INTRODUCTION The topic I present talks about the lack of grammar in the conversational English that some high schools pretend to teach, but until these days, they have not achieved this matter. According to the surveys I have applied to the students I have realized that adolescents do not have a real comprehension of this language. This aspect awoke in me the interest to develop this work in which I have written the most relevant points which exemplify some possible problems that students have to face up at the time of learning English, therefore I have also written the possible methodologies that could help in this task and others that could be useless. The purpose of this document is to help teachers transmit this language as best as possible. Another reason is, to exhort professors to use several methodologies instead of one, so that the student can capture the information by different ways. The constant observation has helped me to become conscious of the necessary investigations and to discover the motives they have had in the acquisition of this language. The difficulties brazen out when developing it were few, I only confronted the lack of information sources which almost did not support the use of grammar for being considered as obsolete to transmit and less understandable for teenagers, changing this subject into something merely communicative. When I applied my surveys, I could noticed the deficiencies they presented at the moment of structuring sentences, therefore they were not developing the writing skills and the little comprehension of the dialogues they had to perform was a common characteristic. Students have argued that the preceptor did not explain grammar aspects, for that reason, their comprehension towards these dialogues was minimums. One of the main purposes is that students when they complete school are to have a great domain of this subject for personal use or for professional purpose. It is important that they learn the basic stuff since they are in high school, because when they incorporate to superior institutes they may continue its improving.
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In the fist chapter we have an introduction of how was the teaching of English in past years and the changes that has suffered through the time. Motivation as an enhancing aspect fot the students at the time of attending classes, a short reference of how error can be something productive instead of being something negative if we use it pedagogically. In the second chapter I have exposed the advantages and disadvantages that present both methods (old and modern) in which I have pretended to find the rights and the failures to balance them. Another intention is to exhort teachers to speak in English when they give the lessons because it is something incongruent if we are trying to teach this language but using the mother tongue. In the third chapter I have exposed a variety of methodologies that some teachers use to teach this target language in which I have detected which of these and according to my own experiences the most qualified to this language. When I have to apply my proposals students never objected letting me to explore the intellectual of the students.
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STUDY THEME
Education, is what the majority receives, many transmit and few have. Karl Kraus
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The study of a second language, has been something very complex for the human being since we must take aside all our grammar knowledge and syntax, to be able to acquire the new grammar and everything that this represents, and to adapt it without combining both. It has been verified in a scientific way that learning a new one is very similar to the process that a ten months baby has when increasing his. Several theories exist about the education of a verbal communication that helps us to understand the possible steps that are made at the moment in which we developed our language. One of them is known as the Behaviorism theory. This talks about an imitative learning, which is improved by the time and practice. We also have the Activist. This theory explains that when the child reaches twenty-five months, not only imitates everything it listens, but assimilates it being solidified in its linguistic system. Finally, I will mention Noam Chomsky’s theory; this author defends the idea that the infants are biologically programmed for the language, comparing this with the walking process. Chomsky mentions the imaginary existence of a "black little box " located somewhere in the brain and which contains the universal principles of the human languages. It is truth that we do not know how we learn or acquired the language; but what is certain is that at the time of teaching it, we forget the functional grammar, focusing education in a conversational form or by functions. Throughout my career and thanks to the observations and practices made in several secondary schools, I have realized the little interest that has been put to the grammar items, giving more emphasis to the conversations. Young people develop and present them without understanding at all, or paying little attention to the construction of statements, verbal times, etc. Therefore it is important that the apprentices practice the conversations that are designed for each subject marked by the Plans and Programs, but also that they understand the way they are structured and not just memorize them, because at the time of presenting them in an oral way, it is observed that any change in the dialogue causes a stuck, and limits their favorable advance. However, a clear control since the beginning generates a suitable handling of unexpected circumstances, which the teenagers will face in a real life situation in where acquired knowledge will be shown. Since they have to confront every day situations in where the use of the English is very necessary, like in television programs, Internet, and Anglo4
Saxon music, it is crucial to see the learning of this foreign language as a tool and not as a useless subject. According to Chomsky: "When developing its language the human being has two stages the competence, what one knows of the linguistic system referring to the grammar rules and vocabulary, that as linguistic elements can be combined to form acceptable statements, and on the other hand, is the individual performance that is linked to certain limitations such as: disturbances, errors, false starts, pauses, hesitations, omissions and repetitions. Although we focus in the second phase, we need the first one for a good development of the language.” 1
All the above mentioned arose in me the desire of basing this receptional work in the theme, "Lack of Grammar in the Conversational English in the Secondary Students", because now a days, at this level, the grammar teaching is omitted, causing that the adolescents tend to show certain apathy towards this subject, which is reflected in its scarce participation and their constant errors when doing the exercises applied by the teacher in class, as well as in the exercises book. This Document has its basis in the Thematic Line Nr. Two, "Analysis of Educational Experience ", immersed in Nucleus Nr. Two, "The Didactic Competition of the Teacher in Formation for the English Teaching ", corresponded with the Subject, "Intentions of the Specialty and their Relation with the Secondary Education", taking into account the following Specific Spects:
"Capacity to reflect on the importance of the learning of the English contents based on the necessities that the adolescents face; Knowledge of the characteristics (purposes, approaches, subjects and contents of the English) of the Curriculum of secondary education, valuation and critics carried out; The ability to make programs adjustments or adaptations based on the adolescents needs; Abilities to establish bonds between the English and the other subjects which are integrated in the Curriculum, and the personal development of the linguistics and communicative abilities and their repercussion in the educational activities ". 2 To insert my document in this Thematic Line, allowed me to accomplish this work, because it helped me to relate the experiences that were generated when I was with the secondary school groups, as the functions of a second language. In addition, I combined the knowledge, initiative and pedagogical imagination that I developed during the practice of my 1
Noam Chomsky, Syntactic Structures, Mouton, La Haya 1957 Orientaciones Académicas para la Elaboración del Documento Recepcional, México 2003, pages 22,23 and Guía de Trabajo y Material de Apoyo para el Estudio 7º y 8º Semestres, México 2003, pages 34, 35, SEP 2
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initial formation. At the same time, I learnt how to design, analyze and apply congruent educational activities according to the purposes of the secondary school and with the foreign language that favored me in the application of didactic proposals. I also applied the systematic analysis of the function that I carried out as a normalist student at the time of applying the educational strategies during the accomplishment of the conducted activities. This allowed me to register in the daily log the evidences produced in the classroom, such as the observations, development and advance evidences and, the students’ works, which were very useful to achieve this recepcional document. Throughout this career I identified and took control of capacities that were determinant for my growth, such as: the dominion of the foreign language, the understanding of the processes implied in the learning of a second tongue for the adolescents and the factors that favor or obstruct it, the knowledge of its structure, the acquaintance of Literature and literary sorts, the didactic competition to select, to design and to apply to strategies and resources of education that contribute to the development of the communication abilities, and finally, but not less important, the capacity to organize and to develop the learning process. As a future teacher it is obligatory to have a total dominion of the subject to be able to design didactic proposals with education activities that will help the students in their learning, in order to develop and to sustain this subject, I consider that this is the propitious moment to formulate questions that will led this investigation. We have already spoken about the grammar and the linguistics functions but, •
How was English taught in the earlier years, and how is it handled at the present time?
