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Delivery date November 26

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Delivery date September 6

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Activity Developed

This activity was about developing a PowerPoint presentation with audio showing our understanding about English teaching styles, educational levels, and the CEFR framework within the context of the Panamanian education system. This task was about explaining the main concepts of teaching English as a foreign or second language, focusing on differences in teaching styles and purposes at different school levels. The task required to analyze the Unit 1 from the booklet and research from other official and reliable sources to make sure we achieved a deeper and correct understanding of the topic.

The first section of the task 1 required students to develop a comparison chart focusing on the differences in definitions and teaching styles in multiple English teaching approaches, such as EMT, ESL, and ESP. The second section asked to create a chart explaining the purpose of education and the English teaching style used at different school levels, including the age and grade of students. The final section required students to explain the CEFR framework and to identify the principal differences between its levels.

To sum up, each section ensured we could get a clear and deep understanding of the diverse educational levels, teaching styles, teaching approaches and CEFR relevant information related to its levels.

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This first class helped me to develop a better understanding of the different teaching styles, their definitions, and characteristics. By researching and comparing teaching styles such as EMT, ESL, EFL, ESP, I was able to analyze the differences between them and learned about their goals. I was also able to learn about the educational purposes and English teaching styles used at different academic levels, including age ranges for each grade. Finally, I was able to familiarize myself for the first time with the term CEFR framework and the differences between all its proficiency levels, helping me to understand in a more effective way language assessment.

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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The main difficulty I faced while developing this task was researching especially in section one where it was required to provide reliable information related to the initials assigned by the teacher because the booklet provided the meaning of each initial but to be able to gain a better understanding of each initial I had to develop a deep research online and find a source with enough, clear and reliable information to achieve an accurate analysis of all the necessary information.

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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I overcame this problem by making a list of reliable academic sources including educational websites, scholarly articles, and language teaching guides. First, I reviewed the booklet to understand what every initial stands for. Then after reviewing several websites to make sure I get enough accurate data, I made notes about the most important information that matched the information in the booklet and I organized the information in the comparison chart, which helped me visualize the main differences in a clearer and concise way.

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Delivery date september 20

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Activity Developed

This second task involved creating a presentation that explains the topics covered on pages 14 to 25 of our reading material in the booklet. The explanation was required to be on video about the concepts summarized in our own words with examples. Additionally, we were allowed by the teacher to expand our knowledge about the introduction of listening by researching beyond the booklet and offering deeper insights and examples to support our points. The presentation was required to be 10 to 15 minutes long, ensuring we could cover all the topics taking the most important parts from each section.

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Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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https://www.canva.com/design/DAGO0T4MwdI/c-sVTrgveCHjEkXgPZLk6Q/edit?utm_content=DAGO0T4MwdI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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From making my presentation I learned that listening is a critical receptive skill in language learning and plays a very important role in comprehension and meaning-making. I was also able to understand that teachers should make sure that listening activities are at an appropriate level for students and offer real-life relevance. Effective listening instruction involves providing clear objectives, using simple language, and engaging students through various strategies like pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening tasks. Additionally, incorporating familiar materials and activities like songs also helps to reinforce listening skills. I also learned that effective listening instruction requires careful attention to the students' readiness and development. Teachers should always make sure the materials are easy to understand and engaging to avoid stress among students. Finally, the most impotant aspect I learned was that listening is a multilevel process, involving both top-down (context and expectations) and bottom-up (decoding sounds) processing.

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  What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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  What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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in my experience, analyzing and summarizing too much information at once was very overwhelming. The amount of detail made it difficult to focus on the key points. The pressure to make sure I could reach accuracy and cover all the important details in a 15-minute presentation was very stressful at the moment.

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To overcome the challenge of the stress caused by analyzing and summarizing too much information, I  first organized the content in the booklet into smaller, reasonable sections based on the most important aspects or topics. So, I prioritized the most important information to help me keep the focus while ignoring unnecessary details. I also created a chart to place the summaries for each section.  Finally, I took a small break during this process to reduce the stress from reading and analyzing the huge amount of information from the booklet.

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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 Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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 Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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https://www.canva.com/design/DAGQI6x8tO8/QinsEyxq8kzR7egbAya65w/edit?utm_content=DAGQI6x8tO8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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Delivery date September 14

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Task 3 - Listening Strategies (Top/Down - Bottom/Up)

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Task 3 - Listening Strategies (Top/Down - Bottom/Up)

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Activity Developed

This third task assigned involved listening to a brief explanation from the YouTube video about the Listening Strategies: Top-Down and Bottom-Up. Based on the explanation listened to in the video, the assignment required to create a comparative chart that had to include the definition of each strategy, what each addresses, and what the listener focuses on. Finally, the assignment the last instruction from asked to provide a case scenario example for both strategies and to write any other important details mentioned in the video.

