https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq PDC en-us 2022-09-01 11:47:39 UTC 2025-12-09 16:09:47 UTC hello@padlet.com Mrtyazici https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2279239266 Today our PDC meeting has started, and it has been going well so far! We began with an icebreaker which is a brilliant activity to get to know each other, and it is an excellent way to start with this kind of activity to lower the affective filter. We just grabbed a piece of paper which has a star on it, and we wrote some numbers that were familiar to us. And we tried to guess others' numbers like their ages, years of experience, etc. I think I can implement this activity for my classes, especially for those who are new to English (2nd graders). All I need to do is simplify it, adjust the level and make some minor changes. For example, I can use it for the "Animals" unit. They will write the animal names they like or dislike on the paper, and their peers will try to guess the animals their friends like or dislike. Let me make it clear; Student A will look at Student B's paper and will ask, "do you like dogs?". And student B will answer like " yes, I do." or "No, I don't.". And maybe this will be helpful for my colleagues. It won't be an icebreaker, but I'm sure students will love this activity! It's just the beginning. There are tons of things to learn for the next ten days! Stay tuned!]]> 2022-09-01 12:58:38 UTC https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2279239266 Mrtyazici https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2280859970 Today we went into details of "listen and do" activities and discussed them with our groups. Moreover, I learned how the procedure for songs/chants works. We start with the pre-stage, in which we call students' attention to give a start so that we can handle problems easily, and it is much better in terms of classroom management. In the while-stage, we start with receptive tasks (Listen and do) to engage students in the activity as they learn better with direct experience.  When it comes to the first productive task (drilling), it helps students to get familiar with the song so that students will not face an unexpected situation during the activity. And in my opinion, all "meaningless" and "useless" activities (which are not beneficial for students) should be converted into suitable listening activities in coursebooks :) ]]> 2022-09-02 15:22:22 UTC https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2280859970 Mrtyazici https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2281527145 What I learned from all sessions till now is that everything is in our hands to make an activity efficient for students. I used to skip some parts on coursebooks as they didn't offer meaningful/functional activities. But now I'm aware that I can adjust the activities to make useful ones by making some changes. Last but not least, by sharing my experiences and problems with my colleagues, I have realized that I'm not alone. And this makes me feel stronger in coping with problems. ]]> 2022-09-03 14:57:17 UTC https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2281527145 Mrtyazici https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2282174670 In my view, there are many benefits of shared reading for children. First of all, as it is an interactive experience, all students have a chance to engage in the activity equally. Besides, the way of presenting the story is an enjoyable one which makes students eager to take an active role in the activity. It not only increases phonetic awareness but also helps students enhance their reading skills. And with the teacher's help, students can understand phrases or words in a context. ]]> 2022-09-04 20:08:11 UTC https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2282174670 Mrtyazici https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2284769838 Just like in the classrooms, a facilitator needs to consider some elements for PDC meetings in terms of management. While setting up an activity, we need to give clear instructions and some examples of it to prevent misunderstandings. The use of visuals may attract their attention.  Moreover, Even if they are adults, there will be some reluctant participants. So it is good to draw their attention to the activity by getting them to play some guessing games. And also, giving enough time is another essential factor. Otherwise, they may feel under pressure. We also need to monitor teachers during the activity in case they may need some help so that they feel secure. If necessary, encouragement not only will boost their productivity/creativity but help participants focus on the activity (in case of loss of interest). After the activity, they should share opinions on it as feedback, or they can discuss how they would implement/adapt it in their classes. The facilitator can ask how the activity is. (Do they like it or not) or what they have learned by doing that activity. ]]> 2022-09-06 14:35:44 UTC https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2284769838 Mrtyazici https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2287066337 In today's sessions, we talked about assessment and feedback as a part of the assessment. I use both feedback types in my classes (evaluative and informative), but I have realized that I overuse them to praise students, and it means nothing to students after some time. So I will try to find a balance in using evaluative feedback. 

In session 2, we looked at the formative assessment techniques, and I wasn't familiar with some of them, such as "traffic lights" or "3,2,1". I think using "3,2,1" for my PDC meetings will be beneficial in terms of providing a structure for participants to record their own comprehension and summarise their learning. But when it comes to applying to my classes, it is not suitable for children as abstract things are needed. 

The use of "traffic lights" can fit my classes to get students to self-assess and develop critical thinking skills. Moreover, students will have a chance to reflect on whether they have achieved the learning objective. ]]> 2022-09-07 19:47:37 UTC https://padlet.com/Mrtyazici/btoaxz4y4hhm16dq/wish/2287066337