The teacher's VOICE-Korea

Helping Students prepare.

2024-05-22T22:05:00.000+09:00

Recently, I have had students prepare in an activity in which they create scripts, using Key Words (vocabulary) accumulated throughout the semester, then perfrom them.
There were three main reasons for this activity:
1. To practice voacubulary
2. So that I can give them real-time advice on how to create a script, which they could carry over to their project.
3. To give them suggestions on their performance, which also would help them with their upcoming project.
Additionally, it gave them a chance to work together, practice the four skills of English and be interactive.

Another aspect that I really like is it gives me a chance to go around and help them. When I do this it helps me address a student's needs at an individual level. Furthermore, it helps build rapport in the class room.

Here is a video of me going around and helping students with their scripts. Soon there will be an audio of one of the presentations and my subsequent advice. I have to be careful to not show students faces too much, so I didnt make a video of the "presentations".

I've been busy and cultivating chemistry.

2024-05-14T11:24:00.002+09:00

As a University professor these days, I have had some complications in keeping this blog updated.

1. I am usually tired after all the prep and taking care of the students

2. The students are more sensitive when it comes to recording the class.And it is a lot more serious than when I was a high school teacher.

3. Even during breaks I am often doing extra work or volunteering.

However, I have decided to try and update this Blog more often.

This video is a simple one of me going around and helping our students while they are doing group work. I often try to make myself sit back and allow them to work, because I can check on them too often. I need to get better at waiting for them to finish. However, the students dont really mind and I often have chances to enhance the chemistry of the class with random side rapport and interactions with various students.

One of the prevalent comments in my end of the semester evaluations is that "The Professor is really caring of the students." And I think my penchant for not just sitting back could be one of the reasons students say that. However, I do need to sit back more, lol. Because I can also distract students with our side interactions. But they are able to re-focus quickly.

Where have I been?

2022-05-25T20:23:00.002+09:00

It's been a long time. A lot has happened to me since my last post. I am a Professor now at a University.

I will post some more. For now Check out this video that was made for students to help give them an example of how to interview people and talk about where they are from.

An inside exploration at what informs a teacher's philosophy.

2020-08-17T01:14:00.001+09:00

Factors that influence Matthew’s teaching

Learning can be a simple and complex action simultaneously, with a variety of ways people acquire new information, modify existing information, or even synthesize various types of information. To be effective educators, teachers must recognize this fact and be able to instruct within a spectrum of deliveries that best addresses students’ different learning styles. The consideration of these factors is the prevailing key component in the formulation of my learning theory and curriculum.

Efficacy of instruction is of utmost importance; therefore, developing one’s knowledge about learning theories is vital to transferring information in a proficient manner. In Teaching and Learning, Patricia Alexander (n.d.) explains that “nobody ever reaches high levels of competence without a strong amount of personal investment in that domain.” A teacher could gain a certain degree of competency in recognition of how students learn just by experience and observation; however, in order to maximize students’ learning potential, the teacher should actively seek out a greater understanding of the models of learning. There is a plethora of learning theories described by numerous scholars that fall under six overarching paradigms of instruction: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Design/Brain-Based, Humanism, and 21st Century Skills. Factors of each paradigm can be observed when learning is in action. Whatever the dynamics, as an educator, my ‘curriculum design and instruction’ focuses more on aspects within Humanism, Constructivism, small parts of Behaviorism, with a current concentration on 21^st Century Skills.

The Humanistic approach is characterized as learning being student centered and personalized with the educator’s role being that of a facilitator (www.learning-theories.com). This paradigm then branches off into Experiential Learning, which has the learner being actively involved in what the content of their instruction. It is a learning strategy that is a highly prevalent factor in my curriculum design. Student-centered teaching methods shift the focus of activity from the teacher to the learners (www4.ncsu.edu). During instruction: firstly, there is an introduction of what the days goals and objectives are, next details about the specific focus, then I state what I would like the students to perform. I then have them prepare for the outlined objective while guiding students during preparation time; through answering questions, giving ideas, et cetera. Subsequently, students apply what they learned and share their created product to other members in the class.

In performing the Humanism framework, my goal is to implement the Pareto Principle, also known as the “80/20 rule”. It states that 80 percent of effects come from only 20 percent of causes (www.howtolearn.com). Through this principle the objective is to have students time for active learning, be around 80 percent; while my time for instruction should be about 20 percent.

Though the application of the curriculum has a high dose of the Humanistic approach, it is also combined with large elements of the Constructivism paradigm, more specifically Constructive Alignment. This is an approach to curriculum and course design that seeks to maximize the quality learning experience for students by incorporating the concepts of constructive and alignment (as cited B.Teater 2011). The objective is for the lesson to transfer students’ knowledge and skills to authentic applications.

21^st century skills refer to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are believed to be critically important to success in today’s world (www.edglossary.org). It is important for students to utilize these skills in instruction so that they can be proficient, if they need to use them in real-world applications. Therefore, I incorporate these skills into instruction. These days I use a variety of digital-technological applications; for example, having students use Google sites to create their own class websites, or having students create audio files in SoundCloud for speaking projects, or YouTube to create video projects. There is an assortment of ways to administer these tools into instruction. Furthermore, they are conducive to keeping class feel dynamic and establishing a collaborative environment. The need in society to think and work together on issues of critical concern has increased, shifting the emphasis from individual efforts to group work, from independence to community (Hüseyin Uzunboylu, 2012). In addition, keeping class dynamic with fresh and new ways for students, to apply what they have learned, helps reinforce content and embed it into their memory.

There are also parts of the Sociocultural theory, which Dr. Patricia Alexander (n.d.) describes as a way to look at how we build learning environments that are comfortable to the students while maintaining the learning focus. The classroom environment must be conducive to students feeling comfortable, to learn actively without hesitation; one that could propel students to take risks and not worry about being wrong. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to create an environment where students feel supported and empowered in their learning. To do this I apply various methods; such as, team-building activities, open discussions, creating rapport, and expressing the value of making mistakes rather than doing nothing at all, amongst several other techniques which are implemented.

Finally, there are instances where a Behavioral approach to learning is injected into instruction. Mainly through the utilization of rules and conditions that positively reinforce desired behaviors; these are focused more on during the onset of educational periods- introduction classes, or in the case where negative behaviors can become an obstacle to an effective learning environment. In general, I don’t like to adhere to these principles and find them too rigid, but sometimes factors make it necessary to lean on a behavioristic type of approach. Through experience I have noticed that this practice is more effective at the beginning of the year, especially at the commencement of student-teacher interactions. As time goes on, I quickly phase out this style and put more of the onus on the students to be responsible for themselves, however this application is not involved within the Bloom’s Taxonomy pyramid or learning. In contrast, it is an acquired practice based upon experience, observation and experimentation of real-time instruction.

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a structure that categorizes and classifies academic educational objectives and cognitive ability (H.Spring 2010 p. 327).The hierarchy of Bloom’s taxonomy goes from knowledge to comprehension to application to analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Focusing on a linear progression through those steps does not address the fact that students learn differently at different stages; strict adherence to the progression of each stage can hinder students learning development within the learning spectrum. Therefore, I chose a learning theory that leans heavily on a Constructivist orientation, Jay McTighe (n.d.) explains that positive constructivist learning involves putting students in the game, letting them see the game, and then teaching them the skills to get better. In using this approach to designing curriculum, the goal is to make sure that students not only acquire the knowledge, but are able to synthesize and understand the knowledge in meaningful ways, also that the knowledge they absorb and the goals they work on, are meaningful to them and are practical to their lives. The game is life in this case; the constructivist approach allows me to impart a sense of effectual learning and motivate them to want to learn more about the material.

It is important that teachers understand the framework developed within the learning theory paradigms; it allows them to have a more comprehensive knowledge of learning. Therefore, the implementation of curriculum can have a greater likelihood in enhanced degrees of effectiveness. The synthesis of learning theories -which parts a teacher believes is more applicable to their students and which could be changed- can allow more specific utilizations of theories in creating curriculum. Our learning and the development of such learning theories is not static. No matter which elements we choose to practice, the main goal is for students to be able to be proficient in the knowledge that they assimilate through our instruction. It is crucial that this goal is prerequisite and indispensable to whichever theory/theories a teacher adheres to. These considerations inform my instruction and curriculum design to foster a highly effectual learning environment.

References:

Spring, H. (2010). Theories of learning: Models of good practice for evidence-based information skills teaching. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 327-331. Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8b7b98c6-8358-4ae9-96eb-14ba3508927b%40sessionmgr110&vid=18&hid=111

Teater, B. (2011). Maximizing Student Learning: A Case Example of Applying Teaching and Learning Theory in Social Work Education. Social Work Education, 571-585. Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8b7b98c6-8358-4ae9-96eb-14ba3508927b%40sessionmgr110&vid=15&hid=111

Kruger, S. (2014). HowToLearn.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://www.howtolearn.com/2014/10/8020-the-unbalanced-key-to-efficient-teaching/

Lurie, S. (2015). Boost Your Efficiency with the 80/20 Rule | Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved January 9, 2016, from https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/boost-your-efficiency-8020-rule

Learning Theories, Learning Models, Learning Theory Summaries - in Plain English! (n.d.). Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://www.learning-theories.com/ Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Teaching and learning [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Research on learning [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Student-Centered Teaching. (n.d.). Retrieved January 9, 2016, from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Student-Centered.html

EFL: Class Websites and students creating their group pages

2020-06-07T01:44:00.006+09:00

As a novel way for students to use English and to get practical practice pertaining (alliteration) to 21st-century skills, I create individual class websites for each class. Each class has its own website and students, who are in base groups, create their own page that corresponds to their base group. As the year goes on, they make sub-pages where they post assignments and projects.

