The Presence of Culture and values in the English class
María Ester Vilca
Eva Alicia Vilca
María Ester Vilca. Profesora de Estado en Ingles - Universidad de Chile Magister in the teaching of EFL - Universidad Arturo Prat(UNAP) Magister en Ciencias de la Educacion - UNAPDocente Directivo (Directora de Ciclo) en Colegio Ingles y Academico en DFT de UNAP (Iquique)
Eva Alicia Vilca. Traductora Ingles Español, UNAP. Profesora de Estado en Ingles. UNAP. Magister en Educacion Superior. UNAP. Docente Colegio Ingles. Academico de Universidad del Mar, Iquique.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
The objective of this workshop is to share what we learned in two different events for English teachers during this year. One of them was held in Temuco, in January. The topic was Indigenous English Language Program, by Professor Sue Barfield. The USA Embassy organized this event which was addressed to teachers of English with indigenous ascendance. We represented the Aymara ethnia. There, we could share and enjoy interesting and amusing activities for EFL classes with some Mapuche descendent teachers. The second event was held in Washington DC in June, organized by The Holocaust Memorial Museum where some techniques to teach the Holocaust were shown and practised in workshops for teachers of English and History of USA and other countries. We were in both cases kindly invited by the USA Embassy. First we have selected some interesting material that can be useful to get a better EFL learning by following a new protocol to improve lesson planning proposed by the SIOP Model (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) presented in the the book “ 99 Ideas and Activities for Teaching English Learners with the SIOP Model” by MaryEllen Vogt and Jana Echeverria.We only chose materials that can be used in all levels from PK through Adults. It is the teacher’s job to gradate it according to the audience he has.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008k.php
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Intl Conference 2008: Improving Language Education Through Mentoring
Improving Language Education Through Mentoring
Leyla Lobos
Manuel Lara
Marion Durbahn
Leyla Lobos is a teacher at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. She holds a degree in Education and a Masters in Linguistics. She has vast experience in teaching at all levels and she has been a teacher trainer for the past five years. She has recently become involved in mentoring.
Manuel Lara Manuel Lara is a teacher at USACH and Universidad Autónoma de Chile. He has experience in teaching students from different educational backgrounds and language proficiency levels. He has been a teacher trainer since 2006 and is currently pursuing postgraduate studies in Linguistics. He became involved in mentoring in January.
Marion Durbahn is a teacher at Universidad Autonoma. She has been involved in teacher training since 2007 and in mentoring since December, 2008. She has worked with students of different socio-economical backgrounds and levels of English. Currently, she is taking a postgraduate course in Linguistics at Universidad de Santiago de Chile.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
Improving language education through mentoring. This workshop aims at sharing our project on the implementation of a mentoring program in Chile. Mentoring is a form of professional and personal relationship in which a more experienced educator provides guidance to less experienced teachers so as to promote effective practices in the classroom. Many newly qualified teachers often feel overwhelmed by their poor teaching performance and their incapability of transferring their knowledge of theory into practice. It is during their first years of experience when new teachers need more support from other professionals in the teaching field. In the case of Chile, it is proven that new teachers (0-3 years’ experience) have the poorest performance according to the recent studies on the subject. Therefore, mentoring appears as a good opportunity to support them by taking advantage of experience, in order to explore beliefs, to build a community through support, to smooth the transition from being student-teacher to teacher and to promote reflection. This will allow personal growth by sharing knowledge and experience. As a result of the implementation of a mentoring program, the school system will have more committed, creative, reflective, critical, flexible, open-minded, proactive, collaborative and accountable teachers. In this workshop, we will explore the benefits of mentoring at various levels of the school system, focusing on the development of mentoring skills from a very interactive and reflective perspective. For that, participants are invited to really experience what being a mentor is through different activities that include active listening, rapport building, noticing, scaffolding, self-reflection and collaborative work. Finally, we will reflect on the importance of acquiring those skills in order to become a successful mentor and encourage teachers to be part of this process.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008j.php
Leyla Lobos
Manuel Lara
Marion Durbahn
Leyla Lobos is a teacher at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. She holds a degree in Education and a Masters in Linguistics. She has vast experience in teaching at all levels and she has been a teacher trainer for the past five years. She has recently become involved in mentoring.
Manuel Lara Manuel Lara is a teacher at USACH and Universidad Autónoma de Chile. He has experience in teaching students from different educational backgrounds and language proficiency levels. He has been a teacher trainer since 2006 and is currently pursuing postgraduate studies in Linguistics. He became involved in mentoring in January.
