Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Katherine Brillante on February 28, 2015 at 10:48pm

After being told to select an activity from my high school level Italian studies textbook, my partner Joseph and I chose a simple activity introducing definite articles and pluralizing singular words into plural. I realized that in order for my "students" to complete this activity, there is material that is required and necessary for the student to know in order to complete the activity. Because of this, I started the lesson off by introducing what definite articles are used for, and how importantly they are used in the language frequently. Like in most cases, when it comes to acquiring a new language, there is a rule to help you form sentences, conjugate verbs, and these are more than often passed on to the students and portrayed in a chart-based matter. This is to help the student understand exactly what they are doing, and can use this tool as a guideline to help a student decide which definite article is used at different times and circumstances.

The activity to me was a little boring in a sense that all it required my students to do was check off a few boxes by determining if a word was singular or plural, and feminine or masculine. There were no pictures, for audiovisual learners, just words in a text. This is where Joe and I decided to incorporate some photos corresponding with the words being introduced to the first level language class. Pictures are often a useful tool, and can help students determine the meaning of new words without being told directly by someone (the teacher) who already knows. Photos can be useful hints to encourage students to figure it out on their own. Though I thought the activity was a bit boring and too simple, I chose it because it did give a clear explanation on how to construct singular -> plural words. It was an activity that could easily be expanded on. 

Due to differentiating instruction, I felt I may have not have focused enough attention on each of the students individually, rather than only as a whole. I assumed the entire class had understanding, because no one stopped Joseph or I during the lesson, therefore I assumed everyone knew what was going on. In order to make sure I knew my entire class had understanding, I would have incorporated more class participation into the lesson, by making sure every single student proved to me they at least were on the right track or at least approaching it. I could have done this by calling on every student myself, or going around the room and speaking with each student personally while they were asked to complete the activity on their own.

To incorporate culture into my lesson, I would have liked for my students to group up into pairs of two to three students. Each group of students would be asked to come up with ten (or more) new vocabulary words, agreeing with which category they are given. For example, a group with a "fashion" category would take the necessary steps into finding words that correspond with Italian fashion, and list the words in both the singular and plural forms. This activity is fun because it helps the students to practice their grammar, while at the same time learning new things about the Italian culture and lifestyle. After the students have collected their data, their information would then be shared as a group, so that every classmate retained a new selection of vocabulary in several different categories.

Permalink Reply by Jose J. Diaz on March 1, 2015 at 9:42pm

Katherine, I have to say that I agreed with you that as future teacher we have to make sure our student are learning Just because the student do not ask question does not means that they learned everything you taught them. I really like the idea of asking question to an specific student, even though this might put him/her on the spot, but that when you have to make sure that if he did not answer the question correct no to embarrass her/him in front of the class.

Permalink Reply by Sindy Caceres on March 2, 2015 at 1:08pm

Hi Katherine, I enjoyed your group’s presentation. I really like how you incorporated photos into the activity. Photos are a great way for students to understand the meaning of words they have never seen before. Due to your differentiation instruction I feel that would have been a great way to approach to every student and reassure yourself that everyone was on track.  

Permalink Reply by Kimberly Romhin on March 2, 2015 at 4:14pm

hey! Katherine... I really liked the way you and Joe planned the lesson. I liked when Joe used the blackboard to explain when a word changes from singular to plural, but I liked more when you also explain the lesson in English because that helped understand what you guys meant to teach. I loved the use images and the sheets you guys handed out so we could work in groups, and I have to also mention when you guys call on us so we could be involve and participate in the lesson. Keep it up! I am pretty sure you will be two amazing Italian teachers. Best of luck.

Permalink Reply by Joseph Mansur on March 1, 2015 at 6:48pm

I thought that the activity we did in class was very interesting. It was the first "teaching slice" of many, and for a first, we all did very well. I like that we didn't really know what to expect or how we would perform in front of the class, but each of us have the capacity and love for language to do a great job!!!! This activity was strong for our class not only because of how it challenged us to do something for the first time, but it opened our eyes to each other as classmates. We all we in groups of 2 or 3, but we also all collaboratively shared our ideas about our presentation, whether they were good or bad.

In terms of interest level, I really enjoyed the activity. Nothing gets me more excited to get in front of a class and challenge myself and just express my ideas and teach. For the activity, Katherine and I decided to teach entry level Italian, by focusing on definite articles, and determining if a word is singular or plural, or masculine or feminine. We used a handout, so the class had a hands on activity, and we verbally told the class the main concepts of the handout. This auditory type of learning was then fortified by pictures we put on the smart board, for a visual aid. The activity was simple, and could definitely be expanded on. Though simple, this activity was based on essential parts of learning Italian. By using all of these methods, we would cover a vast majority of differentiated instruction in the classroom.