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What advantages and disadvantages these methods present?
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What are the consequences of the lack of grammar when applying the communicative approach in the adolescents? These questions will open a breach to deeply and clearly analyze about what is
happening with the education of the English, that, being a universal language, the students continue showing stationing and apathy towards this useful language with all the technology and marketing research designed mainly for this language. During the process of this document, several goals were settled down, one of them was to fulfill satisfactorily with the 1999Curriculum which marks us certain activities, such as the recepcional work and docent 6
practice corresponding to the seventh and eighth semesters, another one is to complete the profile, because as future teachers we must reflect about the abilities that we must have. Some of them are: the understanding of the written material, the habit of the reading, to express ideas with clarity simplicity and correction in written and oral form, to analyze and to solve problems generating own answers from our knowledge and experiences. Besides, it is necessary to know the purposes and contents, and the education approach of the subject, to have dominion of the specialty, to handle without doubt and fluently the topics included. At this moment I am doing my Social Service and Professional Practices in the General Secondary School Nr. 3 "Club de Leones", Tampico, in the morning shift, having assigned the second grade groups E and F and, the third grade groups, “A” “B” and “C “. Thanking in advance for the unconditional support and the kind treatment that this school of great quality showed when allowing me to deepen in a teacher’s work, since due to it, I am developing more and more my intellectual skills, which are allowing me a great refinement at the time of realizing my didactic proposals. This secondary is located in 403 Hangars street, corner with Escuadron 201 in the Airport colony. It has an excellent site, since two of the most important and journeyed avenues such as, the Hidalgo Avenue and the Adolph Lopez Mateos Boulevard are near the school, favoring the students’ arrival in a comfortable, accessible and fast way. There is a single public transportation route called Tampico -UAT- Echeverria, which circulates in front of it. Surrounding the institution, there are several establishments, such as: stores, small restaurants, candy &treat shops, an ice cream parlor, two cyber coffees, a pharmacy, a barber shop, a small church named "Our Lady of the Refuge", the kinder garden "Bertha del Avellano" and, round the corner, we can find the Elementary School "Granja Club de Leones”. The school is located in an urban context with excellent illumination, and in addition nearly all the streets are paved. The social class prevailing in this institution is high, for the simple reason that a great amount of parents pick up their children in a vehicle and on the other hand, I have been able to observe that their school items are of a great quality. The security within the secondary is reflected in the little or almost null arrival of "gangs" who could cause problems between the young people, this reference I do it for the morning shift, since I do not have evidences of what happens in the afternoon. This school was founded more than 36 years ago having as the first principal, 7
Professor Rafael Zúñiga Acuña. Its quality, prestige and academic development have been kept to the present time, being therefore one of the secondaries of greater reputation in this city. When entering, the slogan "To embrace education, proud of the human being quality, elevates the spirit", can be appreciated. Turning to the left we find Social Work and Prefecture departments, and around this, Contralory department, the Administrative Offices, the Assistant director’s offices for both shifts, the principal’s secretary office and back of this, the direction of the school are located. Turning to the right, we find the English laboratory, equipped with a great number of computers, a television set, a VCR, a DVD; all exclusively for this classroom, beside this one we find a dining room, only for teachers, called "La Casita" and the computer center is located nearby. In front of it, we observe the main square of the school where all the civic acts corresponding to the scholastic cycle are carried out. Crossing the patio the library, the videotech and another computer center are located, and around them, there are some classrooms, the water deposits and the young ladies’ restrooms. Straight ahead, we locate the Physics, Chemistry and Biology laboratories. In the back part,they have dress industry, cooking, shorthand and typing, electronics, automotive mechanics, metallic structures, carpentry, and beauty workshops. This school also has 19 classrooms, a cooperative, a doctor's office, an intendance warehouse, men’s toilets and a teachers’ room equipped with a small living room and working tables where they can rest in their free time, there is also a sports field in where the activities corresponding to Physical education are made. It is necessary to emphasize that the buildings in general are in perfect conditions as well as, their cleanliness, ventilation and electrical system. One of the factors that influence in the good conduction of the school is the arduous participation that the family has, since they constantly attend to the teachers’ call and to observe the performance of their children as well as their behavior. The academic expansion of the teachers is pertinent since the majority fulfill the essential requirements that are needed to give a class, such as: class plans, varied didactic material, and the most important, their continuous preparation, leaving to a side the improvisation and the indolence in the classroom. This is reflected in the disposition the students have at the moment of attending the classes. The scholar context is pleasant, and this foments the development of a huge range of abilities that will serve the adolescents for a positive performance outside and inside the school. 8
In order to develop this document, I chose the third grade group "B" due to the little interest they presented in the subject and to the difficulties shown in the course of the classes. This made me reflect on the failures and accomplishments that we have when teaching English. The tutor’s disposition with their students and with me created an excellent atmosphere inside the classroom, which generated a conduction of an effective education. Applying my didactic proposals in this group is going to let me develop and sustain this recepcional document. The primary target is to help young people to better understand this subject so that they can apply its functionality in a real life situation.
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CHA PT ER I THE TEACHING OF EARLIER ENGLISH EDUCATION VERSUS THE MODERN ONE
The ordinary educator speaks. The good educator explains. The superior educator demonstrates. The great educator inspires. William Arthur Ward
In the English education, at the time of our parents and several generations back, it 10
was common that structures were overloaded with grammar aspects and the people who studied it understood clearly and concisely texts described in books of this language, but what happened with this form of education? It was that the auditory understanding and the oral expression were neglected. The communicative function was suppressed and, as a consequence, it produced that when listening the language, students did not comprehend by the lack of a suitable development of this ability. Although, the writing level of the students, was superior compared to the one we have at this time in our apprentices. This type of education totality focused in the grammar structures such as verbs, verbal times, preposition, grammar aids, rules, etc. With this, a production was generated in the writing and the reading, marking emphasis in the correct pronunciation of the words contained in books. In those times the communication was not considered as something excellent, centering its purposes in the already expressed. Now, methods have changed and they continue modernizing day bye day for a better education, confirming this in the Plans and Programs 1999 book that says: "the new proposal has as a first objective, the development of the communicative competition... In the communicative approach the grammar correction is not so important ".
