# data[].attributes.body
The classroom was bustling with people when I arrived, and my immediate concern was finding a place to sit near a socket so I could charge my laptop. Fortunately, I managed to secure a spot just next to an available socket. As the professor entered the room promptly, it was evident that the class would commence at the expected time.

During the initial minutes of the session, the professor took the opportunity to outline how the course would be conducted and touched upon some technical aspects, including the key to enrolling in Moodle. Setting these expectations at the outset helps students navigate the course smoothly.

Subsequently, she went on to explain the learning objectives that we were expected to achieve over the duration of the course. The primary objectives included:

Analyzing the main theories of language acquisition in the European Union, particularly in Italy. At this point, the mention of Paulo Freire and his educational approach in the book "La Pedagogia de los Oprimidos" crossed my mind. I contemplated whether it should have been mentioned, but I refrained. I am uncertain whether the course will exclusively focus on Eurocentric aspects and theories.
The teacher continued to introduce additional learning objectives, such as analyzing teaching proposals, developing learning units based on plurilingual approaches, and emphasizing the importance of using appropriate terminology when explaining our thoughts or discussing topics related to the field.

Next, she moved on to discuss the course's organization, which comprised 10 on-site lessons and 5 online lessons. She emphasized that active participation would be highly valued, highlighting its significance in the learning process.

Regarding the day's activities, I found it intriguing how the professor applied a theory called "Envision." This practical application of theory in the classroom was both engaging and enlightening with an activity that later we uploaded to moodle.

The class concluded with the professor providing insights into the topics that would be covered in the next session. Reflecting on this lesson, I gained an appreciation for the importance of clarifying the course structure and technical aspects at the outset. Such clarity is pivotal in facilitating effective learning and ensuring that students are well-prepared for the journey ahead.

# data[].attributes.body
In our recent class, we began with a recap of the main concepts regarding how L2 (second language) students can successfully acquire a second language. It's essential to start with this foundation to ensure everyone is on the same page. The concepts discussed were as follows:

Envision: This concept pertains to the ability to envision and plan for the future. It plays a crucial role in language acquisition, as it involves setting goals and having a vision of what one aims to achieve in terms of language proficiency.

Motivation: Motivation is a key factor that drives learners' efforts toward achieving success in L2 acquisition. However, it's important to note that not all motivation is equally effective. We discussed how false motivation can sometimes provide valuable insights into the learning process.

During the recap, the professor introduced us to Zoltán Dörnyei's theory, which consists of three elements. However, only a few students were able to provide answers to the professor's question about this theory.

Following this introduction, the class transitioned to a warm-up activity that focused on the two main theories of learning: behaviorism and cognitivism. It's crucial to start with an engaging activity to pique students' interest and set the stage for the lesson.

The professor instructed us to bring a book related to languages in advance. Then, she divided us into teams and asked us to skim through the books to find exercises that exemplified one of the two techniques: behaviorism or cognitivism. This practical approach allowed us to directly apply the theories we had just learned.

One concept that particularly stood out was "Pattern drills," which we discovered in my Italian book. This exercise aligned with behaviorist theories, emphasizing the importance of repetition in learning. My colleague and I were excited to find this example quickly, as I had anticipated such an activity before the class.

What made this class even more enriching was that the professor didn't merely present the theory; she guided us in applying it by searching for real examples in our books. This hands-on approach made the theories more tangible and applicable to our learning journey.

After completing the activity, we delved into other concepts related to behaviorism and cognitivism, as well as discussions about prominent authors in the field, with Noam Chomsky being one of the most popular ones mentioned.

Reflecting on this class, I've come to appreciate the importance of demonstrating the application of concepts in real-life situations. It's not enough to understand theories in isolation; practical examples, like the ones we explored during the activity, make the learning experience more meaningful. As we move forward in our language acquisition journey, I'm excited to continue applying these concepts to real-world scenarios, deepening my understanding of language learning theories.

# data[].attributes.body
As usual, the professor began with a recap of the topics seen during the last session. The activity was to discuss with each other the concepts as well as some ideas that we wanted to go deeper with. After reading the material provided by the professor, I just realized that she was using one approach to education in which social interaction creates knowledge. It turned out that when it was my turn to discuss the main concepts of the last session, I just underlined and kept a record of my reading by highlighting in the chapter. On the other hand, the person who I spoke to only wrote some aspects on her tablet.

Right after, the professor asked us the pros and the cons of such an approach to education. Again, we were encouraged not only to recall what we have seen but also to share it with the other students. At some point, the professor said that this kind of activity puts a stop to our ability to verbalize the things that we have learned or, on the contrary, highlights that we have not learned at all.