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From this third class and task I learned about two different listening strategies. First, The Top-Down strategy helps listeners to understand a message by using their background knowledge and the context of what is being said. This strategy focuses on getting the overall meaning rather than paying attention to every single word being said.

Second, I learned from the Bottom-Up strategy that it focuses on small details like individual words, sounds, or grammatical structures to piece together the meaning of a message. This approach requires listeners to pay close attention to specific parts of what they hear. Finally, I came to the conclusion that both strategies are useful for different purposes.

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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During the process of the assignment, I struggled to identify only the most important aspects of the YouTube video because it provided a lot of detailed and relevant information about the listening strategies. Summarizing all the information required to listen carefully and prioritizing the most relevant points that best define and showed the differences of Top-Down and Bottom-Up approaches. Creating examples of case scenarios was also difficult because I wanted them to effectively complement the explanation and characteristics I placed on the chart by being clear and important to real life listening situations.

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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To overcome the challenge of identifying the most important aspects of the video, I listened to it multiple times, taking detailed notes during each minute of the video. This helped me notice patterns

and that made it easier to prioritize the main points that best explained the Top-Down and Bottom-Up strategies. I also compared my notes with the video at the end to make sure I included the most important details without losing focus. Finally, for creating case scenario examples, I brainstormed situations that provided real-life context related to the topic.

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  Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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Tas 3 document delivered

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Delivery date October 8

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Activity Developed

This first midterm was about creating a listening-focused lesson plan tailored to a specific grade level in my case I worked with first grade and considered the CEFR standards. The assignment involves accessing the "MEDUCA - Study Program and Planning" and selecting an appropiate topic for our assigned grade, so I selected Family Members as the class topic. The lesson plan is required to include three distinct steps: pre-listening, where students prepare by activating background knowledge or discussing vocabulary; while-listening, where they complete an activity based on the listening content and post-listening, which includes follow-up tasks to help expand on what they learned. The activities should fit the grade’s skills and the class duration is 90 minutes. Besides the lesson plan, the midterm required creating a video showing the while-listening activity using family members as participants. The video had to focus on the while listening activity but all three steps of listening needed to be included in our plan.

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From this specific activity, I learned how to access the official Meduca page to be able to take a look at all of the appropriate topics for each school level and all the important information related to it which I found very interesting and relevant to become an English teacher in the future. Besides, I gained a better understanding of how to design lesson plans by following a clear structure and how to take into consideration the class time for each activity developed. Finally, I learned and thought of new ideas for how to make listening activities more engaging and the definitions of pre-listening activities, while listening activities and post-listening activities .

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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The first challenge I faced during this activity was how to make listening activities engaging to students and which activities were appropriate for the student's grades. The second challenge I faced was the distribution of time for each activity since I had doubts about how I would know if I was providing enough time for students to develop the task. The last challenge I faced was selecting which listening activities were the best for a pre-listening activity while listening activity or a post-listening activity.

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 How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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 How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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I overcame this challenge by first researching on the web which activities were commonly assigned to first-grade students and selecting the more engaging ones. I also asked a teacher to share her experiences with the time for the activities when making lesson plans, and I asked for her opinion about whether the activities selected by me should include more or less time for first-grade students to develop. I overcame the challenge of not being able to decide which activities should be for pre-listening while listening, and post-listening activities by going back to the booklet and review its definition to analyze better how to distribute the activities in the lesson plan.

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 Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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Midterm 1 attachment and link to the videos created developing the activities.

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Delivery date October 22

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This activity was about watching three YouTube videos and creating a 3-6 minute presentation summarizing each video. For the first video, we had to focus on identifying and explaining the recommended steps for learning English. In the second video, we were requested to list and describe basic techniques to learn English and strategies to overcome the fear of speaking. For the third video, we were requested to talk about the differences between how children and adults learn English, focusing on what adults should avoid to improve their pronunciation and speaking skills. The presentation required to be clear and well organized.

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From the first video of this task, I learned that becoming fluent in English requires following certain steps. First, we should start by learning basic words to communicate. It is important to start speaking from day one because waiting makes learning harder. Listening to English, like in videos or songs, can help me learn words and pronunciation. Learning and practicing every day basic grammar can help build confidence. Therefore, I learned that by following these steps, I can improve my English over time. From the second video of the task, I learned that overcoming the fear of speaking English takes small, consistent steps like practicing daily, setting achievable goals, and using creative methods like talking to yourself or friends. I also learned to stay motivated and embrace mistakes in order to learn. From the third video of the task, learned that adults can learn from the child-like mindset to encourage language learning by being more curious, making mistakes, and focusing on immersive experiences and not just perfection. To sum up, from this task, I was able to gain a better understanding of how to become fluent in English and why it is easier for kids to become fluent.