Marion Durbahn is a teacher at Universidad Autonoma. She has been involved in teacher training since 2007 and in mentoring since December, 2008. She has worked with students of different socio-economical backgrounds and levels of English. Currently, she is taking a postgraduate course in Linguistics at Universidad de Santiago de Chile.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
Improving language education through mentoring. This workshop aims at sharing our project on the implementation of a mentoring program in Chile. Mentoring is a form of professional and personal relationship in which a more experienced educator provides guidance to less experienced teachers so as to promote effective practices in the classroom. Many newly qualified teachers often feel overwhelmed by their poor teaching performance and their incapability of transferring their knowledge of theory into practice. It is during their first years of experience when new teachers need more support from other professionals in the teaching field. In the case of Chile, it is proven that new teachers (0-3 years’ experience) have the poorest performance according to the recent studies on the subject. Therefore, mentoring appears as a good opportunity to support them by taking advantage of experience, in order to explore beliefs, to build a community through support, to smooth the transition from being student-teacher to teacher and to promote reflection. This will allow personal growth by sharing knowledge and experience. As a result of the implementation of a mentoring program, the school system will have more committed, creative, reflective, critical, flexible, open-minded, proactive, collaborative and accountable teachers. In this workshop, we will explore the benefits of mentoring at various levels of the school system, focusing on the development of mentoring skills from a very interactive and reflective perspective. For that, participants are invited to really experience what being a mentor is through different activities that include active listening, rapport building, noticing, scaffolding, self-reflection and collaborative work. Finally, we will reflect on the importance of acquiring those skills in order to become a successful mentor and encourage teachers to be part of this process.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008j.php
Intl Conference 2008: Ten Commandments for Good Teaching
Ten Commandments for Good Teaching
Juan Cuevas
Juan Cuevas graduated from UMCE in 1991 and wrote his thesis on the use of video in the classroom. His speciality is technology and e-learning. He currently works at the Instituto Chileno Norteamericano, and has run several technology and Internet-related projects. Now he is in charge of the Ingles Abre Puertas training program at Instituto Profesional Norteamericano. In addition, he also works at Universidad de Chile, where he teaches English and maintains The English Area Website. At present he is pursuing a Master’s in Educational Technology at UTEM.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
Every day teachers have to face different challenges that put their talents, imagination and professionalism to the test. How can they keep their students motivated? How can they guarantee to respond to their students’ needs? Let’s explore Ten Commandments that might help us do our job in a more meaningful way, providing our students with the necessary and appropriate input for them to achieve the expected goals.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008i.php
Juan Cuevas
Juan Cuevas graduated from UMCE in 1991 and wrote his thesis on the use of video in the classroom. His speciality is technology and e-learning. He currently works at the Instituto Chileno Norteamericano, and has run several technology and Internet-related projects. Now he is in charge of the Ingles Abre Puertas training program at Instituto Profesional Norteamericano. In addition, he also works at Universidad de Chile, where he teaches English and maintains The English Area Website. At present he is pursuing a Master’s in Educational Technology at UTEM.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
Every day teachers have to face different challenges that put their talents, imagination and professionalism to the test. How can they keep their students motivated? How can they guarantee to respond to their students’ needs? Let’s explore Ten Commandments that might help us do our job in a more meaningful way, providing our students with the necessary and appropriate input for them to achieve the expected goals.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008i.php
Intl Conference 2008: The Role of Mentors in TEFL
Candy Veas Faundez, Universidad de Playa Ancha
Isabel Vásquez, Universidad de Playa Ancha,
Enzo Pescara, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.
