learning by doing

I love the idea of learning by doing! What better way to teach than to apply it to real life. In all of my teaching classes, this has been encouraged - to bring the real world into the classroom, to approach learning as a necessary thing to solve real problems. Just yesterday, I participated in a microteaching experience with some classmates, where we practice-taught one another our lesson plans. One of my classmates was teaching a lesson on bacteria and stuff like that. Pretty boring! But she opened up the class with a scenario in the ER - and that drew some attention. When students can see themselves using the materials they are learning, it is so much more motivating to them.

I want to focus on just one idea presented in this chapter - using "real" L2 materials. I have learned Spanish out of a textbook since I was in 7th grade, but there was nothing more satisfying that going to Mexico and actually seeing it used on billboards, on menus, in books, etc. Prior to seeing the language in action, in essence, it was easy to be convinced that the language actually did not exist elsewhere! Obviously ELLs within the United States will see the language all around them, but it is necessary for us as teachers to draw attention to it and provide opportunities for students to study it. Text is all around us; the internet makes it beyond accessible. ELLs should have plenty of exposure to these forms of language - and like Wong mentions in chapter 4, they don't need background information first! Many times the meaning of a word or the use of a phrase can be implied from an advertisement or something of the like. Students can actually scaffold their own learning, in theory, because they are constantly building a little bit more on what they know, trying to figure out the world around them.

Just the other day in my ESL class at the ELI, I brought in some AAA books for my students to look at. We were talking about travel and I wanted them to see an authentic text that English speakers can use to plan trips. They were very interested in this particular item! It aided their learning, and it helped them to apply what we had just learned. I was thrilled that they found it helpful.

"Real" L2 materials are not hard to come by - they are all around us. It is up to us as teachers to figure out how to help students learn by doing - planning activities and real experiences for the students to better understand the language community they find themselves to be a part of.