The Minimal Pair

Episode 016: I Can't Be Bothered with Vowels

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 03:22:00 +0000

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: I Can't Be Bothered with Vowels

Episode no: 016

Date: Recorded on 09/04/14

Topics in Language Learning

Language snobbery

English is spoken in many countries – so which is the “right” English?

English has official/special status in 75 countries (2 billion speakers)
Numbers and their implications: more non-native speakers than native speakers (probably…)
ESL students from English-speaking countries: what does that say about us (the ESL programs)?

Grammar snobbery

There’s a time and a place to get it right (formal vs. informal English)
Prescriptive grammar vs. descriptive grammar
Privileges: education, class, race, L1 vs. L2, ability
Language evolution

Sources:

LinkedIn Group: English Skills and Language: Discussion: “India is the single largest English speaking population on Earth. Do you agree?” (discussion started by GB Singh, 8/18/14)
“FAQs The English Language” – British Council (http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-faq-the-english-language.htm)
“Why Grammar Snobbery Has No Place in the Movement,” from 5/2/14 (http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/05/grammar-snobbery/)

[20:50]

Methodology

PowerPoint

PowerPoint, taboo?
Pros

Visual aid – especially helpful to visual learners
Keeping the lesson on track/organized
Accessible (can be saved in Bb and referred back to later)
Interactive (sometimes… depends on who made it!)
Student use

Cons

One-way learning/teacher-centered classroom
Inhibits organic discussion
Visual pollution/over-saturation of slides
“Overly formal” vibe
Over-simplifies the material (reduces critical thinking)

Tips

Guy Kawasaki’s 10, 20, 30 rule – 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30-point font
Keeping it simple – but not simplifying the material
Make it interactive (to avoid “one-way learning)
Spice it up!
Set expectations (i.e., students shouldn’t just sit and copy from the slides)
Take breaks

Sources:

“Does PowerPoint Help or Hinder Learning?” by Maryellen Weimer, PhD in Teaching Professor Blog (http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/does-powerpoint-help-or-hinder-learning/)
Blog post from Guy Kawasaki, December 30, 2005 (blog.guykawasaki.com)

[41:35]

Adjunct Antics

Valuing Adjuncts

The downside of being an adjunct

Lower pay
No retirement plan or benefits
No job certainty/guarantee
No/less input to department decisions

“Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act”

Student debt is a problem for most people, but adjuncts (who have less job certainty and low pay) have an especially hard time paying off their loans
2007 – Congress created PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness), to offer loan forgiveness to people in public and non-profit sectors
Many adjuncts don’t qualify for PSLF because you have to work an average of 30 hours a week/year, and adjuncts don’t always get enough hours
The Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act would allow adjuncts to access PSLF, regardless of hours worked

Sources:

“Adjunct faculty exploring unionization,” by Koran Addo, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/adjunct-faculty-exploring-unionization/article_5691bb7b-08b7-5f36-9e48-c52544c840c8.html)
“Big News: Sen. Dick Durbin Introduces Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act,” from Adjunct Action (http://adjunctaction.org/2014/07/big-news-sen-dick-durbin-introduces-adjunct-faculty-loan-fairness-act/)

Episode 015: A Slogan is Born

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 01:11:00 +0000

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: A Slogan is Born

Episode no: 015

Date: Recorded on 8/12/14

Topics in Language Learning

Always “on”

What do we mean by “on”?
When is it hard to be “on”?
How do we stay “on” in challenging situations?

Take a deep breath!
Set the timer
Fake it ‘til you make it
Remember, you’re human
Call in reinforcements
Don’t be afraid to say no

[17:20]

Methodology

Breathing new life into a course

Why is it necessary?
How do you know it’s time?
What should you do?
What should you not do?
Did it work?

[28:10]

Adjunct Antics…

Getting ready for a new semester

Coordinating your schedule
Waiting for classes to “make”
Last minute changes
Creating a syllabus/schedule
Gathering materials
Getting familiar with new systems/schools

SHOUT OUTS: Program coordinators and department secretaries…and adjuncts, of course!! Especially to Julie Heyer, for her cheerful disposition, positive attitude, and suggesting our slogan “keep it minimal.”

