Chapter 3 - Course Planning: Knowing where are you going

1. Chapter 3 - Course Planning: Knowing where are you going Presenters: Laura Mizuha and Melanie Brooks

2. Goals  are the big picture of your course. They are specific objectives for your students.

3. Goals (p.38) • p38. What are goals? • They usually fall into these 4 categories: • Language knowledge – vocabulary, grammar, cultural knowledge • Language skills – listen, speak, read, write, & translate • Language learning skills – be more effective language learners • Motivation – develop and maintain their OWN motivation Most teachers focus on these. Most GOALS are influenced by two things already: 1) what the school or college exam requires and 2) your own ideas of what students want.

4. Examples from Snow Case 1 – College English Case 2 – High School Seniors National Exam (Vestibular) Less freedom to design the course. Most of focus is on preparing for the exam Not enough time to cover ALL the material, NOR for adding fun activities • NO National Exam • Freedom to choose the goals and design the course • Flexibility to change and do different things • There is probably a textbook. Maybe you have chosen it or maybe not

5. Goals p40. Why is goal setting so important? Set the direction of the course. If you know where you are going, then you know how to get there. Students also know where they are going motivation Students will trust you more if they feel you are taking them somewhere

6. Goals p42. General Principles for Goal Setting • Listening over speaking • Reading over writing • Communication over accuracy • Vocabulary over grammar • Healthy Balance of Skills • Basic Skills and Knowledge • Skills and Knowledge Goals • Building students’ interest in English-language study

7. Goals p42. General Principles for Goal Setting • General skills may be more useful than specific skills. • Ex: conversation repair vs. how to open a bank account • Healthy Balance of Skills • Basic Skills and Knowledge • Skills and Knowledge Goals • Building students’ interest in English-language study

8. Goals p42. General Principles for Goal Setting • Healthy Balance of Skills • Basic Skills and Knowledge • Skills and Knowledge Goals • Building students’ interest in English-language study • Mix goals of skills and knowledge  more students will have a chance to shine.

9. Goals p42. General Principles for Goal Setting • Healthy Balance of Skills • Basic Skills and Knowledge • Skills and Knowledge Goals • Building students’ interest in English-language study • Building Students’ Interest in English Study • Keeping students interested, especially if your course is required.

10. Personal Experience • Attribution Theory – oversimplified, if students attribute their success to their own hard work, they will value the success more and be more motivated to continue. • I believe that students face a point where they believe impossible things become possible. • For me, it was getting my M.A. • I almost didn’t graduate my undergraduate program (B.S.). • Then, later, I graduated from a very prestigious and difficult M.A. program. This belief (more than my ability) made me a better teacher.

11. Materials: The Textbook p44. Advantages p44-45. Disadvantages Textbooks have a lot, (sometimes too much) information and details Books show reading and writing better than listening and speaking Finishing the book becomes more important than learning and using English • Saves lesson preparation time • Provides continuity to the course • Facilitates students’ study and review • Students can see and mark progress in English

12. Personal Example • The course textbook was ALREADY chosen for this course. • Good points – we like the book. I can follow the book chapter by chapter (general to specific) • Bad points – The book can difficult and has a lot of information. • We don’t have enough copies of the book • GOAL: Finishing this book means that you will complete U.S. college-level work.

13. Methods • p45. Methods normally come from: • The recommendations of the textbooks and materials for the course. • What my colleagues are doing. • The way/methods that my teachers used when I was in school. • p46. The method you SHOULD use, MUST match your goals NOTE: not only one big goal, but there are also many small goals for various activities. • The best way to develop language skills is to practice them... again and again. • Don’t shock or scare your students  if they REALLY hate something, they won’t do it (at all).

14. The Syllabus • p47. It is where the TEACHER and STUDENTS both can see and share the goals of the course. • It has 5 parts: Course name, Teacher’s name and contact information, Goals of the course, Course plan, & evaluation (grades) • The students know all the important information from the course. • It makes the teacher set the goals in the beginning of the course. • It prepares the student for the goals and builds confidence in the teacher.

15. Language Learning Projects (LLPs): Working toward Breakthrough • LLPs are not only for you, but also your STUDENTS. • They prepare students for autonomy. • If LLPs are new to your students, it will take practice to make a good plan… and also, to follow the plan. • Explaining (by the teacher) and writing journals (reflection by the student) may be better in Portuguese. What do you think?

16. Suggestion • You can give extra credit for studying at home and keeping a journal about it. OR • You can make 10% of the course grade, to study at home.