#Language Teaching Methods

[thisisgraeme]

Empowering Success: Transformative Foundations of ESOL Teaching for Tertiary Educators in Aotearoa NZ – Part 1

xplore the foundations of ESOL teaching in this comprehensive course module. Learn about second language acquisition principles, cultural diversity, challenges, and integrating first languages. Enhance your teaching practice today.

I’m writing a series of modules on the foundations of teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). This is long overdue as I was an ESOL teacher for many years, but it feels good to be looking at this content again with fresh eyes. I have roughly six chunks planned which I will draft and post here like I normally do with new content: Introduction to ESOL Teaching (this…

[ssruis]

Please elaborate on the "nene teaches tsukasa to sing in a way that doesn’t make me angry" because as much as I like Nene the way she teacher people to sing does indeed make me a little angry (that's on sega not on her probably-)

OHH I meant that I hate tsukasa’s singing voice and nene needs to help him before I start a petition to have colopale release daisuke hirose from the shackles of singing with a character voice. I’m not a singer & most of my knowledge of music/singing on the technical level comes from osmosis of knowledge from my sister who studied comp/vocal performance for years and at a higher level. And that essentially amounts to something something diaphragm sing from the stomach (? Or is it chest) round your vowels natural talent can only get you so far if you don’t refine it the voice is an instrument. Dont drink dairy. Etc.

I can’t really critique nene’s teaching methods (also don’t remember them well enough. Iirc rui does say nene’s teaching helped emu improve though) although I’m sure anything before canary can be explained by her not knowing what she was doing and being self taught. And she probably still doesn’t know what she’s doing which I expect nene5 to go into with the opera group they’re visiting.

[grymmdark]

the way language is taught in American schools is so bad like this is closer to math than language. you're giving me concepts one at a time to plug into premade scenarios or sentences or whatever. thats not how you learn a language. im great at spanish when it's taught this way but i wouldn't say I actually know it because i don't actually understand it as a language i only understand it as a set of concepts.

[smallphoenix13]

perhaps my instagram targeted ads are getting TOO specific

[imaginationsnehas]

[academicelephant]

In our department there still is an overhead projector in every lecture hall and classroom and such although probably no one uses them anymore. It's also kinda funny how many teachers still call lecture slides 'transparencies' even though they haven't been in use for ten years or so!

[not-rome]

i wish there was somewhere absolutely free that i could learn a language. like no money. no ads. i can just learn because duolingo works but i hate the ads and that i have to pay to be able to access everything i need to in order to really learn. i just want to learn enough spanish that i can start reading books in spanish and watching spanish shows without completely struggling

[townpostin]

Teachers Gather for English Training at DAV Public School Bistupur

Two-day workshop focuses on enhancing English teaching skills across primary to senior secondary levels A capacity building program for 42 English teachers from DAV schools in Jharkhand Zone E commenced at DAV Public School, Bistupur. JAMSHEDPUR – DAV Public School, Bistupur is hosting a two-day English teaching workshop for 42 teachers from DAV schools across Jharkhand Zone E. The Capacity…

[snehaimagination]

Learning happens when instruction stops

Every child is born with curiosity

Nature has built us with a basic instinct called ‘curiosity’. Curiosity to see, touch, smell, taste, feel and that is the basis of learning anything. Humans are hardwired to do all these things in a way to experience and understand this world. We need to be curious about things that we want to know, and curiosity comes naturally to children.

Misconception about learning

It is a big misconception of many people that we can learn only when someone teaches us or instructs us otherwise, we cannot learn. In reality the scenario is exactly opposite, we only learn when we really want to explore/experience it.

Today, everyone focuses on learning without understanding the basic nature of learning. Every parent likes their children to learn things faster from an earlier age and that’s why they start putting their child into different activity centers and institutes from early ages.

Some parents are not even aware about whether their child is really interested in learning it or not. Parents are totally unaware that their child is an independent learner and does not require any specific methodology to learn something.

Understand basic nature of Learning

Try to understand this way, how can you teach a child a drawing/painting? Drawing can not be taught and it is not a question of learning. Drawing/Painting is an art and art can not be taught, it can only be experienced, isn’t it so? Try to name any painter who goes to school to learn painting and then become a painter. And this applies to all of us.

Try to remember our earlier years when we hated mathematics but our parents still forced us to attend the classes for it. And it becomes even worse when we score less marks and now parents push us for extra classes for it. Wasn’t it worse? We got less marks because we are not at all interested in it or we hated the way it was taught by our teacher or maybe for any other reason. The question here is whether we really want to learn it or not? Basically, by forcing we have already crushed the interest of learning also. Learning can not happen in this way.

