Engaging Beginning Level ESL Learners In Critical Thinking
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Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2177] Re: Introductions and Questions: Student Involvement and Critical Thinking
From: Wrigley, Heide heide at literacywork.com
Date: Fri Jul 4 19:13:01 EDT 2008
Hi, Jackie and all
I’ve long been interested in the use of scenarios, and “evocative prompts” to get students thinking and talking about critical issues in their lives. We’ve developed a few of these scenarios for El Civics but the problem is always how to make even simple case studies accessible to students who are very much new to English and who don’t have strong literacy skills. While students can “get” a picture and describe what they see as a problem, articulating thoughts and ideas around these issues often requires a bit more language – using a bilingual approach helps of course but that’s not always an option.
Yet, thousands of people with no or little English have jobs and families and get things done and certainly there is lots of critical thinking going on – and I’m looking for ways of bringing these experiences into the classroom to help teachers see that engaged learning does not have to wait till Englsh proficiency is achieved.
Here is my question, what strategies and approaches have others used that engage beginning level ESL learners in critical thinking?
I’m very much looking forward to this discussion
Heide Spruck Wrigley
Literacywork International
Mesilla, New Mexico
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2181] Re: Introductions and Questions: Student Involvement and Critical Thinking
From: Ellison, Art AEllison at ed.state.nh.us
Date: Mon Jul 7 07:27:14 EDT 2008
Here in New Hampshire, Judy Elliot, the project director of two long
term adult education grants awarded to the New Hampshire Coalition for
Occupational Safety and Health, has been using interactive theater
scenarios with ESOL students at all levels. The scenarios, all set in
the workplace, focus on sexual harassment but also connect to issues
like injuries on the job, workman's compensation, overtime, etc. Judy
can be contacted at nhcosh at totalnetnh.net. The New Hampshire Coalition
for Occupational Safety and Health is an organization supported by the
New Hampshire AFL-CIO.
Art Ellison, NH State Director of Adult Education
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2183] Re: Introductions and Questions: Student Involvement and Critical Thinking
From: Janet Isserlis Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu
Date: Mon Jul 7 09:04:00 EDT 2008
Heide, and all
Thanks for nudging us towards thinking about specific issues, prompts and
approaches.
The notion of critical thinking, and what it means, is probably one we could
spend a long time parsing out among ourselves. In terms of adult learning
(arguably, we're all adult learners), to me, critical thinking has to do
with understanding possibilities, possible outcomes (if I do X, Y, Z, or A
could happen), and making informed decisions with the knowledge and
information I have on hand ‹ and/or knowing how to get the information I
might need in order to make whatever decision it is I'm making. ("Decision"
here could mean deciding what something means, as well as deciding what to
do about something).
In some areas all of us are very good critical thinkers; in other realms,
maybe not so much.
So, with beginning ESL lit learners, one important step seems to be in
helping people name what they know and working to help them
find/construct/use language that helps them then discuss and articulate what
they know. I agree that use of the first language where feasible is an
important step. I also wonder about modelling the use of critical thinking
processes with less 'critical' issues, to begin with (e.g. working out the
cost of a list of groceries, determining which shop has the better prices
and leading, then, towards the notion of how and where people choose to
spend their money, and perhaps more important how and why it is that
some people are able to earn or inherit more money than others. Or
whatever. Our job is not to instil or impose beliefs, as we know, but to
work with learners to help them articulate their own thoughts, engage in
dialogue with one another and with others in their communities, in ways that
help them accomplish whatever it is they're wanting to do.
other thoughts?
Janet Isserlis
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2186] Re: Introductions and Questions:Student Involvement and Critical Thinking
From: Cynthia Peters cynthia_peters at worlded.org
Date: Mon Jul 7 11:58:12 EDT 2008
Hi Heide —
It's definitely challenging when there isn't much in the way of shared
language. Here are some things I've tried with beginning English
speakers.
- 1. pass out paper with a few random lines or shapes and ask people to complete the drawing. It's amazing what people come up with. It gives people a way to express themselves without words. (But then you can give them words for the images they came up with.) They look at each other's work and learn something about each other. Artistic talent emerges! (This is important. Someone can move from feeling like the one who doesn't know anything to being the one who's got real talent. They see themselves in a new light.) The theme of someone's drawing leads to a discussion — which is a great teaching tool for you to work with.