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Of course it is
relevant! The human being must write correctly, as well as the communication must be coherent, for that reason it is precise that we establish a strong bound between both. The problematic of a contemporary conversational teaching. At present, the English education is suffering a modernization process, in order to make it easy for the secondary students. It works with communicative functions. Nevertheless, the reality is other, although these ideas are apparently novel, instead of advancing we are still delayed. Essential segments of this language that are the facilitators to understand this language have been suppressed. On the other hand, the little grammar that is introduced in secondary seems to be underestimated by teachers, excluding it from the classes. The educators are just worried about covering a program and to make their pupils shine in a dialogue or performance that they just mechanically repeat, without comprehending their meaning. As Ausubel says: “ ...tends to think that this is in great measure a repetitive verbal learning process. As in the practice of patterns as well as in the memorized dialogues there is no knowledge about the meaning of part of the phrase or in most of the cases, the total phrase. For this 1
Libro de Planes y Programas 1999, México, page 307
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reason the student does not understand neither the syntactic functions of the component words, nor the denotative and syntactic contributions of the individual words to the phrase meaning”.
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What grammar is. It is a system of rules to speak and to write a language correctly. This is why we must adopt it in the teaching of English in the secondary schools, so that when the young people leave this level, have a correct dominion of the studied language. In order to reach this, they need to develop the writing skills, as well as the oral communication. It is precise that both abilities be linked at any moment, since the communication goes from everything we read, to what we listen, write and speak. Teachers must introduce somewhere in the class, a little grammar so that the adolescents can find a sense in words in order to produce coherent ideas. Moreover, it is vital that we as future teachers analyze how English teaching is being carried out. According to my observations, I have realized that most of the apprentices are still learning by the "imitative" method. They listen to the conversation, repeat it and, after several repetitions, understand what it says and adapt just what is clarified in their mind, dispatching all the rest, keeping just a small part that is significant for them, this process will depend on their development level. What a significant learning is. It is the one that the student attains when he is capable to bond the abstract concept with its cognitive structure. This is the kind of learning we must stimulate in our secondary students. It is very common that pupils mechanically memorize the knowledge that we are trying to teach, this produce the failure in its acquisition because it lacks in meaning. “There are three basic kinds of significant learning which are: the representations, concepts, and propositions learning”. 3 The first one is related to symbols or isolated words. As an example, when the student is learning the meaning of the word “tree”, perhaps the sound is potentially significant, although this has not meaning to him until the image of the object is shown, when he can 2 3
David p. Ausubel psicología educativa, un punto de vista cognoscitivo, México, page 79 Joseph D. Novak OP. Cit., page 53
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relate it with the sound, as the word is pronounced, he will automatically produce a compose image of the different trees that he has been in contact with before. In the second one the individual words are combine in order to form sentences, which represent concepts. In this way, the teenager will be capable to associate it with other representations such as big, green, etc to create something with more sense
as: “it is a big
tree” producing in his mind a complex profile of it. The learning of concepts is bounded with the learning of representations, due to the fact that the objects as well as the concepts are represented with words or names, this is a higher representations apprenticeship, which follows the second one (learning of concepts). It is necessary to know how to symbolize the new learnt concept with a similar in meaning word, but to know what the concept itself means, which consists in acquiring its criteria attributes (the part that help us to distinguish or to identify it) implying a very different kind of significant learning. The third one is composed of capturing the meaning of new ideas expressed in a proposition form. In this one, the student connects the new concept with the previous knowledge in order to formulate a new meaning. Now he will be capable to structure something like this: The oak is a big, leafy tree perfect to give shade. “In the real verbal propositions learning, one learns the meaning of a new composed idea in the sense that: a) the proposition is generated combining or connecting one and others, many independent words, each one of them representing a unitary referent, and b) the individual words are bounded in such a way (generally sentences) that the resulting idea is more than the sum of the individual component words meaning”. 4
From theory to practice. To acquire this language correctly, it is indispensable to introduce first theory and then practice, but with the education modernization, pupils are just exercising it in a conversational way, although at the time of evaluating, teachers continue applying "the famous" grammar written examinations in where they must apply the learned. I believe this is something incongruent, and nevertheless, they continue doing it. The evaluations are attached to the traditionalism and, it is a reality that the students do not accredit the subject in a satisfactory way. This is comprehensible, since they are being trained to react in "a real situation" in which 4
Op. Cit., Pág. 53
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its evaluation would need to be less rigorous. I believe the application of these examinations must agree with the communicative purposes, if this is a conversational one, the tests must be according to real situations. It is necessary to take into account that the natives, at the time of being evaluated, pass through complicated situations in which factors such as the environment, social context, human errors, nervousness etc. intervene in this action. Therefore, my question is, why do we still subject the students to this kind of explorations? This is an important point and its negligence has occasioned one of the failures in the teaching process of this language. It is therefore, that teachers should evaluate in an oral and not in a written form being careful that the students do not notice that they are being examined, since factors as nervousness, insecurity, or panic might affect their performance. However, a disguised application will allow a satisfactory development. Chastain (1976), tells us that the students must be familiarized with the rules of the new language before we request them to apply it to generate language, as well as the teacher and text books must introduce them in situations that promote the creative use of the language, besides that the learning should always begin from the well-know to the unknown items. This is why the grammar must be explained and be discussed with the entire class, focusing clearly in the cognitivism. The learning must be always significant; the students need to understand in all circumstances what they are requested to do. “Consequently the solution does not focus on the elimination of the practice of linguistic patterns, but to make them become meaningful. The learning of another language obviously requires to over learn the characteristic and basics structural patterns, of it; but only if the apprentice appreciate the exact relation between the verbal manipulations practiced and the changes in meaning he introduces with such manipulations the practice will not be rather transferable”. 5
A class that balances grammar and functionality. In the second practicing period, I applied a didactic proposal regarding the "Superlatives", beginning with a warm-up, which I had previously applied in other sessions, but students requested me to put it again, so I did not have any objection. This small exercise is originally a song used to teach the parts of the body "head & shoulders, knees & toes" but it can also be used to develop their auditory skills, since when requesting our students to touch some part of the body, attempting to confuse them, we can touch some other parts that do not 5
Op. Cit., Pág. 79
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agreed with the first petition, Once we have concluded the exercise, I arranged myself to begin the exposition, but before introducing them to the main subject, I began to remember the use of the "comparative form ". I solicited the support of them to help me "to remember" how the use of it was, I exploited drawings which served me to make comparisons of equality as well as superiority. The subject immediately flue to the young people’s mind, although they did not know how to structure the sentences because most of them presented problems with the use of the endings "the, er - est" since some adjectives show regular as much as irregular changes; it was there when I took advantage to introduced little rules to clarify and to reaffirm what was already seen. Once we finished with the feedback, I began to explain the superlative rules and the correct form to structure it, I did it fast, because I did not want them to focus all the attention in these, otherwise they will be bored and away from the objective. Then I requested their attention to watch a video that I had already prepared suggesting them to approach, so that they could listen and appreciated it better. This film showed in an attractive way a dialogue structured in superlative, but in a subliminal form, since it was done in a modern context where some parts of Tampico city were described, mainly the most concurred by adolescents. This generated their attention, and besides being amused by the tape, they also reached to the conclusion that the class was about the superlative form. At the end of the video I asked if they had understood, because it was obvious that everything was narrated in this language. The answer was satisfactory; most of them deducted the content perfectly. I projected the tape once again because it hid another objective, the consolidation of the present perfect. While it was developed I bombed them with a series of questions using this time. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised with the answers of the pupils. They had already a great dominion of this verb time, so it turned into something significant for them. In order to continue with the exercises regarding the main subject, I exploited this resource to the maximum, which served to reinforce the learned. With this procedure, the students apprehended the subject easily and in addition, they did it significantly. I can conclude that the proposal applied was a success and I demonstrated that both aspects, the functionality and the grammar, could be combined satisfactorily, as well as, the introduction of a novel material that is practically not used by the conventional teachers and is highly motivating for the young students. 15
Motivation as a facilitator of the learning. A very important aspect is that the students are really motivated at the time of attending the classes, but how can we motivate them? Without as much explanation, I dare to say that the students firstly need to be listened to and not to be ignored, as future teachers we acquires enough data of what can be used in the classes of English, for example: their likes about music, the places that they frequent more, sites to eat concurred by them, whit the purpose to create an endless scenes as well as conversations, statements, exercises, dramatizations etc. They are the ones that suggest us the use of novel and attractive situations, that we did not listen, and we want to impose what it becomes to us easier, although, the truth, is that we do not accede to their requests because it means more work for us, like being investigating, to get deepen in their preferences and therefore, to plan the classes based on these. Perhaps it is exhausting to do it although, they can facilitate part of the work if we just requested them, motivating them to that they investigate voluntarily, something that they would like that we present. We would be in charge to accommodate the information compiled according of the Purpose and Contents of the specialty. At the moment of analyzing my participation in these practices; I have perceived that the motivation is a fundamental factor in the development of this subject. Motivation and learning “These are two aspects of great importance in education that, in order for the learning to take place, it is necessary to count with the participation of the subject who learns; and being motivation the leading aspect of the factors that promote the action, the close relation between both processes turns very clear. In order to direct motivation towards the learning tasks, it is necessary that the subject has covered its basic needs, that the tasks can be performed, and that, as its previous experiences as the assignment proposed, be positive for him; that is to say, that they interest or report some benefit to him ".
