have seen in my students that they inmediately change their disposition to learn when I give them feedback. It is not a matter of positive or negative feedback. It is a matter of showing special attention to that student's learning process. If you need to give negative feedback, you can do it in a good way and the students will be thankful.
I teach in Kinder, so my lessons are mainly focused on meaning beacuse my purpose is that my students understand the language and try to produce some words. I really don't teach grammar. They learn the structures through listening to me, but in a very implicit way.
6. With new language learners, teachers need to be gentle and empathetic:
Being gentle and empathetic doesn't mean that you don't establish limits and rules. It means to generate an appropiate atmosphere to learn a second language, which is very important. The anxiety and the frustration don't collaborate with the learning process.
7. Because learners have differing learning styles, a teacher should give individual attention:
This is a very difficult task, but I am convinced that a good teacher must give special attention to each of her students. We are all different, and the perfect classroom doesn't exist. That's why we need to take the time to develop each student's abilities.
10. A teacher's feedback to the student should be given frequently:
I have seen in my students that they inmediately change their disposition to learn when I give them feedback. It is not a matter of positive or negative feedback. It is a matter of showing special attention to that student's learning process. If you need to give negative feedback, you can do it in a good way and the students will be thankful.
lunes, 5 de septiembre de 2011
To sum up...
Here I am going to explain the main ideas of some methods:
The Audiolingual Method: it is mainly focused on oral activities, in where the development of pronunciation is very important. This is made by conversations, repetitions and pattern drills. Grammatical explanation is not important.
The Community Language Learning: it is based on the affectiveness between the teacher and the students. The learning methodology consists on the teacher translation of the learner's ideas, and the post repetition of those ones by the learner. The effectiveness of the method relies on the translation capacity of the teacher.
Suggestopedia: it is method that states that the learning process is successful when the learner is relaxed and feels comfortable. For this, music plays an important role in the learning process.
The Silent Way: it promotes that the learner has to create meaning through the manipulation of physical objects and the resolution of problems. The teacher is in silence most of the time, but guides the students to the solution.
Total Physical Response: students learn carrying out comands given by the teacher. They listen to the instructions and they do the actions.
The Natural Approach: in this method, the students received comprehensible input for a period of time and they don't say anything. Later, they are able to produce and to communicate in the language.
The Audiolingual Method: it is mainly focused on oral activities, in where the development of pronunciation is very important. This is made by conversations, repetitions and pattern drills. Grammatical explanation is not important.
The Community Language Learning: it is based on the affectiveness between the teacher and the students. The learning methodology consists on the teacher translation of the learner's ideas, and the post repetition of those ones by the learner. The effectiveness of the method relies on the translation capacity of the teacher.
Suggestopedia: it is method that states that the learning process is successful when the learner is relaxed and feels comfortable. For this, music plays an important role in the learning process.
The Silent Way: it promotes that the learner has to create meaning through the manipulation of physical objects and the resolution of problems. The teacher is in silence most of the time, but guides the students to the solution.
Total Physical Response: students learn carrying out comands given by the teacher. They listen to the instructions and they do the actions.
The Natural Approach: in this method, the students received comprehensible input for a period of time and they don't say anything. Later, they are able to produce and to communicate in the language.
lunes, 29 de agosto de 2011
Audio-lingualism and Cognitive Code Learning
These two methods are part of the psychological tradition.
The Audiolingual Method is related to behaviorism, in which Skinner stated the concept of operant conditioning. The students learn through the reactions to stimuli. This method describes the learning process of a second language the same as the process of learning the first language: bubbling, imitation, formation of new habits, interpretation of the mother and final pronunciation. So, listening to the target language and repetition of structures are the heart of audiolingualism.
The Cognitive Code Method considers the learner inside a specific context, the student and his environment. The learner is the most important subject in the learning process, because it is considered as an active process where the learners can reflect about their learning. Rules are important, but the new knowledge has to be adjusted with the prior knowledge. Cognitivists think that making mistakes is very important in order to complete the process of learning.
The Audiolingual Method is related to behaviorism, in which Skinner stated the concept of operant conditioning. The students learn through the reactions to stimuli. This method describes the learning process of a second language the same as the process of learning the first language: bubbling, imitation, formation of new habits, interpretation of the mother and final pronunciation. So, listening to the target language and repetition of structures are the heart of audiolingualism.
The Cognitive Code Method considers the learner inside a specific context, the student and his environment. The learner is the most important subject in the learning process, because it is considered as an active process where the learners can reflect about their learning. Rules are important, but the new knowledge has to be adjusted with the prior knowledge. Cognitivists think that making mistakes is very important in order to complete the process of learning.
lunes, 22 de agosto de 2011
Language Skills
It is difficult to identify which is my strongest and my weakest ability in my second language, because there is a lot to learn and, eventhough there are some skills that are stronger than others, I should continue learning on those.
However, I can say that reading is my strongest ability. I don't have too much problems when reading and I can understand most of the texts that I read. On the other hand, I think that listening is my weakest skill, but only referring to recordings, because when I listen to someone talking or I am participating in a conversation, I do not have any problem to follow it and to express my opinions or to answer questions. But when I listen to a CD or watch a movie, there are some parts that I miss, or don't understand.
I think the reason for this is that I have problems when I am not facing the person who is talking, or that the person who I am listening to is not talking to me.
To improve this skill I should watch more movies in English and also pay special attention to the lyrics of the songs that I listen to, and try to understand the meaning of them.
lunes, 15 de agosto de 2011
How did I learn English?
When I think about my experience with English, I inmediately think on the University where I studied for being an English teacher.
Of course I had English lessons at school, but now I realized that those lessons where absolutely focused on grammar. The listening, speaking, reading and writing skills were never taught, but at the end of the unit, we were asked to write something, to speak about a chapter of a book and to listen to a conversation and answer some questions.
At school, I felt very frustrated with English.
Then, I don't know why, I decided to took the English minor at University. I can say that there I learnt English, and I develop all the skills for being able to communicate in the language, and also I learnt the methodology to teach it.
Nowadays, I have been in touch with the language, because I have been studied the Master and also because I have been teaching English for two years to six years old girls.
Eventhough I learnt English according to the cognitive approach, now I teach it according to the communicative approach.
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