Episode 014: What is the last P in PARSNIP?

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 00:24:00 +0000

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: What is the last P in PARSNIP?

Episode no: 014

Date: Recorded on 8/7/14

Topics in Language Learning

EFL vs. ESL

What’s the difference?
- EFL – English as a Foreign Language is taught to a mostly homogenous group of ELLs in a non-English speaking country
- ESL – English as a Second Language is taught to any group of ELLs, primarily immigrants, in an English speaking country)
Objectives

EFL
- Less urgency/ irrelevant to daily routine – speakers don’t need English in their everyday lives
- Topical– literature, cinema, art, culture, conversation, etc. are all courses that could be offered
ESL
- More urgency/practical – speakers need to use English to survive, so they’re less concerned with technicalities
- Holistic – communication skills, reading, writing, ESP, “big picture”/long-term purposes

Our experiences…
Planning/preparation:
- EFL
  - Focus on practice, especially speaking, pronunciation, and conversation
  - Exposure to authentic English
  - Reasons/motivation
- ESL
  - Hands on/suitable for immediate needs
  - Explicit cultural instruction
  - Integration
Sources:
- Oxford University Press, English Language Teaching Global Blog, article by Kate Bell – oupeltglobalblog.com
- Teaching ESL to Adults – www.teaching-esl-to-adults.com

[19:00]

Methodology

Audio learners

Identifying auditory learners

Good memory for conversations, jokes, music, lyrics, etc.
Enjoy discussion, debate, conversation, listening to music, etc.
Sing/hum/whistle to themselves
Prefer oral presentations to written reports
May read slowly and/or have trouble interpreting graphs, maps, charts, etc.

Teaching Tips

Beginning
- Read directions aloud (while projecting them on the board or providing a handout)
- Paraphrase/restate directions, especially difficult words
- Allow students to record lectures
- Word association/verbal mapping
- Reading aloud (alone or with someone)
- Books on tape
- Mnemonic devices, like PARSNIP (stay tuned!)
Intermediate
- Assigning oral presentations to supplement written work
- Incorporating music and videos to supplement reading/lecture
- Allow students to record lectures
- Word association/verbal mapping
- Reading groups to share/supplement written journals
Advanced
- Assigning oral presentations to supplement written work
- “What questions do you have?” (rather than “Do you have any questions?”)
- Ask them questions, too
- Encourage active participation so students get a variety of input from people with different backgrounds, levels of fluency, accents, etc.
- Listening to/creating podcasts

Source:

The Study Gurus, “Study Advice for Auditory Learners,” article by Clare – www.thestudygurus.com

[38:57]

Culturally speaking…

Taboo topics

PARSNIP

Politics
Alcohol
Religion
Sex
Narcotics
–isms
What does the last P in PARSNIP stand for?

Tips for teachers – countdown:

5. Raising cultural awareness

4. Know your audience

3. Warm, but not hot (let them discuss something without it getting too heated)

2. R-E-S-P-E-C-T

1. Keep it neutral

Source:

LinkedIn Group, TESOL International Association, discussion started by Anes Abdelrahim Mohamed on July 4^th

Episode 013: Tweet Me in St. Louie

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 04:26:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 013

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: Tweet Me in St. Louie

Episode no: 013

Date: Recorded on 7/2/14 & 7/6/14

Topics in Language Learning

Technology in the classroom

Digital divide

What is it?
Effects students and teachers
Challenging classroom roles
How do tech skills help make students and teachers more marketable?

Tech controversy

Is technology replacing teaching?
When Sugata Mitra gave slum kids a computer, they learned how to use it on their own…
Should the Internet be included in curricula?
Why ask students to leave their devices outside? Are we excluding the Internet from classrooms?
Is this controversy fueling the digital divide?

Sources:

[19:45]

Methodology

Twitter

What is Web 2.0?

When should a teacher use it?
What issues exist?
Suggestions for new users?

Thanks again to Nate Soelberg for talking to us about Twitter!! You can reach him at @MrNatethteacher

Until next time, keep it minimal…and TWEET ME IN ST. LOUIE!