From my point of view, it seemed like the class really enjoyed Katherine and I's lesson!!!! Everyone seemed engaged, and we had a few classmates get involved in the lesson by asking or answering questions. Looking bad, I would like the involvement of more classmates, if not all. There are many ways of changing the activity around to do different things, so it is something that is possible. I would have also tried to put some sounds to go along with the pictures on the smart board. This could have evolved the ways of differentiated instruction in the classroom. But don't worry class, I can't use all tricks that I have up my sleeve!!!!!

I would incorporate culture into the activity by making the activity more personal. I would give the class different vocabulary that focused more on the Italian culture such as Italian cities, food, or even art such as music or paintings. We would use those vocabulary words, find out which definite article would go with that vocabulary word, and find out if the word is masculine/feminine, singular/plural. This would get the class engaged more into the lesson, and also teach them a thing or two about Italian culture!!!! This involvement of culture would be invaluable in the classroom.

I hope everyone like the activity, specifically the part where Katherine and I presented. I can't wait until our next "teaching slice"!

Permalink Reply by Eulalia Garcia on March 1, 2015 at 9:51pm

                             EDS.319- Blog #1

                                                                 Micro-teaching activity

     To us in this first activity was very important to learn the alphabet as the basis of the language vocabulary. The book called “VIVA”, we choose chapter one represent the pronunciation of the Spanish alphabet. To us is very important to learn the alphabet because the words are compose by it is letters. Our activity in one way was excellent because we did our best we could to improve our success in a classroom. We could improve by the intervention of our classmates with their questions of how students can learn a new language.

     As we present our topic, I felt in one way was fine, because as I said in the classroom that I learned in Mexico from my English teacher that pronunciation is very important end for this reason students learning require to hear the sounds of the words as well as to learn how to place the letters together in order to form words. Syllables are stick together to have a word in Spanish and we learn the words by practicing how the letters sound when we have two or three letters together and one way is to pronounce the syllables and then ask our students to repeat the same as well as the sound. It is going to be easy for students if we as teachers can help by pronouncing with them to words. We know the language how every syllable is used to have a word.  In Spanish our syllables are precise because it sound the way is written that’s why the Spanish speakers many times we mispronounce the English words because we are used to say the words exactly as is written. One interesting tool that we can use in the process of language learning is to have visual objects for example pictures, with a description of what is in side in order to learn their own characteristics, for example we write; carro, mesa, triciclo, or casa, in Spanish if we show a picture of those items we will connect with no trouble the relation of these articles.

     As I am in a classroom this activities are very interesting because I am learning what is needed in the process to learn a language is to find a way how students can be motivated to learn a new language.

Permalink Reply by Joseph Mansur on March 2, 2015 at 8:36pm

Hola Eulalia,

I like how you made it a personal connection by reflecting of your high school years and how your english teacher made it a point to value pronunciation. I think its good to apply a small personal detail like this in one's lessons because students will feel like you're trying to connect with them, and that you too were in a language course. Your group did a fantastic job!! I definitely believe that a good tool to use in the process of language learning is to have visual objects presented in the lesson. This will go a long way in helping the lesson, and is a clear example of differentiated instruction.

I look forward to being a part of more and more of your lessons!!!

Permalink Reply by Nataly Herrera on March 2, 2015 at 9:05am

 

The activity my group and I did was to teach how to use adjectives. I found my activity interesting because it was being taught to a native speaking language class.As suggest by our fellow classmates, we definitely would have taken things a little slower. Regardless of the fact that they are natives in the language, it is important to make sure they understand what they are being taught and work at their pace for a little. Rather than just standing there while the students performed the activity, our group could have gone around and ask if they understand what they are doing. Our way of incorporating more culture into the lesson was with pictures we had printed and have the students describe that they see in the picture with adjectives they know or learned. The pictures included different people and many different ways to describe them whether it was how they looked or how they were feeling. We could have used pictures of people from different countries in order to incorporate more culture into the lesson Our activity was to have the students describe each other to their partner and then the students would tell us what they learned about their partner. This allowed the students to get to know one another with our lesson.

Permalink Reply by Katherine Brillante on March 2, 2015 at 6:51pm

Hey Nataly, I thought you guys constructed the lesson very well. I believe if you guys had more time, it wouldn't feel so rushed and wishy-washy. Overall I liked the idea you guys had by having the students describe each other to every one else in the class. For the culture, maybe you could take activity to an extra step by having the students introduce to their classmates what holidays they celebrate, this can bring a variety of different culture into the lesson. Great job! 

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