HELLENIC HELLENIC NAVY NAVY

LANGUAGE LANGUAGE SCHOOLSCHOOL

PALASKAS TRAINING PALASKAS TRAINING CENTRECENTRE

SKARAMAGKAS, SKARAMAGKAS, ATHENSATHENS

Managing National Language Managing National Language Programs:Programs:

Setting Goals, Designing Syllabus Setting Goals, Designing Syllabus and Assessing Programsand Assessing Programs

BYBYELIAS PAPADOPOULOSELIAS PAPADOPOULOS

It has to be broken down into It has to be broken down into components:components:

presenting and explaining new materialpresenting and explaining new material providing practice providing practice testingtesting

They make sure they perceive and understand new They make sure they perceive and understand new languagelanguage

they make conscious efforts to learn it thoroughlythey make conscious efforts to learn it thoroughly they check themselvesthey check themselves

(O’ Malley and Chamot, 1990)(O’ Malley and Chamot, 1990)

He or she presents and explains new He or she presents and explains new material in order to make it clear, material in order to make it clear, comprehensible and available for comprehensible and available for learning; gives practice to learning; gives practice to consolidate knowledge; and tests, in consolidate knowledge; and tests, in order to check what has been order to check what has been mastered and what still needs to be mastered and what still needs to be learned or reviewedlearned or reviewed ..

They may absorb new material They may absorb new material unconsciously, or semi – unconsciously, or semi – consciously, through exposure to consciously, through exposure to comprehensible and personally comprehensible and personally meaningful speech or writing, and meaningful speech or writing, and mediationmediation

SETTING GOALSSETTING GOALS

Effective presentation of new materialEffective presentation of new material

You might point out how a You might point out how a new item is linked to new item is linked to something they already something they already know, or contrast a new bit know, or contrast a new bit of grammar with a parallel of grammar with a parallel structure in their own structure in their own

languagelanguage

The ability to mediate new The ability to mediate new material or instruct effectively is an material or instruct effectively is an essential teaching skill; it enables essential teaching skill; it enables the teacher to facilitate learners’ the teacher to facilitate learners’ entry into and understanding of new entry into and understanding of new material, and thus promotes further material, and thus promotes further

learninglearning

Often, intrinsic motivation is a big Often, intrinsic motivation is a big issue since students may have issue since students may have difficulty in seeing the relevance of difficulty in seeing the relevance of learning English. Their immediate learning English. Their immediate uses of the language may seem far uses of the language may seem far removed from their own removed from their own circumstancescircumstances

The language that you The language that you present, model, elicit, and treat present, model, elicit, and treat

takes on great importancetakes on great importance

Teachers are in a constant Teachers are in a constant state of war with the state of war with the “authorities” on curricula goals “authorities” on curricula goals and on the means for testing and on the means for testing

the achievement of those goalsthe achievement of those goals

Can you focus their efforts and Can you focus their efforts and attention on language rather than on the attention on language rather than on the exam at the end of the course? Can exam at the end of the course? Can students develop an intrinsically students develop an intrinsically oriented outlook on their motivation to oriented outlook on their motivation to succeed? Can it be done? The answer is succeed? Can it be done? The answer is obviously “obviously “yesyes” because many people ” because many people have done sohave done so

Here are some guidelines to help Here are some guidelines to help us compensate for the lack of us compensate for the lack of ready communicative situations ready communicative situations right outside the classroom door right outside the classroom door (H.D. Brown 1994)(H.D. Brown 1994)

Use class time for optimal authentic Use class time for optimal authentic language input and interaction.language input and interaction.

Don’t waste class time on work that Don’t waste class time on work that can be done as homeworkcan be done as homework

Provide regular motivation – Provide regular motivation – stimulating activitiesstimulating activities

Help them to see genuine uses for Help them to see genuine uses for English in English in their own lives. their own lives.

Play down the role of tests and Play down the role of tests and emphasize emphasize more intrinsic factors more intrinsic factors

Provide plenty of extra – class learning Provide plenty of extra – class learning opportunities, such as assigning an opportunities, such as assigning an English – English – speaking movie, having them listen to speaking movie, having them listen to an an English speaking TV or radio program English speaking TV or radio program and so and so on. on.