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Delivery date November 12

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Activity Developed

This task is about reading pages 43 to 64 of the booklet and creating a presentation that explains and analyzes the unit Introduction of Speaking and all the information covered in these pages. The presentation was required to be recorded as a video, where we explained the content in detail and added pictures and key words to the slides. The assignment indications encouraged students to conduct additional research beyond the booklet provided to be able to deliver a presentation with additional details, and include relevant examples to support our ideas.

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I learned while developing this task that conversations in classrooms are important because they help our students develop thinking, language, and literacy skills. Language allows us to process information and express ideas, making it a powerful tool for learning. I also learned that teachers often model academic language during instruction, guiding students by showing how to approach tasks and reflect on their learning. During guided instruction, teachers use talk to assess understanding and help students clarify their knowledge. Besides, Collaborative tasks take help by encouraging peer discussions, where students discuss meaning and practice academic language, which is especially important for English language learners. Finally, after reading the information provided and researching I came to the conclusion that teachers should allow students more to engage in purposeful conversations that enhance their understanding and speaking skills.

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 What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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 What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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I faced problems while developing this task due to the complexity of the topic. I struggled to fully grasp the content from pages 43 to 64 of the booklet provided due to the amount of information. I additionally had problems linking concepts with additional research from the web. It was a little difficult to organize ideas logically and present them accurately in front of the camera. To sum up, the problems faced were related to topic complexity, high amount of information, additional research, and overall organization of the topic to present.

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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I overcame these problems by breaking the task into smaller, manageable sections. To overcome the problem due to the complexity of the topic I read the pages assigned from the booklet multiple times, took notes, and summarized the key point. I also read several official sources to find connections between the concepts and get a better understanding of the topic. Besides, I overcame the problem of the overall organization by creating an outline, which helped me arrange the information in a better way to present.

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Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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Summarizing and analyzing the information from the YouTube videos of the task was a challenge for me due to the videos being long and having a lot of details, so it was hard to pick out the most important points. I was worried about how could I watch every video without losing anything. Another challenge I faced was turning what the narrators from the videos into clear, written text for my notes before my oral report was tough because the spoken language is less structured.

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Delivery date November 19

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Activity Developed

The activity developed was about creating a detailed presentation on two speaking activities. Each activity was requested to include five specific elements. This task required to provide a definition of the activity selected, explaining what it is and its purpose. It was also necessary to mention the characteristics of the activity that make it effective in promoting speaking skills. Besides, the task is required to describe the steps involved in the activity and explain how it is executed from start to finish. The task involved analyzing whether the activity can be adapted for different age groups or identifying the age group it is best suited for, so the task provided opportunities for students to seek a teacher's advice and conduct research. Finally, the task required to share a link to a video that demonstrates how the activity is done in practice. The activity involved cover both the one chosen from the booklet and an additional one we selected during class.

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From developing this activity I learned about how different activities help improve speaking skills in language learners and how to recognize effective activities for communication. Besides, I was able to practice breaking down the steps and characteristics of speaking activities to understand their structure and effectiveness. From this activity, I also got a better understanding of appropriate activities for different age groups and understanding which activities work best for them, which is a very important skill for any future teacher. To sum up, this task helped me get information about how to apply speaking activities in real life.

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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While developing this task I faced problems related to finding a suitable video to demonstrate how the activity would be applied to a real classroom since I wanted it to be accurate and detailed for my presentation. I also faced problems related to selecting an additional activity because my goal was to select an activity that could fully encourage students to speak and at the same time make it fun for them. Additionally, I faced difficulties in determining which activities were appropriate for students depending on their age. To sum up, While developing this task, the problems faced in my experience were due to video selection, activities selection, and suitability of activities for students.

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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To overcome the challenges faced while developing this activity I first started by searching multiple trusted educational sources on YouTube and watching all the videos to select the best explained and accurate to be able to deliver a detailed presentation. Then I overcame the problem related to the speaking activity selection I started brainstorming fun activities that would fully involve students practice their speaking skills and selected the best activity. Finally, I asked for advice from other teachers about the suitable age for students to successfully develop the speaking activity selected.