Here are a few examples

Class 206 Class 212 Class 215

In previous years, I instructed them students how to do it, step by step. However this year I created a tutorial video to show them with the goal of having them rely more on themselves. My goal is to get them as self-reliant as possible. Therefore, I told them what I wanted to do and showed them examples, then had them get into their groups where they had the tutorial video, group members and the internet at their disposal. I let them know that I was always their to help, but to try to only ask me when they couldn't figure something out.

Tutorial Video:

Going over preliminary steps

For the first lesson in using the google sites, I had students create introduction pages where each group member introduced themselves and included an image.

The lesson was a success. There were some students who needed help, but we were able to meet our goals . Furthermore, if students were unable to finish, they could always pick up where they left off or finish up outside of class because it is an ongoing process.

Students really enjoyed this lesson because they had learned something, practiced English and made something tangible.

Reviewing Student work

I will keep you posted on how it goes throughout the year, but to see previous years completed class sites, go back to the examples. This year because of having many classes online, we will develop the class sites more than ever before.

Here is an abridged class where students create their group pages:

Thanks for watching and great brains!

EFL: Making tutorial videos for your class

2020-05-22T15:44:00.006+09:00

Tutorial videos can be a great tool to give to your students; especially, in the days of "social-distancing" where many classes have to be conducted online.

I made my first tutorial video last year when a couple of my classes had frequent interruptions that forced us skip some classes. I wanted to make sure they knew what to do for their project, and without me being able to give them instruction, I knew it could affect their quality of work. Therefore, I created a tutorial video and posted it to my Teacher website (Matthew's EFL Class).
Students were able to access the tutorial any time they wanted it, plus it allowed them to feel more connected because their teacher was thinking of how to make things easier for them and doing stuff for their benefit.

These days, I have continued the implementation the use of tutorial videos because many of the classes are online; in addition, it affords students the chance to view and review the instruction as needed, and supplements live instruction.
I usually break students up into groups, in order for them to apply their learning. When they are in their groups they have the option to review the tutorial video ;if they are already sure they understand everything, they do not need to.
It has worked out very well. Many students watch them, even if they already know what to do because they just like to see what I have made for them and it really helps them even more connected and important.
I am not the best video tutorial maker; but I usually try to finish it in one take with little editing. If there are minor mistakes in the video, I leave them in. They add authenticity and help create that "I'm there" feeling and not just reading some script to them (although I do have a script in case I forget what to say); furthermore, it empowers students to know that making mistakes is okay.

After I finish the voice over and instruction, I add music to them to enhance the "vibe".

The videos are supplements to instruction, but I remind students that they are always available and that it is important to use every resource at their disposal to get them into the habit of reviewing previous works. If they cannot remember what was done in previous classes, review and not just go straight to me every time they forget. It helps them become autonomous learners; however, I am always there, if they need some more help.

Here is my first tutorial video I ever made as an example:

This was made using OBS Studio. It is free, easy to use and I recommend it.

What do you think about making tutorial videos?

Have you ever created any of your own for your classes?

Please share, if you have.

Let's share our experiences and help each other become better teachers!

Thanks for reading!

EFL: The Application of Padlet in an online classroom

2020-04-22T12:51:00.001+09:00

Because of the pandemic most teachers are forced to continue their teachings using online platforms, such as zoom or google meet. Effective teachers always update their instructional toolbox by researching and acquiring instructional tools that afford students to have enhanced learning environments.

These times are no different. There are a plethora of applications that we can use to help keep the class interactive; however, a lot of them cost money and if we cannot get our schools to doll out money on an application for learning, we either have to spend our own money or find free platforms (hardly any are truly free). The free applications usually do not have as many comprehensive usages as the for-cost ones.

I have tried out Padlet as one of these tools and it has been pretty good. It is free within parameters ( I use the free version), but it is highly useful and effective. I use it as a virtual board where students can share work they have done and see what others are doing.

Image: Padlet Questions during class

*The Video below is its application in class for this activity (getting to know the teacher), as well as showing students where to find it and how to use it. It turned out to be very productive and interesting to the students.*

I hope some teachers find this useful.

Keep doing great!

😊

EFL: Creating a Class Website

2020-04-16T16:36:00.002+09:00

2020 has been a year where teachers have had to get outside of their comfort zone. The Covid-19 pandemic has moved many scholastic environments from the classroom to an online platform. It is good, in a way, because it gives teachers a chance to update their skills and attune them to a world that has become more and more digital. Hopefully when students get back, we can use these tools to enhance and expand our scholastic environments.

I was equipped to tackle these new conditions with an already in place class website. I use google sites because they are free; however, they give you a lot of control and teachers are able to expand their classes beyond the physical realm. This affords students the opportunity to view material any time they want and look ahead to future plans the teacher has.

I am still learning how to do mine, and if you look through the years, you can hopefully see some improvements. I will share my website here to help people get a better idea:

https://sites.google.com/view/matthewseflclass/home

EFL Class Discussion: Pseudoscience and I drink some urine?

2019-09-07T23:08:00.002+09:00

Part 3 of a sequential lesson order. This one is about Pseudosciences and carries over some strange beliefs from the last couple of lessons. In this class students had a quick introduction into pseudosciences, we then read about them and went over the passage.

We talked about urotherapy and I then got a bit crazy, to illustrate how strange drinking urine in, plus I thought it would be a good way to get students engaged: I brought some fake urine into class and asked students to give me advice on whether or not I should drink it. Next went into a Fact or Myth activity. Then everything culminated into how to know if information is good or not. I ended class as they prepared their answers and they will share them at the start of the next class.

EFL Class discussion: Conspiracy theories part 2

2019-08-30T13:35:00.001+09:00

A 50-minute class condensed to under 15 minutes. The topic is conspiracy theories. It is a continuation from the introduction class New Semester Intro plus Flat Earth part 1.

Firstly I present what we are going to do, then a short review. Next, I introduced the topic and gave a little background information, then we read about the topic and briefly discussed the reading, then students worked together to compile a list of conspiracy theories and strange beliefs people had. Finally, they shared what they came up with and we discussed their results.

Next class will be about information and how we can know if it is good or not.

The purpose is to have students talk about more contemporary topics, and also think about issues that affect society today.

Semester 2 Intro plus Flat Earth

2019-08-23T12:47:00.000+09:00

An introductory class in which I present the next subject that we will discuss (Conspiracy theories). I talked about how some people believe that the earth is flat and how they do not change their minds despite the evidence against their beliefs. Even when they prove, through their own experiments, that the earth is a sphere.

I wanted to prime students so that they can discuss the subject of conspiracy theories next week, and how that some people adopt their beliefs as part of their identity and adhere to perspectives of life-minded groups no matter what the facts are.

This topic leads into their next topic: Pseudoscience.

Chat abbreviations game

2019-07-01T23:45:00.001+09:00

A video of a game I played with students called chat-abbreviations. We had a lesson about cyber-slang and to reinforce the acronyms we learned we performed this activity.

EFL Performance Evaluation: Groups creat informative videos. Examples included.

2018-12-04T12:22:00.002+09:00

For the 2018 final, I had students do an informative-video, in which, they chose a topic based on subjects in their English Book. Here are some examples of 'instructional-handouts', a 'rubric' and a compilation of highlights from the excellent videos they produced.

Instructional Handout:

Final Project: Informative Video

• In this project, you can select any topic from the book (Express Yourself) for your video.
• After you choose a topic your team must research the topic more deeply or learn different details about the subject and then create a video in which each member teaches about the topic.
• This video must include vocabulary words from a pre-selected list which must be used in your English-speaking part
• There must be a script in which each member has their student # above their specific English part and the vocabulary words highlighted (attached to your group page)
• The video must be embedded using HTML either by using google drive or YouTube to your group page by the due date. Late submissions equal ‘0’.
More Details
• Each member must use 4 vocabulary words from the list in their English part, each should use different words.
• Each member must speak
• You must check for technical issues before uploading/attaching the file
• Each members part should have 10-15 sentences, which is about 1-2 minutes of talking time (for each person) in the video (mores sentences = better chance of getting a high grade).
• This is worth 50 points ( 10 group and 40 individual)
Due Dates:
· Monday Classes 11/19,
· Tues 11/20,
· Wed 11/21,
· Thu 11/22
· Fri 11/23
Early submission (at least one week before the due date) gets a no-grammar check bonus
Communicate with me (Matthew), if you have any questions. Come to my office or email me at Mattteacheresl@gmail.com.

Final Project Rubric

Video Checklist

Project-Video Playlist.

Sample Student Video

EFL Discussion: We should all become vegetarians to save the environment

2018-09-10T13:22:00.002+09:00

EFL Class Example: Cyber-Slang+Slang-Project introduction (contracted)

2018-08-24T13:27:00.003+09:00

EFL Instruction: Teaching Slang and using SoundCloud to create audio projects

2018-08-17T15:17:00.001+09:00

This year I decided to have a unit where students would learn about contemporary slang-words/phrases with the culminating goal for them to create audio files, in which they used SoundCloud to produce their project. This was conducted to promote the use of new language, student engagement, retention, motivation, use of 21st-century skills, motivation and transference.

1. Students were given time to search for slang words that are contemporary. They were not to use words that had negative or sexual meanings. In order to prevent this from happening, they had to double-check with me. Also, they all had to select different words and then submit them to the teacher (me also) with which a list was created to be sure each student had their own word.

2. They had to research the word and find its different meanings.

3. Students had to create a script which contained the meaning of the word and the use of it in a sentence produced by each individual student.

4. Create an audio file (using SoundCloud) which combined each members part

5. Add music

6. Upload/attach it to their class website.

7. Create a description of their project in their group page (class website)

8. Make sure each member's script was included in their group page (class website) Since this was a new project, I created my own SoundCloud file as an example for them to have an idea of what to do:

Furthermore, students were able to obtain instructions, how-tos, and the example on my homepage that is provided as an aide to help them: Matthew's EFL Class

Handout:

Checklist

Rubric

Examples of Student work:

Class 204 Group 1 Slang project

Class 201 Group 1 Slang project

Class 209 Group 5 Slang project

EFL instruction: Student Created Class Websites using Google-sites.

