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I want to consider the problems in two approaches; my own teaching sessions and my local areas itself. As a teacher, I have to teach and assess all the learning skills of English but it is really impossible for me because I haven’t got enough time for either for lessons (2 English lesson a week) or for assessing all the skills. Moreover, I have to complete the curriculum like other teachers who have more lessons in my local area. Within these complex issues, I have to assess my sessions according to the time the directorate of education tells our management to do. As if the learning environment/process isn’t chaotic enough, I have difficulties in assessment also. My local area teachers are a bit luckier than me. They work as a team because more or less they have the same opportunities regarding the type of my own school.
I think self/peer assessment could NOT solve local problems in my local area in some ways. There are some reasons for that; The students who are peer assessing would definitely cheat to complete their own tasks. Because they would just want to complete the task, the main objective is not learning. Personal stress/anxiety would rise here because of the teen bullying – including humiliating each other. There would be huge time constraints also. Without any feedback or scoring, self/peer assessment wouldn’t be important for them. However, maybe, self assessment could improve the independent learning to reinforce self confidence. Improving responsibility for deciding to make themselves creative could be main point here. To solve peer/self assessment problems I myself could recommend rewarding/scoring. The active use of the assignments in any work could encourage this.

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In today’s session I found “repeating the new word at least 7 times” very useful for my own teaching vocabulary sessions. To be honest, today I learned how NOT to teach vocabulary. I shouldn’t have all translate the unfamiliar words all by myself. This made the students lazy and made me do all the vocabulary work all by myself all the time. After introducing the vocabulary to the students, I could force them to use the words in a game, in an activity, in a diary they write etc.. Long story short, in a vocabulary learning session, I could make the students involve all the vocabulary learning process.

There could be two different purposes for the usage of vocabulary notebooks for my students. No matter what the level is, the first purpose is to use the notebook for everyday language. The other usage could be about the words in their coursebooks/classroom materials. The notebook would be a kind that students carry with them everywhere. Almost every word in the notebook would include a picture related to it, a brief explanation, a simple usage in TL and maybe a translation in Turkish.

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In a writing session, my learners think thinking the idea is way easier than writing it to a paper. In an aspect of local context, if I digitalise the writing lessons that could be more effective and useful for me. The topics are also important because the students are easily get bored when the writing topic is out of date. So, modernizing the topic with digital tools make it easier to have an effective writing session. Also the most appropriate could be ‘Snack Writing’ approach for me because this idea is very much useful for all levels of English learners.

Focusing on writing, my colleagues would be more interested in digitalising the tasks. Especially, when it comes to aspects of writing steps, it could be less complicated for them to collect ideas and get to class. Learning approaches of writing sessions and the steps of these sessions would enlight them about working with mixed ability learners (In my opinion, their favourite approach would be ‘Process Writing’)

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There are more or less the same problems in teaching reading such as dealing with too much unfamiliar words, very long texts, boring topics for learners, lack of background knowledge or missing the key information/function of the text. To deal with these common problems teachers should lower the expectations of their learners at the very beginning by starting the learning session a very colorful lead-in activity. This will also help me and my colleagues ease the tension. Most of the reading activities in the coursebooks are out of date so we should modernize the topic for a more useful environment; the topic should be chosen from everyday life/problems/relationships. Teachers have to choose and start the pre, while and post activities very carefully to use the time effectively. To make all the students all more involved in all of the activities they should be easier to more difficult for a mixed ability learning environment. Our group has chosen a text which was lack most of the pre, during or post activities and adapt it for all levels of lerarners. If there are a lot of unfamiliar words, a teacher should replace the words with more familiar and known words. To catch the main idea/topic of the reading task a teacher always emphasize it indirectly to remind it to learners.

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This reading text lacks a lot of reading tasks and activities considering a mixed ability classroom. For a pre reading a map of a hometown should be on these pages. There are not so many unfamiliar words for the learners but yet the text can use easier words instead. Some learners can find the text long for their expectation levels and there the teachers shoul remind learners the importance of the key points/main ideas. Some learners can find the topic boring enough to study so the teacher can chamge the text or the picture to a more familiar environment – the city they live in maybe. The post study requires easier activities; T/F activities can be added. Students can prepare their own reading texts about their own environment.

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My students’ expectations from my sessions are more or less the same. For them, English is just a lesson that they have to be in. It is not important for them to use in their daily life. Even if they are into learning English, they afraid to use the language in case either they make a mistake or they are really shy. My students sometimes stop speaking all of a sudden because they are facing psychological obstacles or can’t find the suitable vocabulary and/or expressions.To make them more involved in the process, I would definitely try and adapt the activities what I learned today.

I will encourage the learners to involve more by trying these methods: I will use simple, clear and strict goals and instructions before I start the speaking sessions. For a pre-speaking activity, I could be a mirror by doing the role myself. I will reinforce any attempt of speaking activity without determining whether the output is right or wrong. I will focus on useful language. For preparing the task, I will make sure scaffolding is done properly. Time management is also essential. Speaking activities can eithe be manuel or digital, so materials should be ready. I will repeat the task more than once for a feedback on the content. For more crowded classrooms pair or groupwork will be done. To have a feedback on language, I will support and give students enough time to evaluate their own outputs.

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Warm up activity: Paper Airplane Game.

It ia an adjustable game that can be used for all levels of learners and can be used more than once in a single curriculum. However; it could be stressful and chaotic to apply in more crowded classes. I can use this warm up activity in my smaller groups of classes.

Pair-Checking in Listening.

This activity would improve better communication among my learners. It will help saving time inside the sessions. As I teacher, I can monitor and see learners’ problems. It is an excellent way to transfer information. However, the planning should be done perfectly in pair-checking to use the time wisely. I definetly will use pair checking in my listening classes.

Stages of Listening Tasks and Listening Problems.

I have learned the stages of the listening tasks and possible problems in those activities. It is very critical to detect those possible problems in the very beginning of each stage – pre, while, post. Both for learners and teachers; a confident and safe learning environment is going to be ready.a

Active / Alive Listening.

I think alive/active listening is a bit scary for me as an English teacher. It helps enhancing the focus of the listeners which depends highly on the topic. Thus, I have to choose the topic very cleverly. A real-time communication decreases the fear of the listener. A clarification needs to be carried out for both stronger listeners and others.

Differentiation.

To see the different individual needs I will change the way I teach the learners in a listening sessions. It is a more student-centered approach so I will teach a topic to ensure content and learning environment more flexible. However; to avoid time consuming listening activites I have to make a good preparation. I am definitely enlighted about different learning sştuations.

Poster Gallery Wall Activity.

Gallery wall is a great activity to promote, cooperate, improve listening skills and build team dynamics among my learners. They will analyse, evaluate and synthesis the skills of their own. Among the group, some of the students couldn’t actively participate so they have to be encouraged. Individual learners could prefer to not to participate and the scoring may not be fair. I have to be very careful about this very unique activity.

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As soon as I entered the session (I was one of the late ones because I was lost) I didn't know what to expect.

---Oohh, Reyhan texted: "You don't have to reflect your padlet for today (day 1)" ---