- 2. Role playing familiar situations. Students come to class with lots on their minds — a problem with their boss, with their children, their spouse, their children's school, whatever. They describe the problem as best they can, and two other students act out the problem. Or the student plays the role of the person who is creating the problem (the boss, the child, the spouse), and *someone else* in class plays the role of the student who has the problem. A lot of interesting stuff comes up — not to mention the problem will probably be very familiar to people so they won't need a lot of vocabulary. You can develop a vocabulary list. You can write out a simple dialogue that they develop in their role play. They can do the role play again using the written dialogue. They can take turns playing the same role and then discuss their different responses to the same situation.
- 3. Another thing I've done is worked with ESL students to identify something they feel they are really good at, and then have them teach the rest of the class. I had one student bring in the ingredients to make tortillas. We plugged in an electric frying pan and actually did some cooking right in the classroom. Another student knew all sorts of fancy ways to tie ribbons on packages. She brought in ribbon and we all tried to learn her techniques. In these instances, I (the teacher) was the learner — and in fact not very good at either of these activities — and the student was the expert. The critical thinking comes in when the student sees that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, that teaching and learning can be fun and not power-based, that just because I know English grammar (or whatever), doesn't make me smarter or better.
This kind of learning is empowering because it starts with the
student's own expression or is rooted in an issue that the student is
concerned with. It invites critical thinking because it orients students
towards each other rather than to the teacher. It notices expertise in
each other. It de-mystifies the teacher, too, which I think is
important.
What techniques have others tried in the ESL classroom?
Cynthia --
Cynthia Peters
Change Agent Editor
World Education
44 Farnsworth Street
Boston, MA 02210
tel: 617-482-9485 ext. 3649
fax: 617-482-0617
email: cpeters at worlded.org
Check out The Change Agent online at:
www.nelrc.org/changeagent
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2189] Getting beginning level ESL students involved from the start
From: Wrigley, Heide heide at literacywork.com
Date: Mon Jul 7 14:22:43 EDT 2008
Thanks, Cynthia those are great ideas for getting students connected with each other and taking advantage of what they know and are experts in. So many times it sounds bogus to students when the teacher says "we are all learners here and I learn as much from you as you learn from me" (then why does the teacher get paid and the students don't). So I think the challenge becomes to take advantage of situations where the students genuinely know more than the teacher - students are experts in their own lives; they own their experiences, and they certainly know what happened to them (which can become role plays and scenarios once students have a bit more English) -
I wanted to add a couple of variations to what you had written:
1. I think there's great promise in inviting students to express themselves through drawings and pictures. During the first week, we ask students to make "name tents" and the draw "three things about me" on the back. If it's a beginning class, the teacher models both the "task" and the language (My name is Heide. I'm from Germany (beer stein and soccer ball). I like to hike (stick figure) and I live in the desert (cactus). Some students may need to ask for the words in English that go with their drawings but between the teacher and the other students they usually manage. Students then get a minute to think about what they want to say (mental practice), and then share who they are with a partner and then a small group (Think, Pair, Share). This can go on for a bit to help students get to know each other and build community. Volunteers then share their story with the larger group -
For beginners, it often works well to encourage them to work some more on their name tents if they would like. I've explained to students that I'd like to keep the tents to help me remember who they are - and I've seen amazing work - drawings, pictures, from magazines, small items glued to the paper (a Budweiser bottle cap in one case - but that was a teacher in a workshop)
One teacher in a family literacy program told me she asks parents and children to make "me bags" - that contain real objects that reflect who they are - and students are quite excited to find out what others are unpacking each day.
Students demonstrating what they are good at and sharing information
I think students sharing their special skills that teachers don’t know about is one of those situations where the teachers as co-learner becomes quite real (I, for example, suck at making those big gorgeous Mexican crepe paper flowers). And tortilla making really seems to resonate with a lot of students. In one of the Socorro, TX classes, none of the young women from Mexico had ever made tortillas from scratch so they decided to learn, document the process (with story boards and then digital cameras) and share it with others. Here’s the Lesson Plan by Rosanne Loya and the pictures the students took.
http://bordercivics.org/Products/Lesson_Plans/Storyboard_Activity_Desc_Table.htm
For those of who interested in using craft projects, here’s another example from the Border Civics project by Susan Zander and her students
So thanks again Cynthia for getting us started on specific ideas – I very much appreciate your taking the time to offer not only ideas but such great details.
