EFL 504

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EFL 504

• Case 6 Designing a writing component for teen
  courses at a Brazilian language institute
• by Maria Estela Pinheiro Franco
• Presented by Kathleen Lundgren 13-29
• Vera Wang 1-8
• Yoshihisa Nakagawa 9-12

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Introduction

• Pinheiro is a teacher with more than twenty
  years experience in EFL and elementary
  education.
• She is a branch supervisor in Sao Paula, Brazil.
• She is responsible for both teaching and course
  development.

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The course development focuses

• Selecting and developing materials and activities
• Organization of materials and content

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Why does Pinheiro develop a writing supplement?

• Their students
• couldnt write well
• would be better prepared for the intermediate
  course
• would have a better knowledge and awareness of
  the new language they were using
• The written language is also used for
  communication

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Preteen course (ages 10-12)
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Teen course (ages 13 to 16)
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Considerations in designing the activities

• About the students
• Who are they
• What are they like
• How to motivate them
• Have a purpose
• Be enjoyable or challenging
• About the students likes and interests
• Should be linked to their reality and needs

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Decide

• What students needed to learn
• What kind of input the teacher would give
• What activities the students would do for each
  level

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Goals Objectives

• Pinhero wants students to
• Be creative and critical
• Write
• Understand their mistakes
• Correct their own errors

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In order to achieve the goals

• Process is emphasized, but not the product
• Interaction/Collaboration is importantly engaged
  in the writing process

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Because

• If the prework activities were done well, the
  actual writing would be easier. (Process ?
  Product)
• Writing process is not liner but is cyclical.
  (This helps students self-correct and think
  critically. )

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Theories

• Theories to support the focus.
• e.g) - Importance of interaction in writing
  process
• ?
• Vygotsky (1988) points out that there
  is no development or learning without
  interaction among people and that the human
  being first experiences active problem-solving
  activities in the presence of others.

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Activities
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WRITING FOLDER

• Introduction (Objective)
• Students will organize ideas clearly and
  coherently so that they arrive at a correct and
  interesting final product.

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• 3-4 Activities
• Describing an Object
• Describing a Person
• Sequence in Writing
• Writing a Narrative

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• Procedures
• Lead-in Activities
• Warm ups
• Familiarization
• First Draft
• Working on Idea
• Little Emphasis on Structure and Form
• Peer Feedback

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• Second Draft
• Attention to Content, Structure and Form
• Teacher Feedback
• Objectivity
• Attention to Form and Structure but. . .
• Always Give Some Positive Feedback
• Circle Mistakes (so students can discover why
  something is wrong
• Cross Out Repetitive Words/Suggest Synonyms
• Use Check Lists and Lists of Error Correction
  Symbols

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• Third Draft
• Based on Corrections from Drafts 12
• Teachers Role Based on
• Attitude vs. Mistakes
• Did the Student Actively Participate?
• Did the Student Put Effort into the Activity?
• Did the Student Hand In All Assignments?
• Remember to Give Positive Feedback

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Analysis
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• Solid Rationale for Proposing Writing Supplement
• Writing was seen as a way to reinforce other
  skills and help with a skill that could be used
  outside the classroom

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• Main Challenge
• Figuring Out How to Engage and Motivate Students.
  . .
• Who are They?
• What Engaged Them in Other Classes?
• What Interests Them

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• Reflection and Assessment Process Lead to the
  Development of Materials and Themes
• Developing Materials was Synonymous with
  Developing Activities (i.e. TimeLine)

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• Activity Design
• A Set of Tasks Resulting in the Students
  Writing Something

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Attention to Theories

• Observing how students worked with each other
  combined with theories about how writing is
  learned and how learning takes place led to
• Teaching Writing as a Process which led to Peer
  Review Practice and Creative and Critical
  Development
• Utilizing Collaborative Activities Based on the
  Role of Interaction in Learning

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Sequencing Within and Across Levels

• Complexity of Content and Structure
• Amount of Writing
• Moving from Structured Tasks to Greater Student
  Input, Imagination, and Creativity
• Attention to How a Task Builds on Previous Tasks

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Teacher Training Objectives

• To Ensure that Teachers had
• A Clear Understanding of the Theory Underlying
  the Syllabus
• A Clear Understanding of how Theory was
  Manifested in the Activities
• Motivation for Teachers to Want to Teach the
  Supplement

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• OPTIMAL SITUATION
• TIME and SUPPORT from INSTITUTION to DESIGN and
  PILOT ACTIVITIES

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• Pinheiros Criteria
• for Activity Design
• Topics are of interest to the students
• Each activity has a purpose
• Activities challenge students and teach them
  something new
• Success depends on students working together and
  exchanging ideas

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Considerations

• Which of the criteria are useful for you to
  consider in sequencing the content and material
  in your course?
• Why?