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The lack of positive motivation in previous years excessively affected this subject teaching, many young people deserted school or even worse, they presented apathy, and as a result of this, they did not value the importance that this tool which now a days is "the universal businesses language". Another factor that produced a remarkable impediment was 2
Enciclopedia Ciencias de la Educación, Psicología y Pedagogía, Colombia 1998, Page 424
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that the teachers did not know how to apply knowledge in an understandable way for the students, or they did not explain them, either the functionality the tasks had, nor the exercises that had to be done. Jesus Alonso Tapia says: "If the task is boring or if the utility is not perceived, they automatically look for a way to avoid it " 3 The students demotivate if they do not know how to learn. The good teacher must know how to lead the education activities so that the students realize why and where they will use what the professor teaches. When the students recognize and relate it to their daily life, they will be able to do a great amount of things such as to create sentences and conversations with the language, adapted to their personal expression necessities without being limited. As future teachers, it is fundamental to motivate the adolescents and to generate a pleasant aulic context, allowing them to develop and create their own language, feeling confident to commit mistakes, without the fear of being mocked by their partners, in which they can feel secure to ask anything, no matter the simple it seems, since simplicity often originates the complexity, not allowing this to happen, removing it since the very beginning. A characteristic example is the use of the so feared verb "to be". If the student does not understand the essential, he will not be able to perceive the modifications in the simple past or to use correctly the composed times, like the present continuous. Mistakes also favor learning. In the observations I have had inside the English laboratory, I have been witness of the infinity of mistakes that apprentices have committed, nevertheless, it is not so serious, according to the constructivism, its meaning radically changes. This one no longer seems as a deficiency of the student but, as a new process of learning. The tutor teacher that I had when I was doing my social service and docent practice uses a very little common way to correct when a student is mistaken, in pronunciation or writing aspects. When this happens, she says: "his friend when pronouncing badly this word set a standard to us to reaffirm the correct pronunciation of the word". Another way to do it when a young person commits an error, for example when he says” I am eating a rock", although the structure is correct, she makes them to think in relation to the logic of the statement, because, is impossible that someone can eat a rock.
Besides the correction of grammar, she also foments the
development of a congruent thought. Moreover, the corrections are not absolutely on her part 3
Jesús Alfonso Tapia, Motivación y Aprendizaje en la Enseñanza de Secundaria, Page 114
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exhorting the whole class to pay attention of their friends when they read or they participate in some conversation urging them to gain extra points when they detect some failure on those that are participating. This way, not just foments the self-correction, and the rectification between equal, but also it stimulates them to participate without fear, and to show respect for all of them, obtaining a propitious atmosphere so that the construction of a significant knowledge is generated. When we are interested in their failures we realized the deficiencies and the advances that appear. This process allows us to be aware on how they adapt the knowledge as well as the development of their language. We have seen in too many occasions that some teachers punish the "error", and how many times we have listened to the old phrase " I have explained it already and I am not going to repeat it again". This attitude showed by the instructor is unforgivable, because some of the students are not guilty of it. Now a days "failure" acquires the status of indicator and analyzer of the intellectual processes. Provoking the error in the students is also educative. I applied this concept with 3 "B" group in a class in which I had to read the best known “magic papers”, we underlined cognates, nouns, preposition, verbs, frequency adverbs, articles, personal pronoun etc. This is something that my tutor does and in my personal opinion, it is a very useful exercise because it helps young people to identify the grammar structures in simple parts, they marked them with different colors to make it identifiable, and simple. Once they recognized the basics parts of the lesson, I arranged myself to read aloud and asked them to pay attention. I began reading the first paragraph, pronouncing the word transportation incorrectly -exactly, as it is written- "transportation". When the pupils listened to me, they interrupted, arguing that this word was mispronounced and, I responded with certain doubt – are you sure, what word? This caused that more than six tried to correct me. These kinds of actions allow us to reinforce what is already learned. In another class, I changed the strategy. This time, I used the written form. We were reviewing present continuous time statements, one of the most difficult verbal time for them. I wrote some statements using it. After several examples, what provoked the failure in the students was when I wrote in the whiteboard "I are jumping in the bed", translated in Spanish as "yo estamos saltando en la cama", I did this exercise with the 18
intention to reinforce the verb to be because in their writings they commit many orthographical mistakes accommodating the structures wrongly. After I had placed all the examples, I requested them to repeat after me. The purpose of this was to make them realize by themselves the incorrect statement. The result was optimal. When arriving at the incorrect statement, the students pronounced it as it was, but they did not take much time to recognize the incoherence and rectified almost immediately that the verb to be was not conjugated correctly, arguing that the auxiliary verb for the first person was "am". Once again, the objective was fulfilled.
