Learning how to teach through my learners.

During this course we have focused on the learning centered class and that
basically implies to get to know your students as human beings and also identify
what kind of learners they are in order for us to teach them effectively.
I have taught a very enthusiastic group of learners at ICDA for the past three
weeks and the more I get to know them the better I can plan my lessons with
activities they could find meaningful.
I am very appreciative of what this course has been teaching me. In the past, I
thought that having a successful lesson plan involved having as many activities as
possible in order to keep students busy learning. I also thought that the more
engaged they were the better. Something I learned and that is being emphasized in
our teaching and feedback practices, is that seeing students engaged in activities
doesnt necessarily mean they are learning, so this is something I am more aware
now not only when planning my lessons but also when teaching so that I can pay
more attention to how my students react in an individual matter and not only as a
whole.
I can say that teaching every Wednesday at ICDA, has helped me reflect on the
way I teach and how my students learn. I remember one of the classes I really
enjoyed while teaching there: The topic was vocabulary for describing personality,
as a target language I taught the adjectives optimistic, friendly, messy,
argumentative, calm, and driven. My objective was that students would be able to
use two or three words to describe the personality of a person they knew in a
group discussion.
The group I teach there is in an upper-intermediate level so I had to come up
with ideas to present this topic in a different way they had seen it, so I included
some things I have learned during the course. When I first started teaching the
class I felt a little insecure because I was not sure about my lesson plan and
because I had noticed the energy level of the students was a little low, so I felt it
was going to be a little challenging. But while developing the class, and seeing how
students were led towards the fluency activities using the ECRIF framework made
me feel really happy and proud since I could apply what had been told in the
course. I felt I was finally getting what ECRIF was. At the end of the class, many
students approached me and told me how fascinating learning was in this new
way. Their reaction gave me the confidence to keep trying until I master ECRIF and
most importantly, to find ways in which students feel that what they are learning is
meaningful to them.
I really enjoyed teaching that class. Objective was totally achieved. Students
described people they knew using the target language. They were very enthusiastic
during the whole class, even though they started with low energy. I saw students

who usually are very quiet in class talking about Dominican singers and what
qualities they think they have and also talking about their classmates and family
members. At the end of the class, students expressed how much they loved the
class and how fun they thought it was.
Their enthusiasm was in part because they felt related with the different
activities because they were contextualized. Since they felt identified with most of
them, that made them talk and participate actively. Another thing that contributed
to their learning and the way the participated was that activities were done in
groups which helped them talk without feeling judged and also that helped them
learn in a collaborative way.
I also had the chance to observe how the same students learn when someone
else is teaching and I must say students reacted the same way. This course has
helped all of us to teach contents in a meaningful way, since students feel identified
they express their opinions in a freer way.
Something I have learned in this course and that I am applying in my classes is
the community builders. This is something that gives me the chance to get to know
my students better and that way I can plan my lessons thinking of their interests so
that I can have different kinds of activities they feel related to and which makes
learning fun.
Something I have learned from my students is that they dont need to follow a book
from top to bottom to learn, and that they dont need me as a teacher to control all
the learning process. Students are curious and can learn on their own, especially
when exposing them in as many contexts as possible in which they can practice
what they have learned.
In conclusion, I can say that learning to be a better teacher implies to know best
the learning process students experience. I also have learned the importance to get
to know students: the way they are, the way they learn, what they are interested
in... So that I can prepare classes they feel related to since that helps learning to be
a fun process for them. Another important thing I am taking into account after
being part of this course and what teaching and feedback practices have taught me
is to take a moment while teaching and just observe how students react in order
for me to know if they are actually learning or if I have to adapt the activity. Most
importantly, something that I will take with me from this experience is that what
really matters is that students learn.

My puzzles and celebrations

Description:
In my second ECRIF lesson, I was teaching personality traits and since I was the
second in turn, I decided that before starting the class, it would be a good idea for
students to stretch. Point was that students were in groups and I told them to form
lines so they could stand up and stretch. After stretching, I told them to make
groups of four. Some students look at each other and said but we were in groups
of four before. Students formed small groups, and I hand out some Dominican
celebrity pictures in which they had to think of qualities that best describe each
celebrity. Students had an interesting discussion about it.

