Last Wednesday, October 1, I had the opportunity to observe Vicky Ledbetter's group 3 listening class. I was pleasantly surprised to find my conversation partner Jihun and his friend Jack in the class. Like most teachers, Vicky began class by calling roll, but with a unique twist: as she called on each student, she asked them what made them happy. I thought it was a great way to get their minds warmed up for the lesson. Everybody loves to talk about themselves after all.
Next, the students split off into pairs to work a on worksheet that corresponded to a dictocomp from the previous class. After 12 minutes, they went over the answers as a class. Next, they did a quick dictation activity, where Vicky read several sentences (one time fast, one time slow) and the students wrote them down.
The final activity for the class was quite fun and challenging. Vicky passed out a worksheet with lyrics to a song, with blank spaces spread throughout of course. Then Vicky played a song by Tegan and Sara and the students were to attempt to fill in the blanks. She also gave me a worksheet to follow along with the activity, and boy, it was difficult even for me! I did similar exercises when I was learning French; they were always pretty difficult, but it never occurred to me that comprehending lyrics in a song can be difficult even for native speakers of the language. I told the class not to feel bad, as I had a hard time understanding the lyrics too!
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Harrison CO#2
On Wednesday, October 1, I sat in on Marilyn Sohan's group 3 speaking class. This was my favorite class observation yet, but also the most frustrating because I wanted to join the class discussion so badly!
For this class, the students continued a discussion they had started the day before. The topic was one I thought was quite controversial: sexual harassment. However, the students impressed with a candid and civil conversation. To set a framework for the discussion, Marilyn had the students play the role of the board of directors for CIES who were tasked with creating a school policy regarding sexual harassment. She wanted the students to come up with a list of ten agreed upon rules about sexual harassment. The students were only able to get through three, but the goal of having a thorough class discussion was definitely achieved.
The three policies the students developed were a dress code, a permanent on-staff counselor, and a review board to hear sexual harassment incidents. While I thought the latter two policies were great, I wholeheartedly disagreed with implementing a dress code as a way to prevent sexual harassment, so like I said, it was very difficult for me to not jump into the conversation. One student (from an Islamic country no less) pointed out that despite the fact that women in his country had to cover most of their bodies, sexual crimes were still a prevalent crime. Another student pointed out that since American's are more liberal with their sartorial choices, it would seem unnecessary to require a more conservative dress code only at CIES.
All in all it was a great discussion and a great class. Five stars.
For this class, the students continued a discussion they had started the day before. The topic was one I thought was quite controversial: sexual harassment. However, the students impressed with a candid and civil conversation. To set a framework for the discussion, Marilyn had the students play the role of the board of directors for CIES who were tasked with creating a school policy regarding sexual harassment. She wanted the students to come up with a list of ten agreed upon rules about sexual harassment. The students were only able to get through three, but the goal of having a thorough class discussion was definitely achieved.
The three policies the students developed were a dress code, a permanent on-staff counselor, and a review board to hear sexual harassment incidents. While I thought the latter two policies were great, I wholeheartedly disagreed with implementing a dress code as a way to prevent sexual harassment, so like I said, it was very difficult for me to not jump into the conversation. One student (from an Islamic country no less) pointed out that despite the fact that women in his country had to cover most of their bodies, sexual crimes were still a prevalent crime. Another student pointed out that since American's are more liberal with their sartorial choices, it would seem unnecessary to require a more conservative dress code only at CIES.
All in all it was a great discussion and a great class. Five stars.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Anna TP #9
Anna Prorok
September 25, 2014
Tutoring Session No. 10
Rina's House
My tutoring session with Rina was once again a very enjoyable and productive time. I arrived and we immediately got started with reviewing her homework and classwork assignments from the week. We went through each of the questions that she got wrong (it was grammar work as well as spelling) and she was able to correct her mistakes on her own just by looking at the question again. I was very impressed by her ability to do this. After this, her mom gave me this particular juice that was very delicious. It is made from a certain type of fruit that is only found in South Korea.
Once we completed the homework and classwork review I transitioned into the reading lesson with her. The book she had was about two characters who were playing the game of hide and seek. The book was on her reading level. Her mother informed me that she and Rina's teacher just had a parent-teacher conference and Rina's reaidng fluency was much higher than the other students in her class. Her mother was very happy and proud. She read the book once out loud and then I had her read the book again, but where she read every other page and I read the pages in between. I chose to do this because she was having some difficulty with some pronunciations of words and me reading it allowed for her would would model to her how to say the words. Once we finished reading I asked her some comprehension questions about the book and we went over some vocabulary that was in the book that she either did not know or I thought was a little challenging for her. I then used those vocabulary words in sentences for her to see them in use and in proper context.
