In developing and articulating a philosophy of language instruction, or instruction of any kind for that matter, a good place to start is at the end. What is the goal of our instruction? What should students be able to do: recall a set of fact? Apply those facts to a given situation? Analyze a text, […]
A Philosophy of Language Instruction in High School – Robert Harrell Read More »
Too often now, it seems, more every day, that that dang darkness creeps in, a little more each day since the crisis began, and there’s that word again – tired. The darkness used to creep in a little. Now it’s creeping in a lot. You didn’t design languages to be taught through machines, but through
The model for our work as language teachers was always there – your Madonna and Child – but we missed it and put this work, this crazy work we all do for you, up in our heads and we tried to teach your jewel-gifts, your languages, by making our kids do worksheets and think about
The text below is being added to the Primers if you ever have the “homework discussion” with your students, colleagues, or parents: There is a place for Homework, just not homework as it is traditionally conceived. Many people read Alfie Kohn (The Homework Myth), for example, and think he is saying “No Homework”. He is
Source: Language Assessment; Principles and Classroom Practices, H. Douglas Brown and Priyanvada Abeywickrama. Pearson Education, 2010. There are five principles of language assessment: Practicality Reliability Validity Authenticity Washback Practicality includes: Staying within the budget Doable within time constraints Clarity of directions for administration Appropriate utilization of human resources Not exceeding available material resources Considering time
Robert Harrell on Language Assessment Principles Read More »
In various writings, Robert Harrell has illustrated and defended the use of comprehensible input in foreign language classrooms. The CI tidal wave, however, has yet to find its defense in most district level Scope and Sequence documents, which are still largely written from textbooks. In this appendix, Robert makes a unique and refreshing argument in
Another repost from Robert Harrell. He raises the right points and has a way of exposing stinking thinking in language instruction as no other person can. Enjoy! Hi Ben, Thanks to the feedback from the PLC, I have revised the Eight Traps document, adding some additional information, names, and sources. Here it is. Robert Opponents
To God: It’s really been more than a tug-of-war. It’s been like a war. Why has the natural process of acquiring our first language – You’ve done a great design there, by the way – become such an exercise in futility? Only You know how it got this way. But get this way it did!
So many thoughts rush into my mind when it tries to figure out what languages are, and why on earth You ever made them. But one thing is certain. One thing I know for certain. Languages are beautiful, just as You are beautiful beyond beauty itself, and that is why we must learn to teach
Languages are so beautiful, and you made up so many of them, all of them like beads on the string of a glorious and shiny necklace that you made and wear just for us, as a way to draw us closer. They are, these beads you made, of the best quality. They are beads of
Alisa sent us an article from Edutopia (Liz Byron Loya, Nov. 9): STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Strategies to Encourage Students to Turn Their Cameras On Incorporating SEL approaches, playing games, and giving students options can inspire them to show their faces. Here’s the link: https://www.edutopia.org/article/strategies-encourage-students-turn-their-cameras?utm_content=linkpos1&utm_campaign=weekly-2020-11-11&utm_source=edu-legacy&utm_medium=email
Dearest God, Your teachers down here are hurting right now. We know you know that. We just need to say it. This crisis has us scared – scared for our jobs, scared whether we can teach online, scared in general. We’re not just scared. We’re tired. It just seems as if there is lots of