I just realized that the professor chronometres her class or at least she is aware of the time that it will take us to do the activities during our session. One more time, I think it helps a lot that she is applying with us the theories and the approaches that are seen during the class. After all, there is no other way to learn something than doing it.

At some point in the class, she showed us a video in which a professor was suffering from something called the 'curse of knowledge.' Basically, that means that when we have learned something in any field for a long time, it becomes more difficult to transmit that information to someone who has not learned it yet. Right after, the professor introduced us to an approach called peer instruction.

The things that I have learned in that class are that the approach we must take when teaching in any field is to switch from the old style of lectures to one more dynamic or social. Through the interactions between peers, learning can happen due to the same kind of learning experience, and because there is always a more experienced user than the other. According to the class, that is called Social Constructivism.

# data[].attributes.body
The class began with an activity. This time, the main focus was not on recalling what we had seen in past classes; instead, the professor asked us directly to debate and reflect on some ideas that we had previously read in the chapter called "Communicative Language Teaching." The primary objective of the activity was to discuss our ideas and perceptions about that particular chapter. Unfortunately, the colleagues sitting beside me had not read it entirely, and the rest of the students already had partners. It was somewhat disappointing at some level; nevertheless, the noteworthy aspect is that the professor was using, in accordance with what we had seen and studied, a form of constructivism, or more precisely, a social approach. After all, the way in which he began to approach the topic was through interaction among us. It was an interesting study.

To conclude the activity, the professor encouraged us to use a tool called https://www.slido.com/, which made the class more interactive. Many students participated in it. Basically, the professor asked us to describe, in one word, what we recalled about the main features of this approach called "Communicative Language Teaching." She also inquired about the advantages and disadvantages of it. In real-time, our answers were displayed on the monitor, and as a group, we commented on them. I would like to emphasize the fact that there is always a woman who participates, and in some cases, her opinions are irrelevant or trivial. However, the fact that she participates a lot could limit other students' participation. Nevertheless, that was not the case since other students also participated. The engagement of the whole group is quite visible; one way to perceive it is when the professor asks us to do an activity, and the noise from the voices that begin to talk is tremendous.

Another aspect that I think helps keep the class engaged is when the professor questions the students about a specific topic related to the class, which makes us pay more attention and be ready to participate.

Among the four activities we did during the session, one involved the professor presenting some exercises to us, and our task was to evaluate them based on certain criteria provided by the professor. We had to determine whether the activity could belong to the approach we discussed during the class or if it had nothing to do with it.

I really enjoyed that activity because I had to discuss with other members of the team the characteristics or features of it. Hearing their perspectives was enriching and rewarding. At some point during the activity, we had to discuss why we had answered in the way we did. It was interesting because during the debate, a student from a different background and culture was arguing with the professor about how she evaluated a particular exercise. This was intriguing because the text that we read mentioned the limitations that this kind of approach could have, including cultural differences or contexts. The extract from the text mentioned:

"In Singapore, the author taught a course for Cambodian teachers to improve their English proficiency and confidence in communicative teaching methods. During a lesson, the author used an information-gap activity but found it unsuccessful as the teachers preferred a more straightforward cooperative approach. The text also discusses the natural approach to language teaching by Tracy Terrell and Steven Krashen, emphasizing Krashen's language acquisition theory. Krashen's theory differentiates between language acquisition, an unconscious process, and language learning, a conscious process. The monitor hypothesis is introduced, stating that conscious learning functions as a monitor for acquired language, with conditions for its successful use. This incident highlighted the importance of adapting teaching methods to suit learners' preferences and needs."

I'm not entirely sure of the student's nationality, but I am convinced she/he was not from Europe or the US.

The lesson learned from this discussion is that methods developed in one context cannot always be seamlessly applied to a very different context. The concept of "communication" was more expansive in the girl's understanding in our class than in the professor's conception.

# data[].attributes.body
"As usual, the class begins with a brief activity in which we were told to watch a video about why English is taught as a universal language and how this implementation was motivated by globalization in the middle of the last century. During the activity, the professor asked us (as usual) to reflect and share our ideas and points of view with other students. At the beginning, I thought that it was a good way to implement one of the learning theories called Constructivism, which states that the learning process is a social activity. There is no better way to internalize these concepts than by sharing with other colleagues. However, after some reflection, I came to a new angle in which doing these activities by talking with your colleagues or the person sitting next to you promotes an awakening or acts as an icebreaker. After all, during class, there must be a space for discussion on the topics we are studying, although it's challenging to get together and talk since everyone has a lot of responsibilities or other duties. To conclude this reflection on the routine for starting the class this way, in the future, if I decide to teach again, I will implement it with a more conscious approach.

