Primarily, insights into my learning on a Masters distance course with the University of Nottingham.
Positive Reinforcement Schulze also draws to our attention the terminology employed for reinforcement. Terms such as “brilliant” and “excellent” are good, but if they are overly used they will become redundant. It’s hard for me to say now, how much praise I give. I see myself as a strict teacher – no playing until what…
Grammatical Errors and Feedback: Some Theoretical Insights by Mathias Schulze discusses different variables that influence the quality of feedback in Computer Assisted Language Learning: psychology and learning theories, second language acquisition and human-computer interface design. Reinforcement He puts forward the concept of reinforcement: the assumption is that feedback of a certain kind can act…
Recursion The Faculty of Language (2002) is concerned with the idea of recursion, the defining feature of human communication that permits combining a fixed number of words to create an infinite number of expressions, each with their own unique meaning. In terms of language acquisition it seems that children need only be exposed to a…
Experience of schools I have attended Likes – friendly teachers willing to extend Chinese communication outside of the classroom (e.g. in breaks and after class) – extra-curricula cultural activities. (However, these are often conducted through the medium of English, which, for me at least, reduces the Chinese language learning value). Dislikes – rigidly following the…
It’s All About the Details This week we turned to Flaubert for inspiration on how to tell a good story, and read a few selected pages to help us focus on the power of details. To set the scene, the part of the story we were looking at found a doctor, Charles, woken in the…
Provocations of Light Light pierces through the dense environs, revealing a blurry entity, writhing, entrapped. Like a certain babe in the manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, the conscious thing lies on the ground, motionless, seemingly considering options. Arms unseen, the outline hints at the form of a human being, and yet the overly large cranium…
Reflections on Blogging I’m not a writer, per se, but have written a diary ever since I was quite young. I do like to ruminate about things, to sit back, reflect and analyse my thoughts, so writing a diary suits me well. Fast forward to my arrival in China, and I began an online travel…
This week we delved into the language teacher identity through Varghese et. al’s work on Theorizing Language Teacher Identity. My Self- Identity: Social Identity Theory In terms of social identity as a NEST in China, I have been assigned a higher status (US being the highest) where there is constant debate about which accent…
Pre-Teaching experiences with Language Teachers – Strong role models at secondary school: my Latin teacher and all of my French teachers – NNFS teacher encouraged me to carry our my third year (of a four year ‘sandwich’ degree) industry placement in Paris. Pre-Teaching experience with TEFL – Weekend TEFL taster: the young, back backers didn’t…
How can Creativity be Taught in the Foreign Language Classroom? Well, I made a simple video clip containing a collection of images which reflect the core ingredients outlined by Clarke in Creativity in Modern Foreign Languages Teaching and Learning: meaning, questioning, exploration, experimentation, adaptation, open-mindedness, insight, fearlessness, innovation, abandonment and enjoyment. These images could be…