Let children be an inquirer

Learning can only happen when you allow your child to be curious about it. Provide an environment for children where they can stay with their curiosity, which gives them opportunities for going into the process of inquiring. Let them ask questions, let them inquire about the smallest details and let them be their own explorer.

All children learn differently in their time and space. So don’t judge or stop their process of learning. And also do not give any answer to their question if you really do not know the subject matter. Let children answer their question and at the end you will see the joy of learning on their face.

Learning is a process and not the end result

For more details visit us at Our Blog: Learning happens when instruction stops

[macrafff]

Meaningful Learning in Malay Language: Primary School Remedial Education

INTRODUCTION In this age of globalization, the world community has received various changes influenced by the development of technology. Industry and education in a country will be affected because the services provided are for the improvement and change of a community or society that now receives technological skills. All information or info is shared with various technology mediums that can be…

[fruityuncleskeletor]

Can we not have educational incubi?

I would like to have a hot Korean person come to me in my dreams and teach me their language while beating my ass so it sticks. I want to be able to understand what Felix blabs about on bubble bc the translation is... not it.

[spanishplaydates]

Manitas Silábicas Demystified | Teaching Spanish to Kids | Spanish Play Dates

[roastedinmarch]

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[cripplecharacters]

Write more Deaf characters!

[Large Text: Write more Deaf characters!]

When answering questions about deaf and hard of hearing characters, I have noticed they are overwhelmingly about:

A character who is deaf in one ear or hard of hearing because of an accident

A character who was born deaf and knows sign language, but seems to have 0 connection to the broader Deaf community

This is not the experience of most d/Deaf people! So, here's your primer to Deaf community and culture, and writing a Deaf character, because they are sorely underrepresented.

(Disclaimer: this post was written using viewpoints I, a singular Deaf person in the United States, have encountered. I tried to make this as general as possible to encompass many Deaf views, but it is possible that I have misconstrued something. Do not take this guide as the be-all and end-all of your knowledge on Deaf culture. Keep reading and researching the Deaf community, and explore viewpoints from many different Deaf people of all backgrounds.)

Why do you write Deaf with capital D?

[Large Text: Why do you write Deaf with capital D?]

The term "deaf" with the lowercase d means not being able to hear. The term "Deaf" with an uppercase D refers to the cultural identity formed by deaf people. This identity is difficult to explain but it includes knowing sign language and engaging with other Deaf people.

There are varying opinions within the Deaf community on who is allowed to call themselves culturally Deaf. Some Deaf believe that only those who were born into the Deaf community (whose family is Deaf, who attended a Deaf school, and/or who have sign language as a first language) are allowed to consider themselves culturally Deaf. On the 'flip' side, some Deaf believe that anyone with hearing loss can claim the label. And of course, you can find someone Deaf with any opinion in between.

This is all intracommunity nuance. If your character is born deaf and learns sign language at a young age or as a first language, they are likely culturally Deaf.

Sign Language Use

[Large Text: Sign Language Use]

Sign languages are the language of Deaf communities. (Note that there are many sign languages in different regions, and they are not related in the same way spoken languages are!)

Most sign languages did not originate alongside spoken language, either, so they usually have different grammar than the spoken language in a region. This means that someone whose first language is sign may have difficulty learning even the written version of the spoken language due to the different grammar and translation. For native signers, the spoken language of their area is their second language.

Sign languages are fully developed languages, with grammar and structure. Sign language is not "less" than spoken language, and encouraging sign language does not discourage speech. (Even if it did, that's not a bad thing! Sign languages are still a valid and rich communication form!) Sign languages have slang and expressions/idioms too.

Sign languages typically have a "manual alphabet" otherwise known as "fingerspelling". This is a way to represent words that don't have a sign. Fluent signers very rarely fingerspell; normally fingerspelling is for proper nouns which don't have a name sign.

Name signs are the last big point I want to cover about sign language. A name sign is a way to refer to someone so you don't have to spell their name every time. It's usually related to someone's attributes, like dimples or a specific way of moving. Sign names can only be given by Deaf people who are fluent in sign language.

Deaf Education

[Large Text: Deaf Education]

For a long time, deaf people were considered unable to learn, just because they couldn't hear. And since 1880, for about 100 years and even still today, the prevailing tradition in deaf education was/is oralism--a teaching method based on speech that rejects sign language.

Historically speaking, if deaf children were to receive an education, they would be sent to a Deaf residential school. These still exist, although there are also many Deaf schools that are typical day schools, just for d/Deaf/hoh students.

