Individual needs and learner's autonomyDuring my MA studies I changed my way of thinking about how children differ in their approaches to learning and I have learned to create instructional opportunities that are adapted to children’s needs.
I used to think that we should treat our students equally in order to make sure we treat them fair. However, I discovered that a successful way to go is trying to adress each student's individual needs in the best way possible taking into consideration varied learning styles and multiple intelligences, and knowing how to design instruction that uses children’s strengths as the basis for continued learning. |
Multiple Intelligences |
Multiple Intelligences Theory
'It's not how smart you are, but how you are smart'
During my university courses I studied about Multiple Intelligence Theory. I have noticed how learners are different from each other, even if seemingly they seem to be similar, because most of them enjoy the same activities or find some others challenging.
Getting to know this theory has changed my way of thinking about students' needs in the language classroom. .
I started to reflect on possible ways of implementing Gardner's theory in an educational setting, the way it could be organised in a language classroom and the teacher's role in this process. I believe it can offer the possibility to develop new skills both to a teacher and to students as well as to optimize the learning experience.
One of the assignments I had during my MA studies was to prepare a lesson plan that takes into consideration MI theory and addresses as many intelligences as possible. While preparing this task I started to notice how important it is to offer the students a multimodal imput by a wide variety of activities, because they have different types of intelligence and what appeals to some of them may not work well with the others.
Now I am able to recognize students' needs better and I became aware that I should be more flexible and let students choose the way they would like to deal with or present the task.
I also learned to incorporate a wide spectrum of activities in my teaching that address different MI, e.g. TPR activities to support bodily-kinaestetic intelligence, counting and categorising to support logical-matematical intelligence, writing activities and presenting tongue twisters to support linguistic intelligence, art and crafts activities to support spacial intelligence, as well as to incorporate different forms of work - individual work to support intrapersonal intelligence as well as groupwork to support interpersonal intelligence.
'It's not how smart you are, but how you are smart'
During my university courses I studied about Multiple Intelligence Theory. I have noticed how learners are different from each other, even if seemingly they seem to be similar, because most of them enjoy the same activities or find some others challenging.
Getting to know this theory has changed my way of thinking about students' needs in the language classroom. .
I started to reflect on possible ways of implementing Gardner's theory in an educational setting, the way it could be organised in a language classroom and the teacher's role in this process. I believe it can offer the possibility to develop new skills both to a teacher and to students as well as to optimize the learning experience.
One of the assignments I had during my MA studies was to prepare a lesson plan that takes into consideration MI theory and addresses as many intelligences as possible. While preparing this task I started to notice how important it is to offer the students a multimodal imput by a wide variety of activities, because they have different types of intelligence and what appeals to some of them may not work well with the others.
Now I am able to recognize students' needs better and I became aware that I should be more flexible and let students choose the way they would like to deal with or present the task.
I also learned to incorporate a wide spectrum of activities in my teaching that address different MI, e.g. TPR activities to support bodily-kinaestetic intelligence, counting and categorising to support logical-matematical intelligence, writing activities and presenting tongue twisters to support linguistic intelligence, art and crafts activities to support spacial intelligence, as well as to incorporate different forms of work - individual work to support intrapersonal intelligence as well as groupwork to support interpersonal intelligence.
mi_lesson_plan.pdf |
Study visit in SMART School in Zamość
The experience that allowed me to gain insight into teaching and learning processes was the study visit in SMART School in Zamość that incorporates Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory into classroom teaching.
I have learned about the implications of MI theory during my studies, but I have never had an experience of being in a school that actually embraced the theory, based the curriculum on it and implemented it on the everyday basis. Thanks to the study visit I finally had a chance to observe how it works in the classroom practice. I have observed students working in groups according to their MI, which allowed them to learn through their strenghts and groups that consisted of students of different MI in order to allow all children to share their expertise and respect each other's strenghts. It made me realise how important it is to take into consideration MI theory in teaching and gave me ideas of how to implement it in the the language classroom by groupwork and peer-teaching.
New understanding:
The experience that allowed me to gain insight into teaching and learning processes was the study visit in SMART School in Zamość that incorporates Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory into classroom teaching.
I have learned about the implications of MI theory during my studies, but I have never had an experience of being in a school that actually embraced the theory, based the curriculum on it and implemented it on the everyday basis. Thanks to the study visit I finally had a chance to observe how it works in the classroom practice. I have observed students working in groups according to their MI, which allowed them to learn through their strenghts and groups that consisted of students of different MI in order to allow all children to share their expertise and respect each other's strenghts. It made me realise how important it is to take into consideration MI theory in teaching and gave me ideas of how to implement it in the the language classroom by groupwork and peer-teaching.
New understanding:
Learner's autonomy
I have learned that contemporary methodology emphasizes learner-centred teaching, meeting students' individual needs, considering differences and addressing different learning styles. The teacher is expected to guide and assist learners in setting their goals, plan their learning and encourage metacognition, which helps to develop and promote learner autonomy.
Study visit in Finland
The study visit in Finland was an eye-opening experience for me. What is characteristic to the Finnish school context is a gentle pace of learning, engagement of all parts – teachers, students, parents and the trust that they give to each other.