Episode 012: “Where can I get a Brazilian wax?”

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 19:53:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 012

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: “Where can I get a Brazilian wax?”

Episode no: 012

Date: Recorded on 6/25/14

Topics in Language Learning

English for Specific Purposes

Sources:
What is it? How is it different from ESL? (from UsingEnglish.com)
- Types of learners
- Types of instruction
- Learner motivation
What are “specific purposes”?
- Business
- Law
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Tourism
- Restaurant industry
Instructor responsibilities (from UsingEnglish.com) and challenges
- Setting goals
- Learning environment
- Evaluating students
- Who is qualified to teach it?
  - Is a TESL certification enough?
  - Do instructors with content specific backgrounds (like an MBA or J.D.) have an advantage?

[19:10]

Methodology

Authentic situations

Online presence

Email
Social media

Students who are new to the country and dealing with lots of “real-world” issues

Finding housing
Setting up utilities
Figuring out public transportation; getting cars and driver’s licenses
Getting acquainted with a new city: what to do, where to go for fun, etc.
Overlooked things: where to get a haircut, how American pharmacies work, etc.
Remaining approachable; validating their challenges

Having authentic situations in ESP classes
- Product pitch
- Writing emails
  - Good news vs. bad news
  - Requests & reminders
- Job interviews
- “Water-cooler” conversation skills
Book recommendation: Americans at Work: A Guide to the Can-Do People (by Craig Storti)

[36:15]

Culturally speaking…

High-context vs. low-context cultures

Sources:

http://www.marin.edu/buscom/index_files/Page605.htm
Worldwide ERC

What’s the difference?
- High-context – indirect (Asia, Middle East, Africa, South America)
  - Less likely to share thoughts and feelings
  - Stress expressed non-verbally or accidentally
  - Conversation is monotone (lack of inflection and enthusiasm)
  - Communication is indirect (evasive, talking around the point, tactful, ambiguous)
  - Conflict (harmony valued)
- Low-context – direct (North America, most of Western Europe)
  - More open with thoughts and feelings
  - Don’t hide stress/tension
  - Conversation is enthusiastic
  - Communication is direct (precise, blunt, to the point)
  - Conflict is a means of expressing (and having pride for) personal opinion
Tips for teachers
- Make students aware of the difference (validate both)
- Be specific with directions for assignments (putting it on paper helps indirect communicators)
- Modeling being direct (i.e. through teacher feedback)
- Prefacing authentic situations with a discussion about being direct vs. indirect
- Encouraging classroom participation (challenging for indirect communicators)
- Students who want to tell the teacher how to teach

Episode 011: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 19:32:00 +0000

Click here to listen to The Minimal Pair: Episode 011

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

Episode no: 011

Date: Recorded on 5/29/14

Topics in Language Learning

Classroom Management

Source: The English Skills Learning Center blog: “Tips on Classroom Management for Adult ELL classes” http://www.eslcenter.org/about-us/blog/103-tips-on-classroom-management-for-adult-ell-classes
Classroom management—what and why?

Challenges of teaching different age groups and cultural backgrounds in the same classroom
Challenges of “mixed classrooms”—English and ESL
Different college settings (Community college, 4 year college, grad school)

The 7 tips the English Skills Center blog shares in their article, and how we implement them in the classroom:

Make class expectations clear and realistic and stick to them
Be consistent: set class routines that students can become familiar with
Find a balance between being your students’ teacher and being their friend (respected vs. approachable)
Work to engage all the students while teaching. Don’t base the pace of an entire class on one or two students
Use interactive activities and open-ended questions as a chance to check student comprehension
Ask for student feedback and incorporate it as appropriate for everyone
Recognize that some discipline concerns need to be addressed immediately, while others are better done individually after class

Plus, 3 more tips (from us) for an even 10!