Candy Veas Faundez graduated from the TESL MA program at the University of Minnesota, U.S.A. in 2004. At present, she is a full time faculty member in the English Teacher training program at Universidad de Playa Ancha in Valparaiso. She teaches writing and methodology, and has recently become involved in the field of mentoring, due to her participation in a government-funded Diploma course for mentor trainers.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
In recent years, Chilean education authorities have become concerned about improving English teaching in Chile, due to the low level students achieve in the subject in government-funded schools, after seven years of formal instruction in the language. In this context, the Ministry has implemented a number of initiatives to promote and support successful language teaching, such as continuing training courses for in-service teachers, as well as offering English pedagogy students grants to spend a semester abroad, in English speaking countries. Recently, the Ministry has focused its efforts on supporting pre-service and newly qualified teachers through mentoring. The main objective of mentoring is to accompany the new teachers during the early stage of their career, and help them integrate theory and practice through self-reflection and the development of problem-solving strategies, in order to become effective in their practice, thus improving students’ learning. Successful mentoring programs for teachers have been put into practice in various countries across the world, such as Israel, Canada and England, becoming a powerful tool to foster teacher professional development and enhance students’ learning (La Tercera, January 20th, 2008). Following this, the Chilean Ministry of Education has taken concrete steps towards the institutionalization of the role of the mentor in our educational context. In 2004, a mentor training course was funded by the Program English Opens Doors, in which a group of English teachers were trained to become mentors for less experienced peers. More recently, the Ministry has organized a Diploma course on mentor training, aimed at the development of effective mentoring courses in universities across the country, which constitutes a primary part of the ongoing macro-project to improve teaching-learning processes in Chilean educational establishments. This paper is the result of such initiative, and presents the theoretical background and needs analysis for the design and implementation of Mentor training courses to be carried out at the University of Playa Ancha and the Catholic University of Valparaiso.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008g.php
Isabel Vásquez, Universidad de Playa Ancha,
Enzo Pescara, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.
Candy Veas Faundez graduated from the TESL MA program at the University of Minnesota, U.S.A. in 2004. At present, she is a full time faculty member in the English Teacher training program at Universidad de Playa Ancha in Valparaiso. She teaches writing and methodology, and has recently become involved in the field of mentoring, due to her participation in a government-funded Diploma course for mentor trainers.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
In recent years, Chilean education authorities have become concerned about improving English teaching in Chile, due to the low level students achieve in the subject in government-funded schools, after seven years of formal instruction in the language. In this context, the Ministry has implemented a number of initiatives to promote and support successful language teaching, such as continuing training courses for in-service teachers, as well as offering English pedagogy students grants to spend a semester abroad, in English speaking countries. Recently, the Ministry has focused its efforts on supporting pre-service and newly qualified teachers through mentoring. The main objective of mentoring is to accompany the new teachers during the early stage of their career, and help them integrate theory and practice through self-reflection and the development of problem-solving strategies, in order to become effective in their practice, thus improving students’ learning. Successful mentoring programs for teachers have been put into practice in various countries across the world, such as Israel, Canada and England, becoming a powerful tool to foster teacher professional development and enhance students’ learning (La Tercera, January 20th, 2008). Following this, the Chilean Ministry of Education has taken concrete steps towards the institutionalization of the role of the mentor in our educational context. In 2004, a mentor training course was funded by the Program English Opens Doors, in which a group of English teachers were trained to become mentors for less experienced peers. More recently, the Ministry has organized a Diploma course on mentor training, aimed at the development of effective mentoring courses in universities across the country, which constitutes a primary part of the ongoing macro-project to improve teaching-learning processes in Chilean educational establishments. This paper is the result of such initiative, and presents the theoretical background and needs analysis for the design and implementation of Mentor training courses to be carried out at the University of Playa Ancha and the Catholic University of Valparaiso.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008g.php
Intl Conference 2008: Digiteachers - EFL teachers using ICT in the classroom
Digiteachers - EFL teachers using ICT in the classroom
Luis Sepúlveda
Graduated from Universidad del Bio-Bio in 1993. He took a course on educational web pages and ever since then he has been using technology and discovering new tools to foster language learning. He has presented in previous TESOL conferences and has delivered workshops for local networks of teachers.
Attention: Attendees received a CD on Mr. Sepulveda's Workshop. He recommends you open the index.html file first to better explore the CD contents.
Presentation Abstract
Every school has a computer lab and many schools are starting to use the interactive whiteboard. An increasing number of teachers has started to incorporate technology in the English classroom, either in the lab, or in the classroom using an interactive whiteboard or a multimedia projector. The Internet is the place where they often find what they need. But what happens when those activities do not meet their students’ need? One possible answer: authoring tools. In this workshop teachers will learn about some easy-to-use tools that will allow them to customize activities for their students.
Target audience: teachers working in the primary and secondary levels. Basic computing skills are a must.
Objective: Attendees will be able to generate Flash-based learning tools that can be used to incorporate technology into the English classroom.
Procedure: After a short introduction, we will examine the programs, highlighting the advantages of each program and possible uses in teaching-learning situations. Then we will demonstrate how to generate the quizzes and games. After that, teachers will have the chance to work on their own workstations, creating their own games and quizzes using free programs. Finally, attendees will show their activities to others and some of those activities will be shown to the whole audience as a closing activity. A university student might be my helper in order to provide assistance to teachers who may need it.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008h.php
Luis Sepúlveda
Graduated from Universidad del Bio-Bio in 1993. He took a course on educational web pages and ever since then he has been using technology and discovering new tools to foster language learning. He has presented in previous TESOL conferences and has delivered workshops for local networks of teachers.
