Ana and Cristina´s road

The Direct method

Ana Lagos and Cristina Morales — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:43:39 +0000

The direct method´s goal of instruction is to learhow to use a foreing learning language to communicate.

The direct method has jus one basic rule: no tranlation is allowed, the meaning is to be conveyed directly in the target language through the use of demostration and visual aids.

The students can not use their native language in the classroom.

The teacher should demostrate not explain or translate.

Lessons should contain some conversational activity.

Grammar should be taught inductively.

The syllabus is based on situations or topics.

Some of the typical activities are:

1) Reading Aloud

(Reading sections of passages, plays or dialogs out loud)

(2) Question and Answer Exercise

(Asking questions in the target language and having students answer in full sentences)

(3) Student Self-Correction

(Teacher facilitates opportunities for students to self correct using follow-up questions, tone, etc)

(4) Conversation Practice

(Teacher asks students and students ask students questions using the target language)

(5) Fill-in-the-blank Exercise

(Items use target language only and inductive rather than explicit grammar rules)

(6) Dictation

(Teacher reads passage aloud various amount of times at various tempos, students writing down

what they hear)

(7) Paragraph Writing

(Students write paragraphs in their own words using the target language and various models)

This principle was presented and applied in our class for a group of students. It turned out in reallynice activity.

Total Physical Response Method.

Ana Lagos and Cristina Morales — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:00:41 +0000

TPR or Total Physical Response method was the topic we talked about in one of our English IV presentations, made on june 21st 2010. On this episode we show you a video made for us which contains some importan information about this teaching method. I hope you like it.

So see it and enjoy it.

Ana and Cristina

The Brain and topics related to it.

Ana Lagos and Cristina Morales — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:18:27 +0000

These are texts writen for us, they are related to different topics studied in class such as the brain´s role in learning, the diferences between male and female brain and so on... HOW THE HUMAN BRAIN IS IN EVERYTHING. (Essay) AUTORES: LAGOS C. ANA E. MORALES S. DELIA C. DOCENTE: JHONNY ANGOLA SAN CRISTÓBAL, MARZO DE 2010 The world and the people living in it is always changing, every day there are more questions to be answered and more ways to get those answers. On the medical area the brain has been an eternal mystery, but resent investigations have revealed tons of new information applicable in many knowledge areas including education and the teaching and learning processes involved in them. First of all, Ph. D. Diamond M. (2003) in one of her lectures called “male and female brains” talked about her research on the brain´s structural differences between male and female, this research was made on lab rats because there were not many human being able to do it on them, but she explains that the brain´s structure of these little animals is very similar to the human one, that is why the results can be use to compare men and women´s brain constitution and functioning. Diamond explains in her lecture the way our brain is conformed, its main parts and how those parts development and functions get affected by factors like the birth, environmental conditions, age, hormones, sex and the things every being has to do according to his instincts or natural duties. For example, Diamond M. (2003), says that areas like the cortex and the cortical morphology, thickness and symmetry are “ a key factor” in the process of knowing and understanding how female or male act, specifically when “ for the female animal, the main functions are to bear, protect and raise her offspring... something that may be more accessible and readily achieved with a symmetrical brain” on the opposite the “male behavior involves finding and defending his territory and finding his female, all rather focused functions, possibly benefiting form an asymmetrical cortex.” The statements previously written may indicate that in some how the diversity of the female functions or the specifical male functions may be determinating factors on the brain´s constitution. The author makes clear that there are many other factors related to this and that the researchers on this area still have a lot to discover and to work with. If we walk apart from the structure and focus more on “ What are the determinants of children´s academic successes and difficulties” according to Diamond (n/d) since long time ago in places like China, there has been a culturaly issue destinated to proportion a good care of the baby´s mind and general development even before they were born, these old principles advice women to “ behave favorable during pregnancy so that their offspring would be bright and survive well.” Nowadays, exists a concept called “ Intrauterine education” which mean to provide the best stimulate to the babies growing by taking “ into consideration pre- as well as postnatal conditions for forming healthy children and their precious brains.” Diamon M., (n/d) Diamond explains that “ parents and teachers should create a climate for enchanted minds to obtain information, stimulate imagination, develop an atmosphere to enhance motivation and creativity and discover the value of a work ethic.” Some of Diamond´s advices to accomplish this vital mission are to provide: ...a steady source of positive emotional support-love encouragement... nutritious diet with enough protein, vitamins, mineral and calories...stimulate all senses, but not necessarily all at once...present a series of novel challenges that neither too easy nor too difficult for the child at his or her stage of development... enjoyable atmosphere that promotes exploration and the fun of learning... These between others might lead to get many benefits on the children development and academical success as the author explains, but also she calls our attention because the lack of this support or the presence of a significant amount of the opposite behavior on parents and/ or teachers may cause difficulties to the children on their academical and personal life, she wants to make clear too that “ the cerebral cortex does not show significant growth with too much stimulation as it does with a moderate amount... Do not over stimulate.” Some parents may incurre in this kind of mistakes thinking that as more stimulus the child recibes the better it would be for him, without knowing that it won´t be neccessarily truth, the children may get tired or even get upset for living in so much pressure and this later may cause a rejection on everything related to education or the activities he was force to do without like them. As a personal experience Diamond mentions what one of her daughters said once to her: “you gave us the freedom to choose what we wanted to do; you served as a role model showing if we worked hard we could succeed.” This meant a lot to her, but how many parents can quote such a beautiful words as she does? Most could say that: not many have this privilege. But what about if these norms are taken form that context and are tried to be applied in another country as Venezuela for example, would they work? Are there the necessary conditions? Apparently it may not; social conditions, medical care or even the basic information is not set for most of the country population, how can we expect for “ Intrauterine education” when sometimes many women don´t even have basic prenatal care? How can we expect for parents to be role models when they are not with their children, when they have to work all day trying to at least get the necessary for their support, or when for personal reasons the children are formed by other members of the family different from their parents or worse complete estrangers? This scenery doesn´t seem to be too hopeful because teachers are not only expected to do their job facilitating teaching and learning processes but also complementing or trying to do as a whole the work, these children´s parents should have been doing. The previous may be an extreme vision of how the life of some is, but there are some many factors that seem to be working against the achievement of a good learning including the children changes itself. Willis J. (n/d) in words of Gardner ( 1999) exposes that there are “three current dominant intelligence styles of Linguistic, Visual-spatial, and Tactile Kinesthetic...” in previous years the Linguistic was the predominant, that´s how the teachers learned and may teach, but as the author also explains in the resent years the percentages on the kind of learning has changed too, making sometimes the teacher´s teaching stile obsolete or less effective. Most students have something called “learning strengths” and these are related to their intelligence style, by improving the teaching techniques the learning activities can become more effective and even enjoyable for students allowing them to get a really meaningful learning taking advantage of all their personal potential, and being more successful in every area of their life. These three articles may show an excellent research information and maybe if we study it hard and get to the point of really understand, believe, and apply it, we may become great teachers, but at this point, inside of the classrooms there are other problems to be solved, and getting a solution for them doesn´t seem to be too at the top of the corner because this must be a team work between parents teachers and everyone involved with the future generation growing and well being. REFERENCES: Diamond M., (2003) “Male and female brains” summary of the lecture for women´s forum west annual meeting. Diamond M., (n/d) “What are the determinats of children´s academic successes and dificulties?” Willis J., (n/d) “More About neuroscience and learning”