2018-08-17T14:10:00.001+09:00

This year I decided to implement the use of 'google-sites' all year round in an effort to promote project-based learning, engagement, English Usage, teamwork, research and working towards long-term goals. The implementation also promotes the use of 21st-century skills, problem-solving, and self-motivated learning.

The objective for each class is to have their own website at the end of the year, which contains all of the projects (3) they have produced throughout the year. They were to produce 3 projects in which they attached or uploaded to the site. Each project worked progressively towards the subsequent project, and finally culminated into the final project.

Here are links to each site as examples:

Class 201

Class 202

Class 203

Class 204

Class 205

Class 206

Class 207

Class 208

Class 209

Class 210

Class 211

Class 212

Class 213

Class 214

Class 215

EFL/Project-Based Learning In-class example

2017-05-25T14:22:00.001+09:00

Classroom blogs and Videos for EFL

2017-04-14T12:45:00.000+09:00

With the increased interest in introducing digital literacy skills in the classroom as a means of preparing students for the 21^st century marketplace, student blogging can be a way to achieve several learning outcomes for your course. Blog platforms allow for inclusion and display of multimedia, which may offer an advantage over more traditional ways to show English profficiency (Perfomance tests).

For the final project of 2016, the use of classroom blogs was implemented as part of the project; however, in a rather simple manner: Students created a classroom-blog about the environment then each group tackled an aspect about the environment, created videos about that particular aspect and published them onto the site they designed. The students were 11th grade ELF students in South Korea.

First, I introduced the project using powerpoint. You can see right here PPT.

Students were also given a handout that outlined what they should do:

Class Project: How can we save the Environment?

We are going to create a cumulative classroom blog using Naver.blog, which will include videos your groups make that talk about environmental issues.

Step 1: Create a classroom blog: One student in the class will be selected to be the blog admin.

Step 2: Everyone in the class join the blog so that they can edit and contribute.

Step 3: Get into groups

· Each group will research a specific environmental problem. They can select an issue that we have talked about and explore it more deeply or research and choose another environmental issue.

· Each member of the group will cover different aspects of the environmental problem

o A description of what it is and why and how it is harmful to the environment

o Solutions to the issue

§ You can come up with crazy, humorous and alternative solutions

· Each member must have 2-3 paragraph of information (10-15 sentences).

Step 4: After figuring out which environmental issue each group will do, and which member will focus on specific aspects, your team will gather information.

Step 5: Formulate your script for your video in which each of your group members will talk about their specific part.

· Each group member must use 5 vocabulary words from unit 6 and highlight them in the script.

Step 6: Check your work for accuracy.

Step 7: Make the video

Step 8: Double Check the video

· Do you like it?

· Should you do it again?

Step 9: Upload the video to the blog. You can do this in class or at home.

Step 10: After uploading the video, you can make your section of the blog look good by adding images, phrases, etc.

The best classroom blog will have a party class.

Due date: October 31^st~November 4^th (Depending on the class).

The students were also given a schedule to help them pace themselves in a timely manner:

Project Schedule: In-class time

Week 1 (10/10-10/14): Choose Environmental Issue and gather information

Week 2 (10/17-10/21): Gather information and Start Video Script

Week 3 (10/24-10-27): Video script complete and start working on project

Week 4 (Outside of class: 10/31-11/4): Everything must be complete and uploaded

The Rubric for the project was as follows:

Environmental Issues: Grading Rubric (2 grades)

Performance Quality	A: Target (Exemplary Work) (Value: 10 points possible per each listed criteria)	B: Acceptable (Good Work) (Value: 9 points possible per each listed criteria)	C: Developing (Satisfactory Work) (Value: 7-8 points possible per each listed criteria)	D:Unsatisfactory (Bare Minimum work) (Value:6 points possible per each listed criteria)	F: Unacceptable (Work Submitted) (Value: 2-4 points possible per each listed criteria)
Student # _______ Individual grade worth 40% of your English grade
Information-Individual (40%)	Advanced understanding and explanation of the content covered. 100% covered the required length.	Shared the information in detail and shared it to its full extent. 100% covered the required length.	Some information irrelevant, but mostly covered their topic. 80-90%	Covered information in a basic way. Less than 80% of the required length.	Very minimal information about the required details.
English Usage-Individual (30%)	A few minor errors but displays an advanced grasp of Flow, Vocabulary and pronunciation	-Use of English is clear and understandable -Has some structural Difficulties and errors.	-Large errors that make it difficult to understand. -Not very clear but Is able to share what is required	-Barely understandable. -Minimally conveyed their message -Not Clear -Needs to prepare more	-Not Understandable -Barely covered the topic
Vocabulary words used (30%)	All 5 words are used perfectly	5 words are used but there are 1-2 used incorrectly	Less than 5 words are used/ 3 or more used incorrectly	Less than 4 words are used/ many errors	Less than 3/ All used incorrectly
Group grade worth 10% of your Total English grade
Product grade Group Grade (100%)	The information is combined and shared excellently and creatively with very few mistakes.	The information is combined and shared in project form very well, but with a several mistakes.	Team is able to produce an effective project; however with larger number of errors that affect understanding.	Team has some larger issues that really hurt the project which caused them to produce a poor quality project.	No Product or very poor synthesis of information

To help them with ideas, I compiled a list of environmental issues to choose from:

List of Environmental Issues

For better organization they were provided with an organization graphic:

Environmental Graphic

The results were great; students had a great time and put forth a lot of effort.

                            Some blog examples:

http://cafe.naver.com/215ec

http://m.cafe.naver.com/donghwa214

http://cafe.naver.com/212jihyun

http://cafe.naver.com/donghwa208

     A couple stellar student-made environmental videos.

Overall, the projects were a huge success. Students were able to use English in a variety of ways and were able to take charge of their own learning. They were able to display their knowledge in a manner they felt comfortable with, as they were allowed to produce videos in multiple ways, such as creating automatic slide-shows with narration, acting, music videos, using finger puppets, stop motion and other types of animation, etc.
I plan on utilizing blogs in a various ways for classes in the future. Perhaps get the students to create them early in the year and develop them throughout the year with a range of assignments.

Habits of Mind and Instruction

2016-11-23T15:56:00.000+09:00

Integrating Habits of Mind into Instruction
by Ashanti Matthew Lee

The ability to use one’s mind and incorporate useful thinking skills is not static. We are capable of developing intellectual behaviors that cause our minds to grow and to produce efficacious actions. Educators can apply strategies in their instruction that assist the development of Habits of Mind; a set of 16 problem solving characteristics of what intelligent people do when they are confronted with problems, the resolutions to which are not immediately apparent (Costa and Kallick, 2008). The following is an application of a lesson that integrates habits of mind, as well as, teaching processes, grouping structures, and an assessment that indicates learning.

Background information:

This is a class of 15 High School junior EFL students in South Korea. Students will engage in an interdisciplinary (English Language Arts) lesson in which they will read an excerpt from the book, The Alchemist. The standard is from Standard 1 of the DoDEA Language Learning Standards: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of language arts.

Essential Question:

What is the key to happiness?

Habits of Mind focused on:

1. Thinking and Communicating with accuracy and precision

2. Checking for Accuracy

3. Thinking Flexibly

4. Thinking about thinking (metacognition)

5. Thinking interdependently

6. Managing Impulsivity

7. Listening with understanding and empathy

8. Remaining open to continuous learning

Grouping Structure:

Based on the previous essential question there will be three positions represented by task groups consisting of 5 students: There is no key to happiness, there is a key to happiness, and a third group will write down sentences that hypothesize what the secrets of happiness could be. They will first compile a list of reasons pertaining to the position they will focus on, and then whittle it down to 7-8 of their best ideas of which will be shared with groups from the other positions.

Interdependent thinking:

To promote interdependent thinking I will prompt students to think flexibly and listen with understanding and empathy by considering all possibilities and listening to their partner’s ideas with an open-mind. Furthermore, I will promote the idea that collaborative people realize that all of us together are more powerful, intellectually or physically, than any one individual (Costa and Kallick, 2008). Therefore, in order to come up with the best and most complete ideas, it is better to work collaboratively and utilize other group members’ ideas and strengths.

Lesson Steps:

1. Begin the lesson by showing a 20 second video in which the presenter proclaims: ”Ain’t no key to happiness, the door is open” (to view video click here).

2. Check for understanding

3. Ask students to consider what he means by the phrase “Ain’t no key to happiness, the door is open?”

a. Give time to reflect and talk to a partner

b. Utilize intentional questioning.

c. Discuss

4. Take the books out and open to page 32

5. Have the students read out loud, pay special emphasis to this statement, “The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world…”

6. Asks students to analyze what it means, and give time to reflect. Ask them to talk to each other and share ideas, then discuss with the class.

a. Utilize intentional questioning throughout the process

b. Discuss

7. Connect the previous video’s sentence to the book sentence

8. As a class, have students compare this statement to the statement of “There is no key to happiness”.

9. Have students get into cooperative groups

10. Students will take three positions: There is no key to happiness, there is a key to happiness, and a third group will write down sentences that hypothesize what the secrets of happiness could be.

11. Students will get into cooperative groups based on the stance the position they want to adopt. They will formulate a list of their opinions, then discuss with each other and select the best 7 or 8 ideas.

a. They will be able to use smartphones and computers (internet) to find language that helps them express their ideas.

12. The lists will be passed around the room to the other groups. Each group will consider each reason and judge them in terms of agreeability: they will respond, in writing on whether or not they agree or disagree and explain why.

