TEACHING TECHNIQUES I

WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?

WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBSTACLES YOU FACE WHEN TEACHING THEM?

READ YOUR CLASSMATES OPINIONS AND WRITE AT LEAST TWO COMMENTARIES FOR TWO OF THEM.

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1.- because in these days is nesesary to be in touch with others countries ,and english is more common than others languages. if the kids grow with english they will have a good posivilities in theirs life
2.-everyday when the people dont have awerness about the english,they think about when they are adults ,I mean the parents are not totally agree with english classes, so we have to work hard for change theirs mind.
3.- in this moment I can´t find opinions.... so where can I find it?
patty..rizo

Because, now a days it is necessary that kids learn another language, the world is growing faster and students need to have more tools for better opportunities in their labor and academic life.

Also I think that Mexican kids have to learn English, because in the advance countries their school programs include the learning of a foreign language as subject, it could be Spanish, French or English depending the mother tongue of the country.

Well, I´m a preschool teacher and I'm working with 3rd. graders, so the first problem I faced with kids was to keep their attention, I noticed that I couldn't work on the same thing for a long time, then I observed that they only keep attention for 20 minutes at least, so I have to do my classes more dynamic, include more activities that call their attention for longer periods of time like playing games, tell stories, dancing, in that way kids love English and not only play they also learn, because they are playing and practicing the new vocabulary.

patricia rizo sapien escribió:1.- because in these days is nesesary to be in touch with others countries ,and english is more common than others languages. if the kids grow with english they will have a good posivilities in theirs life
2.-everyday when the people dont have awerness about the english,they think about when they are adults ,I mean the parents are not totally agree with english classes, so we have to work hard for change theirs mind.
3.- in this moment I can´t find opinions.... so where can I find it?
patty..rizo

I'm agree with you, English is necessary for having better opportunities in the future, everyday more people speak English all over the world.

Once I had the opportunity to go to Costa Rica, and a person over there told me: I don´t understand why Mexicans don't speak English, if United States are your neighbor? Well, that question made me think, and it is true we have a huge geographical advantage, we are closer to two Countries that English is their mother language, many of us have relatives, friends who live in Canada or U.S.A. people who lives in the norther part of Mexico like Baja California, Chihuahaua, Coahuila, Monterrey, all the Mexican states that borders with The United States speak or understand English and adopt some of american culture, in our beaches the native people speak English, so if some part of our country people learn English, why don't the whole country learn it?

I think this little speech could help for parents awareness.

First of all, because they are kids! I mean, it's easier to learn things (every things) when you're young "you're like a sponge" -they said. I've seen documentaries of children who are growing in a situation where they have to learn two languages (cause of their parents or their living situation) and the way they learn it is automatically, they learn the double of words than a common child.
Second (in the same topic): we are always talking to ourselves, thinking I mean, in a language (most of the time in our mother language) Spanish English French or Japanese, doesn't matter. And From there we use other kind of languages, like for example maths, music, logic. But of course using them always with help of our mother language; in a fashion, they are subordinate languages. And we use specific languages inside our own language, like lawyers language, teachers language, psychologist language; etc. The point is, that if your main language is helped by other one, or if you combine them, your possibilities will be richer; of course your sources will be more in quantity, but also in quality (I'm not saying that sources for professional studies are better in English than in Spanish... But that's a fact!!).
The most important thing -at least for me- is that thinking in other languages will bring to you other possibilities of being 'cause thinking is being (or at least, Descartes thinks like that ) and being in other ways will tell you another things of the world 'cause you're always talking about the world in the way your own maternal language enables it to you, and if your thoughts are even slightly different about the world, well, then the world will be different to you.
None of this matters..... For a children, I will tell them: "You have to learn English because is the language Santa speaks and if you don't speak it right he will not bring you a thing hahaahah just kidding"

Regarding the second topic I will say that, The fact that most of their parents don't know English Is an obstacle because they can't help them like for example in maths history or spanish, and the children whose parents don't speak English will have -usually- half of possibilities of practicing it (magazines, books, comics, tv shows, pictures; etc.) they have to have several ways of practicing it everyday. And of course, the fact that they consume to much candy and have lots and lots of energy hahaha. I think that can be a positive as well as a negative fact.

Hi, everybody!
With the growth of computer networks, kids have the opportunities to interact with English speaking people in order to meet them, to explain their culture, to play, to share, to learn and so on. I mean the opportunities are virtually unlimited and it could be one of the reasons why kids should learn English. Moreover the influence that the social and cultural contexts exert on the motivation of Mexican kids become more evident when they talk about issues related to their future plans, for example: traveling to a foreign country, reading foreign products, singing in English and understanding lyrics and considering English as a tool that facilitates the achievement of academic and professional success when they grow up.
By Claudia Y. Serrano Alejandri

One of the main obstacles I face when teaching kids is teaching empathy. If we agree that it may be understood as the ability to put oneself inside the shoes of another person and to see the world through that person's eyes (Goleman, 1995) then it is important to develop the ability to care for others. For some kids have been difficult to respect, understand and care about the learning process because there are some children who experience difficulties in study skills, writing skills, oral skills, social skills and they aren’t able to finish activities on time. So dealing with kids with learning disabilities takes patience and some kids don’t get it easily.