Any insights from others on using “critical incidents” in students’ lives as a way to have students discuss issues that they are concerned about (before and after Role Plays for example)
All the best
Heide Spruck Wrigley
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2215] Critical thinking in the Beginning ESL classroom
From: Barbara Caballero barbaracaballero at sbcglobal.net
Date: Tue Jul 8 16:40:44 EDT 2008
Good morning,
I just read a lot, but not all, of the recommended articles on teaching critical thinking authored by Stephen Brookfield. Thank you very much for the links to these articles. I think I get it.
I believe that I have unknowingly ventured into this type of teaching in my very Beginning ESL classroom. I'll describe what I did.
You probably need to know that I'm a 58-year-old white woman and I've been teaching ESL for about 15 years, as a volunteer tutor or paid classroom teacher. I'm currently a part-time instructor at Austin Community College in Texas.
Before the lesson in question, my students have learned to say "I'm from ___" and to ask "Where are you from?" I also have taught my students that I'm from Pennsylvania and I'm an American. We use maps and lots of repetition. Now for my critical thinking lesson.
I have 10 or 15 colorful photos that I have cut out of magazines. Each photo is of an individual. Some of the individuals have characteristics in common, some are very different. For example, there are different ages, races, genders, income-levels, abilities, emotions, etc. I'll start out with a few photos of white people who appear to be healthy and wealthy. I display one photo and I ask my students: "Is this an American?" They usually say yes.
We continue by looking at photos of people who look different from the first people. I ask my question "Is this an American?". If there is disagreement, I'll ask, "Is it POSSIBLE?" Sometimes we communicate by "I-don't-know" shrugging, and using "so-so" gestures, etc. Eventually we all agree and repeat the phrase, "It's POSSIBLE." Some of my pictures are of individuals whose clothing and surroundings seem to indicate that they are not Americans. If the students insist that it's not an
American, I'll ask "It's NOT possible? Why?" They point out the clues in the photo that tell them that this is not an American.
Usually there is spirited side-talking in L1. All comments and opinions are acknowledged and are OK by me. My focus is on teaching the phrase "It's POSSIBLE", plus at least the students hearing the phrase "It's NOT possible". But I also want them to loosen up any pre-conceived notions about Americans. The other goal is to get my students used to looking for clues.
I would be interested in feeback from the listserv. Am I on the right track, or am I doing some unintended damage?
Thanks again,
Barbara Rotolo-Caballero
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2217] Re: Critical thinking in the Beginning ESL classroom
From: Holly Dilatush holly at dilatush.com
Date: Tue Jul 8 17:47:25 EDT 2008
Enjoyable story, Barbara, thanks.
I'm a 53-year old with 9 years nearly fulltime adult ed work, ESOL, EFL,
GED, all levels.
My first reaction was to laugh and say, "impossible.... teach them "That's *
im*possible!" or just "Impossible!" but not "...not possible." :D
(I realize both are used but do think that if a concordance were consulted,
that "impossible" would be more widely used)
I'd continue the debates, substituting ________ for America... Is this a
Mexican? Is this a Somalian? etc...
It's been fascinating for me to learn from adult learners -- what kind of
effect globalization and economic developments have had on the honest
representation of who is a citizen of what country... and how many
expatriates there are... or are not...
I love activities using photos, because so often details I'd not thought of
are noted by other participants.
I would say that this type of activity would qualify as one promoting
critical thinking and potentially learner leadership as well.
My mind is sifting various language-related activities that could accompany
or follow such an activity.
Thoughts? Reactions? Comments?
holly
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2216] Re: Critical thinking in the Beginning ESL classroom
From: Wrigley, Heide heide at literacywork.com
Date: Tue Jul 8 18:31:20 EDT 2008
Hi, Barbara
I think this is a terrific example of critical thinking and opening students' minds to new ideas while using engaging materials and simple questions that help the class examine their assumptions. It's not easy to do these things in classes where students understand only a bit of English and are struggling with expressing themselves in the new language. I also like the way conversation flows between the first language and English in your class
I also like that as a group we are starting to make a strong distinctions between student involvement (which can be done using trivial activities) and the challenge of asking students to view themselves, others and the world from new perspectives (while still building on what students know - ( or think they know :))
Thanks so much
Heide Spruck Wrigley
Mesilla, NM
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2218] Re: Critical thinking in the BeginningESL classroom
From: Ann Beck ABeck at LVCCReads.org
Date: Tue Jul 8 19:32:38 EDT 2008
I think you have a marvelous lesson in critical thinking for Beginning ESL -
and that is quite a feat.