13. The lists will be returned back to the original groups.

14. They will read the lists and take time to reflect upon and understand.

15. Next, the class will conduct a discussion in which we discuss the ‘key to happiness’

16. Finally, we will vote on the whether or not there is a key to happiness using Plickers.com

17. Synthesis: For homework students will consider this question: “What is the key to happiness?”

a. Write whether or not they agree

b. And give an explanation(s)

Assessment:

The assessment will be through observation and by checklist that observe the instances where students effectively express their ideas, information and concepts. These assessment forms are non-invasive and allow the class to flow freely while simultaneously measuring if the learning objectives are being met; therefore, observation and a checklist that I can reflect upon are the most conducive in meeting this goal.

Reflection:

Throughout the lesson, it will be important to make sure to use questions that reinforce Habits of Mind. Good questioning not only helps students succeed in the specific assigned cognitive task, but also helps them learn how to cultivate the dispositions they will need to persist and succeed in all subject areas (Costa and Kallick,2015). Therefore it is essential to consider how to question with the intention of establishing habits of mind. Questions, such as “What was going on inside your head while you were doing the task?”, “How did you check for accuracy and precision to produce your writing?’, and “What might be some alternative ways to think about the idea?” will be used.

It has been noted that positioning habits of mind as assignment outcomes makes ephemeral habits visible in a product, and effective habits should be reflected in strong products (Johnson, 2013). However, I have to be careful with the language that I use while stressing habits of mind: English is not the students’ first language; therefore, it is best to use language that is based around their levels of proficiency. This condition must be considered when designing instruction with the explicit introductions of the principles of the habits of mind. However, if students are to internalize habits of mind, they must encounter them again and again (Costa and Kallick, 2008). Therefore, with the consideration of students’ English comprehension level, and the language consisting within the contexts of habits of mind, I have decided to gradually introduce the principles; first through activities that incorporate specific habits of mind, and then introduce specific principles through classroom reflection, after the activity.

Placing students in cooperative groups affords more opportunities to stress the values of interdependent thinking, thinking flexibly, listening with empathy, metacognition, checking for accuracy and managing impulsivity. Through engaging in group discussions, these habits of mind are prominently utilized as students collaborate to construct their lists responses. Throughout the process they can continue to change their ideas in the light of good reasons and evidence as they think interdependently and remain open to continuous learning (Bee, Seng and Jusoff, 2013).

They will be able to examine and analyze meaning through the confounding sentences: “Ain’t no key to happiness, the door is open.” and “The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world…” These statements can mean different things to each person; therefore, through discussion the teacher will model how students can consider multiple perspectives and arrive at the conclusion that there may not be one correct answer; many answers may have equal validity. The students can then apply this principle in their cooperative groups. The question, “What is the key to happiness” is a question that many people consider in their lifetime. Costa and Kallick (2015), suggest that these types of questions foster the realization that the puzzles and mysteries of life remain open to continual learning. The sentences combined with the activity and the overarching essential question, combine to reinforce higher-order thinking skills congruent with habits of mind. In addition, they cause students to be creative and critical thinkers. The application of these activities, augmented by the use of technology which will help be self-directed and acquire new language, will establish a creative environment which fosters these conditions.

Treffinger (2008), notes that teachers must empower students to become creative thinkers, critical thinkers and problem solvers who are continually learning and can apply their new knowledge to complex and novel open-ended challenges. By incorporating habits of mind in their classroom through explicit and implicit instruction teachers cause students to become increasingly more efficient at utilizing these abilities. Furthermore, as teachers continually apply these thinking skills in their lessons, they afford students the opportunities to better cultivate openness and responsibility as they continue on their journey to become productive members of society.

References:

Costa, A. L., & Kallick, B. (2015). Five Strategies for Questioning with Intention. Educational Leadership, 73(1), 66-69. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=3b2d3d02-7e1c-4074-85fd-ddfbb4be7e11%40sessionmgr2

Bee, M. H., Seng, G. H., & Jusoff, K. (2013). Habits of Mind in the ESL Classroom. English Language Teaching, 6(11), 130-138. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1078474

Johnson, K. (2013). Beyond Standards: Disciplinary and National Perspectives on Habits of Mind. College Composition And Communication, 64(3), 517-541. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=33c72e8c-aabe-4d71-824b-795ce4b33255%40sessionmgr1&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=EJ1008560&db=eric

Treffinger, D. J. (2008). Preparing creative and critical thinkers. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/summer08/vol65/num09/Preparing-Creative-and-Critical-Thinkers.aspx

Costa, A. L., & Kallick, B. (Eds.). (2008). Learning and leading with habits of mind: 16 essential characteristics for success. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Creating Rubrics for an EFL/ESL class.

2016-11-23T15:50:00.001+09:00

Rubrics: A scoring rubric is an attempt to communicate expectations of quality around a task.

Creating Rubrics can be tough because it can be difficult to discern what kind of criteria you want to specifically evaluate; however, you may just want to ask yourself what it is you would like the student to learn and information you would like them to synthesize, regarding the learning objectives.
Below I talk about this project more specifically as it pertains to my classroom setting

Creating a Rubric and Reflecting on Habits of Mind
by Ashanti Matthew Lee

The effective use of feedback can show students where they are in terms of learning goals. Educators have a variety of ways to apply feedback to help inform students. One comprehensive form of feedback is the use of rubrics. They are used to facilitate learning by directing students’ attention to specific areas, guiding them to make dependable judgments about the quality of their work, and assisting them to revise their work so that they can target a higher level (Huang and Gui, 2015). The following will describe the application of a rubric for feedback to students in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lesson.

Lesson Description and Objectives:
This is an EFL lesson in which students are to be introduced to a video created by Prince EA in which he explains, “There ain’t no key to happiness, the door is open…( Prince,2015).” In addition, they are to read a passage from the book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which reads, “The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world (Coelho, and Clarke, 2002).” The students are to engage in whole-class discussions to examine what these two statements mean, compare and contrast. Then get into task groups in which they are to work interdependently to produce lists of opinions in response to the following three considerations: there is no key to happiness; there is a key to happiness; and a third group will write down sentences that hypothesize what the secrets of happiness could be.

Each group will focus on a different consideration, then they will discuss their lists with each other in an effort to cut them down to 7-8 of what they believe are the most effective opinions. Next, the lists will be passed around the room to the other groups. Each group will consider each reason and judge them in terms of agreeability: they will respond, in writing on whether or not they agree or disagree and explain why. The list of opinions will be passed back to the original groups and they will have time to reflect and understand the new information from the other groups. Finally, we will engage in a whole-class discussion about the keys to happiness, and then vote on whether or not students believe there is a key using Plickers.com

Rubric:

Rubric Alchemist lesson: key to happiness
Criteria	Levels of Mastery
	Beginner	Intermediate		Advanced
Expression of ideas	Can speak, but most people cannot understand what you are trying to say.	Able to express idea; however, not clearly. May need to clarification from outside sources to get the idea across	Able to clearly express ideas in a way that is understandable to most English Users. No use of outside sources.
Grammar and Vocabulary	Poor use or range of vocabulary and grammar. Many errors	Good use of vocabulary and grammar. A few errors.	An excellent use of spelling and grammar. Very few errors
Cooperative-Group List COMPLETION	List was incomplete: Information was missing, not needed or unrelated to the specified topic.	List was completed well. Most of the information was needed and related to the specified topic	List was completed very well. All of the information was needed and related to the specified topic.

How to effectively apply rubrics is often one of my main concerns during their utilization in an EFL class because much of what is judged is subjective. Furthermore, rubrics should be used to help clarify what a student needs to do to reach a specific goal and where they are in relation to each goal. In order to educate and improve student’s performance, all tasks, criteria and standards must be transparent to both students and teachers (as cited Jonsson, 2014). Therefore, especially in an ESL setting, not only should the descriptors be observable, but the terms should be understandable. Kallick (1996), notes that if we don't keep them observable and describable we're really not able to give feedback that helps us to improve work (Laureate Education).There was much consideration into what vocabulary students could understand in order to better be able to where they are in terms of the learning goals, which would help them self-manage themselves and know what they need to modify or improve upon.

According to Roscoe (2014), students often cannot accurately monitor their progress toward learning goals and consequently overestimate their mastery of content, leading to overconfidence and, subsequently, poor academic performance. Rubrics can help students self-monitor themselves and help them identify what areas they need to address and monitor their progress. With a shift away from the specific analyzation of the mechanical use of language (i.e., how they use grammar, word order, etc.) ,much of what is to be evaluated seems to be subjective and based on how the educator interprets what the student is trying to say. However, the mechanical aspect is still inherent in the overall delivery of language; if there are too many mistakes in grammar, word usage, vocabulary, etc., no one would be able to understand what the student is trying to express in written or oral form. Therefore, even though there is less focus on specific language usage details, they are still important for comprehension; thus, they still need to be looked at and addressed through feedback which can help students monitor their progress. Hence, a part of the rubric was dedicated to address this condition.

Additionally, the main focus of the EFL class in this school in South Korea is conversation and how students can express their thoughts; therefore, the rubric addresses this focus in terms of how the idea a student is trying to express is understandable to a native English speaker. Of course, everyone’s mind is different and they interpret what they hear in different ways; however, this is in a more general sense. This is where I have to take a more holistic approach to the rubric; however, combined with other criteria in the rubric, students can see the specific areas they need to work on.

The last part of the rubric reinforces the cooperative task and puts an emphasis on working together effectively and staying on task. The combined proficiencies of those in the group can help address any weaknesses an individual student may have and allow for the peers to assist each other which could enhance learning and fortify the idea that they should think interdependently.

When rubrics are successfully applied by educators they help students identify where they are in terms of the learning goals. They are an advantageous form of feedback that enable students to better self-monitor, self-manage and self-modify. Rubrics help teachers by focusing on what students should learn regarding the learning goals. Educators can use them as a beneficial form of feedback that helps students become successful self-directed learners.

