Blog 14 Flip learning at CCA

Hello, everyone ✌

For this new entry, I will reflect on one of the most important requierments when it comes to teaching at the KTP program: flip learning. For this entry, first, I will write a short definition of what flip learning is and why its a crucial part of the CCA curriculum. Then, I will mention some activities and stretagies I made based on Flip learning in my classes at the CCA. Finally, I will reflect on the importance that flip learning has in modern English Teaching Methodologies and how I plan to improve my approach with this metodology that is new for me.

The guiding question for this entry is:

Select one of the activities you have planned for today’s class and reflect: How would you apply flipped learning to this activity? Describe what students would do before, during, and after class.

Flip learning

Flip learning is pretty recent teaching methodology that aims to rethink and change the traditional roles of the teacher and students in a classroom. Normally, it is expected for teachers to be the ones who gives the information and the students just recive it. In flip learning, students become the teachers and teachers become the students. In the area of English Language Learning, Flip learning has very similirities with the constructivist approach of vigostky, interactional learning and communicative language learning, as its expect for students to build knowledge in community and reinforce it throughtout learning habits and constant trial and error.

In this case, students are the main center of the classroom and the teacher is in charge of guiding students to learn inductivly the rules and key aspects of the lesson they are learning. To achieve this goal, students need to have a good exposition to the target language, be able to infer information and explain it to their classmates. Also, students need to practice, both in and out-class and recieve support of the teacher so errors or interferations can be addressed properly.

In my classes:

Although the main idea of this entry is to try to rethink an activity I did in my class as how it could had been applied using flip learning, I want to highilight an activity that reflects how flip learning can be done to teach a grammar topic, I didn't even realize it was flip learning until my team teacher told me.

This case happened in my TB1 1.3 class, the grammar topic was reported speech for command suggestions and offers. Before the class, students did a class preparation in which they would see a video about the topic and would create 3 sentences using what they understood. In class, I asked students to retrace what they did in the class preparation and I gave them a PowerPoint presentation in case they needed to refresh knowledge or didn't do the class preparation. Then, each group would explain how to do the reported speech for their assigned communicative purpose. In my case, I acted as an student and I asked questions to my teachers to help me fix errors and clarify information. After class, students have an action plan in which they practice the topic to reinforced what they learning and optional resources to wide their understanding.

Reflection:

Flip learning is a pretty new approach for me when it comes to my teaching techniques. I'm more used to to teacher center sessions and I didn't know all the preparation that flip learning has. It has been a really enriching process as I can see the benefits that flip learning has for my students as it helps them to reflect, think, express ideas and maintain a constant process of learning that not only happens in the classroom, but outside too. I will continue to work hard to make this new technique part of my teaching repertoire. After all, the role of teachers is not longer the center of the knowledge, but the facilitaitor for students to build their own knowledge.

Blog 13 Gamification in my classes

Hello, everyone ✌

For this new entry, I will reflect about the role that gamified elements have in my classes at the CCA for the motivation of my students and my creativity as an English Teacher. For this entry, first I will write a short definition of what gamification is and what are its adavantages when teaching kids and teens. Then, I mention some activities and stretagies I made based on gamification in my classes at the CCA. Finally, I will reflect on the importance that gamification has at the CCA and how could I implemented in future class escenarios.

The guiding questions for this entry are:

How has the use of gamified elements (such as points, challenges, or badges) influenced your students’ motivation and engagement during lessons?

What aspects of your current teaching practice could be further enhanced through gamification to promote deeper learning and participation?

Gamification

In simple words, gamification referes to the implementation of elements of video games, such as progression, challenges or rewards, in the development of non-game contexts, like classes in this case. Its main purpose, in the area of teaching, its to make lessons more attractive and engaging by catching the attention of students and motivate them to participate for a reward. This definition is important as it differs from game-based learning, which refers to the use of actual games as part of the learning process to teach specific content or skills.

