Frum 1

Literacy is one of the most important skills for success in school and life, but it is important to understand when children can acquire the ability to read written text. Babies learn oral language by hearing the people who is around them and I really believe that some children can learn in their early childhood how to read and write, but not all of them. I have experienced this everyday in my nursery classroom (from 2 to 3 years old). Some of the kids have a notable verbal intelligence, and other have different intelligences such as visual, kinesthetic, or musical. It is easier for the little girl with a superior verbal linguistic intelligence to get literacy rather than the other who just get boring and unmotivated with reading. For this reason, in my opinion, it is important to give little children the chance to learn how to read or write and motivate them to do it, but also we must understand that they also can choose if they want to learn, otherwise, if they are pushed to do it, they will feel frustrated and learning, in all areas will be a terrible experience for them.

Forum 2

FORUM 2 In class, we discussed about the three different approaches being: the traditional, the Learner-Driven and the Critical approach. Search for characteristics, advantages and advantages of each one of the approaches and add your opinion about which one you would prefer to work with in a regular class. Remember, when giving your critical opinion, you have to support ideas with facts from research. We are willing to read your conclusions.
I actually consider a very hard job to define which one of these three approaches I should choose for a regular class. First of all, the traditional approach is very accessible talking about materials. As teachers we can use, if we want, a workbook published by an editorial but some teacher tend to remain just what the book says and they dont offer students any relevant input. It is a simple approach teachers can also use with a existing curriculum. In the other hand, it is true that the role of student is passive, and in my opinion, learning must be fun, interactive and creative. Furthermore, according with the definition given by Fingeret (2000, p. 14): learner-driven approach is "developing instructional materials that respond to students' interests and respect their culture and prior learning." For me every teacher should take this into account when they do their lesson planning. Personally, I try to teach according my students learning styles, preferences and what they enjoy most since I believe that what you enjoy most, you will never forget about it. But I also agree it is not easy to plan all your classes in this way. It depends a lot not only your creativity and teaching skills, it also demands a lot of time, and resources not all teacher have in their hands.

As well, I appreciate the way students participate in the construction of knowledge in the critical approach. I like the idea of how this method ca become as a bridge between learners lives and what they are learning because I think it is a paramount that everything we teach belongs to a real life context. One disadvantage I consider is important to think about is that students not always have critical thinking and if they are not used to this method, they can get confused or even boring. Finally, I think as a teacher, I must take many aspects at the time I am a lesson plan for a regular class, in order to choose the better approach that can fit not only with the content, also with the general conditions and with my students. I strongly believe that teachers always create their own approach, instead follow rigorously one of these three. A good combination of the advantages of these approaches can minimize the disadvantages and create the better approach for any single class. I visited this site in order to find out about these approaches if you want to look it up for more information: www.ncsall.net forum 3 In my opinion, where your students come from is a relevant aspect we as teachers must consider when we design our lesson plan. Students who come from a very wealthy community will not have problem to get certain technological resources, but maybe they can have a lack of surveillance from their parents who probably are not at home. They also can be less motivated to learn because they think it is not necessary for them, because most of them already have every material thing they want. In the other hand, Students who come from a very poor community cant make use of many resources that we as teacher would wish they have. Moreover, sometimes they carry many psychosocial problems or come from marginal communities that are even worst. As a conclusion, we cant make the same lesson plan for any school even though they are at the same level and the academic curriculum is the same. The community in which our students live is not the only aspect we must take into account, but it is a paramount that the gets involved in there in order to understand the best way of teaching students require.