Attention: Attendees received a CD on Mr. Sepulveda's Workshop. He recommends you open the index.html file first to better explore the CD contents.
Presentation Abstract
Every school has a computer lab and many schools are starting to use the interactive whiteboard. An increasing number of teachers has started to incorporate technology in the English classroom, either in the lab, or in the classroom using an interactive whiteboard or a multimedia projector. The Internet is the place where they often find what they need. But what happens when those activities do not meet their students’ need? One possible answer: authoring tools. In this workshop teachers will learn about some easy-to-use tools that will allow them to customize activities for their students.
Target audience: teachers working in the primary and secondary levels. Basic computing skills are a must.
Objective: Attendees will be able to generate Flash-based learning tools that can be used to incorporate technology into the English classroom.
Procedure: After a short introduction, we will examine the programs, highlighting the advantages of each program and possible uses in teaching-learning situations. Then we will demonstrate how to generate the quizzes and games. After that, teachers will have the chance to work on their own workstations, creating their own games and quizzes using free programs. Finally, attendees will show their activities to others and some of those activities will be shown to the whole audience as a closing activity. A university student might be my helper in order to provide assistance to teachers who may need it.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008h.php
Intl Conference 2008: ICT in Initial Teaching Training Programmes
ICT in Initial Teaching Training Programmes
JORGE LILLO,
Teacher of English, Specialist in Educational Computing and Master of Arts in Linguistics from Concepcion University. IPA Certificate of Proficiency in the Phonetics of English from the UCL. Certificate of Multimedia and the New Technology in ELT from NILE. Certificate of Using Computers and Multimedia from Sussex University. Currently teaching at Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepcion in Concepcion, Chile.
HECTOR VEGA PINOCHET, EFL Teacher with 15 years of experience in binational institute and higher education. He teaches English Grammar in the English Teaching Degree at the Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepcion, from which he is the Head of the Programme. He is also an English-Spanish Translator and possesses a Masters degree in Linguistics. He acts as an oral examiner in Cambridge ESOL examinations. He has presented papers in various Chilean Universities.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
The introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competencies in initial teaching training programmes is tackled in this paper. The authors share the view expressed by the teaching community that the ability to work experimentally with ICT from a very early initial training stage helps to create a culture of innovation and change which is central to developing activity and quality in initial teacher training programmes. Technology has been largely used in Education; however, it is far away from causing the expected impact the educational community has been waiting for. We believe there is a fundamental change to be promoted so as to improve the quality and standards of education for students significantly. An innovative curriculum integration of new communication and information technologies in the curriculum of an ITT programme should be directed to enable the teacher trainer with the knowledge, skills and understanding to identify and decide when and how to use the ICT efficiently in their area of expertise. An interesting example that provides a clear vision of what is expected of a curriculum is the English model. Two are the key themes that guide it: effective teaching and methods of assessment, on one hand, and knowledge, understanding, and competence that teachers have on ICT. The former refers specifically to what trainee teachers must learn when to use ICT in a useful manner to achieve academic goals, and when the use of ICT is less effective or inappropriate. The latter covers the training of teachers, trainers and trainees on a wide variety of experiences in ICT. The assumption that a big majority of our EFL trainee students have some degree of knowledge in ICT just because of their social experience as citizens of the society of information and communication does not guarantee that they will make good use of technology in their teaching practice. A method of incorporating ICT competencies in initial training programmes in Chile and a possible taxonomy to ensure professional confidence will be presented and discussed. The conclusions come from reflective sessions with a group of experienced teacher trainers at University level. Key Words: Information and Communication Technology, Teacher Training, ICT Competencies.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008f.php
JORGE LILLO,
Teacher of English, Specialist in Educational Computing and Master of Arts in Linguistics from Concepcion University. IPA Certificate of Proficiency in the Phonetics of English from the UCL. Certificate of Multimedia and the New Technology in ELT from NILE. Certificate of Using Computers and Multimedia from Sussex University. Currently teaching at Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepcion in Concepcion, Chile.
