Raising Awareness & Enabling Application

Summary

This video series focuses on how English language department heads and teachers can apply the six principles of English language teaching and learning in their curriculum planning. Two teachers, Miss A. Last Resort and Miss Some Common, discuss how they thoughtfully and flexibly apply these principles to support student learning. The video covers two processes: raising awareness, where students engage with sensory experiences, and enabling application, where teachers model skills and strategies for students. By breaking down tasks and guiding students step-by-step, teachers help build students' confidence and enhance their learning experience.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The video series focuses on how English language heads of departments and teachers can apply six principles of English language teaching and learning, along with six teaching processes, in their curriculum planning.
• 📚 Two teachers, Miss A. Last Resort and Miss Some Common, discuss their flexible and thoughtful application of these principles and processes.
• 🎥 The discussion begins with the process of raising awareness, which involves introducing the topics students will learn and guiding them on the skills they will acquire by the end of the lesson.
• 🧀 Miss A. introduces a multi-sensory experience, bringing in mini wheels of cheese to help students connect more deeply with the topic, including watching a video about a cheese rolling competition.
• 🗺️ Raising awareness also includes showing students a roadmap of their learning journey, highlighting the skills needed to reach their goals.
• 📖 Teachers emphasize that students should predict the content of texts, a key practice in becoming expert readers.
• 🔍 Miss Some Common breaks down complex topics and text structures into manageable pieces, specifying clear content, language, and behavior objectives for each lesson.
• 🛠️ The process of enabling application involves modeling the application of skills, helping students observe and learn from the teacher's demonstration.
• 🤔 Teachers model thinking processes, including how to deal with challenging words by asking questions and drawing inferences from the text, making thinking visible for students.
• 👥 The teacher gradually reduces support, encouraging students to co-construct tasks with peers, helping them build confidence in applying the skills on their own.

Q & A

What is the focus of the video series?

The video series focuses on how English language heads of departments and teachers can apply the six principles of English language teaching and learning, along with six teaching processes, in planning their school's English-language curriculum, developing lessons, and making decisions about how to teach English.

Who are the two teachers featured in the video, and what do they discuss?

The two teachers featured are Miss A Last Resort and Miss Some Common. They discuss how they applied the principles and processes of English language teaching, particularly focusing on raising awareness and enabling application in their secondary classrooms.

What are the two teaching processes highlighted in the video?

The two teaching processes highlighted are 'raising awareness' and 'enabling application'.

How did Miss A Last Resort raise awareness about cheese rolling with her students?

Miss A Last Resort brought in mini wheels of cheese for her students to see, touch, and smell while watching a video of a cheese-rolling competition. This multi-sensory experience helped students connect with the topic and better understand why people participate in such an event.

What strategy did Miss Some Common use to help her students understand the purpose of their learning?

Miss Some Common used a 'roadmap' to show students where they were in their learning and where they were headed. She emphasized the importance of developing skills and applying previously learned skills to reach their goals.

What is the significance of predicting in reading, according to the video?

Predicting is a key strategy that good readers use to have a sense of what they are going to read. It helps prepare students by engaging their prior knowledge and setting expectations for the text.

How does Miss A Last Resort structure her lessons for her technical students?

Miss A Last Resort breaks down the lesson into three components: the specific content or learning goal, the language needed to achieve that goal, and the classroom behavior required to support learning.

What is the role of modeling in enabling application according to the teachers?

Modeling involves the teacher demonstrating a skill or strategy while thinking aloud, allowing students to observe and learn from the teacher's process. This helps students understand how to approach tasks and develop skills themselves.

Why is it important for teachers to model reading strategies, as explained in the video?

It is important for teachers to model reading strategies so that students can see how an expert reader approaches difficult texts, including how they think through challenging words or concepts. This makes the process visible and relatable to students, showing that even teachers struggle at times.

How does reducing scaffolding help in student learning?

By gradually reducing the amount of teacher support, or scaffolding, students are encouraged to take more responsibility for their own learning. This builds their confidence and ability to apply skills independently.