This week's reading leads us to take up issues on how to conceptualize our own teaching contents and how to use published textbooks. Both ask us what we want to choose and why, for what reasons. Graves (2000) repeatedly asks questions that we should answer while making decisions on contents: about language itself; learners, their goals, levels and available time; teachers' concept on language learning and teaching; socail context; what hidden curriculum is and etc. Graves says that the textbook is a tool or instrument like other materials we choose for class advising not to be bound by it.
Halverson (2010) defines that "a syllabus is a basic contract between the instructor and students, laying out the responsibilities and expectations on both sides. It's also a road map that shows the general contours of the course, important milestones, and the landmarks that will let students know they're on the right road." I would like to add a word "with flexibility" to his definition because we are dealing with variable students and contexts.
As a teacher, we have to give the students a general idea of how the course will go and what and how they will learn. Basically, teachers are responsible for leading a class, though of course the students have to work together, so what teachers will choose and how they offer it will make a big difference for their students.
Reference:
Halverson, T. (2010). Syllabus Design. Retrieved from http://ctl.byn.edu/showArchivePage.php?&pageUID=I4W6ToFiAtIX
Halverson (2010) defines that "a syllabus is a basic contract between the instructor and students, laying out the responsibilities and expectations on both sides. It's also a road map that shows the general contours of the course, important milestones, and the landmarks that will let students know they're on the right road." I would like to add a word "with flexibility" to his definition because we are dealing with variable students and contexts.
As a teacher, we have to give the students a general idea of how the course will go and what and how they will learn. Basically, teachers are responsible for leading a class, though of course the students have to work together, so what teachers will choose and how they offer it will make a big difference for their students.
Reference:
Halverson, T. (2010). Syllabus Design. Retrieved from http://ctl.byn.edu/showArchivePage.php?&pageUID=I4W6ToFiAtIX
Yes, There is big difference in leading class according to who teaches and who leanrs, even if the same book and materials are given to them. It is so funny...Sometimes I turn to see myself and analyze whether I'm doing good or not by the perfomance with such achievement.
ReplyDelete“Graves says that the textbook is a tool or instrument like other materials we choose for class advising not to be bound by it”. Yes, I totally agree with this assertion. It raises one very important issue in teaching, I think. Especially, in EFL teaching environments, teachers are often expected to follow the syllabus scribed by the school. Accordingly, when a teacher disagrees with the textbook, problems are likely to arise. One good way to deal with this challenge is for the teacher to add some modification to the textbook. The extent to decide and select the materials for modification sets a parameter for teaching. Sometimes, teachers also learn from bad textbooks in a sense.
ReplyDeleteWhen making decisions on contents, all the things should be considered: the context, the teacher, the students, and the others. If the teacher focuses on only one or two things of those, the teacher will be in trouble during the course.
ReplyDelete