Discussions

The purpose of discussions is to explore and share ideas on what really works in a classroom. The following is a description of the most three effective learning strategies that I use in my classroom:

Learning Strategies

Online Games: Interactive tools can make learning engaging and provide practice opportunities. Nowadays, students are always online. Young learners, in particular, enjoy the competitive aspect of it. Whenever students are given the chance to take out their devices to play Kahoot, it is always their highlight of the week. Kahoot! quizzes can be a great way to review grammar rules, vocabulary, or key points of a lesson. Additionally, it incorporates sound (audio) and image (visual) tools that can target different learning styles. I also used it to introduce myself in the form of a multiple-choice quiz. Students love the opportunity to learn and reinforce their learning in a fun, competitive classroom environment.

 Role-playing: It allows practicing language skills in real-life situations. It is a fun, dynamic, and engaging strategy that encourages participation and improves communication skills. Acting out scenarios allows students to explore different perspectives and practice using language in a practical context. I use role-playing whenever possible. I start with a simple dialogue that they can act out with correct pronunciation and intonation. After the role-play, there's a discussion where students can reflect on the experience.   

Flipped Classroom: The teacher gives reading assignments to students to prepare before class. There may be some recording lessons that students watch at home. Class time is used for discussions and other activities. It is best to use a flipped classroom with advanced levels.  I asked my upper intermediate class to read a few pages of a short story before coming to class and there were some questions to think about.

Assessments

Think back to your own classroom assessments when YOU were in school. Do you remember a teacher ever evaluating you through a portfolio?  What ways do you remember being assessed? Did they seem fair? Were you better at some assessments?Because of your own past experiences, will you assess differently?

     During my education in Egypt in the 1990s, assessments primarily consisted of monthly oral, mid-year, and final exams. I was not evaluated through a portfolio. The assessments did not seem fair to me. The class had approximately 40 students, so it was challenging for the teachers to monitor the progress of all the students. I struggled with the oral assessments because I was shy and could not think quickly. I always needed to take more time to think before I speak. Therefore, I found these evaluations stressful. I never failed, but I would not do well. There was no chance of retaking the tests. In college, I excelled at essay writing as it allowed me time to develop and organize my ideas.

     As I am familiar with the stress of mid-year and final exams, I ensure that the students are graded according to a variety of categories, such as homework, classwork, participation, projects, quizzes, and finals. Students take pride in their projects, as they get to choose topics that they are passionate about and research them. Additionally, if a student does not do well on a quiz or a test, I provide detailed feedback to help them understand and correct their mistakes. Then, I offer them the chance to retake the test.

_{Informal Assessments}

     Informal assessments are essential to provide insight into students' understanding and needs. They allow teachers to monitor the students' progress and adjust instruction to different teaching strategies if necessary. I use Kahoot! and other ESL online interactive games or stories, like www.eslgamesplus.com, to check grammar or vocabulary understanding. Sometimes, a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down is another way to check quick comprehension before transitioning to the next lesson or activity. I liked the idea of "paper toss" when I searched Google. The students write one question related to the lesson on a piece of paper, then fold it and toss it. Each student must select one of the paper balls, read the question aloud, and answer it. I found the paper toss activity, among other ideas, at this URL:

 https://www.thoughtco.com/informal-classroom-assessments-4160915

Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP)

     I researched the Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP) because I had never heard of it before my TESOL class. SIOP is a research-based model designed for English language learners to help them in all content areas while enhancing their language skills without pulling them out of the mainstream classroom. It was developed by Jana Echevarria, Mary Ellen Vogt, and Deborah J. 

SIOP consists of 8 components: 

• Lesson preparation is another word for objectives. The activities and materials are listed here as well.
• Building background links to students’ background experiences and prior knowledge. In addition, you introduce essential vocabulary.
• Comprehensible input is the use of a variety of techniques to make content clear.
• Strategies are catered to students’ different learning styles.
• Interaction is both student-to-student and student-teacher.
• Practice and application are hands-on activities and ensure language use in meaningful contexts.
• Lesson delivery considers pacing, grouping, questioning, and wait time.
• Review and assessment incorporate formative and summative assessments and feedback. The teacher’s reflection provides opportunities for improvement.
• Review and reflection summarize key points and give the teacher the opportunity to improve.

     What I like about SIOP is that it is comprehensive, addressing all aspects of effective instruction. It is also a student-centered approach, allowing students to practice language. However, fully implementing SIOP can be time-consuming and challenging due to its comprehensive nature. Besides, there are no specific SIOP templates. I attached a PDF of 4 different templates, but there are other templates online. 

Bloom's Taxonomy

I framed some questions using Bloom's Taxonomy. I chose a short story called The Breakup and created six questions based on Bloom’s thinking skills that could go with the story.

The Breakup