I pulled out a set of flash cards that Gale loaned me to use with Rina in this session. She absolutely loved them. Her mother mentioned to me that she has some trouble making sentences that are more complex so I figured I could use the flashcards to pull a word at random and have her make a sentence using that word. We did about twelve words and thus twelve sentences. She really enjoyed this activity. She even decided to write down each of the words on a sheet of paper and use that sheet for reference at a later time.
Altogether, this was another great tutoring session. Afterward, she and Zoe showed me some pictures that they drew that they had hanging up in their room. I said goodbye and promised Rina six worksheets (she begged for ten) for her to do during our next session.
Marissa_CP#6
Marissa M.
Conversation Partner Blog #6
10/1/2014
At my last meeting with Jesus we had beer and he mentioned that pumpkin was not something he was familiar with in his country. I had promised to make him pumpkin bread so he could try it - and get more of the taste then you do with beer. Instead, I ended up making pumpkin cupcakes for him and all of my tutees. He was very appreciative and texted me that night that he had loved them!
We went to Cascades Park for our weekly meeting. He told me that his class was going to be going to St. George Island at the end of the week to visit the beach. He was very excited about this! There is also going to be a potluck party the following week. These will be some of his last activities, as he is finishing the program and preparing to head home on the 12th.
At Cascades we walked the entire mile route so that he could see the park. He wanted pictures taken at the water pump and the war memorial. We talked about the memorial and he observed that Americans are very supportive and happy about their soldiers fighting. I explained that it wasn't so much that we were happy about them fighting, but proud that they were willing to do so because they risk their life when they go away to war.
He learned a few new words, many of which I did not write down this time since we were walking. However, I remember amphitheater, recycle, churn, water fountain, perimeter, and picnic. \
We played on the map of Florida - a game of where is the city. He guessed most of them correctly. And when we got to Miami we both laughed because of the association foreigners have with it. Jesus pointed out that most people in his country think Miami is the capitol and question where in Florida he is actually going when he says "Tallahassee." I told him that I found this to be true in most other cultures also.
For next week's session I told him that I wanted to take him out for southern cuisine - we are planning on that and possibly taking my tutees (most of whom he is friends with) as well. I just have to pick a good place!
Conversation Partner Blog #6
10/1/2014
At my last meeting with Jesus we had beer and he mentioned that pumpkin was not something he was familiar with in his country. I had promised to make him pumpkin bread so he could try it - and get more of the taste then you do with beer. Instead, I ended up making pumpkin cupcakes for him and all of my tutees. He was very appreciative and texted me that night that he had loved them!
We went to Cascades Park for our weekly meeting. He told me that his class was going to be going to St. George Island at the end of the week to visit the beach. He was very excited about this! There is also going to be a potluck party the following week. These will be some of his last activities, as he is finishing the program and preparing to head home on the 12th.
At Cascades we walked the entire mile route so that he could see the park. He wanted pictures taken at the water pump and the war memorial. We talked about the memorial and he observed that Americans are very supportive and happy about their soldiers fighting. I explained that it wasn't so much that we were happy about them fighting, but proud that they were willing to do so because they risk their life when they go away to war.
He learned a few new words, many of which I did not write down this time since we were walking. However, I remember amphitheater, recycle, churn, water fountain, perimeter, and picnic. \
We played on the map of Florida - a game of where is the city. He guessed most of them correctly. And when we got to Miami we both laughed because of the association foreigners have with it. Jesus pointed out that most people in his country think Miami is the capitol and question where in Florida he is actually going when he says "Tallahassee." I told him that I found this to be true in most other cultures also.
For next week's session I told him that I wanted to take him out for southern cuisine - we are planning on that and possibly taking my tutees (most of whom he is friends with) as well. I just have to pick a good place!
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Jenna TP#8
9/26 12:30 downstairs CIES.
Met with a tutee downstairs really quickly after classes on Friday. This was truly an impromptu session, as I happened to see her at CIES and she mentioned she needed help with her homework. I had time before another tutoring session I had scheduled so we met for a brief 20 or 30 minutes. The homework she was assigned instructed her to ask a native speaker about certain superstitions. To be honest, I didn't really know the specifics about each of them- they were all either good luck or bad luck or bad omens (walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, seeing black cats, finding a 4-leaf clover, etc.). I did notice that my tutee was good at listening to what I was saying and then writing a shorter version down on her worksheet. Even though it wasn't "proper" grammatical writing, she demonstrated good note taking skills.