Ann Beck
LV Coconino County
Flagstaff, AZ
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2227] Re: Critical thinking in theBeginning ESL classroom
From: Cynthia Peters cynthia_peters at worlded.org
Date: Wed Jul 9 10:59:24 EDT 2008
I agree. Wonderful story. And a great way to get people talking and
using phrases.
Here's a possible direction to take this — which admittedly involves
more vocabulary but could be do-able: Broach the idea of countries. What
are they? What are national boundaries? In the 1800s, people who lived
in the geographical area now known as Texas used to be considered
Mexican. Then there was a war. Now they're Americans. Who makes national
boundaries? How are they decided? Does it matter? What are they for? Do
we really need them? What if we didn't have them?
What is nationality? And how much meaning does it have for each person?
Maybe some are really attached to their nationality. Others maybe less
so. Explore that. Use maps, timelines, etc.
I haven't ever tried this in a classroom, and am just coming up with
this idea off the top of my head, but it strikes me as an example of the
teacher creating a framework for students to take their thinking in new
directions. Thus inspiring critical thinking!
Cynthia
--
Cynthia Peters
Change Agent Editor
World Education
44 Farnsworth Street
Boston, MA 02210
tel: 617-482-9485 ext. 3649
fax: 617-482-0617
email: cpeters at worlded.org
Check out The Change Agent online at:
www.nelrc.org/changeagent
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2233] Re: Who Are We in theBeginning ESL classroom
From: Wrigley, Heide heide at literacywork.com
Date: Wed Jul 9 15:22:41 EDT 2008
And to add to Cynthia's ideas [above]
Bring in "Material World" (Sierra Publishing) by Peter Menzel
Ask students "What do you see?" (Model for very beginners "I see a man ......) - Invite students to work in pairs or small groups to select a picture to look at and talk about. Walk around and be their dictionary (for words they want to know - all students have to do is point to the items in the picture).
And to extend Cynthia's ideas further - Ask students to map "the migrant trail" - tracing lines between beginning and ending places for their journey from "home" to your class (be sensitive to all the different ways immigrants cross borders). Are there "sending villages" and receiving places where families and entire groups end up? What are the push/pull factors of emigration/immigration - consider moving from the personal to socio-political - treading softly and gauging the mood/interest/anxiety of the class as you try out ideas
Heide
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2222] Re: What do we mean by studentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Steve Kaufmann steve at thelinguist.com
Date: Wed Jul 9 00:15:31 EDT 2008
I no longer sure what the subject of discussion is.. So here are my views on
critical thinking, beginner ESL, social activism and the role of modern
technology.
1) Critical thinking.
If learners have limited English skills and a limited vocabulary, we have no
idea of their critical thinking skills. They simply cannot express
themselves in English. How do we know if someone can do the following if
they do not have the words?
- Observe - Question - Analyze - Compare - Evaluate - Judge - Synthesize
And do we judge them based on our cultural standards?
In my experience, ESL learners who seem to have trouble arguing their points
logically, generally have not enough words in English. I wonder how many of
the people on this discussion Forum can sound intelligent in another
language. First let the learners acquire words. The more they have the more
they can learn.
2) Beginner ESL
I think there is enough evidence out there that beginner ESL students should
not be trying to say anything. Just google "the silent period hypothesis"
and you will find lots of articles like
this<http://homepage3.nifty.com/park/silent.htm>.
Let the beginner learners listen to and read simple stories, divided into
30-60 second episodes, where the translation is available in their language.
Let them listen at first while reading in their own language, if they can
read.Let their brains get used to the language.
Let them listen 20-30 times, for a period of 2-3 months Do not put pressure
on them to speak.
3) Social activism
If the goal is not English language instruction, but "educating" the
students in some activist agenda, find a person who speaks their language to
do it. Do not confuse it with English teaching.
4) Modern technology
The best place for modern technology is outside the classroom. This empowers
the learner and the teacher. It extends the influence of the teacher and
makes sure that learning is not perceived as something artificial that only
happens in the classroom.