Some integrations of gamification in a class include the use of points when a student complets a task or the creation of challenges to make classes more engaging. One example, can be the use of apps, like ClassDojo, in which students are given points when following instructions or completing specific task, like participating or being the first ones to finish an activity.

In my classes:

In the case of my classes, I normally tend to implement more game-based learning as I like students to be activtive and play. I like to make role plays, play with flascards and use some games like pictionary or Taboo to teach vocabulary and/or grammar. Nonetheless, from time to time, I like to implement stategies like giving points to groups when their finish fast or when evaluating an activity. However, I must be careful as there can be students who are really competitive or that can be upset when implementing gamification.

For example, in TB1 1.1 for the free practice, students created their stores and tryed to sell and buy products. While participating the students would gather points for each thing the buy and the money they earned. When the activity finished, the groups with the most sells and most adquisitions would win.

Reflection:

Gamification is a pretty interesting strategy when trying to grab students attention by making classes more challenging and competitive. By nature, us humans, we like competing and, as I have been able to see, teachers could really profit from this to make classes interesting and motivating for students. I plan to continue implementing this strategies as the can be really helpful for students. For example, I could create a progression bar during the semester and if a student complets the bar they will win a prize. Gamification can be a good ally when done correctly. As our supervisors let us knew, gamification is a must have at the CCA if we want to improve or profesional development.

Blog 12 first class experience

Hello, everyone ✌

For this new entry, I will reflect about my first day experience teaching two courses at the CCA. For this entry, I will describe what happened, how I felt and what were my first impressions. On one hand, I will write about what I think went well in my classes and why. On the other hand, I will depict what I could improve for future classes and how I plan to do it. Finally, I will reflect on what I learned from this experience.

The guiding questions for this entry are:

What is one thing you feel went well in your first class?

What is one thing you would like to improve for next time?

First day experience

I think that, for being my first time teaching at the CCA, I performed pretty we well in both classes. I arrived early at the CCA and I picked the materials I ordered at the library. The first class I had was TB1 1.3 at 7:00am. In this class I was being observed by my supervisor, so I was a little nervous but with all the energy, excited to see how my class wil develop. Likewise, I planned everything very thoroughly and made my best effort to include all the expected parts for the class: warm up, learning moment, language cycle, project work, communicative moments and closure. 

I think one thing that went pretty well in this first class was my time management. I was able to finish the class on time and I did all the activities I prepared. Also, I think my energy and interaction with students was really catchy and engaging. They participated and I was constantly receptive to any questions. I even was given a round of applause at the end of the class.

Nonetheless, one thing I still need to improve is my teaching approach. I know that the CCA stands out from other English academies for its inductive and student center approach. I consider I still need to adjust my teaching to a more student center approach. I recognize that I talked to much, specially in the language cycle, and the idea is that the students need to be the ones who participate the most. Likewise, I feel I could improve the way I deliver instructions. Sometimes, I forgot some important information when delivering instructions, so I had to recast my instructions in order to make sure all students understood.

Regarding, the second class, TB1 1.1, I feel that I did a better job in comparison to TB1 1.3. One thing that I did pretty well was to keep my students attention and participation during the whole class. They were really atentive and participated constatly in the communicative moments. Likewise, I feel that I managed better the student centrer approach as I talked less than in TB1 1.3 and students were the ones who participated most. 

However, one thing that I think I could improve is, again, the way I give instructions. I feel that this time the instructions were clearer and students easily understood, but maybe I could improve my wording and the delivery.

Reflection:

I feel that, for being my first class, I think I really did a good job. I didn't have problems with the time and I was able to do all the activities I proposed in both classes. I feel that students are really empathic and patience towards me and they understand that I'm new in this area of teaching at the CCA. For now, I'll be just be waiting for the feedback of my supervisor, so I can start working on how to improve my teaching practice in this last track of my practicum experience at the CCA.