References:

Coelho, P., & Clarke, A. (2002). The alchemist. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.

Prince E. (2015, October) Could it Be This Simple? Are You willing to abandon your ideas and thoughts about happiness to fully be happy? [Video File] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tygapv7vqM

Jonsson, A. (2014). Rubrics as a Way of Providing Transparency in Assessment. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, 39(7), 840-852. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3634174e-5375-4199-9be1-9fb0ed29a826%40sessionmgr4007&vid=1&hid=4107

Laureate Education. (Producer). (1996l). Rubrics [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Huang, Y., & Gui, M. (2015). Articulating Teachers' Expectations afore: Impact of Rubrics on Chinese EFL Learners' Self-Assessment and Speaking Ability. Journal Of Education And Training Studies, 3(3), 126-132. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1060996

Differentiation in Application: Applying Differentiation to Project-Based EFL Group Assessments

2016-07-07T01:21:00.001+09:00

I just finished conducting my classes' final for the first semester. The students had to introduce an uncommonly known (e.g. name might be known, but not much other information) country. They had to work in groups of 4-6 and they received a group score, as well as an individual score. For their individual score they had to focus on a particular set of information about their self-selected country, for example food, culture, people, history, sports. etc., and then combine the individual information in the construction of their group project. Each group had to produce the same type of information; however the way they showed what they knew (their product) was allowed to be different.

Differentiation
Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction,

For this project I was using differentiation with product which allows options in how they want to express their learning. In other words, they were able to share their learning in a variety of ways. At first students didn't know what to do because in Korea students usually all do the same sort of thing, and most of them elected to do slide-shows; however, I promoted them to explore new options and iterated repeatedly that they have the freedom to try something new (and a little bit of selling). Subsequently, they started to get expand on how they wanted to share their information.

They produced analog and digital projects including pamphlets, videos, a song, digital magazines, a quiz show, books, brochures, blogs, a website, slide-shows, and guidebooks.

Below I will share some exemplary work from students in the forms of magazines, pamphlets, guidebooks, websites, blogs and a video. I hope you enjoy and get some ideas. Feel free to ask me questions.

Thanks!

Video:
Lichtenstein

Guidebook
Papa New Guinea

Magazines

Slovakia
Croatia

Article
Luxembourg

Guidebooks
El Salvador
Papa New Guinea

Blogs (All different Countries. Blogger is kinda wonky, so it messed up the formatting).

(website) http://junguhri.wix.com/fiji-engc

http://m.blog.naver.com/ahtqhdksg

http://blog.naver.com/hyuun3

http://m.blog.naver.com/dh5gondu

http://m.blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?blogId=yuesther0716&categoryNo=0

http://blog.naver.com/eunbana/220748598408
http://yoonjaehoon.blogspot.kr/

http://cohortkillerwhale.blogspot.kr
czech205.blogspot.kr

http://ecclass20629303132.blogspot.kr/.

http://ecclass20629303132.blogspot.kr/

http://m.blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?blogId=achldbsgur_

http://blog.naver.com/ssr5087/220749572101

http://blog.naver.com/lkj2862

http://blog.naver.com/kmsms0306/220747473005
http://blog.naver.com/lsh10165?Redirect=WriteR

http://blog.naver.com/east_scrape

http://blog.naver.com/kmw12346

Ecuador http://blog.daum.net/ecuadorlove

http://blog.naver.com/kmsms0306/220747473005

http://blog.naver.com/jon990606

blog.naver.com/kmente

http://blog.naver.com/ymch3445

http://m.blog.naver.com/shimhh0708

http://blog.naver.com/png123456?viewType=pc

http://m.blog.naver.com/englishc5

http://m.blog.naver.com/flowerfarm212

http://www.naver.blog/ghgus9912

And there were many more.....

Action Research: In-class Beneficial Behaviors attributed to Gender and their Impact on Project-Based EFL Assessments in South Korea

2016-07-05T10:20:00.000+09:00

I recently completed an Action Research study for my class. The following study explains about the process of implementing Action Research and the results of the study.

*Converting original document to Blogger has distorted the format.

In-class Beneficial Behaviors attributed to Gender and their Impact on Project-Based EFL Assessments in South Korea

Abstract

This study analyzed male and female in-class behaviors in regards to project-based group assessments. A reflective journal, critical friend groups and observations were done by teacher-researchers to help identify behaviors practiced by female group and male groups that would help establish causations for differences of scores in project-based assessments. The results indicate that there are key behavioral differences that could be attributed to the disparities in performance, especially in regards to beneficial behaviors; however there were instances where the results were contrary to what was previously believed. The study was done to closely examine male student behaviors in order to suggest remedies that might help raise their scores to be on par with the female students; however, even though most of the results indicated in the study matched the hypotheses, one of the conclusions arrived at was not previously surmised: although male students have multiple in-class behaviors that could negatively impact their groups’ performances, with the in-class interventions of the teachers these behaviors can be alleviated and ultimately cause the students to be productive in class; therefore it may be the out of class behaviors or actions that ultimately result in the greatest negative impact on their performances.

Hypothesis 1: In-class behaviors and actions impact project-based group performances.

Hypothesis 2: Female groups exhibit more beneficial behaviors than male groups.

Getting Started

As teachers we are always reflecting on how we can design or instruct lessons to better suit the needs of students. This reflection leads to actions inside the classroom developed to enhance the success for student learning. We need to constantly focus on our efficacy: In order for teachers to be effective, they must become active participants in their classrooms as well as active observers of the learning process; they must analyze and interpret classroom information —that has been collected in a systematic manner—and then use that information as a basis for future planning and decision making (as cited Mertler, 2013). Upon observation we recognize issues in our classrooms; the following has been identified through an analyzation of past data.

Background information: I am a Foreign English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, also known as native English teacher, in a South Korean public high school. I am responsible for 17 different classes (2 extra-curricular); however my chief responsibility is for the second year high school students which are the equivalent of junior year high school students in the USA. This grade level contains 15 classes of 32-41 students with the total number of students equaling 534. The classes are separated by gender, containing students with varying abilities and needs; however relatively homogeneous when compared to USA students because in Korean society it is expected that students conform and are all basically instructed the same way, except for my class. My particular school is known for having high-achieving students; therefore, many of the students are self-motivated and engaged regardless of the type of instruction because they place a high emphasis on each their scores. The fact that the school separates classes based on gender allows for more precise observations to be seen when comparing student performances.

As a result of what was observed through the assessment data and literature review, the following research question was formulated: How can I address the gender gaps in achievement of project-based group learning in a South Korean EFL environment? A nagging issue that continues to present itself is the gaps in performance based on gender for project-based group performance evaluations. Through the examination of previous assessment data it has been revealed that the female groups perform better than the male groups. Quantitative and qualitative data can also be used and I would be able to compare with previous data. An example of student work that could help illustrate the problem is as follows:

*Linked to google drive

Male group: Powerpoint one

Female group: Powerpoint two

A total of 113 group scores were compared, 55 of which are female groups and 48 which were male. It was found that he average female group score was 85.29 while the average male score was 75.53 out of 100. The data was collected and is expressed in the following graph:
Average assessment scores (Males and Females):

As a result of the data, teacher-researchers set out to determine behaviors that could be attributed to performance.

Literature Review

.Comparing male and female students’ academic performances: There have been numerous studies that have examined the possible differences in regards to gender and academic performance. One study conducted by Jacobs, Kuriloff, Andrus, and Cox (2016) suggests that males have had more attention through studies when it comes to what engages them and there needs to be more emphasis on what engages girls. It is important to look and compare both females and males in order to better understand what drives them to learn, and then use this information to help discover the reasons for differences in academic performances. The researchers surveyed girls on what teacher practices engaged them and found that female students vary significantly in what interests them when compared to male students. For example, whereas it is key for male students to develop relationships with their teachers, female students also value building positive relationships with their classmates through group projects, presenting to one another, debating each other, and participating in school-wide bonding activities ( Jacobs et all, 2016).

While studying gender achievement and attitudes in science, Oluwatelure (2015), found that the sex of learners is an important factor that must be considered in the teaching and learning when it comes to science. This study shows to the possibility of gender differences that even though it focuses on Science, could point to the possibility of similar findings in other subjects. The findings that attitude plays a significant role would most likely be relevant in all aspects of education and could be a reason for gender gaps in performance other subjects. Furthermore Spinath, Eckert, Steinmayr (2014) concluded in a study of gender differences in school success, that girls outperforming boys in school in general can be partly attributed to girls’ higher self-discipline and higher agreeableness (p.240). They suggest that school environments may affect male students’ achievement and that there should be a focus on not letting students ‘get away’ with behavior that hampers learning (Spinath et al. 2014).

Does gender play a role in the process of language learning? Researchers’ have postulated that there may be a possibility that gender has an effect on the process of language learning and performance. Motallebzadeh and Nematizadeh (2011), set out to find the effect gender has in the language learning process, especially in oral proficiency. However, after analyzing 160 EFL participants through a series of assessments, they concluded that there was not “a very significant difference in the oral assessment process” pertaining to gender (Motellebzadeh et al. 2011). One particular aspect that should be noted is that it was observed that the female participants were very nervous during the assessment process and that may have negatively impacted their performances; therefore the results may be skewed.

In regards to the research question, “how can I address the gender gaps in achievement of project-based group learning in a South Korean EFL environment“, these studies are significant because they compare gender differences. The methodologies and questions can be used to help guide the aforementioned research question. In fact, the study by Jacobs et al. (2016) included the type of instructions of which future research could be modeled after; for example the researches asked participants to begin a conversation about what classroom lessons, topics and practices they find to be engaging and effective (Jacobs et al. 2016). A similar question could be asked to male EFL students. In addition, one of the conclusions is that female students value positive relationship building in project-based assignments and presentations; this was looked at in regards to how males interact in such settings as compared to female students, because the research question is focused on these particular learning conditions.