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CHAPTER II
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES THAT THESE METHODS PRESENT
The truth is irrefutable and unattainable Alex
One of the questions that seize our attention is, what method is more favorable at the time of teaching English? Doing a conscious analysis, we can appreciate that both methods present certain advantages, as well as disadvantages; however, the importance of this is not to know in a superfluous way how they are, but to find a balance that allow us to use them for 20
a better lead in the classroom. On the one hand, we have the grammar education that most of the teachers do not comprise and, on the other hand, the conversational one that does not fulfill the Plans and Programs of secondary education requirements, since one of its purposes is that students have dominion of the communicative skills when concluding their studies. Is it necessary to now all the grammar in order to teach it? One of the most common preoccupations for English teachers is that their knowledge of grammar is limited; I think there is not a person who feels secure about its knowledge to this respect. Jim Scrivener’s “Learning and Teaching” book says: "You do not need to know all the English grammar in order to teach it".
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According to my experiences, this thought is quite
opportune; the constant practice of which one already knows is the key to classroom success. At the time of working with the students and planning the lessons in a suitable way, is when we can discover the unknown parts of the English and thus, it is how grammar becomes useful. Something that is basic when teaching this or any other language is to know what we are trying to explain, and also to adapt it, to later apply it in the easiest way for us. Doing this, the teenager become more productive in the classroom. An example of the previous is: I’m running in the Park right now”, the first we must know is the meaning of the sentence “estoy corriendo en el parque ahora”. If we isolate the parts of the statement, we realize that it is not more than mere vocabulary words put together, in order to give them sense. "Grammar is the art to put the correct words in the correct places".
2
Subject “I", or person which we talk about,
"AM" verb that means as much “soy o estoy” and that in this case its function is an auxiliary, "RUN" to run + completion Ing. Ando yendo, both verbs are composing the present continuous, "in" preposition of place, "the" article, equivalent as el, La, los in the mother tongue "Park" noun and finally "right now" frequency adverb that indicates the time of its execution. If the teacher knows what he is talking about, he can easily explain. Once we have the understanding of this simple statement, we need to consider that the boys are strongly attached to the mother tongue, Spanish in this case. If we do not understand our language first, it would be very difficult to try to understand the grammar of another. I say this, because 1 2
Jim Scrivener, Learning and Teaching, a Guide for English Language Teachers, Thailand 1994, page 102 Charles E. Eckberg, Brighter Grammar, London 1975, page 5
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most of the times, we have little dominion of our language, most of the time we do not know what a noun, predicate, subject, direct and indirect complement, etc., are. As future English teachers we must understand our language before using the other one. What disadvantages still predominate in the education? One of the disadvantages the old educational methods presented was the lack of communication on the part of the students and teachers that limited the development of the communicative skills. How many times have we heard the phrase "I understand English but at the time to speak it turns difficult to me". This is because teachers focus more in the exact dominion of the pronunciation, understanding of readings and of the control of grammar rules. If we contrast it with the new one, neither a good pronunciation, nor a reading understanding has been obtained by the part of the pupils. This new method pursues, as main objective, that the scholars when finishing their studies can communicate, besides having a good control of the writing and the reading skills, as well as the creation of texts, in which they can apply all the previous in a real life situation. At this moment I stop and think how can students develop the four skills if they are centered in those of the speech? And how can they dominate those of the speech, without the other two? This would simple be translated as the popular saying "you want to run without knowing how to walk" as well as when kids, we must develop the motor abilities, the secondary students also need to develop the four skills, at the same time and in a balanced way. The modern method presents certain anomalies, one of them is the monotonous repetition of conversations, which are not understood by them, besides the generation of new dialogues does not occur. These should be only lineaments or guides so that they could develop their own texts. The reality is that this is not being carried out; teachers do not request them to produce this type of writings. If we skip this part of work, we are just creating an uncertain atmosphere of doubts that the student does not get to clear. Thanks to dramatizations requested, is how they acquire a certain understanding, and I say "certain" because any change or modification in the dialogue causes in the student a mind disorder. This was what happened in a student-student conversation about a travel agency: Student 1:
Hi Sir, good morning!
Student 2:
Have a sit, please. 22
Student 1:
I would like to travel to (New York City)
Student 1:
changes the name of the city because it does not remember the one described in the dialogue.
Student 2:
...(?)
When 1 changed the name of the city in the dialogue, 2 loses the sequence of the conversation and remains quiet. The teacher told student 2 "do not be confused, he just changed the city", but because of memorization, the student could not pronounce a word and he could not continue. A problem in the conversational English that the secondary school teachers intend to teach is that they do not give their classes in this language, arguing that the students do not understand. My question is: How can students develop their auditory understanding, and how can teachers expect them to become familiar with the English Language if they teach it in Spanish? I totally disagree with this " reactionary " thought, and I support this, according to my experiences in the laboratory in where I totally presented a class in this language. I must recognize that at the beginning, it was difficult, because of the vices that are already part of the students; I realized that learners are accustomed to listen to the instructions in Spanish and rarely in English. A class totally taught in English. When I arrived at the class, I greeted the group, and told them that the topic we would see was totally new and, therefore, I requested their attention because the class would be in the English language and that all of us have had contact with "warnings and advices". As an introduction, I asked them in which places was not allowed to run, most of them did not understand, until I began to run around the classroom and later I made an indication with the finger as a refusal. They quickly began to name some places -which I automatically proposed that they pronounced in English- all of them remained quiet, thus I help them saying that a school was a place but, I needed more, another young person responded "park" and immediately boasted because she was the only person that answered, later I requested her to reanalyze a little because we can actually run in the park, I wanted the opposite. A phrase caused that the students began to pronounce several places "It is participation" I could noticed that the teacher has accustomed them to accumulate participations in the list when 23
any positive intervention, this is something favorable because it is an extrinsic motivation but I am trying to eradicate it, step by step, so that the motivation becomes intrinsic in them. Once I introduced them to the subject, I showed a drawing of a bottle and I requested that if somebody knew how the pronunciation was. I began to form a description of the drawing about the color, its form, its components etc. When I finished the description of the object, I asked them the same thing, in which places you could not drink? They were already activated and the answer was greater and faster than the previous activity and I solicited them to write the examples in the whiteboard, to have an order and consequently, not to repeat the places, the intention was to activate to the maximum its vocabulary and not to limit their possible answers besides, more drawings were waiting when they finished the written exercises I began to show another drawing and I requested exactly just like the previous exercise, this drawing represented keeping silence, this was very fast, the speed increased, there was no moment for taking a rest, they were enchanted with this working form, I continued showing drawings and taking participation without problem. To consolidate the topic, I had prepared exercises for a voluntary participation. Five people offered to participate without knowing what it was about. The thematic was very simple I distributed five envelopes; each one containing an action to be performed in the classroom. The first participant had to eat inside the laboratory. I ordered them to pay attention to the representation and, immediately asked them: - what is he doing? To which they responded, "to eat"; - it is correct but, how do we say when the action is happening right now! , Eating? A young boy with a question tone responded. - Exactly, now tell me, can he eat inside the laboratory? - No, he cannot eat here! This exercise attracted their attention; they felt more productive and participative. I continued with the dynamic. The second participant would represent a person throwing papers on the floor. I made the same questions; the students continued responding in an assertive way the examples presented by their partners. This time I approached towards the participant and argued that he could not do such atrocity, so I suggested him as an advice, to deposited the papers in the waste basket, this was a little improvised by my part, it served to change the activity a little. The other participants played their role and the young people without more problem responded to my questions that were very similar to the previous exercises. After playing, 24
learning and finishing my proposal, I had to apply the magic papers supplied bye the school in where they handled certain examples of warnings and advices obligatorily. We made several choral repetitions to practice the pronunciation and after that, I had to dramatize the examples so that the student could deduct their meaning. What resources were used? I proposed myself that the teenagers became more familiarized with this language and without feeling intimidated, I was involving them little by little, before radically giving the classes in the language in process of learning, I began by the use of instructions and commands that cannot be forgotten in the English classroom, which I enlist: Greetings Farewells Classroom Basic Language Instructions Exclamation
Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening, How are you? Good bye, Bye, See you later, Good night May I _____? It’s your turn, How do you spell____? How do you say_____? What’s the meaning of_______? Pass to the____, Open your book to page___, Take out your notebooks, Answer these exercises. Good luck! Wow! What a surprise! That sounds great! Really?