Deaf children may also attend "mainstream" schools; they might have sign language interpreters and other accessibility accommodations, or they may be forced to rely on lipreading and context, or placed in special education where their needs often still are not met.

Oralism still has lasting effects today. Deaf people have received, and still do receive, worse education than hearing people.

One common problem is language deprivation. Many deaf children grow up without access to sign language. About 90% of deaf people are born to hearing parents; even if hearing parents do send their deaf kids to a Deaf school, they may not learn sign language themselves, so the child must rely on what they can gather of spoken language at home. Sign language is even discouraged by some audiologists and speech professionals, because it "might interfere with speech". But by depriving deaf children of sign language, more often than not, they are being deprived of all language.

People who are born deaf do not learn spoken language naturally, even when provided with aids like hearing aids and cochlear implants. Many deaf kids who learn speech learn it through extensive speech therapy, and often have a "deaf accent" from copying mouth shapes but not being able to hear or process what sounds they are making, which may also include having an atypically pitched voice (e.g., very high-pitched). Lip-reading is inaccurate and the best lip-readers can only follow about 30% of a conversation, and that's by intently watching with no breaks.

It is possible to learn a language at any age. But it is easiest to pick up a new language when one is young. Children who do not learn a first language by around age 5--the age at which they would start school--have more difficulty learning any language, and may have frequent outbursts or trouble expressing emotions as a result of communication difficulties.

Another problem, especially within the Deaf community, is literacy. Spoken languages are often unrelated to the signed language of the same region. Learning to read and write, as a Deaf child, is like learning a whole new separate language, with different grammar and structure than their native language. This is why captions are not a perfect accessibility tool--it is, for many Deaf people, being offered an alternative in their second language, if they have learned to read and write at all.

Deaf Culture Norms

[Large Text: Deaf Culture Norms]

To hearing people, Deaf conversation can seem very blunt and to the point. This isn't to say Deaf people are inexpressive--quite the opposite: sign languages often use facial expressions as part of the grammar, and there is a lot of expression that can be incorporated into a sign--but there isn't a lot of "talking around" things. You can see part of this culture in name signs, which are usually based off a trait of the person. It's not offensive--it's just how they're recognized!

Another conception is of Deaf people being over expressive, but again, that is just part of sign language grammar. Face and body movements take the place of tone of voice, as well as other grammatical clarifications.

Deaf people talk a lot! It's very hard to end a conversation, because there will always be something else to say or a new person to meet. Hugging and other physical touch are really common greetings.

Tapping people on the shoulder to get their attention is fine. Other ways include flicking the lights or rattling a surface (for vibrations). Eye contact while signing is also important to make known that you are listening. Groups of Deaf people will sit in a circle so everyone can see everyone else. It's rude to talk in a Deaf space. If you are lost in the conversation, you'd ask if you can write or type instead.

Deaf Space also refers to design concepts that are more accessible to deaf people. This includes good lighting, minimal signing-height visual obstacles (e.g., low waist-height shelves), visual indicators instead of bells, open spaces so people can sit in a circle to talk, and automatic doors and wide hallways/passages so it is easier to continue a conversation while walking.

It's also very rude to comment on a Deaf person's voice. Do not mention you're surprised they can speak. Do not call their accent "cute" or "weird" or anything like that. Do not ask them to speak. Do not say their voice sounds really good ("for a deaf person") or that you wouldn't be able to tell they are deaf.

Deaf Views on Deafness

[Large Text: Deaf Views on Deafness]

The Deaf community is incredibly proud of their Deafness. You'll often hear the phrases "hearing loss = deaf gain" or "failing a hearing test" as "passing the deaf test". Continuing the Deaf community and culture is highly valued, and learning sign language is encouraged for everyone.

Many people in the Deaf community dislike cochlear implants as their success is incredibly variable and they require invasive surgery and therapies from a young age. Another big argument against CI is that they are often presented as the only or the first option to hearing parents, who misunderstand CI as a "cure" and then do not give their child access to sign language.

Deaf people also reject any sort of cure for deafness, especially genetic therapies. Many Deaf people do not think of their Deafness as a disability.

(Deaf people will often point out the advantages of Deaf culture and sign language, such as being able to talk over long distances, through windows, and even underwater.)

Most hard of hearing and some deaf people have hearing aids, although it is really an individual choice whether or not to wear them. Many d/Deaf/hoh people are overwhelmed and startled very easily by noise (since they're not used to that much auditory input) and get tinnitus from auditory overstimulation. They may also struggle with auditory processing--locating sounds, interpreting sounds, recognizing and interpreting speech, and other issues.