Follow the “golden rule”—treat students with the same respect you expect from them
Don’t shame students into submission, participation, etc. (Brene Brown)
Address different learning styles (in addition to pace) in order to reach everyone

[18:04]

Methodology

Visual learners

FYI: listen to future episodes for similar segments about audio learners and kinesthetic learners!
Source: Adam Simpson’s blog, “Teach them English,” http://www.teachthemenglish.com/2014/05/using-infographics-to-teach-language-the-why-how-and-where/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Beginning English

Picto-wikis
Infographic
Timeline of events in a story
Illustrating student work
Diagrams: Venn diagrams, columns, thought-webs
Building blocks of English writing (bottom of pyramid)

Intermediate English

Building blocks of English writing (top of pyramid)
Outlining essays (outline as a “blueprint”)
Videos (i.e. “School House Rock” for Grammar)
Powerpoints (a picture is worth a thousand words—being succinct; animations—giving students a chance to answer first)
Presentations (posters, Powerpoints, passed objects, etc.)
Graffiti

Advanced English

Research presentations (Powerpoint and beyond)
Videos (for the student and by the student)
Including pictures in wikis (literal and abstract)
Picture outline (a picture for each point)

[32:40]

Culturally speaking…

English-only debate

Immigration issue

Preserving L1/living in predominantly L1 communities
Learning the spoken language of new country and letting go of L1
Actively integrating both in daily life

Language and identity

First-generation Americans
Kids caught between cultures
3^rd culture kids
Role reversal in immigrant families

Multilingual countries

The linguistic divide can cause political/cultural tension (i.e. Quebec)
Language status (English vs. anything in the U.S.)
Countries that were formally colonized and the linguistic implication

English as the official language of the U.S.

The U.S. does not have an official language
English’s status in the U.S. as the “unofficial official language”
Should the U.S. have an official language?
- What should it be?
- Should/could there be more than one?
- Is this an issue to be decided at a state or federal level?

Check us out on twitter, FB, gmail

Keep it minimal!

Episode 010: Don't Box Them In

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Sat, 31 May 2014 07:44:00 +0000

Click here to listen to The Minimal Pair: Episode 010

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: Don't Box Them In

Episode no: 010

Date: Recorded on 5/30/14

Topics in Language Learning

Introverts/Passive Learning

Sources:

“Passive Learners vs. Introverts—A comment,” by Naomi Epstein (from the blog Visualizing Ideas)
#ELTChat Summary from May 7^th 2014—“How we deal with passive learners,” compiled by Lizzie Pinard

Talking points from both sources and our experiences:

Distinction between “introverts” and “passive learners”
- Introverts didn’t raise their hands, but were clearly listening; rather than conforming to the expected learning behavior, they adapt their own
- Passive learners seem completely disengaged from the lesson; often don’t know what’s going on, when things are due, and how to complete assignments
Motivation
- Students who have to be there vs. students who want to be there
- Age and life experience as factors in student beahvior
Avoiding labels, targeting the problem
- “Introvert” and “passive” are not mutually exclusive
- Not important to argue over definitions or positive & negative connotations of each
- More important to focus on the behaviors inherent to both/all kinds of learners and how to make space for them in the classroom

Our tips:

Introverts
- Variety of activities (i.e. speaking vs. writing)
- Take it slow (build up to oral participation & give them time to think before responding)
- Partner work (gives them a space to build confidence)
Passive Learners
- Meeting them where they are (trying to get them to see it from their perspective)
- Academic contract
- Frequent conferences
How our tips support distinguishing between the two,…
…but don’t “box them in!”

[24:30]

Methodology

Journaling

What

Informal assessment
Homework/in-class

Academic English students
Listening & pronunciation students
Grammar?

Reading comprehension
Summarizing, paraphrasing, & plagiarism
Vocabulary building
Description, Analysis, Self-reflection
Real world participation incentive
Progress monitoring

When & Where

At home vs. in class
Before reading vs. after
Testing situations
Extra credit

Side-by-side
Quote-paraphrase-reflect
Vocabulary
Listening comp.
Group work
STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) journals
Daily reflections

[45:20]

Culturally speaking…

Cross-cultural communication

Source: DFA Intercultural Global Solutions, LLC http://dfaintercultural.com/top-10-tips-for-communicating-with-anyone-in-the-world/
What are Dean Foster’s tips and how do we use them in the classroom?