Another obstacle I have faced is at the moment of tutoring or assisting those kids who need extra instruction on some material or special taught because it requires an extra schedule to help them: time it is short! Most of the times we’re in a hurry to start next class. However I always try to do it in recess or meanwhile the other kids are working by teams.
By Claudia Serrano

CIBF escribió:WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?

WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBSTACLES YOU FACE WHEN TEACHING THEM?

READ YOUR CLASSMATES OPINIONS AND WRITE AT LEAST TWO COMMENTARIES FOR TWO OF THEM.

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Hello everyone!
1.- I think that we are living in a global world and all kind of information is written in English. All the people live with this everyday; probably we don't notice it but exist. Therefore, right now, the children of the kindergarden and primary public schools, have the opprtunity to learn this languaje to understand and use it not like a subject but as a tool for life.
2.-The children's way to learn at the school, the form to receive classes and understand them. I mean, the regular way to teach (well, it is changing now). And, besides, the conduc or behavior that reflect at the school. The children live in different familiar environments and they show us differents behaviors that no match with the knowledge that suppose they are learning.

Hi! I’ve read your commentaries which are so interesting; you mention that motivation is important when you teach pre-school kids and it’s totally true. Moreover I believe that children with stronger intrinsic motivation do not need an adult constantly watching and helping activities than those ones who have lower level of motivation and need constant attention from adults and cannot function independently showing this dependence on us as teachers. Have a great weekend! By Claudia Serrano

patricia rizo sapien escribió:1.- because in these days is nesesary to be in touch with others countries ,and english is more common than others languages. if the kids grow with english they will have a good posivilities in theirs life
2.-everyday when the people dont have awerness about the english,they think about when they are adults ,I mean the parents are not totally agree with english classes, so we have to work hard for change theirs mind.
3.- in this moment I can´t find opinions.... so where can I find it?
patty..rizo

Hi Patricia!!
I agree with you because the english languaje must be a tool for life. To communicate our ideas, feelings and necessities with all the people around the world.
2. I don't think so, in my case, the parents like to know that their children have english classes because they are learning english too. The children told me that, they practice with them not everyday but once or twice a week.
Have a nice day!!

maría caltenco escribió:Because, now a days it is necessary that kids learn another language, the world is growing faster and students need to have more tools for better opportunities in their labor and academic life.

Also I think that Mexican kids have to learn English, because in the advance countries their school programs include the learning of a foreign language as subject, it could be Spanish, French or English depending the mother tongue of the country.

HELLO MARIA!!
IS NECESSARY THAT CHILDREN LEARN ANOTHER LANGUAJE, I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT LIKE ANOTHER TOOL FOR LIFE NOT JUST FOR A SUBJECT. WE ARE CHANGING THE WAYS TO TEACH THEM THE DIFFERENT SUBJECT THAT THEY HAVE BUT LIKE A TOOLS. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.
HAVE A NICE DAY!!

Hi Rigoberto!
I agree when you mention that nowadays teaching is different, I just remember traditional classes when we used to repeat several words written or orally in order to memorize vocabularies. For that reason I think this kind of courses and way of communication like this foro give us the chance to learn new skills to help each other because children are naturally curious, they want to explore and discover more and more every day and if their explorations bring pleasure, they will want to learn more. Have a nice weekend! By Claudia Serrano

Claudia Serrano Alejandri escribió:One of the main obstacles I face when teaching kids is teaching empathy. If we agree that it may be understood as the ability to put oneself inside the shoes of another person and to see the world through that person's eyes (Goleman, 1995) then it is important to develop the ability to care for others. For some kids have been difficult to respect, understand and care about the learning process because there are some children who experience difficulties in study skills, writing skills, oral skills, social skills and they aren’t able to finish activities on time. So dealing with kids with learning disabilities takes patience and some kids don’t get it easily.

Another obstacle I have faced is at the moment of tutoring or assisting those kids who need extra instruction on some material or special taught because it requires an extra schedule to help them: time it is short! Most of the times we’re in a hurry to start next class. However I always try to do it in recess or meanwhile the other kids are working by teams.
By Claudia Serrano

HI CLAUDIA!!
I KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DEVELOP OUR PLANNING AND IT'S AN OBSTACLE, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER MORE IMPORTANT: WE SUPPOSE THAT THEY KNOW ENGLISH BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND US. WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO BE UNDERSTANDING AND DYNAMICS, THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE LEARNING TECHNIQUES.
HAVE A NICE DAY!!