The exception to this would be if the learners do not have access to
computers, MP3 players etc, on their own.
Steve
--
Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com
1-604-922-8514
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2225] Re: What do we mean bystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Andy Nash andy_nash at worlded.org
Date: Wed Jul 9 10:45:31 EDT 2008
Hi,
I think I’m agreeing with Steve when I say that critical thinking and
language ability are really quite separate things and that there’s no
reason to think that ESL beginners (or any students) don’t already
think critically – or, in fact, that we (the teachers) do. So rather
than talking about “teaching” critical thinking, I’d be more
comfortable talking about “practicing” critical thinking along with
our students. And this, I think, means questioning assumptions and
asking why things are as they are. As Winston noted in his description
of health projects, it’s about considering who benefits and who loses
from presenting information/ideas in a particular way, whose
perspectives are represented or omitted, etc.
Where I differ with Steve is that I think that Cynthia’s and
Heide’s lesson examples show us ways for students and teachers to
hear alternative experiences and perspectives and to remind ourselves
that things can be different (and they ARE different for different
groups of people). And this is what Cynthia was talking about when she
supported the idea of students recognizing their agency – that we
don’t have to just accept things as they are.
Andy Nash
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2237] Re: thinking and activism - are they related?
From: Steve Kaufmann steve at thelinguist.com
Date: Wed Jul 9 12:39:56 EDT 2008
The first priority for people who are beginner or low intermediate English
speakers, and are enrolled in ESL classes, is to improve their English. This
is best done by letting them listen to and read entertaining and familiar
content of their choosing, graded to their level. They should be encourage
to speak when they are ready and about things that are easy to talk about.
In other words the anxiety about using a second language needs to be
reduced. Forcing them to take positions on issues they have not considered
will not help their English. It makes no sense to me to confront these
learners with questions like the following from Cynthia.
"Broach the idea of countries. What are they? What are national boundaries?
In the 1800s, people who lived in the geographical area now known as Texas
used to be considered
Mexican. Then there was a war. Now they're Americans. Who makes national
boundaries? How are they decided? Does it matter? What are they for? Do
we really need them? What if we didn't have them?."
It is obvious from Cynthia's Change Agent web site, and the other reference
on this forum to a website on women's perspective ( I am not going to go
looking for it), that critical thinking here is confused with some kind of
social activism. There is nothing wrong with social activism, it is just
unfair to funders and clients of ESL programs to make them vehicles for
social activism. It is also counterproductive.
To evaluate the critical thinking ability of beginner ESL learners you would
have to speak to them in their language. It may be that they have quite a
developed level of critical thinking on issues that matter to them.
Steve
--
Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com
1-604-922-8514
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2322] What do we mean by student involvement and critical thinking?
From: S. Lawrence shirleyfaith at frontiernet.net
Date: Sun Jul 13 22:25:20 EDT 2008
This response is to Andy. I absolutely agree with you that adult ELLs' brim with critical thinking skills. I have worked with adult literacy learners for 18 years, and have come to realize that most of the students have critical thinking skills in surviving everyday life outside of the classroom. Thay have developed social networking skills which involve having special relationships with people in their community that they have come to trust and to help them in the personal areas of their lives to be able to "make it".
Trust is a major factor in their relationships, and have found some don't trust their teachers enough to reveal all of their thinking skills.
Yes, andy, you are so right. Our professional development system may need to be sure to prepare teachers for working successfully with these students.
By the way, while we are specking of professional development, I am a literacy consultant, begining to develop professional development as one of my services.
If anyone has any ideas for me to consider, please respond. I appreciate it.
Thanks.
Shirley Lawrence, MS
Literacy Consultant
585-328-3072
shirleyfaith at frontiernet.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2277] Re: Whatdo wemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Janet Isserlis Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu
Date: Mon Jul 14 09:05:19 EDT 2008
Steve and all
I don't think you're saying that English learning should be like music
appreciation that one can enjoy either (language or music) with no basis
of prior expectation, concepts or assumptions? That the language or the
music will just be heard and appreciated?
Surely, part of the language learning process involves
receiving/hearing/taking in. But for learning to occur, active processes of
meaning-making have to happen.
In order to learn, to make meaning, there needs to be some basis of prior
understanding, of a world view, yes, of assumptions. The critical thinking
part (in the target language, in this case English) may, for some, be merely
a matter of learning the words to translate thoughts from a first language
into English). For others, it's a process of asking questions, weighing
options, learning more about possibilities and consequences.
