Highlights ofHighlights of

TESOL TESOL 20102010

BOSTON, MABOSTON, MA

OutlineOutlineI. Five Minds for the FutureI. Five Minds for the Future

II. A-Ha Moments: Insight into the Development of II. A-Ha Moments: Insight into the Development of Teacher ExpertiseTeacher Expertise

III. Teaching Grammar to Adult English Language III. Teaching Grammar to Adult English Language Learners: Focus on FormLearners: Focus on Form

IV. Politeness Theory and Writing FeedbackIV. Politeness Theory and Writing Feedback

I. Five Minds for the FutureI. Five Minds for the Future

Howard Gardner Howard Gardner Harvard UniversityHarvard University

The present of learning:The present of learning:

GlobalizationGlobalization

The Biological Revolution The Biological Revolution

The Digital Revolution The Digital Revolution

Lifelong learningLifelong learning

The future in words:The future in words: Out-of-the-box thinkingOut-of-the-box thinking FlexibilityFlexibility ““Just in time” responsesJust in time” responses Going beyond the disciplinesGoing beyond the disciplines Problem-centered teamsProblem-centered teams Complex Hollywood style projects and Complex Hollywood style projects and

productionsproductions

The Five Minds:The Five Minds:

1.1. The Disciplined MindThe Disciplined Mind

2.2. The Synthesizing MindThe Synthesizing Mind

3.3. The Creating MindThe Creating Mind

4.4. The Respectful MindThe Respectful Mind

5.5. The Ethical MindThe Ethical Mind

1. The Disciplined Mind1. The Disciplined Mind

Learning major ways of thinking: history, Learning major ways of thinking: history,

math, science, art, etcmath, science, art, etc

Becoming an expert in a profession, Becoming an expert in a profession,

craft, trades, etccraft, trades, etc

Being capable of applying oneself Being capable of applying oneself

diligentlydiligently

Working and improving steadilyWorking and improving steadily

Continuing beyond formal educationContinuing beyond formal education

2. The Synthesizing Mind2. The Synthesizing Mind

Select crucial information from the Select crucial information from the

copious amounts available.copious amounts available.

Array that information in ways that make Array that information in ways that make

sense to self and to others.sense to self and to others.

Decide what to pay attention to and what Decide what to pay attention to and what

to ignore. to ignore.

Teach students how to synthesize.Teach students how to synthesize.

3. The Creating Mind3. The Creating Mind

Go beyond existing knowledge to pose new Go beyond existing knowledge to pose new

questions, offer new solutions. questions, offer new solutions.

Formulate and pursue new visions.Formulate and pursue new visions.

Come up with unexpected but appropriate Come up with unexpected but appropriate

products and projects products and projects

When something does not work, When something does not work,

move on.move on.

4. The Respectful Mind4. The Respectful Mind Responding sympathetically andResponding sympathetically and

constructively to differences among constructively to differences among

individuals and among groups.individuals and among groups. Extending beyond mere tolerance and Extending beyond mere tolerance and

political correctness.political correctness. Developing capacity for forgiveness.Developing capacity for forgiveness. Creating a supportive environment from Creating a supportive environment from

birth; role models are crucial. birth; role models are crucial.

5. The Ethical Mind5. The Ethical Mind Striving toward good work and good Striving toward good work and good

citizenship.citizenship. Knowing the core values of one’s Knowing the core values of one’s

profession and seeking to maintain them profession and seeking to maintain them and pass them on with maturity. and pass them on with maturity.

Three E’s of good work:Three E’s of good work:

-Excellent, expert, high quality-Excellent, expert, high quality

-Ethical, socially responsible, moral-Ethical, socially responsible, moral

-Engaging, meaningful, intrinsically -Engaging, meaningful, intrinsically motivated motivated

“ “In a world that shows no signs of slowing In a world that shows no signs of slowing

down, no individual can rest on his or her down, no individual can rest on his or her

intellectual laurels. intellectual laurels.

No organization can afford that sloth either. No organization can afford that sloth either.

The future belongs to those organizations The future belongs to those organizations

as well as those individuals that have as well as those individuals that have

made an active, lifelong commitment to made an active, lifelong commitment to

continue to learn”. continue to learn”.

Gardner, H.Gardner, H.

II. A-Ha Moments:II. A-Ha Moments: Insight into the Development Insight into the Development

of Teacher Expertiseof Teacher Expertise

Joanna GhoshJoanna Ghosh

University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

During the evolution from novice teacher During the evolution from novice teacher to master teacher, educators encounter to master teacher, educators encounter a series of A-Ha moments that inform a series of A-Ha moments that inform and guide their methodologies. and guide their methodologies.

A-Ha moments of teachers as well as trial A-Ha moments of teachers as well as trial and error in the classroom has proved to and error in the classroom has proved to develop our confidence and success. develop our confidence and success.

