Blog Post Unit 4

I think one of the many things that I have learned throughout this journey is being open to criticism and new advancements.  I think it is really important to have an open mind since there are many tools that would be available for us.  With advancements in the field, the way that we typically do things may change and what we see as best practices may become outdated at some point.  Of course, immersion and having the pressure of needing to use the language cannot be substituted with technology or individual plans, but it is important to acknowledge that technology can become a big part of what we do as educators.

For example, Google has developed a technology that can understand the nuances of our language (see here).  This is interesting to me as an instructional designer and educator, as it means that there will be more ways to incorporate technology in language training or learning.  Again, I do not think that educators will be replaced by the technology, but there is room for those who do not have the resources to go to classes or have access to English classes learn the basics of the language in their own homes.

Another thing that I learned is that we have to start asking questions on what learning would look like and what would we like to have the learners be able to do when learning has taken place.  The purpose of the module and the goals of the training are some of the things that we should also keep in mind when we are developing lesson plans, and plans should make considerations regarding the demographics and skill levels within the classroom.

Blog Post Unit 3: Teaching Grammar

Perhaps what I have learned going through the unit is that I am a bit more lenient regarding grammatical rules, and that the minimum grammatical structure is enough for the purpose of the training that I conduct with the learners (essential skills training for Sewing Machine Operators).  I believe that getting caught up on the fine rules and concepts when it comes to grammar just makes it more difficult for English learners to communicate and become more comfortable with their pronunciation.  One of the barriers that I often notice with my learners is the lack of self-confidence.  The lack of self-confidence often leads them to conclude that "[their] English is not good."  The sentence would often be repeated many times because learners are not confident with their ability to communicate despite being able to form sentences that are coherent and can be understood. When language learners do not build up their confidence, they often become shy and resistant to engaging in conversations with others (especially those with higher language skills).  This is often a problem in the workplace, since they would need to communicate with a wide range of people (supervisors, co-workers, etc.).  Therefore, may be understood and studied to the point wherein it can assist the learner in putting together coherent sentences that could facilitate effective communication.

Perhaps one of the biggest topics that I could foresee as being important would be verb tenses, adjectives, and the use of nouns (possessive, etc.).  Since I am considering the topic of employment (which is my lens of understanding), I would be concentrating on grammatical structures that may be essential when communicating with the learners (and vice versa).  Being able to describe the type of help that they need, or what they have done or want to do so far, and what they know is fairly important when discussing their employment development plan or training.  These grammatical structures are also fairly important when it comes to communicating in the workplace, since they would need to describe products or difficulties they may have while working, any clarification regarding the work, or what they have done or what they need to do during the work  day.  It is important to understand the basics of grammar to form sentences, but more advanced points of grammar (adverbials, etc.) would not be necessary for the language learner to know in order to be able to communicate verbally or in written form.

I think that I would be more cognizant of grammar and its overall role in language development and pattern recognition (grammatical rules and exceptions), but I would also remind myself that not knowing more advanced grammatical points would not prevent the language user to effectively communicate.

More information about me... as a learner and educator

You can view my ABOUT ME me page for a summary!

Perhaps the most interesting about me is my history.  My unique history has led me to a path of an educator.  I graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology and a double minor in Microbiology and Biological Sciences.  I did my honours thesis in area of Applied Behavioural Sciences, which enabled me to assess preference in individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.  I also finished an independent thesis in the area of Neuroscience, which observed the effects of enriched environment on rat models of autism.  From there, I worked as an Autism tutor.  I worked with different children with varying levels of functioning.

From there I was fortunate to attain a position as an Administrator for Opportunities for Employment, which is an employment services organization.  I eventually moved into a facilitator role.  I took classes in Behavioural Facilitation and eventually acquired a Certificate in Adult and Continuing Education (CACE).  I also started my Human Resources Management Diploma with Red River College, Curriculum Development and Instructional Design Extension Certificate with Mount Royal University, a Masters of Education with University of New Brunswick, and a Teaching English as a Second Language program with University of Manitoba.

All of the training and education that I am pursuing is due to the increasing education and language training demands within our community and my organization.  The increased influx of refugees and immigration, and the demand for programs that support their transition into Canada, has increased the demand for certain frame of thinking that could support their learning and training.  Due to this, I have decided to pursue further training that would enable me to better serve my participants and understand their needs a bit more.  I would like to become more effective in designing and delivering training programs and instructional materials that language learners can engage in and retain so that they may be successful in their job search and technical training.

I am passionate about giving people the help that they need so that they can bridge the gap between who they are right now and the successful version of themselves.

Blog Post: Who are my learners

Learning about learners is something that is emphasized in our work as teachers or educators in theory, but it is something that we may not have as priority due to the tremendous amount of work that we face.  However, it is important to note that getting to know our learners would not only increase the their engagement in the content or class and lessons become more readily applicable.  By knowing our learners, we can tailor instructions and prepare materials that address their needs and concerns.  By doing so, educators can efficiently teach a topic or material and effectively address language issues existing in each class.  Needs assessments can also bring insight to the barriers that learners face, and it prepares educators to handle these issues.  Educators can prepare resources or compile a set of resources, and give the appropriate structure or materials that can assist learners that do deal with a wide range of barriers.

For example, I have dealt with participants who have challenges with childcare.  I have often provided them with a list of places that they can go to for help, and included information about childcare subsidies.  Another example would be those with transportation issues.  I often suggested carpooling and accessing some transportation supports from different non-profit programs.

What I would like to do moving forward is performing a needs assessment before the start of classes -- since my classes are about 2 weeks long.  By doing so, I can get a chance to get to know the learners before they step into the classroom, and then prepare or alter parts of the materials with the expressed needs of the learners.  Of course, the classes are still focused on employment, so I would have to balance their interest with that project deliverables (what we promised to funding organizations or government departments).

Blog Post: Unit 1 Who Am I

The most memorable teacher that I had so far was my behavioural facilitation instructor, who focused on the students' needs and how it aligns with the curriculum than the other way around.  He created a safe environment through various small and meaningful activities that help progress the discussion and practice specific skills.  It is important to note that the instructor made sure to create a fostering and sage environment by having students interact in pairs, small groups and only then challenge them to perform a skill in a group setting.  He also made it easier to practice skills through giving examples that students can use as a template or as a starting point to generate other ideas.

As a facilitator of occupation-specific essential skills and employability skills, I aspire to become a teacher that can efficiently deliver curriculum for individuals with a wide range of barriers (including language barriers).  I would like to be better at creating a safe environment for English language learners, and help them increase their chances of finding employment and keeping them.  Perhaps the most challenging aspect of my job is to find ways to teach learners with low language benchmarks the appropriate behaviours, skills and attitudes for work.  The learners must be able to understand instructions and feedback in order to pass technical training and acquire employment, and continuously incorporate feedback in order to maintain work and transition over to piecework.

Perhaps the most important skill or attribute that I would like to practice is the ability to create activities or materials that learners can immediately connect with and is effective in imparting important information regarding the workplace.  Tailoring is a related skill that is important in this process, and it is essential that me (as a teacher) to ensure that materials and activities are tailored towards the knowledge or skill gaps and interest of the learners.  I believe that I am creative and flexible enough to create materials that would help learners, but I aspire to become a teacher that has a good understanding of what the student exactly needs to learn the content.  I am motivated to become efficient at what I do, and aware that there are many ways to address learning issues and each situation would need to have a unique approach.