These are just the basic items for an educator who teaches this language, if we do not apply them daily; the result would be that any method would not succeed. Something very simple, but very productive is the "total physical response method" which complemented with the mimic technique, become useful when exposing our classes in this language. We have in our hands a very powerful and practical tool, in addition, very attractive and amusing for the secondary students. Advantages of its application. Getting to know how to properly apply them, we can distinguish that both are beneficial for the students, on the one hand we find the traditionalist method in which the developing of almost perfect writings by the students was presented, on the other hand, we find the modern method in which, at present they are not carried out by the English trainers, even though these skills cause a better performance in them, besides, their understanding towards the readings, allow them to produce the conversations with a better pronunciation. Another aspect equally important is the developing of the writing abilities, which allow 25
the pupils to present the examinations with a greater facility. Unfortunately although the approach is communicative their abilities are being evaluated in the same way. About the conversational teaching method, the advantage is that they keep constantly practicing this language and they get even more familiarized with it, obtaining a semi-improvement. This can just be obtained when the four abilities are being developed. We have referenced several techniques and some educational methods used for this language. Therefore, I will define them for its better understanding: The grammar translation Method. This method is not new, it has had different names but teachers who teach languages have used it during many years. In a time, this method was called classically used for the first time in the education of the several languages as Greek or Latin. At the beginning of this century, it was implement in order to help the students to read and to appreciate the Literature of foreign languages. They also hoped that, through the studied language, they became familiar with their own language grammar, helping to speak and to write better in their mother tongue. Finally, they thought that the learning of the foreign language would help the students to grow intellectually, it was recognized that probably never they would use the study object language, but that the mental exercise of the learning would be beneficial anyway. The predominant characteristics are: to introduce the maternal language when teaching, to learn the vocabulary as isolated words, the extensive explanations on grammar details, to use texts as grammar exercises instead of paying attention to them, debilitating translation practice from a language to another, to ignore the pronunciation. Direct method. This, as the previous one, is not new. Language teachers have applied their principles during many years. Recently it was revived, as a method in where its goal of instruction was how to learn to use the language to communicate. Ever since the grammar translation method was not so effective preparing students to use the foreign language in a communicative way, this became popular. The German educator Wihelm Viëtor at the beginning of 80´s. introduced this method focusing its instruction in the oral language. Giving the classes in the 26
studied language, learning daily vocabulary, to talk by means of questions and answers between teachers and students, to learn the grammar in an inductive way, to use real objects to learn the new vocabulary, to make emphasis in the use of the speech and the auditory ability, to insist on a correct pronunciation and grammar are some of their characteristics. Audio lingual method. It was developed in the United States of North America during World War II. In that time people were needed to quickly learn languages for military intentions. Whereas the goal of the direct method was the communication, there was a time in which new and exciting ideas about the education of languages emanated of disciplines of linguistic description and psychological conductivity. Some of their principles are very similar to those of the direct method, but many are different being based on the language and learning concepts of these two disciplines. This present certain characteristics which identify it, such as: the proportion of information in form of dialogues, the learning is but imitative than of memorization, the grammar structures are acquired by means of the repetition, the explanation of grammar rules is almost null, the vocabulary to acquire is limited to the context that is being carried out, the use of cassettes and visual means is essential, the pronunciation is very important, most of the teachers teach in the language in learning process and, are concentrated more in the content than in the grammar.
Cognitive Method. This emerges as a response of the audio lingual Method. There is an emphasize in the communication or communicative competence. Its acquisition seems as a formation rule, grammar explanation in a deductive form is preferred. Pronunciation is less emphasized because it is worthless to think that most of the students will try to speak it as natives. teamwork and the individual instruction is marked. There is a renewed interest in the vocabulary that teenagers are learning, specially, the expansion of passive vocabulary with reading purposes. The teacher is more a guide than an absolute authority figure. The importance to audio comprehension is given. Mistakes are considered as inevitable failures resulting from the learning process, the systematic study, the interpretation and the work with them. The writing skills (reading and writing) and the oral skills (listening and speaking) are 27
considered in the same importance. Repetitions are not accepted and silence becomes useful and sometimes necessary. The use of the mother tongue and translations is valid. Contextualization of all the learning point through the use of audiovisual resources, short stories, and other appropriated ways for the activity that is being taught, is given.
The total physical response method. It is an example of a new general approach to foreign languages instruction, which allows the student a clear and direct comprehension. Its goal is to develop the auditory understanding. The idea to focus the auditory development during the early instruction of the foreign language comes from the observation of how children acquire their mother tongue. A baby spends several months listening people around it before pronouncing a word. The kid has the time of giving sense to the sounds it listens. Nobody tells him when to speak it does it when ready. In order that this method works, the classes have to be totally in English, bring into play images, using as less as possible, maternal language. It was developed so that the students lost the fear to communicate in this new language, enjoying the experience. We have seen part of the diversity of methods applied in the instruction of this language and the necessity to use all of them to realize how useful they can be at the moment of teaching, and which one students feel more comfortable, activated, dynamic, more participative. When we apply them we are not just searching the best, as future instructors, we develop our capacities to a high level, amplifying our own methods to teach this as best as possible.
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CHAPTER III
IN SEARCH OF THE EFFECTIVE METHOD WHEN TEACHING ENGLISH
"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." James A. Baldwin
We must be conscious of the importance that the English language has at this moment and, that our work is to find the way to instruct it, so that the students can use it in real situations. At this moment, foreign influences such as, companies, and communication methods in where English plays a fundamental role surrounding us. After having seen the used methods in the instruction of this language, we arrive to the questions, which is the best method? Which fulfills or satisfies the students’ necessities?