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https://onedrive.live.com/personal/1b5638e34448b6b9/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B37d31d09-0ead-4761-92dc-048b6d06f249%7D&action=default&redeem=aHR0cHM6Ly8xZHJ2Lm1zL3AvYy8xYjU2MzhlMzQ0NDhiNmI5L0VRa2QwemV0RG1GSGt0d0VpMjBHOGtrQmUzc2ZyQWZxaUh5RUgzcndGX3RxbUE_ZT0zbmFYa00&slrid=43606ca1-7077-7000-2529-7b1b0145786d&originalPath=aHR0cHM6Ly8xZHJ2Lm1zL3AvYy8xYjU2MzhlMzQ0NDhiNmI5L0VRa2QwemV0RG1GSGt0d0VpMjBHOGtrQmUzc2ZyQWZxaUh5RUgzcndGX3RxbUE_cnRpbWU9bEtVQUJaY1ozVWc&CID=440acda4-3d8f-4ce3-93e1-8a5200b5fca1&_SRM=0%3AG%3A69&file=Speaking%20Activities.pptx

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Activity developed

This second midterm was about creating a lesson plan focused on speaking in PDF format following the template from the booklet provided and used to develop the first midterm. For this second midterm, we were required to use the same topic and grade we worked with during the first midterm. Besides, the task involved the creation of a video that focuses on the development of the speaking activities selected previously in the lesson plan. We were encouraged to ask a family member to be our student and adjust the activity to match the appropriate grade level.

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 How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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 How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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To overcome the first challenge of figuring out the key points, I started actively listening and looking for repeated ideas or major themes in the video. I also used subtitles and slowed down the playback speed to help me catch everything I missed. Additionally, I also took quick notes while watching the videos. I overcame the last challenge faced by breaking down the long sentences said by the narrator into shorter sentences and I avoided writing every word said. Rewriting these ideas in my own words helped me reach clarity.

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Deliver date August 19

CEFR

1. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language ability. It describes language ability on a six-point scale, from A1 for beginners, up to C2 for those who have mastered a language. This makes it easy for anyone involved in language teaching and testing, such as teachers or learners, to see the level of different qualifications. It also means that employers and educational institutions can easily compare our qualifications to other exams in their country.

Source https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/cefr/

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About the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language ability. It describes language ability on a six-point scale, from A1 for beginners, up to C2 for those who have mastered a language. This makes it easy for anyone involved in language teaching and testing, such as teachers or learners, to see the level of different qualifications. It also means that employers and educational institutions can easily compare our qualifications to other exams in their country.

What exams are on the CEFR?

The diagram below shows all of our English exams on the CEFR.

*Linguaskill reports up to a maximum score of 180+ , which equates to C1 (or above) on the CEFR scale.

Download a larger version of the CEFR diagram
More information about the CEFR

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common european framework of reference for languages

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The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and international language standards explained by the experts at Cambridge English.

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My comments about Unit 1

Deliver date Friday 30

I think Unit 1 General Teaching was very interesting. I especially found it interesting getting to know what CEFR means since at work we have an app we sign weekly to show our improvement at work, but I did not know what CEFR meant until this class and reading the unit. I also found it very useful to learn about differences among students on page 9.

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From developing this activity I learned how to plan and teach a speaking-focused lesson effectively. I was also able to experience adapting activities for a specific grade level and to put into practice my teaching skills by tutoring my student and helping him to develop speaking skills through interactive activities. To sum up, from this midterm I was able to acquire knowledge and experience that was useful and relevant for my future as a teacher.

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Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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Link or attachment of activities/tasks developed

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https://www.canva.com/design/DAGTryuw9qo/om7C2SbFynR30E7ekdG8Rw/edit?utm_content=DAGTryuw9qo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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What problems did I face when developing the activity/task?

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While developing this activity I faced a problem related to the video since my family member who I was tutoring felt shy in front of the camera which could affect participation and engagement. Additionally, while developing the lesson plan I struggled to determinate the amount of time selected for each activity since I wanted to make sure I was providing enough time for students to finish all their activities successfully. To sum up, the challenges faced during this midterm were related to the student confidence in front of the camera and time management during the lesson plan.

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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How did I overcome the problems I face when developing the activity/task developed?

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To overcome the challenges related to shyness in front of the camera I first reminded my family member that he was not being tested, that it was normal to make mistakes and offered to clarify any doubt before starting recording until he felt the confidence to start recording. Additionally, I asked an experienced teacher her opinion related to my activities selected and how would she distribute the time for each activity. After I heard the teacher's advice and explanation related to time management when creating a lesson plan focused on speaking, I immediately followed and put into practice all the knowledge she shared.

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