Take your time – Ask the other speaker to slow down – Keep it simple – Don’t be afraid to ask for help – Avoid baseball English – Skip the acronyms – Don’t ask yes/no questions – Get rid of double negatives – Talk to more than one person – Start formal – Pay attention to the non-verbal – Be respectful, be interested, & be humble

SHOUT OUTS: #ELTchat and everyone who participated in the conversation, especially Naomi Epstein and Lizzie Pinard)

YOU our listeners! Thanks!

Adjunct Action!

Keep it minimal!

Episode 009: DO Talk to Strangers

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Fri, 16 May 2014 23:17:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 009

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: DO Talk to Strangers

Episode no: 009

Date: Recorded on 5/16/14

Topics in Language Learning

Tutoring/student support

Inspired by the article “Minimalist Tutoring: Making Students Do All the Work,” by Jeff Brooks of Seattle Pacific University (https://docs.google.com/document/d/18iposMnhBlTZIKhZ_s2gpgtfnd5-XV_nBRabuv44o3w/edit?hl=en_US)
Talking points:

Teaching students to fish
Improve the student, not the paper
Helping vs. editing
Goal of writing a paper?
Student ownership (both of their writing and their mistakes)

“Basic Minimalist Tutoring” Tips:

Sit beside the student
Have the student be closer to the paper than you are
Position yourself so that it’s not convenient to try to write on the paper; don’t bring a pen
Have the student read the paper (so they’re not excluded)

“Advanced Minimalist Tutoring” Tips:

Concentrate on the paper’s strengths
Ask “leading questions”
Give the student a task, leave him/her alone, come back to check in

“Defensive Minimalist Tutoring” Tips:

Imitate student body language to show deference
Be honest: “This is your paper, not mine!”

[23:00]

Methodology

Small talk

Our experiences…
Why should we teach it?
“Making space for English”—shout out to Anna Loseva
The Fine Art of Small Talk by Debra Fine
How can we incorporate it into our classrooms?
5 Tips for Students:

Do talk to strangers
Keep it light
Being engaged
Closing the conversation
Reflect

[40:40]

Culturally speaking…

Group work

Why group work?
How do we determine groups? Factors to consider and why: skill level, confidence/personality, age, gender, language background, religious/cultural background…
The importance of teaching students how to be students in an American classroom

SHOUT OUTS: Jeff Brooks of Seattle Pacific University & Anna Loseva @AnnLoseva

Episode 008: The Little Episode That Could

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Fri, 09 May 2014 06:30:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 008

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: The Little Episode That Could

Episode no: 008

Date: Recorded on 5/8/14

Introduction: So, it’s finals time…how are you holding up?

Topics in Language Learning

Students’ perception of their own performance:

Students who think they are doing fine/don’t seem worried, but are failing
Students who are doing fine, but constantly worry about their grades
Students who wait until the very end of the semester to ask what they can do about their grade
Students who didn’t do the original work, but want extra credit
Students reactions to final grades

[17:04]

Methodology

How to deal with a test/writing prompt that doesn’t go as planned…

The test takes longer than anticipated
1. Give them extra time?
2. But what if another class is coming in…?
The test results were lower than expected: was it too challenging? How to decide:
1. Look at scores overall: did everyone do poorly?
2. Look at individual scores: did anyone do drastically worse than they did on previous tests?
Adjusting scores for tests that were deemed disastrous
Avoiding the same mistakes in the future/gauging the length of time and level of difficulty of future tests

[32:27]

Adjunct Antics

Career Adjunct?

Being an adjunct wasn’t meant to be a career, yet that’s what it is for many people
Feeling like a second-class citizen
Unions: the solution? Or part of the problem?

SHOUT OUTS: Dan Clark, thanks for listening and giving us positive feedback on the quality of our recording—it means a lot, coming from a fellow pod-caster (First World Podcast). Also, I have a HUGE shout out to Stephanie, for figuring out our microphone problem so that we could record tonight, against all odds. This truly was the “little episode that could.”