HECTOR VEGA PINOCHET, EFL Teacher with 15 years of experience in binational institute and higher education. He teaches English Grammar in the English Teaching Degree at the Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepcion, from which he is the Head of the Programme. He is also an English-Spanish Translator and possesses a Masters degree in Linguistics. He acts as an oral examiner in Cambridge ESOL examinations. He has presented papers in various Chilean Universities.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
The introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competencies in initial teaching training programmes is tackled in this paper. The authors share the view expressed by the teaching community that the ability to work experimentally with ICT from a very early initial training stage helps to create a culture of innovation and change which is central to developing activity and quality in initial teacher training programmes. Technology has been largely used in Education; however, it is far away from causing the expected impact the educational community has been waiting for. We believe there is a fundamental change to be promoted so as to improve the quality and standards of education for students significantly. An innovative curriculum integration of new communication and information technologies in the curriculum of an ITT programme should be directed to enable the teacher trainer with the knowledge, skills and understanding to identify and decide when and how to use the ICT efficiently in their area of expertise. An interesting example that provides a clear vision of what is expected of a curriculum is the English model. Two are the key themes that guide it: effective teaching and methods of assessment, on one hand, and knowledge, understanding, and competence that teachers have on ICT. The former refers specifically to what trainee teachers must learn when to use ICT in a useful manner to achieve academic goals, and when the use of ICT is less effective or inappropriate. The latter covers the training of teachers, trainers and trainees on a wide variety of experiences in ICT. The assumption that a big majority of our EFL trainee students have some degree of knowledge in ICT just because of their social experience as citizens of the society of information and communication does not guarantee that they will make good use of technology in their teaching practice. A method of incorporating ICT competencies in initial training programmes in Chile and a possible taxonomy to ensure professional confidence will be presented and discussed. The conclusions come from reflective sessions with a group of experienced teacher trainers at University level. Key Words: Information and Communication Technology, Teacher Training, ICT Competencies.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008f.php
Intl Conference 2008: Clara Moreira
Clara Moreira
Graduate EFL teacher at Pedagogical University “Pablo Lafargue”, Havana. Teacher trainer at the same University. Post graduate courses in English Language Teaching Methodology, Linguistics and English Literature. Research Projects and Publications on Evaluation, Linguistics and Comparative Typology of English and Spanish. Exchange Projects in Canada and Ucrania. Presentations in Teacher´s Conferences. At present, TOEFL trainer and professor at the Northamerican Institute, Santiago and teacher trainer at UAH.
Corpus Linguistics
Corpus linguistics: a new window to textbooks and teachers Words do not exist in isolation.They create their existence by collocating with other words. The aim of the present paper is to analyze how the application of corpus data challenges current views about language, specifically the lack of distinction between lexis and grammar.
The Best Dictionary
The best dictionary - fact or fiction? Learner´s dictionaries maximize learning independence in students by offering the opportunity to integrate all the features of words in real use. A frequent question students ask is: "What is the best dictionary?" The present paper tries to answer this question by looking at the relevant features of four of the major pedagogical English dictionaries available.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008e.php
Graduate EFL teacher at Pedagogical University “Pablo Lafargue”, Havana. Teacher trainer at the same University. Post graduate courses in English Language Teaching Methodology, Linguistics and English Literature. Research Projects and Publications on Evaluation, Linguistics and Comparative Typology of English and Spanish. Exchange Projects in Canada and Ucrania. Presentations in Teacher´s Conferences. At present, TOEFL trainer and professor at the Northamerican Institute, Santiago and teacher trainer at UAH.
Corpus Linguistics
Corpus linguistics: a new window to textbooks and teachers Words do not exist in isolation.They create their existence by collocating with other words. The aim of the present paper is to analyze how the application of corpus data challenges current views about language, specifically the lack of distinction between lexis and grammar.