Teacher development:Teacher development:Practice, reflection, Practice, reflection,

sharingsharing

You have within your own teaching You have within your own teaching routine the main interaction with routine the main interaction with other teachers in your institution. other teachers in your institution. Teacher development takes place Teacher development takes place when teachers, working as when teachers, working as individuals or in a group, consciously individuals or in a group, consciously take advantage of such resources to take advantage of such resources to forward their own professional forward their own professional learning.learning.

Constant teacher development is a Constant teacher development is a necessary contributor to your necessary contributor to your success and satisfaction in success and satisfaction in professional work today, and to your professional work today, and to your career in the future as teacher and/or career in the future as teacher and/or in other allied professions: materials in other allied professions: materials writer, trainer, author, researcherwriter, trainer, author, researcher

Personal reflectionPersonal reflection

The first and most important basis The first and most important basis for professional progress is simply for professional progress is simply

your own reflection on daily your own reflection on daily classroom eventsclassroom events

This sort of spontaneous reflection This sort of spontaneous reflection is the necessary basis and jump – is the necessary basis and jump – off point for further development: it off point for further development: it is the hallmark of the conscientious is the hallmark of the conscientious professional professional

Sharing with a colleagueSharing with a colleague

What you wish to share may be What you wish to share may be negative or positivenegative or positive

Practice principle of stress Practice principle of stress managementmanagement

Think of some of the sources of stress in thisThink of some of the sources of stress in thisbusiness (H. D. Brown 1994):business (H. D. Brown 1994): Long hoursLong hours Large classesLarge classes Low payLow pay Pressure to perform in the classroomPressure to perform in the classroom High student expectationsHigh student expectations

Demands beyond the classroomDemands beyond the classroom Emotional connections with Emotional connections with students’ students’ lives lives Bureaucracies Bureaucracies Pressure to keep up with a rapidly Pressure to keep up with a rapidly

changing field changing field Information overload Information overload

The lesson that slips away from them, The lesson that slips away from them, that they can’t control because the that they can’t control because the students don’t like the subject, each students don’t like the subject, each other or the teacher – or sometimes just other or the teacher – or sometimes just because they feel like itbecause they feel like it

Managing those potential stress factors Managing those potential stress factors is an important key to keeping yourself is an important key to keeping yourself fresh, creative, bright, and happy.fresh, creative, bright, and happy.

Characteristics of a Good Language Characteristics of a Good Language TeacherTeacher

One way to begin setting goals and One way to begin setting goals and priorities is to consider the qualities of priorities is to consider the qualities of

successful language teachers. Harold B. successful language teachers. Harold B. Allen (1980) offered the following list of Allen (1980) offered the following list of

characteristics of good language characteristics of good language teachers:teachers:

1.1. Competent preparation leading Competent preparation leading to a degree in TEFLto a degree in TEFL

2.2. A love of the English languageA love of the English language

3.3. The critical facultyThe critical faculty

4.4. The persistent urge to upgrade The persistent urge to upgrade oneselfoneself

5.5. Self – subordinationSelf – subordination

6.6. Readiness to go the extra Readiness to go the extra milemile

7.7. Cultural adaptabilityCultural adaptability

8.8. Professional citizenshipProfessional citizenship

9.9. A feeling of excitement A feeling of excitement about one’s workabout one’s work

Designing and Using the SyllabusDesigning and Using the Syllabus

Objectives define the ends that the Objectives define the ends that the curriculum is designed to bring about, curriculum is designed to bring about, that is, the changes in knowledge and that is, the changes in knowledge and ability that the curriculum is expected ability that the curriculum is expected

to accomplish in learnersto accomplish in learners

The process by which content is selected for a The process by which content is selected for a course of instruction in language teaching is course of instruction in language teaching is generally referred to as syllabus design (Wilkins generally referred to as syllabus design (Wilkins 1976). Generally, a syllabus represents a 1976). Generally, a syllabus represents a particular view of what is needed to attain an particular view of what is needed to attain an objective.objective.

