accuracy versus fluency

Yesterday, a professor from Canada, Janna Fox, came and observed my class from 9:10 to 10:00. As usual, I checked all the materials I needed for the classes yesterday morning and made sure that I had got everything ready: the Monopoly game board, the dice, Chance and Community Chest, Title Deed Cards, and the handout that introduced "Monopoly Rules." However, just before Janna arrived, I couldn't find the handout at all. I didn't bother to look for it since the class had started, so I proceeded without the paper. "Since they all have played the game before," I thought, "the rules shouldn't be a big problem." The class went well, as I expected. And even to my delight, I felt less bounded without the handout and had more time to interact with my students by throwing out some genuine warm-up questions to them. The students' performances were great too. I didn't have any chance to inform them of the foreign guest, but it seems that they have got used to having someone watching them already.

After class, I invited Janna to my little warm office, where I was interviewed by her. Rainbow was there too. When Janna promised me that she would keep me anonymous, Rainbow teased me by telling Janna that I wouldn't mind being known, "So do quote her." I knew Rainbow was joking, but I couldn't help but wonder "Whether I always make this kind of impresson on others that I want to be known. Gee, I hope not, HONESTLY.

Well, back to the interview. Janna asked me some very good questions, giving me more chances to do the "reflection-on-action." Two of her questions really got me to contemplate the issues between accuracy and fluency. Usually, when I plan a lesson, I design the text-based activities and extension activities revolving around the main theme of the unit. The activities would focus on particular skill such as speaking or writing. However, because of the time contraints, I seldom examine the learning impact on accuracy and fluency. Somehow, I secretly hope that students would pick up the things I want them to learn and would use them accurately and fluently. But I know well that in reality, it won't happen as I expect. So, what strategies should I adopt to make sure accuracy besides enhancing their fluency?

Besides, there bred more doubts. I start to think that whether I have fallen into a myth that "Language is merely a tool for communication, so fluency definitely more important than accuracy?" I start to worry how others would see me, espeically those who think highly of accuracy and fluency, when they catch me speaking sentences that are grammatically incorrect? Does that make me a "good" teacher as most people think? Or does that make me inferior? To be honest, the more I think over this, the more self-conscious I become.

Other things I did during the past two weeks

What else did I do besides observing my student teacher's classes and having follow-up conferences with her?

1. Well, Rainbow and I initiated the website design about two weeks ago. We hoped that during the two weeks when we didn't have to teach, we could complete the main skeleton of the website for our department. We are glad that we did reach our goal. Our next goal is that before the school anniversary (12/8), we can launch a campaign to promote our website (http://www.csghs.tp.edu.tw/~eng/index.htm). To be honest, I put my ideals into this website, expecting this to be a platform for the colleagues to share their teaching ideas and activities. I'm fortunate to have Rainbow as my colleague and close friend, who not only supports my ideas but also always gives me timely critical feedback when I become too "impractical."
   
2. Besides the website, I finally finished an article that I promised to submit to 中山學報. This paper is about how my new students worked on mini-projects cooperatively to get to know the new environment as well as get acquainted with their learning partners. Students were excited about the tasks and the results turned out great. This is why I think it is worth sharing with others. This project-based learning activity was done in Chinese and students gave their presentations in class meeting period. So, I wrote the paper in Chinese, thinking that it might benefit more homerooms.
   
3. Last week, I started to plan my next unit by collecting materials and designing the learning activities. From the observations, I kind of revise my teaching plan for the next unit. I intend to have my students use the target language more often than they did in the previous lessons…individually. Previously, I have grouped or paired students whenever there is an activity. I noticed that some idled during group or pair work while the rest shouldered most of the work. In the next unit, there will be more individual activities in which my students are required to practice using the new words and phrases in writing and speaking.

Reflections from observations

As a "experienced" teacher, I might have taken many things for granted. Ever since mentoring the student teacher, I have had many opportunities to reflect on my own teaching. I appreciate these chances because they become another way for me to see my "blind spots" and improve my teaching. When I observed her teaching during the past two weeks, I gained some new insights into teaching, to be sure.

1. To start with, sitting in the back of the classroom enabled me to put myself in students’ shoes more directly. I felt sympathetic rather than angry when I watched some students lose interest or attention. My analyses reminded me that a mediocre class might result from unclear instructions, monotonous lectures, complicated grammatical points, lack of discipline, poor management, etc. In the past, it was my belief that if teachers have dutifully done their share of work, how students perform have nothing to do with them. Nevertheless, I come to realize that a teacher should take part of the blame when students lose their interest or when a class went wrong. (It's not that my student teacher did anything wrong, though.)
   
2. Secondly, as a visual learner, I expect the teacher to integrate different visual aids to make learning more memorable. Besides visual learners, there are audio learners and kinesthetic ones. So, a variety of teaching aids should be used if we teachers want to take care of learners with different learning styles and multiple intelligences.
   
3. I have thought that what I prepare for the students is necessary and beneficial for them. But sometimes, we teachers are just doing things we would like to do, rather than really design a lesson from students' angle. Therefore, a feedback form is necessary for each activity if there is sufficient time. (Time is never enough!!!)
   
4. The student teacher prepared a lot of activities. Though those activities were related to the main theme of the unit, she lost the focus sometimes. It seems that she spent more time on "appetizers" or "side dishes" than on "main courses." I am wondering whether I have made the same mistake or not? Besides, with so many activities in one unit, I am wondering if she designed the lesson according to her own philosophy or she was deeply affected by me? If she regards me as a model, then I ask myself If I am too activity-oriented? Am I? If I am, then what? Still wondering….

changes in vocabulary teaching

Starting from this semester, I have used a different strategy to teach vocabulary.

In the past, while I expected students to preview the new words on their own, I didn't use any strategies to guide them. When I began my lessons this year, I was determined to train my students to form a habit of previewing vocabulary by looking up the new words in the dictionary or other reference books. Of course, the training took some time and needed a step-by-step plan.


Step One: instructing students the important elements related to a word

Step Two: teaching them what to look for in an entry in the dictionary

Step Three: demonstrating on the blackboard how to take notes in their notebook

Step Four: Having them share their findings about a new word from the dictionary

Besides, I create chances for students to use their dictionary in class, too. For example, instead of asking me the meaning of a new word in a test, they should find it in the dictionary on their own. There are also online learning activities in my class, so online dictionaries are introduced to them.

After three units' practice, most of the students do pretty well in previewing their vocabulary. I don't check their notebook unit by unit, but from their efforts, I know they are not doing the work for grades. So, in general, I am pleased by the result of the implementation.