Effective pedagogic principles in primary teaching today - Essay Example

Effective pedagogic principles in primary teaching today Introduction Extensive studies have been done about the effectiveness of the instructional models used in teaching English, from a wide array of perspectives. However, the scholars of this area have remained divided on different issues, including the effectiveness of English teaching and instruction giving for different groups, particularly when talking about native English groups and non-native groups. In response to these questions, different scholars have maintained that the knowledge developed about teaching and instructing native English speakers, also works as effectively for non-native learners (Goldenberg, 2006). Other scholars have maintained that it is not accurately factual to work using the assumption that the instruction and teaching models that work for native English speakers will work for other groups in a similar manner (Meltzer and Hamann, 2004). For example, scientific studies have showed that formative evaluation is the foundation for best practices in teaching the English language effectively. Through this report, the writer will explore the most effective teaching and instruction strategies for teaching the English language to both native and non-native groups, drawing from the support of scientific evidence. Effective principles of primary teaching Principle no. 1: develop a credible academic content and increase its accessibility During the development of academic content for students of the English language, teachers should check that they establish standards for the content to be covered by the syllabus. Apart from doing that, it is primarily important for teachers to employ all the means available to them, to increase the accessibility of the given content among the students (Garinger, 2002). In a similar way, the teacher should guarantee that the language used for teaching should be culturally relevant and authentic. The research done in this field shows that the textbooks used for teaching the English language should be suitable to the varied needs of the students to be taught using the specialised teaching materials. The extensive research done in this area shows that the textbooks used for teaching students should be varied, progressive, and challenging (Garinger, 2002). The materials used for teaching English should offer learners the opportunity to use language in an integrated manner, and more importantly, the different materials should be connected to one another, so as to allow for the progression of skills in language (Howard and major, 2005). The selection of the materials incorporated into the teaching of English should take into account, the varied cultural backgrounds of the learners, and incorporate the use of culturally relevant literature. The materials used should incorporate a wide range of texts related to different themes, and the activities should foster the language acquisition of the students. In order to help students to understand important concepts, the literature should incorporate a variety of visual representations, including charts, diagrams, pictures and concept maps; visual aids help to make language and content more accessible to students. Principle no. 2: the curriculum adopted should be challenging and requiring high expectations from the learners After learning the basics of the English language, many middle and high school learning institutions teach their learners, using materials that are less challenging to their skills and performance (Freeman and Freeman, 2009). However, different from this outlook, research shows that instructors should make the learning environment challenging, by subjecting learners to theme-based and challenging curriculum; this kind of literature is helpful to English language learners (ELLs) in particular, by fostering the development of academic concepts (Freeman et al., 2003). Teachers should subject their students to challenging learning experiences, through requiring them to take exercise requiring high levels of language processing and thinking. Higher order levels of thinking refer to the mental models of analysis, application, evaluation and synthesis, and teacher should integrate these thinking exercises into the syllabus. Incorporating high-level thinking into the syllabus is particularly helpful to ELSs, because it helps them to learn how to use the skills of higher order thinking. During the course of teaching, it is important for teachers to pursue high performance expectations from their learners, emphasizing the fact that ELLs can perform as well as native English learners (August and Shanahan, 2006). Setting high expectations for students, including ELLs shows that they are confident in their skills, and in the potential of all the students. During the process of teaching, teachers should teach all students, all the core subject areas set for all students. This is important because teachers, often, notice that ELLs show difficulties in completing learning exercises, even after completing their language proficiency assessments successfully. In some cases, teachers have been found to view ELLs in a similar manner as the students suffering from learning disabilities, irrespective of the fact that studies have shown that there is no point of comparison (NCTE, 2008). This is the case, because – unlike students suffering from learning disabilities – their difficulties in language can be traced to their inability to master the use of academic English; early interventions can assist then in mastering the different areas of learning. Principle no. 3: Support specific learning and meta-cognitive approaches Self-regulated or metacognitive learning strategies entail the processes of goal setting, planning the contents of learning, choosing the learning approaches to use and assessing the performance of learners (Cohen, 2010). In the case of ELLs, metacognition is important in the process of learning English as a second language, and it is also a skill employed by expert readers of other languages. It is important for the teacher to take into account that students that posses poor cognitive learning abilities are more vulnerable to reading and writing problems. More importantly, it is important for the teacher to aid his students in the selection of the learning strategies to use, because many lack the understanding of the cognitive learning approaches that are more effective for them (Cleary and Zimmerman, 2004). For example, teachers should guide their students on the metacognitive strategies that are more likely to aid their learning, as research has pointed out that the approaches that use metacognitive approaches are much effective in improving the language performance of learners. Principle no. 4. Use culturally relevant instruction models Past research has shown that using explicit instructions in the presentation of academic concepts, reading comprehension and academic language is critical to the success of learners in classroom exercises. Goldberg (2006) maintains that this principle is very important to the teaching of ELLs; the provision of comprehension and communicative literature is very helpful to their learning. The instructions offered to learners should be comprehensive and explicit in nature, and delivering such teaching requires the teacher to adjust their instructional outlook, in adjusting to the needs of different groups, especially ELLs who are limited in language acquisition (Goldberg, 2006). The teacher should also be considerate about the varied backgrounds of learners, including socioeconomic status, previous education, immigration status, culture and content knowledge (Freeman et al., 2003). Research has shown that the review of the teaching style and approach is very helpful to learners, especially for ELLs. It is important for teachers to take into account that the cultural knowledge of learners can facilitate their learning, and that can also help the teacher in creating a classroom environment which is inviting to different groups, particularly the ELLs (Meltzer and Hamann, 2004). For example, teachers should