Episode 007: The Ball is Pretty

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 14:25:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 007

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: The Ball is Pretty

Episode no: 007

Date: 4/21/14

Topics in Language Learning

Student attendance & making up work

Importance of coming to class, especially in a second-language classroom
Reasons for absences; where do we draw the line?
Attendance policy
Homework that’s due on the day that class is missed
Making up what was missed (including assessments)

[20:18]

Methodology

On the lighter side: fun things we’ve done and would like to do!

Games
1. Ice-breaker
2. Mad libs
3. The Minimal Pair game
4. Taboo
5. Simon Says…
6. “Speed” vocabulary
7. BINGO
Music
1. “School House Rocks”
2. Conditionals & modals, YouTube compilations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBIawQGe-88

Azar song lessons: http://www.azargrammar.com/materials/uueg/UUEG_SongLessons.html
1. Count & non-count nouns (My Favorite Things)
2. Conditionals (If I Had a Hammer or Octupus’ Garden)
Vocabulary cloze

Role play/dramatizations
1. Lower Academic English
2. Point-of-View
3. Pronunciation

[38:28]

Adjunct Antics/Culturally speaking…

When worlds collide: varied perspectives in the classroom

Modals: “should/shouldn’t” discussion
“Food for thought”: how sharing food opened a discussion on cultural differences
“Diversity theme” in a diverse classroom
Culturally informed opinions about lecture topics

Keep it minimal!

Episode 006: You Don't Know What You Don't Know

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 04:37:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 006

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: “You don’t know what you don’t know…”

Episode no: 006

Date recorded: 4/14/14

Topics in Language Learning

Taking care of ourselves as teachers…

Thursday’s TESOL presentation (that we regrettably were unable to attend): “Keeping ESL Teachers from Becoming Their Own Worst Enemies,” George Plautz, Korrin Ebira, Naomi Lee
Stack of Marking (Balance), by Thomas Starkey http://stackofmarking.wordpress.com
5 tips for finding balance/what we do now and what we’re going to do…

5. Exercise

4. Quiet time

3. Set boundaries w/ students

2. Let it go!

1. Sacred Time

[PAUSE][19:05]

Methodology

Plagiarism, Paraphrasing, and Citation

Why is it important?

Academic Integrity
Culturalism
Reading comprehension

How do we teach it?

The “why” and the “when”
Resources: Purdue OWL, Easybib
Modeling paraphrasing w/o looking & paraphrasing vs. “translating”

[PAUSE][35:31]

“Culturally speaking…”

Introducing our new segment (to alternate w/ “Adjunct Antics”)
“You don’t know what you don’t know…”

How are you a student?
1. Classroom dynamic
2. Group work
3. Questioning authority
4. Asking questions
Student-teacher relationships
1. Addressing each other
2. Invitations for outside interaction
3. Giving/receiving presents

SHOUT OUTS: Brad Bawtinheimer @BradELT and Allison Roba (thanks for listening!)

Keep it minimal!

Episode 005: TESOL Recap & Review

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 04:53:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 005

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: TESOL Recap & Review

Episode no: 5

Date: 4/6/14

Introduction: Overview of our trip to Portland and our experience at TESOL 2014

Shared highlight:

Congrats to Amy Roither, our colleague from St. Louis Community College, who gave a stellar presentation on student-created podcasts

Thursday 3/27, 11:30—Hear Me Now! Improving Academic Skills with Student-Created Podcasts (Amy Roither)

Stephanie’s highlights:

Thursday 3/27, 10:30am—Mentor Text2: Scaffolding Reading Instruction for Community College ESL (Dr. Sarina C. Molina)

Thursday 3/27, 1:00pm—Flipping the ESL Classroom: Promoting Student Interaction, Engagement, & Learning (Danielle Petersen, Caitlin Hamstra, Alisha Fisher)

Thursday 3/27, 4pm—“Reading to Write” to Sustain University-Level Writing”

(Lori Giles and Kimberly McGrath Moreira)

Thursday 3/27, 3:00pm—Teaching Spoken English: Content and Methodology

(John Campbell-Larsen)

Saturday 3/29, 11:30am—Using Twitter, Storytelling, and Screencasting Apps to Reimagine Your Classroom etc. (Abby Porter and Nathan Soelberg)