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The teacher’s role with the students. The teacher must be a guide, supervisor, leader, a friend and also an excellent observer who can distinguish, the advance of the adolescents, to detect who learns faster and who does not, and with which method they respond better. When using diverse activities we can help learning to become really significant for them, leaving monotony to a side. Many teachers continue planning the classes with the same activities in the same way. Being continuously applying new educative proposals is how we can attract our students towards this subject that is seen by them as something difficult to learn. What students expect from an English class. With respect to all the observations made and to the opportunities that I had to participate within a classroom, I have been able to identify and to value the performance of the adolescents in this subject. Something that came to my mind was the fact that the apprentices are more worried to have their notes in order, to participate and to memorize the dialogues proposed by the teachers or to increase their scores, than to the learning of this useful language. When applying interviews, I could notice that the learners hope that the subject will not be instructed the same way every day, but something different for them, they argued that the teacher, when directing the class in a monotonous way causes that they totally lose the interest towards this language. A radical change is what they wish for their own benefit. It is necessary to remember that all the activities or the subjects that are distributed cannot be destined for all the groups, and I could verify it at the time of exposing the same subject in two groups using the same exercises. The result was not the same, is necessary to make conscience about the diversity of groups that work in different way. In the secondary, which I did in my service social and practice, I helped in three groups of third "A" "B" and "C". The first group emphasized by its written participation and they were not distinguished being a very communicative group, presenting its dialogues with certain shyness. On the other hand the second group they were a little "difficult” because they did not like to work, but they had to be interested in the activity otherwise thy just fulfill the aspects of evaluation. At last the third group was very participative and generally they found their own interest to the propose activities no matter how showy or flashing they could be.
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A class plan as an indispensable instrument to give a lesson We have been witnesses of the lack of a correct planning in classes given by high school teachers that feel comfortable due to the possession of a total dominion of the topics that they have acquired through the time and the experiences lived in a classroom, putting a little effort in to create or innovate the next sessions. This is a problematic and most of the time produces the apathy of the adolescents decreasing the interest towards this subject. I have the opportunity to read a variety of class plans designed by teachers of this subject, and I could notice that is only the development of the texts book (exercises). In these are contained a semi controlled description about the things they have designated for each season, as an example I present a class plan used in different groups of third grade: Topic and objectives Skills to develop Warm up and feed back
The use of interrogative words (will, won’t) Reading, listening, speaking and writing Emphasize that the auxiliary (will) always goes
Introduction and presentation
before the verb When will you go to La Fe disco? Next Saturday will your sister go with you? No she won’t she will go to
Practice
Victoria City Students will answer exercises 1 and 2 of page 42
Application
(interrogative words, will and won’t) By planning future actions students will be capable to use the acquire knowledge or information.
Group organization Didactic resources Evaluation
In pairs Check mate book, dictionary, markers, bond paper By oral participation, the exercise will be checked
whether they are correct or they don’t When observing this unqualified class plan, we can see that there is nothing extraordinary or motivating also for the students who have manifested that they are tired of solving exercises from the books. Analyzing this design deeply, we found in the section of skills to develop it is pretended to cover the four abilities. This is something that I disagreed, and the reason of my posture because of the scarce exercises that involved teenagers in a way they can assimilated on their own rhythm and not with systematic work which just develop writing skills, because the oral participation is almost null their innervations seemed to be limited in to give answer at the exercises solved in class. When we start with a warm up, this must absolute attract pupils to the lesson about to be given, besides it must involved physically also. This kind of activity helps us as teachers to “break the ice” with teenagers, 31
moreover we prepare them to the next activity, which would be active and functional. In this step, we do not set useless explanations because in the practice we can perfectly take out those doubts and to clear details just as is shown in this plan “emphasize that the auxiliary Will always goes before the verb”. The introduction and presentation that is expressed in here it would be settled as a warm up, flashing questions with the auxiliary will are shown which activate students in a high level to start working with the teacher. In this step is contained all the activities and the materials in which we want to teach the lesson so as the resources that will be employed. Once, we get to practice we must not limit our students to solve written exercises to later respond them in oral form. There are three types of practice that might help in the development of sort specific skills. One of them is the “controlled practice”. In this one the teacher asks students to repeat after he does, as an example. The second one is the semicontrolled practice in where the preceptor guides students in the way they can express themselves better. In the free practice adolescents, once, they have comprehended the topic they will be participating with out fear and using less the help of him. The evaluation that is marked in this designed, in mentions that it will be realized taking into account whether the answers of the pupils are correct or not. In this process of evaluation the teacher would not be based on correct answers because in this one a lot of factors impede students from a good development such as nervousness, shyness, panic might provoke an inefficient development an this does not prove that they have not understood the lesson. Proposing a Class Plan. We have to take in to consideration two aspects before we develop this class plan: the material and the resources. Most of the time we have believed that the creation of this instruments is necessary to later recollect everything that will help and support during the class. According with my own experiences I have observed, that is less complicated to give an exposition when we posses all the supporting tools in our hands, planning becomes easy when you have all the items instead of working imaginarily. There are important aspects inside this instrument, which are: warm up, presentation, practice, application, and consolidation in where. Each ones cover certain information of work that must be specified at the moment of its elaboration. In the warm up teachers must activate the apprentices with 32
dynamic, physical and mental exercises so this way they capture their attention and interest that will be ascending during the class, and this one will depend on the teacher side. It is quite common to use the mimic and the total physical response. I emphasize that everything is not just work; we can combine it with joy and fun. In the presentation all the material is shown so the vocabulary ad the resources that will be used. Teaches does a little feed back of the vocabulary already seen in past lectures. The realia helps a lot of the students to familiarize and to connect them to the topic. Everything we can smell, touch, see, fell is quickly and easy to assimilate by the brain. When beginning the practice, the instructors guide the students in a sort rhythm they can follow because maybe is a new lesson is given when they have practiced enough; we exhort them to participate, taking in to consideration that they are not going to do it right the first time, we pay attention also to the difficulties they might have, we stop the class to explain again to clarify any doubt. To prove the student’s comprehension we ask for his participation, but in this occasion we let him alone, we have named this step “free practice”. The next procedure is application in where pupils have to demonstrate if the objective has been reached or not. Exercises must be focused to real life situations. The intention of these trainings is to help students to imagine that they are interacting as foreign people. In this way students feel more comfortable at the moment of acting in some events of this kind. The fact that we need to consolidate it represent to us to do a detailed observation and check if a problem or a misunderstood aspect are presented. Now we can balance how many percent of them understood and if they did not, exemplify it one more time taking out possible doubts. At the end of this plan we do an evaluation, we take in to account everything that can be produce by teenagers no matter if it is correct or not. We do not base this process on limited exercises but in the efforts, interest, and disposition to learn this language. Classes developed on the basis of the different methodologies. In a present perfect class, the teacher distributed leaves to them using this time, first thing requested was that they underline all the cognates so that they could give him sense to the reading later I suggested them to identify all the verbs that were appearing. Once they finished they began to underline the unknown words for them, so later they 33