The Deaf community doesn't have any general complaints about hearing aids, just many prefer not to wear them. Do know that they are an imperfect aid; they just amplify sound, which doesn't improve processing or understanding, and it doesn't make people hearing. Not everyone even benefits from hearing aids--their specific hearing levels may make hearing aids a bad choice of aid.

A big point you'll hear in Deaf spaces is Deaf Can (and Deaf Power). Hearing people have historically treated deafness as a sign of incapability, but Deaf people can do everything hearing people can--except hear.

Myth Busting

[Large Text: Myth Busting]

Myth #1: All Deaf people are completely deaf. This is very far from the truth! Most deaf people have some degree of residual hearing, although this may require very loud sounds and/or at very specific pitches. Plus, there are many culturally Deaf people who are not deaf/hoh at all--CODAs, hearing children born to Deaf parents, are part of the Deaf community.

Myth #2: (Non-speaking) Deaf people do not make noise. Also very far from the truth! First off, Deaf people laugh. Many Deaf people also vocalize without knowing or intending, especially when excited. We can get very loud!

Myth #3: (Speaking) Deaf people talk loudly. While this can be true, often d/Deaf people talk more quietly than expected. This is because with severe to profound levels of deafness, no speaking volume is really going to be audible, so they will often rely on feeling vibrations in their throat to know if they're making noise. Vibrations are detectable at lower volumes than hearing people like to listen to.

Myth #4: Deaf people can't drive. I actually have no idea where this one came from but it's false. Deaf people can absolutely drive, and tend to have a lower rate of accidents and violations than hearing drivers. There is a common trend of treating d/Deaf people like they can't do things unrelated to hearing, but deafness on its own only affects hearing.

Deaf Struggles in the Hearing World

[Large Text: Deaf Struggles in the Hearing World]

A huge problem is just basic accessibility. Many places do not have captions or visual indicators, or rely on hearing (like drive-throughs). Movie open caption screenings are often at awkward times, and caption glasses are hard to find or access and awkward to wear.

Deaf people are also at increased risk of police violence. Police often treat signing as aggression, rather than attempts to communicate. When they yell, talk quickly, or shine a flashlight in Deaf people's faces, it's even harder to understand what is going on. Deaf people are also not often provided with a qualified interpreter and may not understand what is going on or why they were arrested.

Deaf people, specifically those who are mainly kept in the hearing world, have higher rates of drug use and addiction.

Hearing people also treat Deaf people as incapable or lesser. Gallaudet University had only hearing presidents until 1988 after the Deaf President Now protests; then-chair of the board at GU said in a statement that received heavy backlash from the students, "deaf people cannot function in the hearing world".

When writing your Deaf character:

[Large Text: When writing your Deaf Character:]

Were they born to hearing parents or to Deaf parents? (90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.) Is anyone else in the family d/Deaf?

At what age was their deafness noticed? (It can be at birth, or it can take several years, even for children born deaf.) Is their hearing loss progressive? Is their hearing loss significantly different in each ear?

Were they eligible for cochlear implants? Did they get CI? Did they get hearing aids? (Consider cost as a factor: CI requires the surgery as well as intensive speech therapy; hearing aids are also expensive and can need replacement and refitting.) How well do the aids work for them? Do they have them in one or both ears?

What advice did their family receive from audiologists and speech therapists about sign language and communication, and did their family listen? Did they learn sign language? At what age? Did their parents and family learn sign language? Are they language-deprived? Did they go through speech therapy? What is their speech like? Do they like using their voice?

Did or do they attend Deaf school? Is it residential or day school? If it's residential, did they understand what was happening when they were dropped off? Does the school use sign language or rely on oralism? (Consider time period; most schools now use sign language, but from 1880-about 1980 the predominant method was oralism.)

If they don't attend a Deaf school, what accommodations are they receiving in mainstream setting? Are they in special education? Are they in a Deaf program at a mainstream school? Do they have an interpreter? How much do they understand what is going on in class?

How involved are they in Deaf community and culture? Are their friends and family involved and supportive of the Deaf community? Do they treat deafness like something to cure? Do their friends and family frequently ignore or "forget" that they are deaf?

In general, consider their scenario, what ableism they've faced, and what their Deaf identity is.

Happy writing, and please continue to send in your questions!

Mod Rock

[imaginationsnehas]

Sneha’s Imagination Station is an Early Childhood Development Center founded in year 2015.

Sneha’s Imagination Station – Where Imagination Grows.

Children grow well when we provide right environment to them, so we are dedicated to the mission of fostering the cognitive, emotional, social, creative and physical development and overall well being of every child. We facilitate them into this journey by providing variety of activities as a part of our uniquely design programs for children from 12 months onwards.