The Best Dictionary
The best dictionary - fact or fiction? Learner´s dictionaries maximize learning independence in students by offering the opportunity to integrate all the features of words in real use. A frequent question students ask is: "What is the best dictionary?" The present paper tries to answer this question by looking at the relevant features of four of the major pedagogical English dictionaries available.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008e.php
Intl Conference 2008: Teaching Academic and Business Writing
Teaching Academic and Business Writing
Catherine Thomas
web: http://www.columbia.edu/%7ethomas
Catherine Thomas is an English Language Fellow serving the Instituto Chileno Norteamericano de Antofagasta and the Universidad Catolica del Norte. Before going to Antofagasta, Catherine taught business English in New York City. Catherine has an M.A. degree in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University and an M.S. degree in Library Information Science from Drexel University.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
In this presentation, I will cover strategies for teaching academic and business writing. For example, I will discuss assessing students’ needs, planning lessons, and preparing authentic instructional materials. In particular, I will suggest how to develop and assess practical writing assignments. Specifically, I will describe classroom methods for using formative assessment, peer assessment, performance assessment, and self-assessment. I will recommend techniques for incorporating the following topics into your writing instruction: the writing process, style and clarity, types of writing (email, letters, memos, policies and procedures, presentation outlines, proposals, reports, etc.), grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary. I will also address issues such as avoiding plagiarism and citing research sources.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008d.php
Catherine Thomas
web: http://www.columbia.edu/%7ethomas
Catherine Thomas is an English Language Fellow serving the Instituto Chileno Norteamericano de Antofagasta and the Universidad Catolica del Norte. Before going to Antofagasta, Catherine taught business English in New York City. Catherine has an M.A. degree in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University and an M.S. degree in Library Information Science from Drexel University.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
In this presentation, I will cover strategies for teaching academic and business writing. For example, I will discuss assessing students’ needs, planning lessons, and preparing authentic instructional materials. In particular, I will suggest how to develop and assess practical writing assignments. Specifically, I will describe classroom methods for using formative assessment, peer assessment, performance assessment, and self-assessment. I will recommend techniques for incorporating the following topics into your writing instruction: the writing process, style and clarity, types of writing (email, letters, memos, policies and procedures, presentation outlines, proposals, reports, etc.), grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary. I will also address issues such as avoiding plagiarism and citing research sources.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008d.php
Intl Conference 2008: Teaching English to teenagers from disadvantaged sectors
Teaching English to teenagers from disadvantaged sectors
Betania Gonçalves
Associação Brasil América www.abaweb.org
Betania Gonçalves holds a degree in Performing Arts Education and is currently studying pedagogy. She has been teaching English for 10 years at Associacion Brasil America. In 1998 she founded Em Cena Arte e Cidadania (a non profit whose programs are aimed for kids from disadvantaged communities in Recife).
Presentation Abstract
Which is the one language for international communication? No doubt, the answer to that question will be English. English has become the language of the globalized world: business, education, leisure, and sports - in all fields of life it is there. Unfortunately having access to learning the necessary skills to use English effectively is not that easy for many people around the world. This is a reality for Brazil, even after English was included in the national curriculum. Brazil faces many difficulties for offering good English classes in secondary schools, such as: lack of qualified teachers or no teachers at all, and the length of the program for the schools, which are too long for the number of class hours assigned to English. Therefore even when the school is lucky enough to have a qualified English teacher this person feels as not being able to teach English, and ends up teaching “about English”. This presentation is about teaching English to teenagers from disadvantaged sectors who either are having their first formal contact with English or have had few years of English instruction (false beginners). I will share with other teachers my experience with those kids: the challenges, ways of motivating them and helping them to overcome their difficulties for studying and practicing English in their homes, how to deal with their expectations and what I have learned from them. Twice in my life (from 2002 to 2005 and now, in 2008) I have been in the position of coordinating English programs for teenagers from disadvantaged sectors. In both programs I have learned a lot from those kids. Although some of them did not succeded in the program, the majority used the new skills to compete for working positions and scholarships in more advanced English classes. This was my inspiration.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008c.php
Betania Gonçalves
Associação Brasil América www.abaweb.org
Betania Gonçalves holds a degree in Performing Arts Education and is currently studying pedagogy. She has been teaching English for 10 years at Associacion Brasil America. In 1998 she founded Em Cena Arte e Cidadania (a non profit whose programs are aimed for kids from disadvantaged communities in Recife).
Presentation Abstract
Which is the one language for international communication? No doubt, the answer to that question will be English. English has become the language of the globalized world: business, education, leisure, and sports - in all fields of life it is there. Unfortunately having access to learning the necessary skills to use English effectively is not that easy for many people around the world. This is a reality for Brazil, even after English was included in the national curriculum. Brazil faces many difficulties for offering good English classes in secondary schools, such as: lack of qualified teachers or no teachers at all, and the length of the program for the schools, which are too long for the number of class hours assigned to English. Therefore even when the school is lucky enough to have a qualified English teacher this person feels as not being able to teach English, and ends up teaching “about English”. This presentation is about teaching English to teenagers from disadvantaged sectors who either are having their first formal contact with English or have had few years of English instruction (false beginners). I will share with other teachers my experience with those kids: the challenges, ways of motivating them and helping them to overcome their difficulties for studying and practicing English in their homes, how to deal with their expectations and what I have learned from them. Twice in my life (from 2002 to 2005 and now, in 2008) I have been in the position of coordinating English programs for teenagers from disadvantaged sectors. In both programs I have learned a lot from those kids. Although some of them did not succeded in the program, the majority used the new skills to compete for working positions and scholarships in more advanced English classes. This was my inspiration.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008c.php
International Conference 2008: Do Second Language and Second Culture Acquisition go Hand in Hand?