investigated them in the dictionary when finishing it I wrote examples of preposition and frequency adverbs, and proposed that they marked them with different color, not to be confused in the reading, after finishing the exercise, the teacher requested them to transcribe it in their notebooks all the colored aspects by sections. In a part of their notebooks they had to write all the verbs and to accommodate them by the different times (present, past and future) in another one they wrote all the preposition and all the frequency adverbs at last they would give answer to questions regarding the subject. In this class the use of the English language was not necessary, students did not read aloud and practice pronunciation. All were grammar exercises and as a result of this the students will have a meaning of the reading since all the grammar items and with the cognates automatically students had understood what the writing was exposing. When finishing the class I approached to some students with the intention to know if they had understood the lesson, which they responded that they were not very sure about the meaning. This type of activities obstruct the learning so when they try to translate, loses the sense, stopped in a word losing the whole story, however an interpretation would be better. Based of the direct method. This time I had the opportunity to expose a class and I did not doubt in give it in the English language, I also wanted to know the response students towards this method. The subject was a description of Tampico using the present perfect. When I entered greeted the boys, and immediately I spoke in the English language what it cause a disagreement on the part of them since was something new, and were not accustomed, I requested them to take magical papers to begin the corresponding reading, I did not obtain satisfactory answer reason why I had to repeat the instruction once again but in this occasion it uses my hands and I showed the leaves to them in which we would work, immediately somebody I attract the idea and quickly the voice was run of which it had said. I began to read in a clear way and with very good pronunciation paragraph by paragraph, at the end I asked if they had understood and they responded - It is about Tampico teacher. It was obvious that they had idea since title was the name of this city, so I returned to read but this time I used the mimic to give life to this important reading. When seeing my corporal movements, my gestures, could take in a little more than the first read. Later I requested to them that they read and that as advice I suggested them they respected 34
the orthographical signs so that one took control of order and all followed a same rate. I must confess that the first time I leave much to be desired, although does not leave them continued with the lesson was a total disorder chooses to divide the group in two parts, of a side they would be in favor the young ladies and by another one the men. The dynamic was very simple I organized a mini competition as far as the reading. What they had to read with the as best as possible respecting the orthographic signs, the result was better that the previous one although they are not accustomed to read in group he was something very amused for them to others of which the reading in group form practices. Use of this time formulates questions doing, to continue practicing and although the answers they were favorable were not responding suitably a simple one "if" and "" they were not the possible answers on the part of them. Try to lead them towards the most correct answers and I exposed an example: Teacher - have you to ever visit the metropolitan Park? Students - yes! Teacher - yes, but completes the statement! Students - Masterful yes I have. - it is correct but, what else! Students - yes I have visited the metropolitan Park. This small exercise allows them to interact and to make use of this language and also them aid answer of, of correct way the questions that in their majority are used in the examinations written. Like using the method of total physical response. This method allows the student to relax before beginning the class, the type of dynamic that I apply, are on the basis of actions that with the help of corporal movements we can lead the students to that they execute them without having to request them in the language mother, and on the other hand they help to develop them of mere gradual a its auditory ability. The use of material on real scale or allows the adolescent to associate the meaning of the expressions of the language ingles without the use of the small translation and that is very similar to when we learned to develop our maternal language when. Something of extreme importance is that al to apply this type of activities, must be continuous and constant it stops that the students do not desmotivante and half remains in a del way, with which could be the propitious factor for an adapted development of this auditory ability. And n the classes exposed during my practices educational, I proposed several activities using this fabulous method, stops that the young people of secondary could create their own concepts adapting 35
them in their dialogues so that these were more showy and more credible. Eclectic method. The use of a this propitious diversity of activities, because it is not based on a single method but on a set of several for the facilitations of this language, the best method is not concentrated in only one, and when using it allows to us like teachers to offer attractive and educative classes for the students, and so will be causing the constant activity of the students. When gliding the classes we can be identifying in which moments of the class we can be applying the different methods and that type of activities can be adapting to obtain an ideal class for the pupils. The teacher who leads this methodology must consider the different styles from learning of the students, his interests and necessities as well as to activate them of different attractive and dynamic ways, to be positive, to correct with discretion appreciating the effort of the students. The professor must foment the language inside and outside the classroom. To make investigations diverse to optimize our educational performance, has knows to recognize that we are not an inexhaustible source of knowledge if not anybody that always this ready to learn new things day after day. The eclectic method is the use of diverse currents methodologies and was without a doubt some the one that I predominate; although the used methods were not many were combined such as the direct, audio linguistic method and the total physical response. The form of pick up of the language on the part of the students depends on you mature it and the attention that this needs, since these are seen in the necessity to dominate it by the great demand at the present time, due to this to establish communication with the others, to which it opens the doors of his future as well. The constant practice increases the learning. Once I have exposed the classes based on different methodologies most used by teachers, I concluded that one of the main factors in this process of acquisition is “practice”, nevertheless, how is practice seen in secondary school? We have had the wrong concept that this is the distinctive mark of the repetitive learning, which improves the apprenticeship in two basic ways: a) after the instruction, before students forget it, and b) after a while when factors such as forget ness, confusion of similar ideas, has been presented letting them to clarify 36
difficult aspects. The revising done by professors let them to know which are the failures or rights to reinforce points that obstacle the learning or acquisition of new knowledge, due to an inefficient exposition. The constant revisions of the exercises must be programmed with certain space inside the class Why is necessary to do this? Most of the time we dedicate a big part of the time in teaching some kind of knowledge that might be relevant but we miss the errors and the clarifying of the initial failures of comprehension. What is pretended with this order? The link of new ideas wit the ones we have acquired before. The participation of the pupil in subsequent classes of the same kind. The consolidation of previous knowledge and the ones we already acquired. To facilitate the learning of new topics. The development of the four skills. Increase the retention of knowledge in large time. Help the students to detect failures and to design didactic proposals to facilitate the student’s learning. It is a necessity to accomplish these points and certainly not to carry out a repetitive practice or better yet just to follow the step number three of the class plan.
CONCLUSIONS To close this document I notify that a radical change in the way of teaching this language inside the laboratory has been made, now most of the classes are carried out in this spoken language. The use of didactic material has change also. It is not focused to solve book exercises; on the other way students use this tongue as something useful exercising it with functionality. Students have a better comprehension towards this subject thanks to the 37
implementation of different methods at the moment of introducing it, capturing as well the indications and expositions due to the different techniques. One important aspect is the use of this subject outside the class by them; most of learners repeated funny dialogues around the scholar cycle, which I corrected discreetly. The approaching of the students towards me was notorious; due to the interest they presented to this subject by my side I offered all the attention and this disposition so they improve their skills. When different strategies were used not jus the way of introducing this tongue was renew but the concept communicative function does not need syntactic aspects changed into the concept of “they are intrinsically bounded”. Something that was benefit for them was the use of grammar rules, which helped them to have a better idea about the order of the words in a sentence. In the search of the efficient method we found that there is not just one that give you all the tools to work with teenagers but to link all of them to in order to teach as well as we can. As future teachers we need to be conscious in not to give a class with out preparation because we can damage our students we need to prepare our classes using a class plan to organize our work, distributing this one with order and quality.
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