Activities for Teaching English as an Additional Language
30 MINUTES OF SYNCHRONOUS CHAT WILL BEGIN AT 2:30PM (MST) MONDAY OCT. 3 USING THE EMBEDDED TLK.IO APP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN (PLEASE LOOK FOR THE BLUE BAR TITLED L2DLAZCALL2016).
Claudia Maria Pereira and Rossana da Cunha Silva, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
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Abstract
ABSTRACT AVAILABLE IN SPANISH ALSO.
Traditional teaching approaches reflect very little impact regarding new practices and at the same time offer no room for improvement. Still today, formal training in pedagogy purport conservative beliefs on knowledge, colleagueship, and advocacy. On the other hand, cognitive theory and social constructivism suggest that learning and development is a social process, where each and every student can become the center of his/her process, towards becoming an independent learner. Within this context, teachers are mediators, promoting and encouraging critical thinking through problem-solving tasks; reflection and analysis; creativity and interpretation. Students build their meanings and knowledge, which are linked to their socio-cultural context.
Within this theoretical framework, we would like to question current teaching practices by proposing the use of corpora in the classroom, aiming to redefine roles of the subjects that are part of the teaching/learning process as a new form of interaction mediated by new technologies. The use of information technology (IT) tools encourages proactivity and facilitates group work, as well as promotes greater awareness on the part of the students while a new strategy is built. We believe this approach is more appropriate for these times of globalization and virtual work. As a guiding motivation, we expect to generate changes in attitudes to traditional roles, responsibilities, and beliefs.
The “sketch engine” software will be used to provide activities in the classroom. At the same time, a general questionnaire for teachers of English as an additional language is applied once the tasks are fulfilled. This inquiry is based on possibilities and beliefs regarding the use of corpus systems in our everyday practice and is analyzed so as to describe teachers’ reactions to our proposal. Once the new technologies are introduced in the language classroom, students become aware of the potential of such systems and the advantages of choosing and leading their own learning process. Is it possible to rethink formal training in pedagogy, while including virtual learning and a different share of responsibility in the process?
Further research is required, but self-assessment by the students demonstrated this as appropriate; particularly with those preparing for international exams and planning to apply for foreign universities.
Key words: Social-constructivist Approach, Independent Learning, Web-based Corpus System, Critical Thinking, Decision Making. Teaching Practices.
Presenters
Claudia Maria Pereira
Ph.D. Student at Graduate Program in English/Pós-graduação em Estudos Linguísticos e Literários em inglês (PPGI)
M.A. in English and Applied Linguistics (Translation Studies)
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
pereira.claudiamaria@gmail.com
Rossana da Cunha Silva
M.A. Candidate at Graduate Program in Translation Studies/Pós-graduação em Estudos da Tradução (PGET)
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina