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Posted: miércoles, 13 de febrero de 2013 by DarkWolfSnow in
Enseñanza de Lengua Extranjera
According to the topics seen in the class of Foreign Language Teaching (FLT), I can see that one of the most essential tools when starting a formal observation within an institution, is ethnography. This is because one of its main features is the experimental nature of the research within a context which presents different situations, ideas and ways of thinking. Additionaly, there is a continuous and simultaneous interaction with data collected along each session of study at the schools. The classroom can be a place where we can discover different ways of living, sharing and it an accurate place to observe cultural patterns of behavior.
It seems that behavior is not only determined by individual characterictics but also shared and groupal interaction. This principle can be studied within a classroom, because there are different aspects we could analize; the organization of the classroom, the teacher's background and the experiences lived by both students and teacher can inffluence that way the class is developed. There is also a subject of high importance; the theoretical framework, in which we as observers make questions to the teacher about his actions during the L2 classes. This item is very useful to detect ways of thinking, expressing and attitudes towards a determinated place and time of the observation.
There is another characteristic inside etnography; the Emi-etic Analysis and Comparison. I think this perspective is required in order to link experiences of a group with the analytic language (linguistical terms) This means that linguistic expressions may have socio-cultral implications inside a group or society. One example of this can be the way students see the teacher and the role of being teacher (the word itself) can define his actions and behavior inside the classroom and the type of social relations among his partners and his students. The etic part refers to the amount of traditions, expressions and ways to express ideas in fields of interaction with others.
As observers, we have different tools to begin the process of enrichment of knowledge about the classroom and the teacher we are going to analyse and observe. Firtsly, the recollection of data depends of the product of the social settings inside the context we are studying. Not every observer sees the same things; we are always evaluating different circumstances, moments and situations and our interpretations may differ; nevertheless the data collection also depends on the context we are studying, so it is important to recognise the type of school we are attending to, the values, mission and vision of the institution, the main beliefs of the teacher and getting into the context of the students. Who are they? What are their expectations and attitudes towards their L2 studies and the teacher? Everything inside the observation can be a key concept to interpret what we see.
One of the most relevant methods of observation could be the hypothesis-oriented. This is because automatically we define a goal that is creating a hypotheses with every observation; this method could be useful to describe and explain myths, assumptions of students and teachers during the L2 classes. Also is could be supplemented with the topic-oriented stage, because this method is more descriptive and we have the oportunity to use recordings that can make us conscious of things we missed during the observation. Furthermore, etnography as a whole can help us to recognize an uknown context to prepare ourselves in the future practices.
Language is dynamic. For that reason I consider that every class we observe would have a relevant aspect taht we should remember once we have recollected our data. Interaction is always happening and it can be showed with controlled, natural, social, constructive ways. Depending on the school, there are classrooms that live the interlanguage constantly. There is not a high restriction of the L1 because the mother tongue can be used as the familiar key to connect the students with the L2 in a transition from L1 to L2 in ESL. In other cases the L2 is higher and the type of speech is modified in order to construct the methodology.
Furthermore, getting into the context, I am going to be into an academic and bilingual education. Why is it that way? Because the classrooms will be a place where both teacher and student construct knowledge in L1 and L2. This is depending on the Language Driven and Context driven; the first one will have the goal to teach the L2 by using content of the class as a tool or vehicle while Content driven states content and L2 are equally important to learn in the classroom because that would imply a Bilingual Immersion.
The effectiveness of what we know and have found about Bilingualism is so huge that we need to express what sort of beliefs we have (also as stoudents of the Major of Modern Lnaguages). When would bilingualism be really shown and demonstrated among the institutions we observe? How does the competence is adjusted during the work relational process? The kind of students are Majorital or Minority? What about if the institutions claims it is multilingual?
All these facts about bilinguism made me think of the importance of being a teacher. There is a unique place for the student and teacher. Both can learn from each other depending on how the methodologies and strategies are produced, meanwhile students can learn from each others also, regarding the theory seen in Enseñanza de Lengua Extranjera.
REFERENCES
Maybin, J. Researching children's language and literacy practices in school. Chapter 4, p. 88.
Watson, K. (1998) Ethnography in ESL. Defining the Essentials. TESOL QUARTERLY, Vol 22, No4.
Maybin, J. Researching children's language and literacy practices in school. Chapter 4, p. 88.
Watson, K. (1998) Ethnography in ESL. Defining the Essentials. TESOL QUARTERLY, Vol 22, No4.
Your analysis is interesting. You are making connections between theroy and practice. However, be careful with the use of links and references so you don't copy others' thoughts.