Methodology: Collecting Data

Four classes were observed and compared: 2 classes of males and 2 classes of females. These classes engaged in self-directed learning in which they were instructed to do in-class preparation with guidance from their teacher for a group project-based assessment. The purpose was to pinpoint any behaviors/actions that could result in performance gaps in group-based projects. For these four groups the median project score for the female group was 88, while the median score for the male group was 77. Female and male group scores and averages are expressed visually in the following table:

Group Assessment Scores according to the observed classes
Group	Female		Male		Average Female	Average Male
Class Number	215	202	205	211	88	77
Average Class Score	82	91	80	77
	82	93	70	68
	78	91	86	80
	82	87	62	70
	91	99	83	76
	97	90	94	81
	86			78
Total Class Average	85	92	79	76

In order to collect data, the use of critical friend groups was applied to discuss and reflect on students’ in-class behaviors and actions; Field Notes were taken in collaboration with teacher-researchers to observe students’ in-class behaviors; Reflective Journals were used to reflect upon in-class observations that may have been missed in real-time; and finally, observable data was codified and compared with assessment scores in order to examine for correlations.

Teacher-researchers collaborated using unstructured observation (myself) in combination with structured observation (a collaborating teacher). Data collection through class observation started on Monday (5/30) and ended on Friday (6/3). There was a comparison between two male and two female classes. At the end of each class field notes were taken in order to reflect upon the actions and behaviors of the students. Finally, data was collected and presented to the critical friends group, which consisted of two other teacher-researches that also had taken field notes. We met on Thursday and Friday to reflect and discuss about what we had observed in class and also about student behavior in general.

There was week break from school during which collected data was organized, interpreted and triangulated. The triangulation of data extended into the following week which was also used for the determination of results.
Mertler (2014) suggests that a timeline can help keep a teacher-researcher focused, provides an overview of everything that needs to be done and breaks down big tasks into smaller manageable ones (p. 113). The timeline used for this research helped with the visualization of individual actions as they pertained to the whole process in a way they could be more readily realized; instead of getting bogged down by the weight of the whole process. The following timeline was created to help keep the study organized in a simple step-by-step sequence:

Activity to Be Completed	Estimated Amount of Time Needed	Target Date for Completion	Task Completed
Identify a problem	1 week	May 10th	Yes
Design a research question	1 week	May 17th	Yes
Review Literature	1 week	May 24th	Yes
Refine Research Question	1 day	May 25th	Yes
Make an action research plan	1 week	May 29th	Yes
Observe Classes	1 week	May 30- June 3rd	Yes
Collaborate with Colleagues to discuss results and classroom reflections	2 separate days	May 31/June 3 (June 13 if delayed for unforeseen reasons)	Yes
Collect Data, Triangulate and analyze	1 week	June 10th	Yes
Share Findings with Colleagues	1 week	June 17	Yes
Complete Action Research Paper	1 week	June 22nd	Yes

(Adapted from Metler, 2014):

Collaboration allows for teachers to develop professionally enabling more successful possibilities for transformative rather than an additive changes to teaching practices (as cited Kelly & Cherkowski, 2015). Additionally, collaboration allows for multiple perspectives in regards to the examination of teaching practices; one person may see something another person has not and will be able to share their observations. Furthermore, meeting and discussing results with other teacher-collaborators can help filter information in way which could be more readily viewed. Kochanek, Scholz, & Garcia, (2015) acknowledge that when collaborators meet, it may enable a group process in which individuals not only share research evidence with one another, but also discuss the research in ways that lead to common that makes sense of the evidence (p.121). Teacher-collaborators may also be able to share observations that an individual might have missed; therefore, the use of multiple teacher-researchers working in concert can greatly enhance the pool of data, the validity of the data and help refine the interpretation of results.

Methodology: Analyzing and Graphing Data Using Triangulation

The implementation of multiple sources of data can ensure the data’s validity. Using triangulation in the study of classroom interaction can provide teachers with a more complete view of it and grounds the analysis of classroom interaction more deeply in methods for qualitative research (Van Drie & Dekker2013).

In the study we searched for specific markers that would help indicate a correlation between achievement and behaviors/actions. Six particular behaviors were observed to occur more frequently in the female groups and less frequently in the male groups. These behaviors were broken down and codified to the following six categories: pre-class preparation (PrCP), completed pre-class assignment (CPrA), worked well together (WWT), used In-class time effectively (UCTE), focused on instructions (FI), and asked clarifying questions (ACQ). There was more emphasis put on in observing positive behaviors that could be attributed to greater achievement on groups scores; they are labeled ‘beneficial behaviors’.

Amongst the groups that were observed it was found that there is a positive correlation between beneficial behaviors and achievement on project-based assessments; however there are outliers that run contrary to this trend. An additional finding showed that female groups exhibited far more beneficial behaviors than males in the class. The following two charts represent the number of observable behaviors found in female groups as compared to male groups, and a correlation between the beneficial behaviors and assessment scores:

Additional Observations: Although teacher-collaborators observed more of a contrast of beneficial behaviors that may be attributed to performance between the groups, behaviors and actions that could adversely affect performance were also observed. Among the male groups the following additional observations were made:

· Many times the male students would think they were finished with their work, but upon checking it, it was found they had a lot more to do.

· The Male class took a lot longer to settle in before they finally started to work together more efficiently; it took about half the class to get them all collaborating in a proficient manner.

· Students were observed playing smartphone games, moving to other groups to socialize, sleeping.

· Male classes were a lot louder and disruptive. They needed more behavior interventions from the teacher and needed more guidance and promptings to self-manage.

· Many students did the homework; however most of them came to class unprepared.

· In many male groups 1-2 students would work sufficiently while the other students would sit around and be “lazy”.

· Many male- students did not sufficiently prepare to maximize in-class time; therefore were unable to take advantage of the resources available in class.

· Students had some difficulties following the verbal instructions

Contrary to what was believed to be the case, more female groups did not complete the pre-class assignment as compared to males; however almost all of them came prepared to work on the project. There was one female group that served as an outlier and apparently did not effectively use the in-class time; however when comparing their group score it was noted they were one of the high-scoring groups; thus it could be surmised that they utilize their out-of-class time well to manage their work.

A second teacher-collaborator recognized some actions and behaviors from female groups that may be detrimental to a groups’ success:

· It was noted that 2 groups had not done the homework; however they were also not prepared which was in contrast to the observations by the first teacher-researcher.

· The teacher-researcher observed that one group was not talking to each other, but the other groups were working well together. The one group that was not talking with each other was the same group that did not use their in-class time effectively, but were a high-scoring group.

· It was also noted that two groups did not put much effort into searching for information.

The data revealed that there is a positive correlation between beneficial behaviors and academic achievement in an EFL project-based group setting. It also showed that female classes had a significantly higher amount of behaviors that could increase academic achievement. Furthermore, the results show that there are differences in gender performance; however, it would appear that they are mostly behavioral. Spinath (2014) suggested that teachers should be stricter to male students and not allow them to “get away” with detrimental behaviors. The results showed that male students contributed less positive behaviors to the class and were observed to engage in more actions that negatively impact performance. Despite this finding, it has been surmised that even with the behavioral differences, an effective teacher should be able to manage the male groups and subsequently cause them to produce a comparable amount of in-class work as the female groups.

The data helped answer the research question because prior to collecting data and sifting through results, it was believed by many teachers that the female groups just “naturally” performed better; however the results point at behaviors as a possible cause for the disparity. Behaviors are manageable: if the teacher implements practices that would condition male groups to take on actions and behaviors that enhance their achievement, the gap in achievement could be remedied.

Implications for Practice, Dissemination of Results, and Contributions to the Field of Education:

After disseminating results, it is important to address the findings in ways that could enhance a teacher’s practice and positively impact students’ learning. The first step to transferring a study’s results from paper to the classroom is to begin the communication process. Mertler (2014) acknowledges that sharing the results—either formally or informally—is the real activity that helps bridge the divide between research and application. This can help ensure that the action research turns into real practice, and allows for multiple perspectives and insights to be shared when reviewing the information.

There are real differences in male group behaviors as compared to female groups. The resulting disparagement is reflected in the gap in project-based group assessments in relation to males and females. However, after careful consideration, teacher-researchers concluded that it could be the out-of-class behaviors and actions that have the greatest impacts on group scores: It was observed that despite the gap in behaviors in class, an effective teacher should be able to induce the male groups to decrease the gap of production, due to behaviors and actions, inside the class. Despite this conclusion, the data still indicates that more needs to be done to encourage beneficial behaviors in the male classes; therefore a plan to help remedy the gap has been produced.

Because of the behavioral differences it is deemed that the male students have more difficulties staying focused, organizing and working together as compared to female students; therefore, there is an emphasized plan to implement strategies that address these issues. One specific strategy that that will be employed to combat the issue is a variation of reporting back. Reporting back can be used as a follow-up after any active-learning experience which could be used for students to describe their experience (Harrel& Jordan, 2008). At random intervals during the class, students would report back to the teacher about the active-learning they are performing in class regarding their group project. This would help reinforce their learning, assess where they need guidance going forward, and help guide them in the direction they need in order to reach their goals; furthermore, it will help keep them accountable for their actions and behaviors. This practice will start immediately; it can be measured by reviewing what the students have done; it is highly attainable and has proven to be effective; and the results of this practice can be ascertained by the scores of the students’ next project.
Another plan that will be put into action is to collaborate with Korean teachers to produce instructional sheets in Korean. One of the highlighted issues was that male groups had more difficulties with the verbal instructions than the females. This fact may contribute to the lack of asking clarifying questions; therefore the application of Korean, which is their native language, specifically to be used for instructions would be advantageous. This practice is to be put into place immediately; it is measurable by checking the understanding of students and observing if the instances of clarifying questions increase and by comparing their project-based assessment scores, before and after.