One of the things that caught my attention during the class was a concept called 'intercomprehension,' in which two people who speak different languages can have a conversation, to some extent, even though they do not possess a C1 or even a B2 level in that language. The professor asked us if we had ever been in a situation like this. To my surprise, none of the 75+ students had had this kind of conversation. I was the only one who shared an experience like that. It turns out one of my best friends speaks Portuguese, and on occasion, she talked to me in Portuguese, and I replied in Spanish. To some extent, there is a mutual understanding. Needless to say, we only communicate in this way for fun or in our leisure time. Recalling this kind of experience, I just came across one in particular that appeals to me just now. Months ago, I met a student from Russia who knows Spanish. At the beginning, we used English to communicate with each other, but little by little, I switched to my mother tongue (Spanish), and she replied to me in English. It was a good experience. Although, once again, the way in which I use this type of communication is just for leisure time. I couldn't conceive of using it in professional life or even at work. Perhaps I should give it a try later on.
On the other hand, it is quite normal to use it in some academic contexts.
I remember one time when I attended a conference at Ca Foscari about the future of the Catalan government and the importance of multilingualism. The conference was held in Spanish, but later, some of the presenters switched to Catalan, and in some cases (for clarification), they used English. I didn't keep a record of the number of people who were able to speak Spanish or Catalan, but again, the term 'intercomprehension' makes sense.

After writing this little digression (encouraged by the feedback given by the professor in her email sent on 10/17/2023 and, to some extent, by the tutor), I will talk about the rest of the class, which focused on one concept: learning autonomy. I had heard about it before, but unfortunately, I was not able to reflect on it or even apply it until a few months ago when, in another class, we were encouraged to keep a diary of our progress in learning a foreign language. I had never done that before, and I found it really helpful.

During the class, the professor handed us a sheet of paper and asked us to reflect on our learning path with a foreign language. Although I found the activity useful, if I were in her place, I would have implemented it in a virtual way. Not only because of the argument of becoming 'green,' but also because it could be more interesting to display and share the answers with some students on a monitor. I am aware of the challenges of doing this with a group of more than 75 people, but I think it would have been a good idea.

# data[].attributes.body
After several weeks without having classes in person but instead online, I've come to realize how different the online learning experience can be. In physical classes, the professor often introduces activities that prompt reflection on the previously discussed topics. This approach resonates with the theory of constructivism, where learning is viewed as a social process, encouraging us to discuss and contrast our ideas with different students. I find these activities particularly stimulating, given the diverse international makeup of our class.

The class began as usual, with the professor asking for our opinions on the last topic, "Translanguaging and Plurilingualism." After a brief recap of the importance of this approach and addressing the difficulties it may pose in institutions and school policies, I gradually lost hope regarding its implementation in a regular class setting. Perhaps it could be integrated in a specific class or as a special event, but my current inclination is skeptical, though my perspective may evolve in the future.

During the class on Teams, our task was to decipher the steps leading to the final product of a plurilingual task. Essentially, we had to guess the steps taken to produce a poem comprising lines in various languages—Spanish, English, Latin, French, and predominantly Italian. I teamed up with an Italian student, and to my surprise, we communicated in Italian initially. Although not entirely unexpected, I immediately switched to English when the professor approached.

Reflecting on the activity, my teammate and I shared hypotheses about the steps leading to the final plurilingual poem. After ten minutes, the professor provided a more in-depth explanation. The activity was initially conducted during a congress on plurilingualism, aiming to showcase the possibilities of such an approach.

Following this, the professor introduced the day's new topic—CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning). This teaching approach aims to simultaneously teach both the subject and language, and it's gaining popularity in European education systems. The professor elaborated on different contexts where various approaches, such as immersion education, content-based instruction, content-based language teaching, English for specific purposes, English for academic purposes, and English medium instruction, were successfully employed.

The class concluded with an anecdote about an Italian math professor who taught in English. Despite his modest English proficiency, students helped him explain some complex concepts, and, in the end, the students praised the class.

In today's lesson, I reinforced the importance of mastering these topics, as they could prove invaluable in our professional lives sooner or later. The dynamic nature of online learning and the diverse perspectives shared in class continue to shape my understanding of these complex subjects.

# data[].attributes.body
In some cases, the class begins before the scheduled time. This was evident in the last class, serving as a prime example. The professor had sent us a friendly reminder about the activity scheduled for this Monday.