Janet
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2287] Re: Whatdo wemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Steve Kaufmann steve at thelinguist.com
Date: Mon Jul 14 12:10:17 EDT 2008
Janet,
I think that the activities of a language learner, and the attitude of a
language learner, are quite similar to those of someone learning to sing.
First one has to listen and get used to the sounds and rhythm. And one has
to find a way to enjoy the learning process. For a more complete description
of my view of language learning you can look at my
article<http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/the-three-stages-of-language-fluency/>which
appeared on Pickthebrain.com today.
Steve
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2290] Re: Whatdo wemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Janet Isserlis Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu
Date: Mon Jul 14 14:45:49 EDT 2008
Steve
I wonder if we're overlooking some of the considerations around purposes of
learning language.
I listened to your blog post about critical thinking and one thing that
occurred to me then, and occurs to me here is the fact that adults have all
sorts of reasons for wanting and needing to learn language, which is
where some of the parallels between learning to sing and learning to
communicate might not be as helpful.
If I'm wanting to learn, say, Chinese, so I might try to follow the Olympics
on a web cast, or if I want to learn Italian, to understand an opera, it's
very different than trying to learn either of those two languages in order
to communicate effectively in areas where those languages are spoken.
I wonder if this might tie (tangentially) into Jackie's last question about
learner involvement, and how learners' determined needs and goals might have
some bearing on this whole consideration of critical thinking?
Janet
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2295] Re: Whatdo wemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Bonnie Odiorne bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net
Date: Mon Jul 14 15:15:20 EDT 2008
To further the analogy, If I want to improve my singing so I can sing in the shower, or in a not so good church choir, or in a very good amateur chorus, or as a professional, my goals are very different. I knew someone who got herself to the performance level she needed to be to do a concert, just to see if she could. Then she decided that she didn't want to invest all the time, effort, and discipline into maintaining this highest level, so decided to spend time on other things, even though she'd "lose" her performance-level singing. So given the survival issues that are different whether one wants to "dabble" in music, or make it one's life, or to learn Italian so I can go on a singing tour with Americans, though I have no intention of living and getting a job in Italy, I have two differing levels I want/need to to attain.
We have many Italian-Americans here who only needed to learn enough English to survive in a pre-literacy level manufacturing job, or at the market, and so, when technology changed and their literacy level was no longer sufficient to maintain their jobs, they had a choice: learn, or get fired. The same goes for the women who had to leave the market and get factory jobs. I just met a woman who's putting in her resume after 20 years in banking; she had lost her Italian accent and was very competent. Then, like a good Italian girl/woman, she had to leave her job to take care of her ailing mother. When her mother died, she was able to get a job at a not-for-profit some distance away, but where she had to speak a fair amount of Italian, and now she's ashamed of her accent, not to mention not being able to pay the gas it takes to go to her low-paying job.
All of this is to say that critical thinking about the level of music or language one wants has nothing to do with the classroom, yet nevertheless is critical thinking: decisions are being made, problems solved, big picture examined.
I'm not sure this helps... But it does demonstrate, contrary to what my previous posts may seem to have implied, that I think critical thinking is entirely an academic matter, or can only be engaged at a specific language level. When I was teaching adult ed/esol and techology courses, the going assumption was that one had to be at least intermediate level esol to learn computers. Not so! sure, it helps, but in a program where it's not a generic computer training, and the students can be assisted by ther peers in L1 perhaps, or by the instructor, lower-level students were perfectly capable of learning computers.
Best,
Bonnie Odiorne
Post University
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2293] Re: Whatdo wemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Andrea Wilder andreawilder at comcast.net
Date: Mon Jul 14 15:09:13 EDT 2008
Interesting point, Janet.
I think teachers should teach what students want to learn to read.
Every so often, "critical reading" pops up on one of the NIFL list
servs.
"Critical thinking," meaning how to frame an argument, has a
developmental trajectory, that is, younger people with age
appropriate brain development argue citing diffrent reasons for their
opinions than older people. While the upper adult level has been
labeled "principles," in actuality not many of us reach this level..
"Critical thinking" seems to be a catch all phrase, the reason I
asked if there were any agreement on meaning. Judging by the remarks
here, there isn't.