Meeting Jennifer ESL

Jean’s highlights:

Thursday 3/27, 10:30am—Inquiry-Based ESL Grammar (Darrin Divers)

Thursday 3/27, 2:00pm—Fostering Presentation Competence: Instituting a Comprehensive Presentation Curriculum (Kaitlin Gram and Elizabeth Gould)

Thursday 3/27, 3:00pm—Second Language Writing Assessment—Exploring the Future (Sarah Snyder and Deborah Crusan)

Friday 3/28, 10:30am—Students as Teachers: Exploring Peer-to-Peer Teaching (Rosie Verratti and Nancy Hutchison)

Friday 3/28, 4:00pm—Book Clubs in the Classroom: Developing a Culture of Literacy (Heather Satrom, Sadi Sahbazian, and Jona Colson)

Episode 004: Less is More

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 04:24:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 004

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: Less is More

Episode no: 004

Date recorded: 3/24/14

Topics in Language Learning: TESOL 2014

Top priorities

Grammar

Academic writing

Classroom flipping

Pronunciation

Listening

Technology in the classroom

Cultural/social issues

How do we hope this translates to the classroom? What do we hope to gain?

Stephanie: “I hope to…”

“…have more dynamic sessions in grammar.”

“…walk away with more reading strategies.”

“…see practical uses of flipping the classroom.”

Jean: “I hope to…”

“…gain confidence as a grammar teacher.”

“…find new ways to incorporate technology in the classroom.”

“…give more effective feedback.”

Sessions to see:

Hear Me Now! Improving Academic Skills with Student Created Podcasts (Amy Roither) Thursday at 11:30

Using Twitter, Storytelling, and Screencasting Apps to Reimagine your Classroom (Nathan Soelberg, w/ Abby Porter) Saturday at 11:30

(TESOL in Focus) Becoming a U.S. Citizen: The Naturalization Process (Christine Pool, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USA)

[PAUSE]

Methodology: Feedback

Less is more (Quality over quantity)

Students: write less, edit more (especially in grammar classes)

Teachers: mark less, but give more explanation/strategies

Rubrics

How do we make them? How do we determine categories?

Are they more for us or more for students?

Do we share them with students?

Feedback on free writes & less formal assignments

Positive feedback vs. negative: finding a balance

Grade grubbing

[PAUSE]

Adjunct Antics: Unions

NPR, All Things Considered: “Part-time Professors Demand Higher Pay; Will Colleges Listen?” by Claudio Sanchez (aired on 2/3/14 at 4 pm)

76% of all college instructors are part-time

Published poet w/ Master’s Degree has been an adjunct for 20 years; the most she’s ever made in a year? $21,000

One sold her plasma; another moon-lights in a deli

Institutions avoid hiring full-time tenured professors because they believe the cost of education would go up between 30-40% and the public would not accept this

Adjuncts average $25-$27,000 per year

One adjunct figured she made about $8 an hour

SEIU (Service Employees International Union)

22% of adjuncts (nationwide) are now in unions

Inside Higher Ed. “Union Raises for Adjuncts” by Colleen Flaherty 7/26/13

“Kezar said research comparing the working conditions of unionized and non-unionized adjuncts shows that those with collective bargaining power have better salaries and benefits and are more likely to have paid office hours, opportunities for paid professional development and guaranteed participation in governance and other faculty domains.”

“Adjuncts with union representation also were more likely to have access to certain health and retirement benefits and had greater access to institutional support. For example, 18 percent of adjuncts on unionized campuses said they were paid for course cancellations, compared to 10 percent of their non-union peers. Fifteen percent of unionized campus adjuncts had paid office hours, compared to 4 percent of other adjuncts, and 20 percent union adjuncts said they had some kind of job security – something only 4 percent of their non-union counterparts reported enjoying.”

SHOUT OUTS: Amy Roither and Nathan Soelberg and @NewbieCELTA

TESOL COUNT DOWN: 2 days

Keep it minimal!

