Shaping the way we teach

English
Successful classroom practices around the
world

Course offered by the Department of State

(US) and dessigned by professors Leslie
Opp-Beckmann and Sarah J. Kilinghammer
from the University of Oregon.

Federico Arteaga C.
US Embassy - Centro Colombo Americano
2008
 What is it?

• 14-module teacher
training series.
• Video.
• Additional Readings.
• Mid-term and final
projects.
• Peer review.
Nature of the course

• Reality-based.
• Culturally plural.
• Easy to approach.
• Contextualized.
A constructivist approach

• Activation of schema.
• Teacher role –Modeling,
Coaching, Scaffolding
(D.H. Jonassen, 1999).
• Assessment: Discussion,
Pre-testing/Post-testing,
Hands-on tasks.
The course is looking
for…

• Teachers who are building

academic foundations.
• Teachers seeking
improvement in classroom
practices.
Factors that push teachers
towards development

• Reasons and motivation.

• Relevance for your educational
setting.
• Flexibility and creativity.

• Willingness to experiment.
Impact on a national
level
• Contextualizing tasks.
• Cultural awareness.
• Knowledge of environment,
background, resources and
practices.
• Standardization.
4 study categories
 Language Teaching,
FOUNDATIONS

• Contextualizing language.
• Building language awareness.
• Integrating skills.
• Pairwork/Groupwork.
 Language Teaching,
FOUNDATIONS

• Contextualizing language.
• Building language awareness.
• Integrating skills.
• Pairwork/Groupwork.
• Learner Feedback.
Language Teaching,
EXTENSIONS

• Managing large classes.

• Learning Strategies.
• Authentic Materials.
• Critical & Creative Thinking.
• Alternative Assessment.
 Focus on the learner

• Individual learner differences.

• Younger learners.
Teacher professional
Development

• Peer Observation.

• Reflective Teaching.
 In a nutshell…

• It’s a pluralist material in its

cultural scope.
• It’s self-paced.
• It’s user-friendly.
• It applies the principles it
promotes.
…It applies the principles it
fosters.

Taught contents that should be

taken into account when dealing
with students in EFL situations
are translated into the
professional development it
propells.
 Shaping the teaching,
Module by module

• Contextualizing Language.
• Awareness leads to
metacognition.
• Pair work and group work mean
teamwork and network.
Shaping the teaching,
Module by module
• Feedback with students (Social
practice of the process) –
Feedback with teachers (social
practice of the trade).
• Classroom management –
Knowledge of Institution.
• Learning strategies and
disciplines of updating.
Shaping the teaching,
Module by module

• Critical & Creative Thinking,

retrospective foundations.
• Who am I as a human being?
• Who am I as a citizen?
• Who am I as a teacher?
 Shaping the teaching,
Module by Module

• Alternative Assessment is
giving value to both formative
and summative aspects of class
observation, teacher evaluation
and feedback.
• Individual teaching differences
are profitable for attentive
peers.
ADAPTABILIT
Y
SHAPING THE WAY WE TEACH ENGLISH
Successful classroom practices around
the world.
FEDERICO ARTEAGA C.
asmodeus.cama@gmail.com