Conference+Reflections+by+YunDing+1


 * FLE 324 TEACHING LANGUAGE SKILLS **
 * REFLECTION PAPER FORMAT **
 * // You need to prepare a reflection report based on __one of the sessions__ that you attended during the conference, covering the following points: //**
 * * Session title /topic /language skills involved in the session **** : Dr. Annamaria Pinter **
 * *The session aim **** : Differentiated learning-links with autonomy learning straegies **
 * *Session summary **** : Dr. Annamaria Pinter had focused her speech on differentiation which later likned to learning strategies and learning autonomy. Furthermore, in each topic, she tried to explain the meaning by giving examples and gave the audience a chance to experince how some of her acitivies would take place in real classroom. **
 * *The things that you have heard for the first time in this sesion **** : Differentiation and Autonomy **
 * *The three main things that are highlighted in the session **** : Differentiation levels of competence, Grouping and Strategies. **
 * *The language levels that you think the suggestions/ideas in the session are applicable to **** all levels of sudents, because the ideas serve as a solution to various classroom management difficulties that may encounter. **
 * * The things that you learned through this session (the new insights/understandings that you gained through this session) **** : If we are working at populated classrooms which often happens in public schools, as teacher it will be better if we divide the class into groups, because pupils will feel safer with their peers and they can listen to one another’s mini presentation, however, students should take care of themsevles and be aware of the responsibilities and figure out what to do. **
 * *The ideas/suggestions in the session that you find contradictory to what you already know or believe /what have learned /about the English language teaching methodologies **** : I did not find any contradictory points in the conference, though all the presenters tried to carried out different ideas but they all were based on student-centered methodology. In my opinion all the suggestions were proposed to explore the field of teaching and what things can be made to improve our way of teaching. **
 * * The ideas / suggestions in the session that you find surprising **** : Autonomy Cycle, Independence and Inter-dependence. **
 * * The points raised in the session that you agree and disagree with **** : I agree with most of the points in the presentation. In the first activity, 2-minutes talk, the presentater allowed us to talk with our partner for 2 minutes, no restriction, talk whatever comes to our mind. I find this activity attrative because allowing students to talk to each other at the middle of a class is something i have never thought before. Moreover, this activity will somehow raise students’ awareness of their peer’s speaking. On the other hand, this activity might not be well ultilized with young leaners because once you let them talk, to stop them from free talk can be challenging. **
 * * The points that you want to know more about concerning the topics introduced in the session **** : In the second activity, the presenter introduced a way of writing poetry which was called Cinquian. Teacher gives students chioces to write about their favour sujects for example it can be animal, season or people. I think this is very appealing and would like to use it in my own class one day. **
 * * The points that you have not understood /the points that you are unclear about the session **** : There were two points that were not very clear to me, independence and inter-dependence. I could not catch the explianation of these terms. **
 * *Two questions that you want to ask the presenter about the presentation **** : Would not it be difficult to ask low level students to write a poem? How to motivate low self-esteem students? **
 * *Any ideas /suggestions in the session that you think could be directly applied in English classes in Turkey: In my opinoin, the last activity **** which was the **** picture stories and video watching can be applicable in Turk **** ish classroom, because it is fun and in general students enjoy visual application in class. In addition, instead of asking students to write an story by imagination, this activity provides more space for them to discover and the presenter had done this in primary schools in Britiain which turned out to be a success. **
 * * Any ideas /suggestions in the session that you think could be challenging to apply for the students and teachers in Turkish school **** : I am not sure about the poetry activity because which language will the students use to compose their own poem? If they had to write it in English, then it can be risky to use this one because the differences in students’ English compentence would restrict their creativity **
 * * The possible contributions of this session to your understanding of the teaching/learning processes/ your methodology knowledge and your teaching style **** . Autonomy cycle was quite new to me. The cycle rotates in the following order: choice-motivation-commitment- **** reflection-better understanding-try to improve. I have considered using this model in my own teaching, students would always go for an alternative and this will bring motivation. How effective will this work is still a question mark, but theoretically it is doable. **
 * *The strong points about the presentation **** : Differentiation learning, learning strategies and learner autonomy. **
 * * The things that should be improved in the presentation **** : The presenter’s vioce was a little bit low, people sitting at the back can not hear her properlly. Moreover, the font of the power point presentation was not big enough, for example i was sitting at the back, i had difficuties in seeing the writings. **
 * * The points that you found useful in the session **** : All the terminologies that she had mentioned was useful, choice, motivation, commitment to learning, better awarness as well as teacher should posture her crucial role and be ready to step-in with spontanoues comments. **
 * * Your expectations from the session at the beginning and to what extent they are fulfilled **** : The presentation was well performed than i have expected. I have attened similar kinds of conferences but they turn out to be very broing, but this one was totally the opposite. There was interaction between the speaker and the audience, such as the activities talking to the person sitting next to you. **
 * * How are you planning to integrate the ideas that you learned in the presentation to your own teaching? **** First of all, i will definetly give my students alternatives, in other words, chioces. Secondly, differentiation will make classroom more diversed, try to group students into small groups, encourage pair work. Finally, respect each and every student, teacher should try to see the vaule in each pupil. **