What is your learning style? Have you ever taken a learning style inventory? In your classrooms as teachers how have you or do you address the issue of learning styles? Finally discuss your experience with learners' beliefs about language, of either your students or their parents. How has it affected your teaching?
I really don't think I have an especific learning style, depending on the content, context, and environment, is the learning style that I apply to the learning. However, when it comes to my L2 I benefit greatly when there is visuals and concrete objects involve. Abstract or just verbal content place more difficulty for me to learn or grasp the concept. I have never taken a learning style inventory, it would be very interesting to see what the results say.
In my classroom the learning styles are diverse, is not easy to identify students' learning styles at the beginning of the year, but gradually you get to know who benefits more of visuals and hands-on activities. Anyway, because I am teaching a second language all day long, I use all strategies regarding of learning styles because at this stage (kinder) children need exposure to different ways of teaching and they can benefit from everything.
At the beginning some of my parents (from the English speaker students) were worry, maybe that is not the word, preocupied is more like it, about their children's ability to learn the new language. They were also looking into how the rest of the school population was going to take this new approach to language learning (dual-language prgm.), the result at the end was very good. The parents were so happy to see the progress of their children, not only because they learned the language, but because our objective was for them to learn the content and be at the same level as the mainstream classroom students. I think that throughout the year I instil the trust in the parents and I changed the view of many people towards Spanish. I created a community in my classroom where all cultures, backgrounds and languages were valued and appreciated, and that appreciation grew throughout the whole school. Little by little I show people how important a language is for me and how proud a person has to be about their culture and language. It is a process that begins in the classroom and grows to homes and communities and is a very difficult job, and more a responsibility that ALL bilingual teachers should fullfil.
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2 comments:
I agree with you, in the beginning of the year it is pretty difficult to know the children’s learning style but eventually once you get to know your students and their learning styles. Everyone needs different strategies for different learning styles, children at that young of an age need exposure to everything because one student might need visuals and the other may not. It does not matter what language you are teaching you need to be able and show the children through the different learning styles.
Erika, I think it is great that you communicate with your students' parents. It is key that they understand your goals for their children and get their support in order to be more successful.
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