Andrea
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2294] Re: Whatdowemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Lenore Balliro lenore_balliro at worlded.org
Date: Mon Jul 14 15:12:03 EDT 2008
Janet and all,
Lenore Balliro from World Education in Boston here. I'm wondering, too,
about helping students investigate their own purposes and audiences for
using English, then investigating how "correct" one has to be in each of
those arenas as they are learning the language. This type of critical
thinking/metacognition might free students from the paralysis that
results of attending to each word and striving for perfection with each
utterance. Where is it OK to stumble, overreach, make lots of mistakes
without huge consequences and possible delightful results? When is it
more risky to do this?
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2296] Re: Whatdo wemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Steve Kaufmann steve at thelinguist.com
Date: Mon Jul 14 15:20:11 EDT 2008
Janet, Heide and all,
The reasons for wanting to learn a language, or improve in a language, are
important, because they are the immediate short term goals, as I
mention in another
article <http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhr5gc97_214ftqr44dz> on
Pickthebrain. However, the short term goal is just the start, and it can be
the start of a long journey.
For me, the goal of language improvement should be fluency, not perfection,
but comfortable literate fluency. I do not believe there are short cuts as
in "I will just learn how to fill out this form". "I will just learn enough
to do my job." " I will just learn enough for the test." This is true, in my
opinion, for ESL learners and native speakers who are functionally
illiterate.
I believe that language learning is an ongoing journey, in one's own
language as well as other languages. The main task of a teacher is to spark
the interest, if that spark is missing, and then to encourage the learner to
continue to study, as independently as possible, not just or even primarily
in the classroom, but even more on his or her own.
I do not believe it matters so much how much the learner gets involved with
the classroom. What matters more is what the learner does away from the
classroom. With the accessibility of books, audio material, the Internet,
and MP3 players, we can all create our own world of language learning. The
teacher can touch many more learners via the web than can be accommodated in
classrooms.
I think that if we are going to attack literacy, teachers need to be
reaching out to far more people than is the case right now, when only a few
% of people facing literacy obstacles are doing much to improve their
skills. Language and literacy practitioners need to look beyond the
classroom.
Steve
--
Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com
1-604-922-8514
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2297] Re: Whatdo
From: Kathy Tyndall ktyndall at nc.rr.com
Date: Mon Jul 14 15:53:23 EDT 2008
Steve et al.
I couldn't agree with you more. The goal of ESL classroom instruction should be functional literacy - not functional perfection. And yes, there is much more to learning a language than just sitting in a classroom. The resources are plentiful, and most ESL (EFL) students are eager to do more. They are definitely participatory learners. One of my roles as the instructor is to build confidence - to give my students the confidence to strike out on their own - to try out the new language in a setting outside the classroom and to explore the resources for learning that exist outside the classroom.
Kathy Tyndall
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2298] Re: Whatdowemeanbystudentinvolvement and critical thinking?
From: Steve Kaufmann steve at thelinguist.com
Date: Mon Jul 14 15:59:11 EDT 2008
Leonore,Bonnie and others
One of the most important messages to a person learning a language is that
"correct' or "perfect" does not matter. Fluency is a realistic goal because
it can be achieved while making mistakes and having an accent. There are
always words that we do not understand, or thoughts we cannot quite express
the way we would like. Learners, in my experience, appreciate this message
immensely.
The language gradually gets clearer, with the occasionally moments of
clarity alternating with moments of darkness.
The importance of the analogy with singing is that for most people, they
require enjoyment and continuing practice, and a minimum of theory. They are
better learned through imitation than explanation. It is easier to sing a
song that you have heard a few times. It is easier to repeat the phrases of
a language after lots of exposure.
The difference might be that not everyone can sing. Most people can speak,
and can learn another language. In those countries where it is considered
normal to speak more than one language, people just do, whether in Africa,
Singapore or Sweden. No big deal.
Steve
--
Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com
1-604-922-8514
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2299] Re: Whatdowemeanbystudentinvolvementand critical thinking?
From: Lenore Balliro lenore_balliro at worlded.org
Date: Mon Jul 14 16:06:51 EDT 2008
Steve,
What I meant was helping students distinguish between cases where
accuracy is really important (especially in written discourse) and where
it doesn't have a great deal of consequences can also free them of the
anxiety of being correct all the time, thus taking more risks. This is
something that comes with reflection and practice, not automatically.
