A bit late, and I've been flexible with my definition of 'puzzle' (in this case, two/three situations at the end of the materials in which students have to think critically), but here is my work for the Week 4 assignment. I’ve tried to incorporate ideas from the previous weeks’ materials, both in terms of content and feedback, focusing on the skill of critical thinking for students preparing to do a business or management course at university.
As ever, comments, suggestions welcome.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CbhIdV-yjAMxyzAsg49lY4oMba9D4l4m
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CbhIdV-yjAMxyzAsg49lY4oMba9D4l4m
Showing posts with label Andrew Dobbie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andrew Dobbie. Show all posts
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Where would you like to see yourself 12 months from now, in terms of being a materials writer?
Where would you like to see yourself 12 months from now, in terms of being a materials writer?
I would like to be a better materials writer, and be able to draw on a more thorough knowledge of good quality research relating to learning. When designing materials, I want to take advantage of the knowledge about how people tend to learn best so that the skills or language I’m aiming to teach have a better chance of being understood, remembered and used successfully.
I’m also aiming to explain more about why I’m teaching something to students and why I’m using a particular method or format. Using more research to inform my materials and their design will mean I can justify better what I’m doing. Furthermore, I’ll be operating in the same way that my students should as members of an academic community, justifying what they research, how they research, and being open about it.
I would like to be a better materials writer, and be able to draw on a more thorough knowledge of good quality research relating to learning. When designing materials, I want to take advantage of the knowledge about how people tend to learn best so that the skills or language I’m aiming to teach have a better chance of being understood, remembered and used successfully.
I’m also aiming to explain more about why I’m teaching something to students and why I’m using a particular method or format. Using more research to inform my materials and their design will mean I can justify better what I’m doing. Furthermore, I’ll be operating in the same way that my students should as members of an academic community, justifying what they research, how they research, and being open about it.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Which one piece of advice would you give to a teacher who wanted to create their own classroom materials?
Which one piece of advice would you give to a teacher who wanted to create their own classroom materials?
I agree with Michael in that I would advise always asking for feedback, particularly from students. It wouldn’t have to be at the end of every class or involve great detail as there’s the possibility it could be seen as tiresome and unproductive by the learners. You would also need to explain why you were asking for it. But the key point is that we need to know how well the material works from the perspective of the people who experience it and who it is ultimately designed for.
When we receive feedback we shouldn’t automatically accept what we’re told – it needs to make sense in the context of the course and class aims. And some of it will need to be followed up, asking for more explanation as to why something was thought to work or not. But if the aim is to design materials that successfully help students improve their skills, their feedback is invaluable.
I agree with Michael in that I would advise always asking for feedback, particularly from students. It wouldn’t have to be at the end of every class or involve great detail as there’s the possibility it could be seen as tiresome and unproductive by the learners. You would also need to explain why you were asking for it. But the key point is that we need to know how well the material works from the perspective of the people who experience it and who it is ultimately designed for.
When we receive feedback we shouldn’t automatically accept what we’re told – it needs to make sense in the context of the course and class aims. And some of it will need to be followed up, asking for more explanation as to why something was thought to work or not. But if the aim is to design materials that successfully help students improve their skills, their feedback is invaluable.
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Hi everyone
Hi everyone
I think I've bent the rules slightly in only using an image in the teachers' notes as an answer to be shown to students. As with the Week 2 materials, I'm finding it easier to focus on skills for an academic context rather than language so any ideas on the latter would be really useful.
Comments, suggestions welcome.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bSQniiQjiPEz6936O5qzc5DYbmzYOrzf/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bSQniiQjiPEz6936O5qzc5DYbmzYOrzf/view?usp=sharing
I think I've bent the rules slightly in only using an image in the teachers' notes as an answer to be shown to students. As with the Week 2 materials, I'm finding it easier to focus on skills for an academic context rather than language so any ideas on the latter would be really useful.
Comments, suggestions welcome.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bSQniiQjiPEz6936O5qzc5DYbmzYOrzf/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bSQniiQjiPEz6936O5qzc5DYbmzYOrzf/view?usp=sharing
Monday, July 16, 2018
Hi everyone.
Hi everyone.
Finally finished a draft of the Week 2 materials assignment. It's for students preparing to take an undergrad or postgrad course in business and management (B2/C1), leading on from last week's work, and at this stage it's only looking at reading skills as I haven't got round to a language focus yet (and if I start that now I'll never get it finished in time).
All comments, suggestions welcome.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Otr7uXteEc-aZHmLcWaiNnMUe4mlWd5s/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Otr7uXteEc-aZHmLcWaiNnMUe4mlWd5s/view?usp=sharing
Finally finished a draft of the Week 2 materials assignment. It's for students preparing to take an undergrad or postgrad course in business and management (B2/C1), leading on from last week's work, and at this stage it's only looking at reading skills as I haven't got round to a language focus yet (and if I start that now I'll never get it finished in time).
All comments, suggestions welcome.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Otr7uXteEc-aZHmLcWaiNnMUe4mlWd5s/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Otr7uXteEc-aZHmLcWaiNnMUe4mlWd5s/view?usp=sharing
Thursday, July 12, 2018
After a couple of false starts, I'm now on track in terms of the Week 2 materials writing assignment but with a busy...
After a couple of false starts, I'm now on track in terms of the Week 2 materials writing assignment but with a busy weekend coming up it won't be finished until Monday, so ahead of that here's my response to the discussion question.
When using an authentic audio or video it is important to use only ‘native speakers’.
Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons.
I disagree for many of the same reasons already given. In my own context at a UK university, I’m very aware that many of the academics (professors, lecturers, researchers, PhD students) are non-native speakers, and so ‘authentic’ audio or video requires the use of non-native speakers of English.