For several students, this type of reminder can be seen as invaluable help, just as in my case.

I completely forgot that the activity required us to print a file. At that moment, I felt it was entirely unnecessary since nowadays, everything can be done digitally. However, I remembered that many students do not use their laptops, cellphones, or tablets, and sometimes they run out of battery. Probably because of that, the professor asked us to print the document.

Although I disagree with this approach, in the current context of transitioning to a culture that is entirely digital, where saving resources is both fundamental and necessary to avoid a climate disaster, all the little efforts would be appreciated. In my opinion, the professor should encourage students to bring their laptops or even their cellphones to work digitally and not rely on printed versions.

During the class, the professor applied a constructivist approach to complete the activity of the file. First, she asked us to read it, and then she pointed out the main details that must be highlighted. These would be used later in two different activities, the main goal of which was to create our activity. On one hand, the aforementioned activity was Task #2, and on the other hand, Task #1 was the analysis of the teaching proposal.

The professor later explained the rules. First, we had to find a partner to work with—around 3 to no more than 6. Then, we were asked to think or reflect on what could be changed in the lesson plan or, according to our opinion, something that could be improved. Since all lesson plans are not perfect, and there is always room for improvement, we then needed to discuss it with the other members of the team and finally share it.

Until that very moment, I had not thought about this strategy. TPS (Think-Pair-Share) The professor had been using it since the beginning of the classes, but it was only then that I reflected on how she has been using it successfully.

Later that day, I decided to contemplate that technique more deeply. It's like a beacon of encouragement for active participation and collaborative learning among students. Suddenly, the classroom transforms into a hive of intellectual engagement as the professor divides us into pairs or cozy small groups. The beauty of this method extends beyond the mere exchange of ideas; it fosters a sense of community, knitting us together as co-creators of knowledge. Whether we're dissecting a complex reading passage, or collectively birthing ideas for a group project, the think-pair-share technique stands as a versatile companion in our academic journey.

The most engaging part of the activity was answering the questions that the professor gave us. As a matter of fact, there were questions inside the questions, but all of them aimed to promote discussion, reflection, and, most importantly, the learning process. It wasn't a run-of-the-mill Q&A session; instead, it unfolded as a maze of inquiries, each question concealing layers of complexity. In essence, the most captivating facet of this activity was the realization that each question catalyzed a dynamic process of discovery.

Later, we were given a canvas by Raffaello Gambogi, and we were encouraged to create an activity with that picture. But, more importantly, we were to use all the techniques and approaches that we had seen throughout the course. During the next class, we will be working on that.

# data[].attributes.body
Today's class was unusual in the sense that the professor did not intervene much. As we were informed in the previous class, we were supposed to work on a theme and create a lesson plan. It's important to highlight that during the previous lesson, the professor provided us with an example of a lesson plan that she expected us to follow. In a sense, she was scaffolding the activity, employing various instructional techniques to guide us progressively toward a stronger understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process.

However, I felt a significant discomfort since the majority of the classmates with whom I worked last class were not present; only one member was there. We looked at each other and decided to join another team. It wasn't difficult, but I don't recall if the professor had mentioned what to do in such cases.

Working with a new team from scratch is always challenging, either because some members expect to receive orders or instructions, or because some just want to give them. During the time working with the team, I realized that I had never been in a class where we were taught how to do it efficiently. At some point, only two of the six members were working on the project, while I was taking notes on everything they discussed. Needless to say, all the ideas they shared were outstanding, but at some point, we had to organize and write them down.

Two colleagues took the initiative and led the team. While their ideas, opinions, and reflections were valuable, other team members were not contributing as much as they could. Again, my only contribution was to take notes on everything said and organize it on the computer or paper in a coherent way.

Originally, we were supposed to finish the lesson plan and a brief presentation, but apparently, none of the teams were able to do it. The professor said that during the next class, we could work on it as a team.

Right after, a common ritual began among the team members. This ritual consisted of exchanging contact information, with some students using a QR code (which I believe is more efficient) while others spelled it out. After sharing all my notes with the team, I moved forward to create and share the document. It didn't take much time, but it was interesting to observe how students approached these daily activities or rituals. On one hand, there were those who postponed it until the very last minute of class, and on the other hand, there were those who completed it right away.

In a nutshell, experiences like today's class are not just about ticking off assignments; they're about soaking in a cocktail of skills – communication, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, time management, and responsibility. It's like adding layers to our growth story, making it not just educational but downright thrilling.

The class concluded with the task of uploading the assignment to Moodle. Hopefully, this time, the team members will be reliable.