Met with a tutee downstairs really quickly after classes on Friday. This was truly an impromptu session, as I happened to see her at CIES and she mentioned she needed help with her homework. I had time before another tutoring session I had scheduled so we met for a brief 20 or 30 minutes. The homework she was assigned instructed her to ask a native speaker about certain superstitions. To be honest, I didn't really know the specifics about each of them- they were all either good luck or bad luck or bad omens (walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, seeing black cats, finding a 4-leaf clover, etc.). I did notice that my tutee was good at listening to what I was saying and then writing a shorter version down on her worksheet. Even though it wasn't "proper" grammatical writing, she demonstrated good note taking skills.
Jenna TP#7
Tutored my child tutee Wednesday, 10/1 at 5pm.
Today I was underprepared and had little planned due to difficulties with my work schedule. However, I was able to create a pretty good lesson plan based off of previous work with my tutee and some innovation.
I first opened up with a review and oral quiz on the vocabulary from last week's story The Giving Tree. After going over the definitions I had my tutee put the vocabulary words in alphabetical order. Before I went to my tutoring session I was able to nip up a couple of books from Books A Million and brought Lemony Snicket's The Dark to read with my tutee. We took turns reading each page and I often paused for basic comprehension questions. Each time my tutee didn't know a word I would ask her to sound it out and then gave her a quick definition. At the end of the book we went back to about 4 vocabulary words she had struggled with and my tutee wrote them down on her composition paper and wrote a short definition I gave her. We will review this next week.
We had plenty of time left over after this so we went ahead and started reading a child's chapter book that she had recently gotten from the book store. Mind you, my tutee is only 5. We took turns reading each page and I heavily reviewed each page after reading. We finished about half the book when time ran out.
Today I was underprepared and had little planned due to difficulties with my work schedule. However, I was able to create a pretty good lesson plan based off of previous work with my tutee and some innovation.
I first opened up with a review and oral quiz on the vocabulary from last week's story The Giving Tree. After going over the definitions I had my tutee put the vocabulary words in alphabetical order. Before I went to my tutoring session I was able to nip up a couple of books from Books A Million and brought Lemony Snicket's The Dark to read with my tutee. We took turns reading each page and I often paused for basic comprehension questions. Each time my tutee didn't know a word I would ask her to sound it out and then gave her a quick definition. At the end of the book we went back to about 4 vocabulary words she had struggled with and my tutee wrote them down on her composition paper and wrote a short definition I gave her. We will review this next week.
We had plenty of time left over after this so we went ahead and started reading a child's chapter book that she had recently gotten from the book store. Mind you, my tutee is only 5. We took turns reading each page and I heavily reviewed each page after reading. We finished about half the book when time ran out.
Jenna TP#6
Tutored my child tutee at 5pm on Wednesday, 9/24.
I am continuing our study of alphabetical order, but have since upped the game because my tutee is too advanced for some of the things I was giving her. I printed off a harder set of words (containing 3 's' words) and opened our tutoring session by having my tutee place and glue the words in alphabetical order on a piece of construction paper. She passed with flying colors.
We then read the book The Giving Tree. I had my tutee read the book to me, asking comprehension questions as we went along. For example, in the book the tree is referred to as "she," effectively associating it with the female gender. When I asked my 5 year old tutee if the tree was a boy or a girl she correctly said girl. When I asked her how she knew she said "because it said 'she.'" For follow up activities we went over some vocabulary that was in the book, that again, I had printed out with pictures from the internet and then had her arrange in alphabetical order. For another comprehension and follow up activity I had her place sentences from the book in proper sequence (printed free from online) and then had her glue them to a colorful piece of construction paper. Sequencing wasn't hard for my tutee but she did mix up 2 of the sentences. Overall a good session.
I am continuing our study of alphabetical order, but have since upped the game because my tutee is too advanced for some of the things I was giving her. I printed off a harder set of words (containing 3 's' words) and opened our tutoring session by having my tutee place and glue the words in alphabetical order on a piece of construction paper. She passed with flying colors.
We then read the book The Giving Tree. I had my tutee read the book to me, asking comprehension questions as we went along. For example, in the book the tree is referred to as "she," effectively associating it with the female gender. When I asked my 5 year old tutee if the tree was a boy or a girl she correctly said girl. When I asked her how she knew she said "because it said 'she.'" For follow up activities we went over some vocabulary that was in the book, that again, I had printed out with pictures from the internet and then had her arrange in alphabetical order. For another comprehension and follow up activity I had her place sentences from the book in proper sequence (printed free from online) and then had her glue them to a colorful piece of construction paper. Sequencing wasn't hard for my tutee but she did mix up 2 of the sentences. Overall a good session.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)