Teacher inquiry is a key tool that is essential for a teacher to be effective. Oppong-Nuako, Shore, Saunders-Stewart, & Gyles (2015) found that higher inquiry levels are distinguished by a greater number of the desired instructional qualities. A teacher who applies inquiry in their day-to-day professional can better ensure there are positive impacts on students and their academic achievement. The more a teacher examines factors of their own teaching; issues regarding students or the classroom; improve upon their instructional methods; learn how to reach students etc., the more their success as an impactful teacher can be realized. In my personal teaching practices inquiry is constantly being applied. My students’ success is how I measure my own success as a teacher and teacher inquiry further enhances this possibility.

The fact that the search for literature related to the question, ‘how can I address the gender gaps in achievement of project-based learning in a South Korean EFL environment’, produced similar but non- equivalent results, bodes well to the possibility of adding to this body of knowledge. There were studies that contained conclusions about EFL learners in different types of assessments and studies that showed positive results for females when they worked in groups; however this particular study was focused on EFL learners and the relationships on gender as it pertains to performance in project-based performance assessments. Based on the conditions of the learning environment, the results of this study had different variables, for example cultural aspects may come into play. The unique setting and factors of these students could help build the body of gender performance knowledge because it studies behavioral differences, especially as it pertains to positive behaviors, in a more unique context.

At the commencement of my first Action Research project there was a plethora of anxiety that filled my mind; however as the process unfolded and a deeper understanding was gained on how to apply the study, the anxiety turned into a desire to study more and more about my students. This is the initial study; however, there will be many more. As time goes on the process of implementing such a study will be refined and honed in order to be an effective tool for students’ success. This specific study revealed results that when shared with other teachers allowed the conversation to go from conjecture to more data-based; subsequently as teachers have gathered to see the data, a more collaborative approach has been agreed upon to help remedy the issues regarding students. The next study will focus on implementation of instructional strategies to alleviate the performance gaps between genders in this particular setting. With increased inquiry, research and application of plans to address issues, students have a greater chance of maximizing their potential.

Ashanti Matthew Lee.

References:

Van Drie, J., & Dekker, R. (2013). Theoretical Triangulation as an Approach for Revealing the Complexity of a Classroom Discussion. British Educational Research Journal, 39(2), 338-360. Retrieved from web.b.ebscohost.com.

Kochanek, J. R., Scholz, C., & Garcia, A. N. (2015). Mapping the Collaborative Research Process. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 23(121), Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1084046

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015d). Pick-a-researcher, Week 2—research question [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Mertler, C. A. (2014). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Motallebzadeh, K., & Nematizadeh, S. (2011). Does Gender Play a Role in the Assessment of Oral Proficiency?. English Language Teaching, 4(4), 165-172. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1081106.pdf

Jacobs, C. E., Kuriloff, P. J., & Cox, A. B. (2014). Reaching Girls. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(1), 68-73. Retrieved from http://pdk.sagepub.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/content/96/1/68.full.pdf+html

Oluwatelure, T. A. (2015). Gender Difference in Achievement and Attitude of Public Secondary School Students towards Science. Journal Of Education And Practice, 6(2), 87-92. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=17&sid=08d182d2-0ec6-4dd4-87ca-53159fc5990b%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4209&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=EJ1083799&db=eric

Spinath, B., Eckert, C., & Steinmayr, R. (2014). Gender Differences in School Success: What Are the Roles of Students' Intelligence, Personality and Motivation?. Educational Research, 56(2), 230-243. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.1080/00131881.2014.898917

Herrel, A., & Jordan, M. (2008). 50 strategies for Teaching English Language Learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Laureate Education Inc.

Ezeudu, F. O., Chiaha, G. U., Anazor, L. C., Eze, J. U., & Omeke, F. C. (2015). A SWOT Analysis of Male and Female Students' Performance in Chemistry: A Comparative Study. Journal Of Education And Practice, 6(28), 53-60. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1081211

Kelly, J., & Cherkowski, S. (2015). Collaboration, Collegiality, and Collective Reflection: A Case Study of Professional Development for Teachers. Canadian Journal Of Educational Administration And Policy, (169), Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1063374

Oppong-Nuako, J., Shore, B. M., Saunders-Stewart, K. S., & Gyles, P. T. (2015). Using Brief Teacher Interviews to Assess the Extent of Inquiry in Classrooms. Journal Of Advanced Academics, 26(3), 197-226. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=11&sid=22a76086-c5ec-46b5-b9a7-9dd6d55bd2af%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4114

Field Experience Exploration

2016-05-12T17:20:00.001+09:00

Ashanti Matthew Lee
As an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in South Korea, I am faced with conditions that could be hard to navigate while being a foreign teacher; however I do not let these obstacles restrain me from trying to give the best instruction to my students. Throughout this whole program I have been able to better address students’ needs and develop my application of differentiating instruction to higher degrees. The following will be a short exploration of how I implement these practices in a real-life classroom and help give a picture of my progress using differentiating instruction, to this point.

The students I teach are all Korean. The current school I am at is a public high school which separates the males and females pertaining to their classes. They are all in their second year in high school which would be juniors in the United States and they all have varying levels of English proficiency. The High School system in Korea is in such a way that students are able to gain admission based on their previous academic performance in middle school. It is usually not based on the location of the student, for example, some of the students that attend have to travel one hour each morning; however it is not solely based on this as there are schools that are considered lower tiered that have less strict requirements and therefore usually have more students that reside in the immediate geographic area. My current school is considered a higher-tier school and admits students depending on their academic performance; subsequently there tends to be a higher percentage of self-directed learners that have a history of academic success.

Some cultural factors to consider: Korea’s education system has been under scrutiny within Korea because it currently focuses on rote-memory and preparation for high-stakes college-entry exams. The consequences of the intense focus on these exams has led many to believe that Korea is in an educational crises; Cho (2007) laments that because students only have one chance to take the test which will determine the course of a student’s life, the stakes in Korea are probably the highest (p.10). This focus also places a greater emphasis on memorization of concepts while simultaneously decreasing the chances for deeper understandings of content which has students, parents and teachers all frustrated. But while there has been much talk, there has been little change, and this influences students’ expectations and readiness in my class.

There are no set standards for ESL teachers in Korea; the goals and objectives are usually determined via school by school basis. My school in particular requests that the ESL teacher focuses on English usage (Conversation, writing, comprehension) with an additional focus on enhancing students’ understanding of other cultures. In order to help ensure efficacy in my curriculum and instruction, I refer to the New York standards for TESOL education, then adapt them to better match the specific conditions and considerations of my educational setting. The standards for the following lesson are: Students will demonstrate cross-cultural knowledge and understanding and Students will listen, speak, read, and write in English for information and understanding (www.p12.nysed.gov).

For this lesson students need to have a small degree of English proficiency; the quantification of what actually constitutes degrees of English proficiency is difficult to ascertain because there are so many variables to consider; however I employed a pre-assessment that focuses on product and comprehension, also an additional multi-choice basic vocabulary test was administered by the school of which I was able to obtain data. But because students have different areas where they are strong or weak, the ability to more accurately determine how well they can use English is best evaluated through time and observation.

Regarding student data: There really is not much data that is available when it comes to sub-groups and culture etcetera; all the students in my school are Native-Korean; all are from similar economic situations: middle to high income families. Classes are not mixed regarding gender. The main variables expressed are students’ learning styles and background knowledge and this takes time to examine accurately because of the inherent gap in English understanding; therefore tests that examine students’ learning preferences are difficult to employ. If this was in the United States, this type of data would be more applicable because there are a multitude of differences that factor into the equation, but in my specific situation things are very homogeneous; therefore I concentrate more on learning preferences and student interest, in relation to their ability to comprehend content.

Although by being in Korea I have not been able to instruct a classroom full of multi-cultural students, I have been teaching a culture that is different from my own; thus the need to consider different aspects and reach students from a different cultural background has been essential. Furthermore, because many students from similar backgrounds are clustered together, it allows me to really hone in on their learning styles and interests. The contents of the lesson were orientated towards visual, auditory/aural, read/write and kinesthetic learners; therefore they could all learn in their preferable styles; furthermore, the products to demonstrate understanding allowed the students to work with their strengths.

Data is also very difficult to obtain because, besides previous test scores, assessment is not usually done in a diagnostic or formative way and even if it is, it is in Korean; the chart I supplied here was translated to English, but is just some test scores from an English test of which I was not able to preview. I then matched the students learning preferences as a sub-group. In the chart it is in the place of their names. M. Gates and B.Gates (2015) opine that “creating digital tools that better meet teachers’ needs could help personalize learning for students by empowering them to identify where students are in their understanding and tailor instruction to their skills, needs, and interests.” (p.8). When these tools are not made immediately available to a teacher, they have to do their best to assess students’ readiness and needs.

Assessment 1:

Assessment 2:

Examples of work:

Pre-Assessment & Analysis Chart

World Cultures

What I Learned	What This Means for Teaching & Learning of the Content and Planning	What This Means for Individual Students
1. Most of the students’ English comprehension is sufficient enough for the lesson.	Majority of the content will be understandable and students will be able to grasp new words rather quickly.	Some students will need differentiated guidance on the individual level.
2. Students’ English production varies; however the lowest can still produce with assistance and time.	The students should benefit from group work and working together to create a product that demonstrates understanding.	Individual students will be able to work in their areas of strength while simultaneously increasing their comprehension.
3. Most, if not all students are ready for instruction.	If content is instructed in a variety of ways that address learning preferences, students will be able to build on their knowledge.	Individual students will have a greater chance to comprehend content.
4. From the Assessment sheets and subsequent introductions I learned that students are already relatively comfortable in trying to use English.	The learning environment will be more conducive for learning and taking chances; therefore learning new content could be enhanced.	Individual students will have a decreased chance of being afraid to take chances.