1. Our mexican kids need to start learning the english language since we have so many tourist coming to visit our country not only that but nowadays the english language is necessary for many other things, these kids will have better opportunities in their professional lives.

2. Many of the kids are not aware of the importance of learning english, they are not mature enough to think that learning english will benefit their lives in the future. Also kind of hard for teachers to have them interested in something that they don't understand. For example If we are teaching the class in english the students won't understand what we are saying and this is when the students might feel bored or without interest. That is the reason why we need to learn teaching techniques for students to feel interested, learn at the same time they are having fun.

HI I´M VIOLET
1.-WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?
BECAUSE ENGLISH IS A GLOBAL LANGUAJE NOWADAYS AND WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH ENGLISH EVERYDAY, EVEN IF WE DON'T SPEK ENGLISH WE USE ALOT OF WORDS IN ENGLISH. IF OUR CHILDREN LEARN ENGLISH THEY WILL HAVE BETTER OPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE. I COULD SAY THAT IF A PERSON DON´T SPEAK ENGLISH HE OR SHE IS IN DISADVANTAGE WITH OTHERS.

2.- WHAT ARE SOME PROBLÑEM YOU FACE WHEN YOU TEACHING THEM?
SOEM YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS WORKING IN A PUBLIC KINDER GARDEN IN THE STATE OF TLAXCALA SOME PARENTS WERENT AGREE, BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT ME THAT ENGLISH WAS OY USEFUL FOR THE KIDS. I´M TOTALLY DISAGREE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IN MY CASE IS THAT KIDS IN THIRD GRADE DON´T KNOW HOW TO WRITE AND HOW TO READ IN SPANISH.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND

WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?1.- Not only children but also adults are greatly benefitted by speaking, writing and understanding English. Nowadays it is very important to people studying and preparing for life. A great number of industries requires the use of English, so it is very important to be in contact with this language. Children are likened to sponges because they absorb so much, but LOOK OUT!!!.... sponges can lose a lot as well, as do children who have not had the opportunity to retain what they´ve seen.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBSTACLES YOU FACE WHEN TEACHING THEM?2.- I think the main obstacle is the poor reading and writing ability in primary school . A great number of students in this level cannot neither reading nor writing, as a result they are not able to retain information. It is very important for primary teachers the reinforcement in reading and comprehension activities. After getting good results in our own language, we can be able to teach and learn another language, in this case, English language.

violeta escribió:HI I´M VIOLET
1.-WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?
BECAUSE ENGLISH IS A GLOBAL LANGUAJE NOWADAYS AND WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH ENGLISH EVERYDAY, EVEN IF WE DON'T SPEK ENGLISH WE USE ALOT OF WORDS IN ENGLISH. IF OUR CHILDREN LEARN ENGLISH THEY WILL HAVE BETTER OPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE. I COULD SAY THAT IF A PERSON DON´T SPEAK ENGLISH HE OR SHE IS IN DISADVANTAGE WITH OTHERS.

2.- WHAT ARE SOME PROBLÑEM YOU FACE WHEN YOU TEACHING THEM?
SOEM YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS WORKING IN A PUBLIC KINDER GARDEN IN THE STATE OF TLAXCALA SOME PARENTS WERENT AGREE, BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT ME THAT ENGLISH WAS OY USEFUL FOR THE KIDS. I´M TOTALLY DISAGREE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IN MY CASE IS THAT KIDS IN THIRD GRADE DON´T KNOW HOW TO WRITE AND HOW TO READ IN SPANISH.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND

Dear Violeta:

Totally agree with you. Nowadays we live in a hard and a fast world, where the competition not only for jobs but also for life is really hard. It is necessary for kids the use of english language so that they can be prepared for the global world in wich we live at this moment.

It is a shame that nowadays there are family parents who think that the use of English is improductive. They can see that the competition for life is really "not human".... The use of English for kids is a "gun" that they can use in this "war" for life...

patricia rizo sapien escribió:1.- because in these days is nesesary to be in touch with others countries ,and english is more common than others languages. if the kids grow with english they will have a good posivilities in theirs life
2.-everyday when the people dont have awerness about the english,they think about when they are adults ,I mean the parents are not totally agree with english classes, so we have to work hard for change theirs mind.
3.- in this moment I can´t find opinions.... so where can I find it?
patty..rizo

I AGREE WITH YOU SOMETIMES A BIG PROBLEM WE FACE IS THE PARENTS AND WE HAVE TO DO THE BEST IN ORDER TO CHANGE THEIR POINT OF VIEW

WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?