But the abandonment of a But the abandonment of a carefully pre – planned syllabus carefully pre – planned syllabus may result in significant gaps in may result in significant gaps in the language content taught. the language content taught. Also, it may make it difficult for Also, it may make it difficult for either teacher or learners to feel either teacher or learners to feel a sense of progress or evaluate a sense of progress or evaluate learning outcomeslearning outcomes

Syllabus Design CriteriaSyllabus Design Criteria

The syllabus designer has to balance The syllabus designer has to balance such competing claims when making such competing claims when making decisions about selection and grading decisions about selection and grading

(Jeremy Harmer – Longman 2001):(Jeremy Harmer – Longman 2001):

LEARNABILITY:LEARNABILITY: Learnability might tell Learnability might tell us that, at beginner levels, it is easier us that, at beginner levels, it is easier to teach uses of to teach uses of waswas and and werewere immediately after teaching uses of immediately after teaching uses of isis and and areare, rather than follow , rather than follow isis and and areare with the third conditional.with the third conditional.

FREQUENCYFREQUENCY: : It would make sense, It would make sense, especially at beginning, to include especially at beginning, to include items which are more frequent in the items which are more frequent in the language, than ones that are only used language, than ones that are only used occasionally by native speakersoccasionally by native speakers..

COVERAGECOVERAGE: : Some words and Some words and structures have greater coverage structures have greater coverage (scope for use) than others.(scope for use) than others.

USEFULNESSUSEFULNESS: : The reason that words The reason that words like like bookbook and and penpen figure so highly in figure so highly in classrooms (even though they might classrooms (even though they might not be that frequent in real language not be that frequent in real language use) is because they are useful words use) is because they are useful words in that situation.in that situation.

Evaluating Lesson EffectivenessEvaluating Lesson Effectiveness

It is important to stop and think after It is important to stop and think after giving a lesson whether it was a good giving a lesson whether it was a good one or not and whyone or not and why

Criteria for Evaluating Lesson Criteria for Evaluating Lesson Effectiveness.Effectiveness.

The learners were active all the timeThe learners were active all the time The learners were attentive all the timeThe learners were attentive all the time The learners enjoyed the lesson, were The learners enjoyed the lesson, were

motivatedmotivated The class seemed to be learning the material The class seemed to be learning the material

well.well. The lesson went according to plan.The lesson went according to plan. The language was used communicatively The language was used communicatively

throughoutthroughout The learners were engaging with the foreign The learners were engaging with the foreign

language throughout (Cambridge University language throughout (Cambridge University press 1996).press 1996).

Putting it all togetherPutting it all together

It can be said that a school curriculum It can be said that a school curriculum that comes from “the administration” that comes from “the administration” can be modified to some extent to can be modified to some extent to include student – centered learning include student – centered learning and teachingand teaching

Teachers can help to convert the Teachers can help to convert the perception of those expectations into a perception of those expectations into a sense of the positive effect of the sense of the positive effect of the immediate family on a student and of immediate family on a student and of the importance of military career, not the importance of military career, not because it has been forced on them, because it has been forced on them, but because its intrinsic worth is but because its intrinsic worth is perceivedperceived

The result:The result: an appreciation of the an appreciation of the importance of the military career, importance of the military career, intimacy, and respect for the intimacy, and respect for the wisdom of age.wisdom of age.

The result is a sense of belonging, a The result is a sense of belonging, a sense of the value of the military sense of the value of the military career and the wider community.career and the wider community.

These should also be conjoined with These should also be conjoined with courage, loyalty, obedience, courage, loyalty, obedience, subordination of the self to the subordination of the self to the greater whole, and most greater whole, and most importantly, with moral integrity. importantly, with moral integrity. Therefore, that’s why, in most Therefore, that’s why, in most countries, society as a whole looks countries, society as a whole looks to the military profession as a final to the military profession as a final reservoir of its most precious reservoir of its most precious human values.human values.

According to Pennycook, teachers are According to Pennycook, teachers are “transformative intellectuals” who must “transformative intellectuals” who must see themselves “as professionals who see themselves “as professionals who are able and willing to… connect are able and willing to… connect pedagogical theory and practice to wider pedagogical theory and practice to wider social issues, and who work together to social issues, and who work together to share ideas, exercise power of the share ideas, exercise power of the conditions of our labor, and embody in conditions of our labor, and embody in their teaching a vision of a better and their teaching a vision of a better and more humane life.”more humane life.”