Today Ms. Cooper and I taught a lesson to the 11th grade students on collocations (words frequently juxtaposed) for "to do" and "to make." The class was small by Moroccan standards with only about 20 students. I did have the students take notes briefly, and we used those notes for a modified version of "two-corners" and "charades." They did an excellent job with the lesson, especially considering that these words can be confusing for English language learners. For instance, why do we "do the dishes" but "make the bed?" In the afternoon, both Ms. Cooper and I gave presentations about classroom management and engagement strategies. One of the biggest concerns of Moroccan teachers is engaging their students so that they are motivated to learn English. Language proficiency is highly valued here, with many students who are proficient in three or four languages. To learn English, both teachers and students face the additional challenge of crowded classrooms, with anywhere from 30 to 70 students. There is little space to move around.
Thus, I have two questions for you today:
*I am taking pictures, I promise. I'll share them as soon as I get a better connection.
9 Comments
Aidan hellrigel
3/21/2017 03:41:14 pm
1.being able to speak to other people in the different language and to meet others.
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Mrs. Shepard
3/22/2017 02:29:17 pm
Aidan, If you could connect with a native Spanish speaker at school, a student your age, would that help?
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Chris mullikin
3/21/2017 03:45:45 pm
I haven't ever really had any real motivation to learn a new language, but what I have discovered is that when I am in the need to learn a language it's not the easy to learn it in a class or in my free time, it's when I'm thrown right in the middle of the situation that I need to use the language.
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Mrs. Shepard
3/22/2017 02:28:30 pm
I think that's an excellent point, Chris. Necessity forces us to rise to the challenge. I was never more motivated to learn Spanish than when I was studying in Spain and needed it to communicate.
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Trinity Zeh
3/21/2017 05:13:54 pm
1. My inspiration to learn a new language is the challenge and the ability to put myself into their culture. It will also be beneficial for the career path that I am hoping to pursue.
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Mrs. Shepard
3/22/2017 02:30:39 pm
Trinity, I think you also make a good point. We become better at any subject when have to teach it to someone else. It forces us to think about the content in different ways to help others learn.
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Corinne Morris
3/21/2017 05:56:57 pm
1. I am inspired to learn a new language because I am interested in learning about different people learning all around the world, and language is a very important part of who a person is.
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Mrs. Shepard
3/22/2017 02:35:41 pm
Corinne, the students here would agree with you about music. Many of them start learning English online with tv, movies, and music before they ever enter a formal English class. Apparently English students all over the world owe Ed Sheeran and Rihanna a big thank you. (I owe Juanes a big thank you for my Spanish.)
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Derrick Goll
3/22/2017 06:11:28 pm
1. When learning a language, culture is the main motivator for me. By learning about a specific countries culture, you learn about their lifestyle. Each country has it's own culture and lifestyle which makes language so interesting.
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Mrs. ShepardTeacher, ELL tutor, traveler, hiker, reader, and aspiring citizen of the world. Archives
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