Instantaneous A-HaInstantaneous A-Ha: A light bulb : A light bulb

moment when something unexpected moment when something unexpected

happens in a teaching situation which happens in a teaching situation which

causes the instructor to suddenly rethink causes the instructor to suddenly rethink

philosophy, methodology or technique. philosophy, methodology or technique.

Evaluative A-HaEvaluative A-Ha: A trial and error : A trial and error

method of reaching enlightenment about method of reaching enlightenment about

the most effective way to act or proceed the most effective way to act or proceed

in a given situation.in a given situation.

A-Ha ProjectA-Ha Project

Videotaped interviews with 11 Videotaped interviews with 11

teachersteachers Interview TopicsInterview Topics

• Discomfort in the classroomDiscomfort in the classroom

• A-Ha momentsA-Ha moments

• Recommendations for other instructorsRecommendations for other instructors

ResultsResults

A-Ha moments are relatively common: A-Ha moments are relatively common: most teachers, when prompted, could most teachers, when prompted, could describe some revelations they describe some revelations they experienced. experienced.

Evaluative A-Ha moments were more Evaluative A-Ha moments were more commonly described in the interviews than commonly described in the interviews than instantaneous A-Ha moments.instantaneous A-Ha moments.

Most A-Ha moments related to pedagogy Most A-Ha moments related to pedagogy and classroom management. Few related and classroom management. Few related to content.to content.

RecommendationsRecommendations

Reflect on successes and failures Reflect on successes and failures regularly.regularly.

Keep adjusting in attempt to improve Keep adjusting in attempt to improve classroom atmosphere and achievement.classroom atmosphere and achievement.

Recognize opportunities to grow and Recognize opportunities to grow and develop.develop.

Appreciate and use the A-Ha moments to Appreciate and use the A-Ha moments to fully develop teaching philosophy, fully develop teaching philosophy, methodology and techniques.methodology and techniques.

III. III. Teaching Grammar to Teaching Grammar to Adult English Language Adult English Language

Learners: Focus on FormLearners: Focus on Form

Amber Gallup Amber Gallup

Center for Applied LinguisticsCenter for Applied Linguistics

Many adult education language learners Many adult education language learners place a high value on learning grammar. place a high value on learning grammar.

Perceiving a link between grammatical Perceiving a link between grammatical accuracy and effective communication, accuracy and effective communication, they associate excellent grammar with they associate excellent grammar with opportunities for employment and opportunities for employment and promotion, the attainment of educational promotion, the attainment of educational goals, and social acceptance by native goals, and social acceptance by native speakers. speakers.

Teachers of adult English language Teachers of adult English language learners vary in their views on how, to learners vary in their views on how, to what extent, and even whether to teach what extent, and even whether to teach grammar. grammar.

Indeed, in popular communicative and Indeed, in popular communicative and task based approaches to teaching, the task based approaches to teaching, the second language is viewed primarily as second language is viewed primarily as "a tool for communicating rather than as "a tool for communicating rather than as an object to be analyzed" (Ellis, 2008)an object to be analyzed" (Ellis, 2008)

Nonetheless, most research now supports Nonetheless, most research now supports some attention to grammar within a some attention to grammar within a meaningful, interactive instructional meaningful, interactive instructional context. context.

To help learners improve their To help learners improve their grammatical accuracy, instructors should grammatical accuracy, instructors should embed explicit focus on form within the embed explicit focus on form within the context of meaningful learning activities context of meaningful learning activities and tasks that give learners ample and tasks that give learners ample opportunities for practice. opportunities for practice.

ConclusionsConclusions Lessons should provide opportunities for Lessons should provide opportunities for

learners to focus on form and to notice learners to focus on form and to notice

the structures of the language. the structures of the language.

The students’ level will always influence The students’ level will always influence

our decision on what to use.our decision on what to use.

Students want accuracy so let’s do Students want accuracy so let’s do

explicit grammar!explicit grammar!

PLEASE BE KIND AND CLEAR: PLEASE BE KIND AND CLEAR: Politeness Theory and Politeness Theory and

Writing FeedbackWriting Feedback

Karen BestKaren Best

University of WisconsinUniversity of Wisconsin

Why reflect? Why research? Why reflect? Why research?

““It is It is reflectionreflection that enables teachers to that enables teachers to recognize problems, develop creative recognize problems, develop creative solutions, and retain best practices”. solutions, and retain best practices”. Wold, 2003.Wold, 2003.

““In order to improve feedback, it is In order to improve feedback, it is recommended that teachers should recommended that teachers should research their own feedback”. research their own feedback”.

Ferris, 2007Ferris, 2007

Reflections and Goals for ChangeReflections and Goals for Change Comment on grammar lessComment on grammar less Comment on specific grammatical points Comment on specific grammatical points

that seem very important: focus on that seem very important: focus on categoriescategories

Use code commentsUse code comments Use mitigation strategies lessUse mitigation strategies less Mitigate when the issue is more Mitigate when the issue is more

negotiable or less important negotiable or less important Use direct comments for very important Use direct comments for very important

issues: plagiarism, citation, etcissues: plagiarism, citation, etc

ThanksThanks!!