Do Second Language and Second Culture Acquisition go Hand in Hand?
Beatriz Jorge
Academic Supervisor at Associação Alumni, São Paulo, Brazil.
Beatriz Jorge holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Ohio University, USA, and is currently an academic supervisor in the Department of English at Associação Alumni, São Paulo, Brazil. In this position, besides teaching, she designs programs and develops materials for advanced EFL learners.
Presentation Abrastract
In 2004 I carried out a research for the completion of my M.A. thesis in Applied Linguistics and presented the results at the 2004 Braz-TESOL Convention. The purpose of the project was to investigate the presence of target language culture acquisition in a foreign language environment such as the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Results showed that the ongoing language contact provided through the profession of language teaching may indeed correlate positively with target language culture acquisition. Moreover, the conclusion discussed the extent to which (highly) proficient non-native teachers would be very adequate instructors of the target language due to their cultural flexibility. Suggestions were made as to find strategies to deepen the investigation on the influence of language acquisition on culture acquisition. At the 2008 TESOL-Chile convention I will talk about the follow-up analysis of the role of the target language culture in language teaching; that is, I will look at the pedagogical implications of the previous research. In addition, I will report on the observation of the presence of target language culture both inside and outside the classroom and show how teachers can use this tool to bridge the gap between language learning and culture acquisition. I will start by briefly explaining the theoretical background on which the research carried out previously was based, demonstrate its instrument and method of research and then display the results yielded by the study. The second step of the presentation will be consisted of an analysis of the use of the explicit and implicit presence of the target language culture in foreign language teaching. The presentation will be wrapped up with a discussion on the practical uses of this analysis, such as ways of using the information gathered in teacher training courses and/or the classroom environment.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008b.php
Beatriz Jorge
Academic Supervisor at Associação Alumni, São Paulo, Brazil.
Beatriz Jorge holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Ohio University, USA, and is currently an academic supervisor in the Department of English at Associação Alumni, São Paulo, Brazil. In this position, besides teaching, she designs programs and develops materials for advanced EFL learners.
Presentation Abrastract
In 2004 I carried out a research for the completion of my M.A. thesis in Applied Linguistics and presented the results at the 2004 Braz-TESOL Convention. The purpose of the project was to investigate the presence of target language culture acquisition in a foreign language environment such as the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Results showed that the ongoing language contact provided through the profession of language teaching may indeed correlate positively with target language culture acquisition. Moreover, the conclusion discussed the extent to which (highly) proficient non-native teachers would be very adequate instructors of the target language due to their cultural flexibility. Suggestions were made as to find strategies to deepen the investigation on the influence of language acquisition on culture acquisition. At the 2008 TESOL-Chile convention I will talk about the follow-up analysis of the role of the target language culture in language teaching; that is, I will look at the pedagogical implications of the previous research. In addition, I will report on the observation of the presence of target language culture both inside and outside the classroom and show how teachers can use this tool to bridge the gap between language learning and culture acquisition. I will start by briefly explaining the theoretical background on which the research carried out previously was based, demonstrate its instrument and method of research and then display the results yielded by the study. The second step of the presentation will be consisted of an analysis of the use of the explicit and implicit presence of the target language culture in foreign language teaching. The presentation will be wrapped up with a discussion on the practical uses of this analysis, such as ways of using the information gathered in teacher training courses and/or the classroom environment.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008b.php
International Conf 2008: Changing times, changing teachers
Athiná Arcadinos Leite
Athiná Arcadinos Leite holds a BA and a Teaching Certificate from USP (Universidade Sao Paulo) - and an MBA in Management and Marketing (Ipam, Portugal. She has an extensive experience in the EFL field as a teacher and teacher trainer. She is presently academic director at ACBEU, a US-Brazil binational center in Salvador, Bahia.