Introduction.

Ana Lagos and Cristina Morales — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:58:38 +0000

Hi... This is the missing piece of the transcription below, it gives the reason of this episode... listen to it. Bye..

Some reflections about discrimination in Venezuelan society

Ana Lagos and Cristina Morales — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:54:41 +0000

The conversation, you are going to hear next is the result, of a long process of work in one of our college clases; during some months we worked as a team and discuss several topics in our classes and out of it. To us is important to give this message to you, so try to listen to it and to understand it, but in case you can not hear clearly our speach, here is the transcription of our conversation... Ana: Based on the film "The Great debaters" we can say it's a movie with a great social content, because it shows the discrimination problem.I think in our country exists nationalities discrimination or xenophobia. Almost in all places in Venezuela, foreing people are discriminated against. Sara: I agree with you. I think in our country we have discrimination in other ways, like racism against Black, Chinese, and Indian people. I think some human beings don't feel good seeing other different ones. Cristina: The way people discriminate that has affected more my life is political discrimination. My father works in a public institution, it has been a stressful expirience and also my husband has had many troubles finding a stable job. Ana: I had an experience when I was working at the Venezuela's Consulate in Arauca (Colombia). I could see the way that authority of our country made fun of people who needed some permission or any documents and the Embassy attached made people waste their time. Foreing people are treated like cockroach. Sara: Now, that you talk about your experience, I'm going to talk to you about my experience with discrimination. When I was in 6th grade, a classmate blow an eraser wiht chalk powder over my face and told me that I had to stay un that way... with my face on white. That was humiliating for me. She was racist. Cristina: I think is awful. In my particular case I have seen that political preference has become more important than people's experience knowledge or merit. A couple of years ago my husband signed against the courrent goverment, for this reason he has been rejected from several jobs. It hasn't mattered all the effort that he has done. I think it is unjust the way that people are discriminated because of their nationality, race, or political preference. We all should have the same opportunities TO BE TREATED EQUALLY and FAIRLY .

Confusion at the Airport

Ana Lagos and Cristina Morales — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:01:16 +0000

From Leyber and Cristina : )