I do, however, make a point of highlighting this fact for students for two reasons. Firstly, some of the students I’ve taught have expected authentic materials to focus almost exclusively on native speakers, helping them understand ‘real’ English and ‘real’ accents. They have not been aware of the extent to which their studies at a university in a native English-speaking country will involve interacting with non-native academic staff. Non-native English is real English.
Secondly, I wish to use these non-native academic staff as role models for my students, raising their awareness of how much research, how many innovative ideas, and how much agenda setting rests on non-native speakers of English.
When using an authentic audio or video it is important to use only ‘native speakers’.
Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons.
I disagree for many of the same reasons already given. In my own context at a UK university, I’m very aware that many of the academics (professors, lecturers, researchers, PhD students) are non-native speakers, and so ‘authentic’ audio or video requires the use of non-native speakers of English.
I do, however, make a point of highlighting this fact for students for two reasons. Firstly, some of the students I’ve taught have expected authentic materials to focus almost exclusively on native speakers, helping them understand ‘real’ English and ‘real’ accents. They have not been aware of the extent to which their studies at a university in a native English-speaking country will involve interacting with non-native academic staff. Non-native English is real English.
Secondly, I wish to use these non-native academic staff as role models for my students, raising their awareness of how much research, how many innovative ideas, and how much agenda setting rests on non-native speakers of English.
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Which Principles of Material Design are most important for you? Why?
Which Principles of Material Design are most important for you? Why?
I agree with Maria's point that the teaching context will strongly influence which principles of material design take priority. In my university context, I'd prioritise the two points made by Tomlinson in his conclusion about the needs and wants of the learners and the materials being a resource rather than a script.
On the first, however, I may think I know what the students' needs are but they may (and sometimes do) disagree. Also, academic departments are not always keen to tell support staff (such as those teaching English and academic skills) what they want their students to have. On the second, teachers with less experience (or less time to adapt) may want to follow a script and so I feel materials need to provide enough support for them to do this.
As with many other people, a further issue I would emphasise is clarity, especially clarity of instructions. But I’m also trying to help students notice that not every situation has a clear single answer and that sometimes they will need to accept, and ideally be comfortable with, a lack of clarity (e.g. when there is more than one acceptable language answer and there is no clear difference between some of them). I try to build this into my materials when appropriate.
I agree with Maria's point that the teaching context will strongly influence which principles of material design take priority. In my university context, I'd prioritise the two points made by Tomlinson in his conclusion about the needs and wants of the learners and the materials being a resource rather than a script.
On the first, however, I may think I know what the students' needs are but they may (and sometimes do) disagree. Also, academic departments are not always keen to tell support staff (such as those teaching English and academic skills) what they want their students to have. On the second, teachers with less experience (or less time to adapt) may want to follow a script and so I feel materials need to provide enough support for them to do this.
As with many other people, a further issue I would emphasise is clarity, especially clarity of instructions. But I’m also trying to help students notice that not every situation has a clear single answer and that sometimes they will need to accept, and ideally be comfortable with, a lack of clarity (e.g. when there is more than one acceptable language answer and there is no clear difference between some of them). I try to build this into my materials when appropriate.
Hi everyone
Hi everyone
My week 1 draft materials are designed for a group of students on a postgraduate preparatory course, levels B1 and C2, all looking to start a Master's relating to business and management at an English-speaking university in the following weeks or months.
The worksheet, with teachers' notes that follow, is designed as a lead-in to a unit of work on the topic of scientific management (or Taylorism). Very much first thoughts at this stage but have tried to follow the Tomlinson principles, trying to focus on what I perceive to be the learners' needs and wants. A bit dry perhaps, but that's my style.
If anything hasn't come through, let me know. All feedback welcome.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BWLC4-4pxNUDLUEjiJ3qy-E8CW_SBDC3/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BWLC4-4pxNUDLUEjiJ3qy-E8CW_SBDC3/view?usp=sharing
My week 1 draft materials are designed for a group of students on a postgraduate preparatory course, levels B1 and C2, all looking to start a Master's relating to business and management at an English-speaking university in the following weeks or months.
The worksheet, with teachers' notes that follow, is designed as a lead-in to a unit of work on the topic of scientific management (or Taylorism). Very much first thoughts at this stage but have tried to follow the Tomlinson principles, trying to focus on what I perceive to be the learners' needs and wants. A bit dry perhaps, but that's my style.
If anything hasn't come through, let me know. All feedback welcome.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BWLC4-4pxNUDLUEjiJ3qy-E8CW_SBDC3/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BWLC4-4pxNUDLUEjiJ3qy-E8CW_SBDC3/view?usp=sharing
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Hi everyone
Hi everyone
I'm Andrew Dobbie and I'm currently based in London after a number of years teaching in Turkey, Egypt and Syria. I'm working at University College London at the moment, teaching English to international students on undergraduate and postgraduate preparatory courses, and I'll hopefully be starting an MA at the Institute of Education here in September on Advanced Educational Practice. We're trying to move away from using standard course books and create more targeted in-house materials so I'm keen to learn how to go about doing this. Looking forward to learning a lot from everyone.
I'm Andrew Dobbie and I'm currently based in London after a number of years teaching in Turkey, Egypt and Syria. I'm working at University College London at the moment, teaching English to international students on undergraduate and postgraduate preparatory courses, and I'll hopefully be starting an MA at the Institute of Education here in September on Advanced Educational Practice. We're trying to move away from using standard course books and create more targeted in-house materials so I'm keen to learn how to go about doing this. Looking forward to learning a lot from everyone.
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