Week 6: Brown ch 4 &16 and Kumar ch3

    This week's readings are very useful and interesting because it gives examples, guidelines and techniques that we can use to achieve the appropriate approach for our classrooms. Every student I will have in the future will come with different needs and backgrounds, and I will have to accommodate my approach to them. Even though the 12 principles (within cognitive, socioaffective and linguistic) and techniques, mentioned in Brown chapter 4, cannot tell me exactly how each student will successfully acquire a language, I can base my teaching on these to create a more appropriate approach for my future classrooms. Also, the classroom implications under every principle are very useful, because these give some tips and guidelines to use in case I am placed in a challenging situation. For example, If I want to create a meaningful lesson plan, Brown mentions that I can "capitalize on the power of meaningful learning by appealing to the student's interests, academic goals, and career goals", as well as connecting the lesson with the student's existing knowledge and background to make it more appealing to them (66). This can create intrinsic motivation and I can effectively engage them into learning. I will remember not to use rewards to the point where they are relying on them and not focus on learning, because we want them to achieve an "intrinsic system of rewards" that will benefit them in the future, something that is a long term benefit for them. When I was younger, I loved to get stickers next to my good scores on a quiz, the sticker would make me happy and proud of myself, but sometimes I would forget the content if I was tested on it again and it would lower my confidence. It is necessary to motivate the students on learning the content to avoid affecting other factors, such as emotional. I liked the socioaffective principles Brown mentions because it is a factor that is most likely to be skipped over because teaching the content and creating the appropriate lesson is usually the focal point. The student's emotions (self-confidence, anxiety, enthusiasm, shyness, etc.) can affect their learning and we need to make sure we are considering them while planning and teaching a lesson.
      Chapter 16 helps me see some factors, techniques and strategies I need to be aware of when teaching and adapt them to my future classrooms. It is important to teach the children how to be more independent of their own learning, as teacher we are here to guide them to the right path, but they have to create their own ways of achieving success. Student should be able to explore the lessons given to them, so they can apply them anywhere else (such as using them in social contexts). It is important to encourage them to have good language learner behaviors, be enthusiastic, be independent learners, as well as to teach them to be risk takers and challenge themselves, use learning centers, promote cooperative learning, and much more, as well as to teach them how to work for themselves cause it will help them live a more independent life in the future.
    Kumar emphasizes on how both the student and teacher are valuable players in creating and using learning opportunities. We need to monitor how the lesson is unfolding and make changes as necessary when the lesson is taking place. The chapter gives great examples of conversations between teachers and students  on how to prompt and guide the students so they can learn by themselves, as well as what not to do when teaching language. It is definitely important to create learning opportunities outside of the classroom because it will engage students and relate the content to actual social contexts that will be useful in real life situations. I loved the micro strategies for maximizing learning opportunities, Kumar mentions in chapter 3, because these give examples on what to do in certain situations to help them generate learning opportunities for themselves. For example, to connect with campus community, the teacher can put them in groups so they can explore one of the student services offered by the college and participate in a campus event. This will create some motivation, enthusiasm, meaningful learner involvement, and guide them to become independent learners, basically we want them to acquire a love for learning.    
       These chapters discuss all about the student-teacher relationship in the classroom and helps us, pre-service teachers, how to prepare for a classroom environment and create an appropriate approach that can benefit our students in the future. The guidelines, strategies and techniques were really enjoyable to read and useful, because they allowed me to think about my future classrooms and ways to incorporate them in a classroom. I will be able to put them into practice once I meet my classrooms and get to know each child individually (their needs and backgrounds) and create the appropriate and effective lesson for them. I wonder how will I be able to incorporate theory, their own culture, their needs, this new culture for them, other emotional factors, and these strategies and techniques to create the most effective approach for them? I know it will not be easy, it will take time. I know there will be lots of changes to my lessons, but I will figure it out once I meet my classroom.