integrate the learning and the language drawn from the cultures of immigrant learners during language learning. The rationale for incorporating the language and the cultural information of different groups is that students are more likely to feel a connection to literature related to their culture; that motivates them to learn more and through more effective ways (Meltzer and Hamann, 2004). Principle no. 5: Incorporate the first language of ELLs when explaining complex concepts When teaching classes with ELLs, especially those in the process of learning language, their respective first languages offer an important resource for informing their learning (NCTE, 2008). For example, different studies have found that foreign learners can benefit a lot from the metacognitive, linguistic, and the experiential experiences associated to their first language (NCTE, 2008). The studies done in this area have shown that the literacy of students in the English language is similar to that of native languages in many ways, including that the literacy development style is usually the same for many languages. In facilitating the language acquisition of ELLs, the oral literacy and the proficiency developed in other languages lays the framework for language acquisition during the learning of English. Some learning aspects like inferencing, phonological awareness and monitoring comprehension are linked to the underlying cognitive process of language development therefore can help in improving the acquisition of the English language. One of the strategies that a teacher can use is that of monitoring the comprehension levels of learners, which can be used as references to the learning of English (NCTE, 2008). Principle no. 6: Develop reading comprehension abilities using strategies The reading instructional models that have been proven to work with native English learners, in improving their comprehension, vocabulary, phonics and comprehension should be used among foreign students; they foster the development of the same skills. In using the instructional strategies that have been proven to work, the teacher should emphasize the development of literacy components that are essential to the learning of language, both among native English and ELLs learners (August and Shanahan, 2006). It has been noted that phonics and phonemic awareness are the main aspects of the learning process that are highlighted as helpful to learners beginning language classes,. It is important for teachers to teach the basics of the instructional models, during the delivery of instructions. For example, the areas taught could include the contextualization of phonemic instructions, which are the basics of the much advanced learning models. In order to deliver this role successfully, it is important for learners to posses a solid background in the areas of reading processes, language learning, and reading comprehension models of instructions. Principle no. 7: Vocabulary instructions should be offered under various contexts Vocabulary development is very important to the learning of languages, and it is more important to the learners of English as a second language (Short and Fitzsimmons, 2007), therefore; teachers and students should offer a lot of attention to the development of vocabulary. In developing the vocabulary of learners, they should take into account the importance of both depth and breadth, because expanding the vocabulary of a learner helps them to develop other language skills, including writing, reading and listening. In particular, ELLs’ expansion of vocabulary and the different associations between words increases their language acquisition and language proficiency skills. Some of the vocabulary instructions that are very important when teaching younger learners include the exercises that entail the active usage of words in different situations. During the teaching of ELL learners, the vocabulary instructional models used among native English learners can be used, but teachers should be considerate about the strategies that are likely to be more effective in their particular classes (Cohen, 2010). In particular, when teaching foreign learners, teachers can improve their outcomes by teaching metacognitive strategies and vocabulary usage exercises. Another teaching model that helps foreign learners in improving their vocabulary acquisition is that of requiring them to take extensive reading exercises; reading exercises expose learners to different words and the contexts of usage. Principle no. 8: Integrate the skills of writing, reading, listening and speaking Writing, reading, listening and speaking are all critical aspects of language development; the development of spoken English improves a learner’s ability to develop their reading and writing skills (August and Shanahan, 2006). Due to the close relationship between the skills of writing and reading, students should be engaged in oral reading and communication exercises during classes and in other contexts, and that helps in improving their English language proficiency in the other areas of writing and language use. It is important for teachers not to focus on only one key area among the four, during the delivery of their instructions. More importantly, during the planning of class exercises, teachers should pay attention to the exercises that can foster the development of the four skill areas, and that helps to speed up the development of language skills and knowledge (Freeman and Freeman, 2009). Conclusion Extensive studies have explored the effectiveness of the instructional models used in teaching English. Scholars have remained divided on the effectiveness of teaching strategies, some maintaining that proven ones will work for all groups and others debating that some groups, for example ELL students do not benefit from mainstream strategies. The report explored the principles of primary teaching aimed at increasing the effectiveness of teaching and instructional strategies. The principles explored through the paper include 1) developing appropriate academic content and increasing its accessibility, 2) adopting a challenging curriculum, which demands more from learners, and 3) incorporate specific learning and metacognitive strategies. Other principles explored through the paper include 4) developing culturally relevant instruction models, 5) incorporating the fist languages of ELL learners, and 6) developing the reading comprehension of learners through a variety of strategies. Teachers of English should also incorporate 7) vocabulary instructions during a variety of learning contexts, and 8) integrate the skills of writing, reading, listening and speaking skills. The different principles of teaching English to native English and ELL students incorporated subject specific experiences, and also covered the areas of inclusion and appraisal. Reference List Cleary, T.J. and Zimmerman, B.J., 2004. Self-regulation empowerment program: A school based program to enhance self-regulated and self-motivated cycles of student learning. Psychology in the Schools, 41(5), pp. 537–550. Cohen, A.D., 2010. Focus on the language learner: Styles, strategies and motivation. In N. Schmitt (Ed.), An introduction to applied linguistics (pp. 161–178). (2nd ed.). London: Hodder Education. Freeman, Y.S. and Freeman, D.E., 2009. Academic language for English language learners and struggling readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Freeman, Y., Freeman, D. and Mercuri, S., 2003. Helping middle and high school age English language learners achieve academic success. NABE Journal of Research and Practice, 1(1), p. 110–120. Garinger, D., 2002. Textbook selection for the ESL classroom. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. Goldenberg, C., 2006. Improving achievement for English learners: What the research tells us. Education Week, July 26, pp. 34–36. Howard, J. and Major, J., 2005. Guidelines for designing effective English language teaching materials. Seoul: Ninth Conference of the Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, Oct 2004, pp. 101–109. Meltzer, J. and Hamann, E.T., 2004. 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