TASK 1A: Defining concepts.
Learning: is the process of
acquiring skills and knowledge through practice, experience or study. The
activity of learning a second language its complex and it depends, in many cases,
on different factors such as the social and cultural context, the age of the
learners, the purposes, the learner’s characteristics and I personally consider
that also the motivation and the teacher’s style (methodology) is key in the
success of a L2 teaching program. When learners are exposed to different
methodologies and many hours of language exposure (or any other knowledge), you
can see that the learning process it’s faster and more effective.
Language: In
general terms, I think language is a system of symbols that people use to
communicate and express ideas, thoughts and feelings. It’s acquired in the
early stages of growing and it’s essential to social and cultural development
in our lives as humans. There are many kinds of languages that are not only
related to linguistics but also music languages, mathematics etc. Language it’s
universal and necessary to all cultures for communication purposes , so this is
why the learning process of the mother tongue it comes natural with growing,
but the learning of a second language its’ definitively more complex and make
us reflect on the different structures and basis of language acquisition.
Teaching: It’s the act of imparting or giving knowledge to someone through
lessons or instructions. It’s definitively a noble and important action that
allows knowledge and wisdom to pass through generations. Teaching it’s also
related to the activity of setting the right environment for learning
processes, understand the learner’s characteristics in order to set the right
techniques and methods that will enable learning. In my personal teaching
experiences, I’ve seen that techniques must be adapted to the different group
of students, depending on their specific characteristics and also depending on
the purposes and motivation of the students. For example, immersion techniques
are necessary for those students that need to travel or work in a foreign
country.
TASK
1B: Understanding language.
Constructivism: It’s a multidisciplinary approach
that says the learner is an active element in the learning process; it’s a
constructor of his own knowledge. Learning happens trough experience and its
base on the contact with reality. It has two branches: social constructivism
and cognitive constructivism. This school of thought had its main
representative in the researcher Lev Vygotsky. His theory states that a
learner’s previous knowledge can be used to acquire new knowledge (ZPD). In
general terms, the child can learn through discovery and the construction of
meaning in a social context.
EXAMPLES: I would like to present a few examples
of constructivism in English classes that I have experience.
· Immersion Class: this technique put English
learning into real context so it applies Social constructivism approach because
the students must interact simulating a real life context like a conversation
in a restaurant, or going to the supermarket, or taking a taxi and go on
vacations etc. These activities imply having social relations with people and
use vocabulary to respond under the pressure of a social conversation. This
way, the learner it’s a participant of their own process and learns by facing
and comparing reality.
· Group activities: another important part of
social constructivism is collaborative social practices, so classes like
singing a song with friends, watching a movie together or debating a topic are
good examples on how social interaction and dialogical techniques can be
successful in the acquisition of a second language.
· Problem Based Learning (PBL): These kinds of
activities are perfect to develop collaborative learning. The students do
research and experiments around a topic in groups, trying to solve a problem.
This way they learn from their own experience and others