Episode 003 When Saying Yes is Saying No

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 16:19:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 003

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: When Saying Yes is Saying No

Episode no: 003

Date: 03/12/2014

Topics in Language Learning: L1/L2 Literacy

Interrupted education

Frequent displacement

Refugee camps

Child laborers

Using multiple languages (simultaneously or sequentially)

Countries that have been colonized (native vs. official language)

Frequent displacement (learning a new language with each move)

Shared L1 (help or hinder?)

Language gaps (in one or more language)

Consequences: how do each of these things affect classroom dynamic?

[PAUSE]

Methodology: Using video in the language learning

Homework:

Listening & Pronunciation Journals

“Listening Journals”

In-class

Lectures (from textbook, TED, and videos on demand)

Read book, then watch movie (i.e. Girl with a Pearl Earring)

Videos that correspond with semester theme (i.e. Waiting for Superman, Sicko!, Clarkston special report, Luma speaking,…)

Grammar, Parts of Speech Review with “School House Rocks”

Presentation skills class: watch lectures (YouTube, Jennifer ESL, TED, etc.) to critique “attention-getter,” mechanics, emphasis & building redundancy, thought groups, etc.

Assessment

“Live Journals”

Lecture/note-taking tests (build schema, review vocabulary, make predictions, listen twice, answer comprehension questions)

Presentation skills: videotaping their speeches to listen to later and uploading to Dropbox for them to listen/practice at home…

[PAUSE]

Adjunct Antics: Schedule issues

Coordinating schedules between different campuses

Different coordinators contact us about “next semester” at different points in the “current semester,” so it’s hard to plan/commit

“Saying yes is saying no”

Maximizing income by choosing classes by credit hour, school, etc.

Scheduling classes at different times at different schools (allowing time for travel)

Classes making

Picking classes strategically: which is most likely to make? Why?

Saying no to one class because you have committed to another, only to have that one get canceled (then you have nothing!)

Saying yes to too much, assuming something won’t make, and ending up overloaded

Preparing for a class, only to have it get canceled

Scrambling to plan a class at the last minute because someone gave it up or they had to open another section to meet registration needs

TESOL COUNT DOWN: Two Weeks!

Keep it minimal!

Keywords:

ESL, ELT, TESOL, English as a second language, The Minimal Pair, L1, L2, literacy, edtech, technology in the classroom, CALL, videos, adjuncts, scheduling

Episode 002: Midterms Cometh SHOW NOTES

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 04:44:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair: Episode 2

Show Notes: The Minimal Pair

Title: Midterms Cometh

Episode no: 002

Date: February 24, 2014

Introduction: Hello and thanks for listening. This is Episode 2 of The Minimal Pair, recorded on Monday February 14^th, 2014 in St. Louis, MO.

Believe it or not, the semester is almost halfway over! I don’t know about you, but between MLK Day, President’s Day, and all the snow days, I’m feeling the pressure to get everything covered in time!

Topics in Language Learning

Midterms

What kinds of classes we have…
What we do for midterm assessment (in each class)…
What’s worked and what hasn’t…
Conferences (how effective are they?)
Midterm grades
Time management at midterm and other strategies to get stuff done!

[PAUSE]

Methodology

Vocabulary

Teaching vocab. in different kinds of classes (reading/writing vs. listening/speaking)
- Intermediate-level journals (word, POS, definition) vs. advanced-level class journals (word, POS, definition, sentence)
- Listening and note-taking vocab. logs and tests (matching, writing sentences, fill-in the blank) to target different learning types
- Advanced-level Essay prep: complete the chart by finding examples of how the character is…list of adjectives)
Parts of Speech & word form issues

[PAUSE]

Adjunct Antics

Resources

Access to course materials
Curriculum design & collaboration (Dropbox, shared syllabi, BB forum)
Different libraries
Blackboard, email, grade input, etc. is different everywhere

SHOUT OUTS: English Expressions & Rolls off the Tongue

TESOL COUNT DOWN: 30 days until we leave!

Keep it minimal!

Podcast Episode 1

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 06:38:00 +0000

The Minimal Pair Episode 1

The Minimal Pair IMAGE

theminimalpair@gmail.com (Stephanie Axe and Jean Dempsey) — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 05:25:00 +0000