Ok. I think the kids should learn English because they have the best age to learn it, because when they start to practice another language they don´t know how, but they are learning, because they are like a sponge, and while they are growing they are practicing both languages, so they won´t have problems to understand, listen, etc, and maybe they´ll have more opportunities to get a better job in the future. Moreover the English language is very common, for that reason, kids and adults have to practice it. In fact, the kids are in touch with the language all the time, in songs, videogames, publicity, etc, and the will have the necessity to understand them.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBSTACLES YOU FACE WHEN TEACHING THEM?


The main problem I find is that the kids don´t want to learn, o depend the place, in my case, I work in a public and a private school, and I consider that in the private school where the kids have a “better position” (financially) feel that is not important, that they won´t use it, or is not necessary, why? Because their parents don´t be with they, the parents work, and don´t pay attention to their children, and they think that is more important Spanish, History, Geography or something like that, however in the public school where I work too, the students show more interest to learn, to understand and to speak, and they parents show more interest in their children, they want they learn new things and obviously another language, because not all of them have the opportunity to pay extra classes.

Claudia Serrano Alejandri escribió:Hi, everybody!
With the growth of computer networks, kids have the opportunities to interact with English speaking people in order to meet them, to explain their culture, to play, to share, to learn and so on. I mean the opportunities are virtually unlimited and it could be one of the reasons why kids should learn English. Moreover the influence that the social and cultural contexts exert on the motivation of Mexican kids become more evident when they talk about issues related to their future plans, for example: traveling to a foreign country, reading foreign products, singing in English and understanding lyrics and considering English as a tool that facilitates the achievement of academic and professional success when they grow up.
By Claudia Y. Serrano Alejandri

NOWADAYS TECHNOLOGY IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THE CHILDREN THEY ARE IN LOVE WITH TECHNOLOGY AND SOMETIMES THEY KNOW MORE THAN US. LEARNING ENGLISH COULD BE EASIER USING THIS TOOL

Good afternoon everybody:

Nowadays children are living in a global world, the development of new technologies, the opportunities about getting in touch with people from all over the world is present in their academic life and later in their working time. All this creates the necessity of learning English since this is the most common language used in the world.
Besides learning a second language gives children more tools in their own development.

Regards, SUSANA

Hello there,

ATTITUDE, I think this is the main obstacle.
When we are talking about attitude I mean parent's and children's attitude. Because some parents still think leaning English is useless and children have the idea that English class is just another subject. So they have to take it in order to get a grade.
Let's demonstrate them that learning a second language is funny and very useful.

Lovely weekend,

SUSANA

Angel Gabriel Torres escribió:WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?1.- Not only children but also adults are greatly benefitted by speaking, writing and understanding English. Nowadays it is very important to people studying and preparing for life. A great number of industries requires the use of English, so it is very important to be in contact with this language. Children are likened to sponges because they absorb so much, but LOOK OUT!!!.... sponges can lose a lot as well, as do children who have not had the opportunity to retain what they´ve seen.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBSTACLES YOU FACE WHEN TEACHING THEM?2.- I think the main obstacle is the poor reading and writing ability in primary school . A great number of students in this level cannot neither reading nor writing, as a result they are not able to retain information. It is very important for primary teachers the reinforcement in reading and comprehension activities. After getting good results in our own language, we can be able to teach and learn another language, in this case, English language.

I´m agree with you, I think that English is important for kind and adults that is important to have better opportunities. Besides is true that the kids are like a sponge, they can learn a lot, but if they don´t have continuity, they can forget it easily, so they have to practice frequently.
And in the second point I´m agree too, is difficult to learn another language if the own language isn´t clear (writing, reading, and in some cases speaking), is necessary to be coordinate with the Spanish teachers, to get a better result and to make a better use of the knowledge.

Angel Gabriel Torres Wrote:
WHY SHOULD MEXICAN KIDS LEARN ENGLISH?1.- Not only children but also adults are greatly benefitted by speaking, writing and understanding English. Nowadays it is very important to people studying and preparing for life. A great number of industries requires the use of English, so it is very important to be in contact with this language. Children are likened to sponges because they absorb so much, but LOOK OUT!!!.... sponges can lose a lot as well, as do children who have not had the opportunity to retain what they´ve seen.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBSTACLES YOU FACE WHEN TEACHING THEM?2.- I think the main obstacle is the poor reading and writing ability in primary school . A great number of students in this level cannot neither reading nor writing, as a result they are not able to retain information. It is very important for primary teachers the reinforcement in reading and comprehension activities. After getting good results in our own language, we can be able to teach and learn another language, in this case, English language.

I agree with you Angel the fact that those little sponges can lose a lot as well, We need to plan activities that are related to their everyday lives in a way that they learn and have fun at the same time.

Philosophers and Educators proved that people learn and retain more information when they are actively and positively involved in the learning process.