What is strongly taken into consideration is the process of individual child development, which brings the issue of knowing students very well and supporting their individual learning needs. There is much bigger learner autonomy in the Finnish schools than in the Polish ones. The relationship between the teacher and students differs and both parts focus on the process of learning, not the final product, which is clearly visible in the classroom. Teachers are very sensitive to the individual development of children and try not to stress them in the classroom, they are also not stressed themselves.
Study visit in Finland
The study visit in Finland was an eye-opening experience for me. What is characteristic to the Finnish school context is a gentle pace of learning, engagement of all parts – teachers, students, parents and the trust that they give to each other.
What is strongly taken into consideration is the process of individual child development, which brings the issue of knowing students very well and supporting their individual learning needs. There is much bigger learner autonomy in the Finnish schools than in the Polish ones. The relationship between the teacher and students differs and both parts focus on the process of learning, not the final product, which is clearly visible in the classroom. Teachers are very sensitive to the individual development of children and try not to stress them in the classroom, they are also not stressed themselves.
Working with special needs learners
What I believe is missing in many teacher training programmes are courses that focus on Special education. Nowadays teachers work in the classes where children with special needs integrate with the rest of the class, but many teachers are not trained in working with them and they struggle a lot.
In the last year of my MA studies I had a course that I found very useful, because it allowed be to have insight into the new knowledge. I learned about characteristics of some disorders and how to work with such children and adjust my teaching to their individual needs. It is good to know some techniques of working with special needs children, because they we are able to address their needs in the classroom. I have learned how to work with children with dyslexia, autism, Asperger syndrome and dyspraxia.
In the last year of my MA studies I had a course that I found very useful, because it allowed be to have insight into the new knowledge. I learned about characteristics of some disorders and how to work with such children and adjust my teaching to their individual needs. It is good to know some techniques of working with special needs children, because they we are able to address their needs in the classroom. I have learned how to work with children with dyslexia, autism, Asperger syndrome and dyspraxia.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is more and more common reading disorder that we can encounter while working with children. In one of the classes I have studied some techniques of how to facilitate learning to children with this disorder and how English teaching can be adjusted to their individual needs. I learned about the nature of dyslexia and gained an understanding of the strengths and weaknessess of dyslexic students and their specific characteristics as well as a basic knowledge on how to work with dyslexic students in a foreign language classroom. Dyslexic students should be prompted by a teacher and trained in controlled practice writing activities, as well as provided with good models to imitate and be praised for the effort they put in writing. I also prepared some helpful teaching aids - zippers, in order to help the learners with dyslexia manipulate the words and find some patterns that will faciliate decoding words. Moreover, in my presentation in front of my colleagues I encouraged them and provided materials for preparing their own zippers. I also found in my own resources some books that allow children manipulating the letters, which I will be able to use while working with dyslexic children. Asperger syndrome
. One of the tasks that I had to complete was preparing a teacher diary excerpt, where the teacher writes about her first meeting with the child who has Asperger syndrome. It allowed me to broaden my knowledge about this disability and gain new understanding of some characteristic behaviours of such children and some useful techniques of working with them.
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Multisensory learning
While working on the multisensory activity plan I realised how important it is to engage as many senses as possible in teaching, which allows to appeal to more students.
In my teaching I try to prepare teaching aids and to present new vocabulary and concepts trying to appeal to both visual (posters, flashcards), auditory (songs, stories to listen) and kinestetic learners (TPR activities). I also try to stimulate students' senses with using realia that they can touch, smell and taste (e.g. while teaching about fruit and vegetables).
In my teaching I try to prepare teaching aids and to present new vocabulary and concepts trying to appeal to both visual (posters, flashcards), auditory (songs, stories to listen) and kinestetic learners (TPR activities). I also try to stimulate students' senses with using realia that they can touch, smell and taste (e.g. while teaching about fruit and vegetables).
multisensory_activity_plan.pdf |
Strategies to support the needs of individual pupils
Students work at different pace. Some students are fast finishers, others need more time to do the task, some other may need help. I have learned that there are different ways of dealing with this.
I prepared an envelope with extra tasks for fast finishers that I can hand them, when they completed the task and are waiting for the others. Moreover, I differentiated different topics so I can give them extra tasks that are related to what we are working on at the moment (e.g. school vocabulary, or the grammatical structure 'have got').
What is more, I prepared 'traffic lights' for students. They can use them to show to the teacher where they are with the task. This way when I monitor the class I can immediately notice who needs my help and who I should approach. I find this a very useful tool to incorporate in my teaching.
I prepared an envelope with extra tasks for fast finishers that I can hand them, when they completed the task and are waiting for the others. Moreover, I differentiated different topics so I can give them extra tasks that are related to what we are working on at the moment (e.g. school vocabulary, or the grammatical structure 'have got').
What is more, I prepared 'traffic lights' for students. They can use them to show to the teacher where they are with the task. This way when I monitor the class I can immediately notice who needs my help and who I should approach. I find this a very useful tool to incorporate in my teaching.