Presentation Abstract
Changes and innovations go hand-in-hand. As a natural evolutionary feature of society, times change and have a considerable effect on the field of education, promoting innovations such as alternative ways of managing schools, new curricula and syllabi, and the methodologies and materials that result from them. A good example to illustrate changes that occurred in society and the inevitable influence they exerted in our field is the introduction of technology in our lives, and the impact of such an implementation in the classroom. People change “the times” as well, becoming agents of change - individuals who are instrumental in implementing innovations. The classroom provides teachers with ample opportunities to become agents of change, conducting research not only on the effects of changes, but on any other relevant topic. What could be a better way of implementing successful changes in the classroom other than teacher-initiated enquiry? What could be a more effective way to pursue teacher development other than through reflective teaching? Reflective teaching is one way of enabling teachers to bring about changes in their own classrooms, as well as helping them understand changes that have been imposed from outside the classroom. It becomes therefore an important component of professional development. The objective of this workshop is to give participants insights on the concept of reflective teaching. Besides, participants will have the opportunity to be exposed to different approaches to investigate classroom teaching. The advantages and limitations of each one will be discussed, and participants will decide which procedures are useful and for what purposes. Examples of the different approaches will be provided as well. By the end of this workshop, we expect to have made the concept of reflective teaching less abstract and to have stimulated participants to pursue professional development, adopting reflective teaching as a means to achieve it.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008a.php
Athiná Arcadinos Leite holds a BA and a Teaching Certificate from USP (Universidade Sao Paulo) - and an MBA in Management and Marketing (Ipam, Portugal. She has an extensive experience in the EFL field as a teacher and teacher trainer. She is presently academic director at ACBEU, a US-Brazil binational center in Salvador, Bahia.
Presentation Abstract
Changes and innovations go hand-in-hand. As a natural evolutionary feature of society, times change and have a considerable effect on the field of education, promoting innovations such as alternative ways of managing schools, new curricula and syllabi, and the methodologies and materials that result from them. A good example to illustrate changes that occurred in society and the inevitable influence they exerted in our field is the introduction of technology in our lives, and the impact of such an implementation in the classroom. People change “the times” as well, becoming agents of change - individuals who are instrumental in implementing innovations. The classroom provides teachers with ample opportunities to become agents of change, conducting research not only on the effects of changes, but on any other relevant topic. What could be a better way of implementing successful changes in the classroom other than teacher-initiated enquiry? What could be a more effective way to pursue teacher development other than through reflective teaching? Reflective teaching is one way of enabling teachers to bring about changes in their own classrooms, as well as helping them understand changes that have been imposed from outside the classroom. It becomes therefore an important component of professional development. The objective of this workshop is to give participants insights on the concept of reflective teaching. Besides, participants will have the opportunity to be exposed to different approaches to investigate classroom teaching. The advantages and limitations of each one will be discussed, and participants will decide which procedures are useful and for what purposes. Examples of the different approaches will be provided as well. By the end of this workshop, we expect to have made the concept of reflective teaching less abstract and to have stimulated participants to pursue professional development, adopting reflective teaching as a means to achieve it.
http://tesolchile.cl/conf2008/postconf2008a.php
TESOL CHILE International Conference 2008 -1-
Dear TESOL CHILE members and Conference participants,
Please feel free to post your comments here on our post conference section.
Here's a link to each posted presentation on our official website (Please use navigation bar on your right)
Kathleen Graves
Curriculum Innovation, Who Makes it Happen?
SIT Graduate InstituteBrattleboro, VT USA
Kathleen Graves is professor of second language teacher education at the SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA. Dr. Graves started her career as an English teacher in Taiwan and has also taught English in the US, Japan and Brazil. For more than twenty years she has worked with language teachers and teacher educators around the world on curriculum and materials development and on developing a reflective practice. She is the editor/author of two books on course design, Teachers as Course Developers and Designing language courses: A guide for Teachers and is the series editor of TESOL’s Language Curriculum Development series. She has also co-authored two EFL series, East West and ICON. She co-designed the SIT TESOL Certificate and is a past chair of the TESOL Publications Committee.
Please feel free to post your comments here on our post conference section.
Here's a link to each posted presentation on our official website (Please use navigation bar on your right)
Kathleen Graves
Curriculum Innovation, Who Makes it Happen?
SIT Graduate InstituteBrattleboro, VT USA
Kathleen Graves is professor of second language teacher education at the SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA. Dr. Graves started her career as an English teacher in Taiwan and has also taught English in the US, Japan and Brazil. For more than twenty years she has worked with language teachers and teacher educators around the world on curriculum and materials development and on developing a reflective practice. She is the editor/author of two books on course design, Teachers as Course Developers and Designing language courses: A guide for Teachers and is the series editor of TESOL’s Language Curriculum Development series. She has also co-authored two EFL series, East West and ICON. She co-designed the SIT TESOL Certificate and is a past chair of the TESOL Publications Committee.
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