Interpretation

Generalization

Plan Action

Something that hindered

students learning was
moving them from their
previous group without
giving them a real reason to
move.

Based on what I observed, I

think students dont like to
be moved without having a
purpose. Moving should
make
sense
to
the
participants.

Interesting. I do believe
that learners benefit from
understanding why it is
that we do what we do.
Learners are curious and
like knowing that what
they are doing is helpful
somehow.

In future lessons, I will

make sure to move students
when necessary having an
objective in mind explaining
what I am planning to do so
it makes sense for students
to move.

True! Telling students a

bit about what we are I am sure your students
doing and why can do will
appreciate
this
wonders with their sense action.
of cooperation.

Something that hindered

students learning was
making them form lines to
later form groups which led
students
express
their
discomfort
to
other
classmates.

Based on what I observed, I

think there are students
that dont like to be moved
often.

I am curious about this

and would love to hear
more. Why do you think
they didnt like this? Do
you think they were tired
and didnt want to move?

The next time I teach, I will

observe students reactions
whenever they have to
move and clarify they will
move only once for the
This seems to answer my activity in specific so they
question I just asked. I can do it more pleasantly.
wonder if it is also about
moving without knowing I think this would be
why they are moving or helpful. I think it would
what they will be doing.
also be helpful if they
knew why they are
moving or felt a sense of
purpose for moving and
this could be just to keep

Something that helped

students learning was
presenting
pictures
of
celebrities
they
were
familiar with. That led to a
great group discussion.
Absolutely. I think this
was a great idea because
it helped make the
language more relevant
and meaningful for the
students.

I believe that personalizing

classes can help students
express their opinions in a
freer way. Talking about
what you know makes you
express
yourself
more
confidently.

the blood flowing and the

bodies awake.
I will keep contextualizing
classes in order to make
classes
meaningful
for
students so they can
express themselves fluently
about what they know and
what
they
consider
relevant. I will find out what
they are interested in so
that students can be more
engaged in the activities
planned.

I agree with you 100%

Kesia. Students feel more
interested and exciting
about talking and sharing
when its about something
they either know or care Great plan. I know this
about.
will help keep your
students engaged, on task
and using the language to
communicate.

Something that helped I believe that working in

students learning was to small groups give more
work in small groups.
chances for students to talk
and practice more.
I can see how this would
be helpful and would love Yes. It definitely helps
to hear more from you. maximize
students
Why
do
you
think speaking
and
working in small groups participation time within
helped
students the limited amount of
learning? What did it do classroom time they have.
for them?

I will include more activities

in small group so students
can
have
more
opportunities to practice
fluently.
This will help your
students practice using
the language a lot more. I
am sure they will be
grateful for this.

Hi Kesia!
Congratulations on another successful couple of weeks of learning. It has been a
pleasure reading and commenting on your second extended reflection for this
course.
I particularly enjoyed reading your thoughts in your essay about how you have
become a better teacher by noticing more your learners and finding ways to have
them use the language in more realistic and meaningful ways. You also mentioned in
your title how you are learning how to teahc through your learners. I was really
exicted to hear you talking about this becuase one of our main goals on the course is
just that - to see the learner and respond to what they are trying to tell us that they
need in order to continue learning and making progress.

In terms of your DAPA, I think you did a good job choosing and describing small
moments or slices that reflected your key learnings for this assignment. You
provided helpful details in terms of what you and your students said and did in the
moment. For your interpretations, I would encourage you to be a bit more specific
with adding why you think something was helpful or a hindrance. There were times
when I wasnt sure what the reasoning was. All of your interpretations,
generalizations and action plans were well connected. Please see my comments
above in the DAPA grid for more details, examples and feedback.
You paper has met the requirements for this week and is a pass. Thank you for all
your hard work, dedication and passion.
With gratitude,
Roger