Metacognition

Ways to Foster Metacognition:

1. Activate background knowledge
2. Discuss learning with students
3. Have students identify their type of intelligence
4. Give students tools to construct their own learning
5. Control and regulate activities

Prezi Presentation Homework:

1. Automaticity - the ability to do things unconsciously, usually related with repetition. It's done over time and becomes something easy to do, which represents that the activity was learned.
b.  Cognitive Load - excessive amount of content given to the students, which results in the brain working harder to process all the information given.

2. How do we develop automaticity?
-  We can use drilling techniques which can help make learning more permanent.

3. Create an example of how teachers can change the amount of "extraneous cognitive load" on an assignment.
- Applying strategies or aids that help to explain the content clearly without adding additional information that is not relevant to the students. One example is the use of material or resources, in other words the use of images or videos to explain a certain content that results in a meaningful learning experience.

4) When have you felt that you had a "full" cognitive load?
In classes where we have to read lot of texts that have lots of information that is not relevant.
For example in a text with 20 pages of content only 7 are useful.

Glogster & Webquest

Glogster

Lesson Plan
Tutorial
Task


Webquest

Webquest
Lesson Plan

Catedra I

Here is our Catedra I. Click here to see it :)

Grammar Activity

This is the modified grammar activity shown in class.

Grammar ppt

Lesson Plans and Activities

Lesson Plan (Landlady)

Lesson Plan (Pronunctiation)

Lesson Plan (Grammar)

Activity (Grammar)

 Listening Lesson Plan (Basica)

Listening Activity (Basica)

Listening Lesson Plan (Media)

Listening Activity (Media)

Activity

We presented an activity today and I must admit I wasn't very happy with the result. I know that we are capable of doing much more and better than we did today. I know my buddy Nicolas did well, he had the voice and the ability to control a class. As for myself, I have many weaknesses that I must begin working on, such as:

1. Nerves: My nerves have been a problem in my life ever since I was a child, for some reason I just seem to crumble under pressure, which I believe is my biggest obstacle in becoming a good teacher.

2. Tone: I seem to have a weak voice, I haven't had the chance to hear it yet, but I know I have a low voice which seems to indicate a lack of confidence. Without it, the students could eat us alive if they choose to.

3. Modulation: Another nerve related weakness, although it seems to pop out in calm situations as well. I must learn to speak properly, this is a problem for me in both English and Spanish, so I must seek some help right away if I want to be understood.

4. Concentration: Under pressure I seem to lose my focus and seem to drift off and give an answer randomly without thinking or going off topic.

5. Confidence: I know I have the ability to be a great teacher, we all have that ability, the problem is that the moment I stand in front of a classroom, my confidence disappears.

6. Awareness: As a teacher I have to be aware of the entire classroom, I seem to focus only on the students that want to learn and seem to ignore the others who don't care. This also applies to conduct as well.

7. Control: As teachers we have to be in control of the classroom, we can't let the students take over, if we allow them to do that then we aren't doing our jobs. I need to have a bit of a "mean streak" to control the students. I feel as though I'm too nice.

In conclusion, I was very disappointed with my performance, I was even very angry with myself because I know I'm capable of doing much better, there are no excuses for what happened, but I know I must improve. I have some experience as a teacher so I must use that to show everyone that I'm capable of doing this.

I have the language, I just need the attitude.

I don't want to be one of the bunch, I want to be the best, period.

Supplementary Materials

Other than the coursebook we can use supplementary materials to increase the student's learning. Supplementary materials include the following:

1. Flashcards: These are used to increase the student's learning in a visual way, it helps them associate words with pictures.

2. Blogs: Blogs are used for students to express their opinion and explain what they have learned in their own words.

3. Online Games: Some online games can be used to teach English in a fun way that will keep the students motivated, such as word searches and crosswords.

4. Webquest: an inquiry-oriented lesson in which students work on a problem solving activity using online resources.

5. Glogster:  Similiar to a blog, but more dynamic and entertaining, in which students make a poster instead of a blog based on a topic, where they can use videos, pictures, etc.