Lenore
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2304] Re: Whatdowemeanbystudentinvolvementand critical thinking?
From: Steve Kaufmann steve at thelinguist.com
Date: Mon Jul 14 16:22:13 EDT 2008
Leonore,
It depends on whom we are talking about and what kind of accuracy. A
beginner need not worry about accuracy of any kind.
On the other hand an international university student needs to be concerned
about her ability to express herself in writing. But even there it is more
the accuracy in the use of words, rather than issues like prepositions or
articles. At LIngQ we find that an insufficient grasp of the range of
meaning and usage patterns of words is the biggest problem people have in
writing. This is most easily acquired through a lot of exposure, both aural
and written, and the deliberate study of words and phrases gleaned from that
exposure.
It is not easily remedied by corrections, nor by making learners overly
concerned about minor points of grammar, and especially not accuracy of
pronunciation.
Steve
--
Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com
1-604-922-8514
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2300] on learning to sing
From: Cynthia Peters cynthia_peters at worlded.org
Date: Mon Jul 14 16:53:45 EDT 2008
I don't know much about singing. But I imagine that to do it well, you
need to do more than learn the basics of sounds and rhythm. Perhaps
that's a good starting place, but to be a *really good* singer, you
would need the kind of coach/teacher who helped you draw on your own
inner strengths/abilities/interpretations to create something truly
unique and beautiful. Part of the artistry might be figuring out how
that individual singer's talents speak to the current cultural context.
Some of the "best" art isn't just somehow objectively good. Much of it
addresses other art or comments on the context somehow.
The best teachers I had when I was in school were the ones who helped
me believe in my own mind, who encouraged me to be skeptical, who
encouraged me to think harder and more deeply. They did this actively
— not telling me what to think but communicating to me that my own
thinking really mattered.
As a teacher, I feel good about having taught comma rules, algebra
principles, and tricks for memorizing multiplication tables, etc. but
the times I think I had the biggest effect were when I figured out some
way to invite the students to use their minds in ways they hadn't before
or when they were prepared to uncritically settle for some accepted
idea. Sometimes, this is as simple as asking a question: What do you
think about that? Sometimes, it was by treating someone as if their mind
mattered. In any case, it was purposeful.
Steve — you said in another post that you want to accept people the
way they are. Does that mean you think that the classroom does not
provide opportunities for potentially transformational growth?
You are worried that some of us who support critical thinking in the
classroom have an agenda. The problem is, in this political and cultural
context, it's impossible *not* to have an agenda — or at least be part
of an agenda. In my classrooms (workplace-based), the agenda on the part
of the workplace was to have workers who spoke better English. The
agenda on the part of the union was to have more active union members.
If I claimed to not have an agenda, I would still be a cog in the wheel
of the super-imposed agenda. So, no matter what, you're carrying out an
agenda of some sort.
My personal agenda is to use the classroom to inspire empowerment and
agency in each individual. I believe this is central to a healthy
democracy and ultimately is essential to our survival. Not to mention,
it is a simple pleasure — like singing or art, which frees up some
form of expression that we otherwise would not have had the joy of
experiencing.
Cynthia
--
Cynthia Peters
Change Agent Editor
World Education
44 Farnsworth Street
Boston, MA 02210
tel: 617-482-9485 ext. 3649
fax: 617-482-0617
email: cpeters at worlded.org
Check out The Change Agent online at:
www.nelrc.org/changeagent
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2305] Re: on learning to sing
From: Steve Kaufmann steve at thelinguist.com
Date: Mon Jul 14 19:13:50 EDT 2008
Cynthia,
You said that your agenda in the classroom is
"to use the classroom to inspire empowerment and agency in each individual. I believe this is central to a healthy democracy and ultimately is essential to our survival."
I do not say that this is an unworthy goal. However, the ESL learners are
not in a position to challenge your agenda. I believe that your agenda
should be carried out in the language of the learner, so that they can feel
more comfortable challenging your assumptions.
Language learning should be aimed at bringing about a very specific
transformation, to transform someone who does not use a language well, into
someone who does.
Speakers of languages are mostly amateurs, as are most people who sing. I am
not talking about training professional singers here. I am talking about how
to make a learning process as enjoyable as possible, because that will bring
about success.
Steve
--
Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com
1-604-922-8514