Scaffolding and differentiation were intensely considered prior to application. Grundel and Pleau (2013) note that “many teachers make detrimental misjudgments when it comes to assigning content-area reading materials, such as assuming that all students will comprehend the text and consequently be on track to meet the unit goals (p.49). Therefore it is important that teachers give students with different learning needs, ways to learn that can better suit them individually. In addition, scaffolding helps a student to gradually take control and direct their own learning. For this lesson, I first tried to pique and gauge students’ interests by showing a video that compared the Eastern and Western cultures. In order to employ differentiation while showing the video, I made sure to include translation: this benefits high-level and lower-level English students; it gives the lower-level students a better chance to understand the content because it has their native language, while the higher-level students can listen and also check to see if they understand each word. During the video I wrote down the key details within the video on order to help students review during short discussion.

After the video primer and short discussion, I introduced the key vocabulary which is included in the reading text. These words were pre-selected as words that may give students some difficulty in comprehension. In order to differentiate the vocabulary I supplied definitions in very basic-English, included image representations of the words, and acted them out. Next students were instructed to write the words from the key-vocabulary they had not previously understood or still had trouble with, in their English-notebooks; in addition, they were asked to scan the text for other word that they would like help with. While that was happening I walked around to check and shortly assess their understanding of the words individually. I was able to assess that the students understood the majority of the content.

The quick assessment altered my next instructional step: previously a use of the digital tool Socrative was to be implemented and students were going to input the words they needed to review; however following assessment, this application was deemed frivolous and we moved on to the next step-reading the text.

The text was about cultural perspectives: The West vs The East. One of the learning goals is for the students to consider the perspectives of people from other cultures; particularly Westerners. I had students perform synchronized reading out-loud in order to mask students with reading deficiencies, but still allowing them to practice the reading and pronounce the words. The reading was accompanied with visual representations to help students understand the concepts. Next, we had a short discussion, and then I applied a digital application called Plickers as a way to check their understanding and for information about students’ opinions.

Plickers is a powerfully simple tool that lets teachers collect real-time formative ... Sheets of paper that work like a set of classroom clickers with your smartphone (www.plickers.com). The images that were included in the text were uploaded to the Plickers application and then were used to examine students understanding and opinions about the concepts/content. Each had a card which had 4 possible choices; they would hold up the card depending on their answer. The answer was then displayed on the smartboard in real-time. After this we would discuss why the students chose their specific answer and this is where I could assess their understanding of the content.

The following is a sample of how it was applied in the class:

(Blue and red image adapted from Yang Lui’s East meets West, 2015)

Formative Assessment & Analysis Chart

World Cultures

Tricky Part of the Lesson	Formative Assessment to Use	Analysis and Adjustments
Comparison of Cultural perspectives; EAST vs WEST	Have students hold up Plickers cards using the Plickers application. Students respond with their level of agreement then based on that call on individual students to share their opinions (assess).	If you it is observed that students are not grasping the concept, continue with pre-loaded Plickers examples, discuss some more.

This formative assessment along with the short discussions, observations, and quick checks provided me with the opportunity to continually see where students were and where they were going in relation to the learning goals. Shirley and Irving (2014) note that when teachers use formative assessment strategies, they engage students in instructional tasks that allow the teacher to uncover levels of student understanding so that the teacher may change instruction accordingly (p.56). The assessments are applied in such a way that students’ engagement is utilized to help me evaluate students’ comprehension of the content: when their brains are more stimulated, they produce more and show what they learned in a more relaxed in comfortable manner.

From this assessment I was able to observe that students were mainly on target with the learning objectives. This enabled me to move onto the next phase without much change. In addition, students’ engagement was at its apex and the class was flowing well.

Following the class survey and discussion, students were given 5-10 minutes to answer the text’s accompanying questions alone, in partners or in a group. During this time I did quick-checks for understanding. At the end of this session we reflected on what students learned and students were given a preview of what they were to do in the next session to build upon what they had learned, synthesize and transfer the information to show understanding.

The subsequent sessions of the lesson were all dedicated towards students creating a product to build upon previous knowledge and to show a deeper understanding of the content, in the form of a small-project. Students were given the options to research and present what they learned in a variety of ways. Students were instructed to create an advertisement to foreigners (westerners) of a Korean city with the emphasis on focusing on aspects attractive to foreigners. Within the advertisement they had to show the consideration of Western peoples’ perspectives and interests. They were given two class sessions to produce and one to present: the first two were for planning and developing while using me as guide, if they chose; and the third was the performance.

For differentiation they were given the option to produce in any way they chose, they were given exemplars of previous work and several ideas of how they could possibly present. The students were also sent instructions of exactly what they should focus on in English and in Korean to their emails, and also presented the same documents in the class. This was mainly in response to a few students having small difficulties in understanding the parameters of the project. Students were given the option to work alone, in partners or in groups. The whole class chose to work in groups and this is typical of Korean society. Because I was still new and needed to learn more about them, in order to identify them quicker they were grouped in order by their student number. The students agreed to this type of grouping.

The students were highly interested in the subject and were keen on trying to see from a Westerner’s perspective. When students are interested in something, they are motivated and they move themselves along (Laureate Education Inc. 2009). The students’ interest showed itself clearly in the planning session where students were given time to brainstorm and propose a way to create an advertisement. This was also the time that all direction was transferred from the teacher to the students; I assisted students, but they had almost complete autonomy in the decision making processes. According to Martinez and Mcgrath (2013) “Students who develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning are prepared to master rigorous academic content, think critically and analytically, communicate effectively, and collaborate productively (p.23). This also allowed them to demonstrate in a way they felt most comfortable with. They had responsibility in choosing the type of information they chose to use; how they wanted to present that information (demonstrate learning); and how they utilized their resources.
In order to allow them to research in class, I set up a Wifi hotspot so they could use their phones. In the case students did not have access to the internet by using their personal devices, I brought in three old laptops to help alleviate the potentiality of them not being able to search for information in-class.

The culmination of what students learned in the content combined with the information they gathered was demonstrated in a variety of ways. Students were told that this project was practice for the final project and that we would evaluate, assess the strengths and weaknesses and give feedback together. Students were also encouraged to ask presenting students questions and feedback immediately after their performance. The students will create a rubric for the final project ,using the information they obtain from the demonstrating of what they have learned, in a future lesson.

For the final formative/post assessment (project), a rubric was created to help students understand what kind of information I wanted them to share. According to Soiferman (2015) “ A good rubric should leave no doubt in the students’ mind as to what they are being asked to do on the assignment and the scoring of the indices should provide enough breadth to make distinctions between those who fulfilled the criteria to those who only managed to get part of the criteria right (p.3). The rubric had a score but just to show how close students came to being accurate in meeting the criteria. The score didn’t count towards their final grade and they were encouraged to take chances. In addition to the rubric, a scoring paper based on the rubric was created in order to help give students feedback. In response to all the students choosing to work in groups, the rubrics consisted of a section for collaboration.

Rubric and accompanying scoring paper:

Grading Rubric: Korean City Advertisement

Performance Quality	A: Target (Exemplary Work) (Value: 10 points possible per each listed criteria)	B: Acceptable (Good Work) (Value: 8 points possible per each listed criteria)	C: Developing (Minimal Work) (Value: 7 points possible per each listed criteria)	D:Unsatisfactory (Bare Minimum work) (Value:6 points possible per each listed criteria)	F: Unacceptable (Work Submitted but Unacceptable) (Value: 2-4 points possible per each listed criteria)
Content (25%)	100% of the requirements in the assignment’s criteria.	90% of the requirements in the assignment’s criteria.	Completed 80% or less of the requirements in the assignment’s criteria.	Completed 70% or less than the requirements in the assignment’s criteria.	Completes less than 60% of the requirements in the assignment’s criteria.
English Usage (25%)	A few minor errors but displays an advanced grasp of Fluency, Vocabulary and pronunciation	-Use of English is clear and understandable -Has some fluency difficulties and errors.	-Large errors that make it difficult to understand. -Not very clear but Is able to communicate what is required	-Barely understandable. -Minimally conveyed their message -Not Clear -Needs to prepare more	-Not Understandable -Did not convey their message -Barely covered the topic -
Identifying aspects attractive to foreigners (35%)	All advertisement points match the perspectives that foreign (in general) might find attractive.	Most points match, some points are questionable. Students showed a good exploration of outside perspectives.	About half of the points match Did not show a deep understanding exploration of outside perspectives	Hardly points show thoughtful consideration Random and do not match.	The group has no points
Collaboration (15%)	Each member excellently carried out their roles inside and outside of class and worked together perfectly.	Team worked well together despite some issues and produced quality work.	Team is able to produce an effective performance. Team members had problems that affected the overall product.	Team has some larger issues that really hurt the project which caused them to produce a poor quality project.	No collaboration. If anyone is in this box, your whole project will not work.

Advertisement Project Scoring Paper:

Total Score_____

Category	Score	Observations/ Feedback
Content -Content is created with a Westener’s perspective in mind. -Presentation explains why you chose to create the content in your specific way -New strategies and creativity will be considered
English Usage -How much a script is used vs. trying not to use? -Mechanical errors in using English and the type of English is to be considered i.e. more complex to simpler English. -How you use the English within the context
Identifying aspects attractive to foreigners
Collaboration I will watch for how students work together throughout the project, including in class.

Students created a variety of products that demonstrated their learning including videos, role plays, power point presentations, Prezis, a song, Poster, a travel agency presentation and an NFC-based commercial presentation. They ended up far exceeding expectations in their effort and abilities to create quality content; however some groups provided the wrong type of information and were not able to remain congruent with all of the learning goals of the lessons. The fact that some students had trouble grasping exactly what they were to produce or showing the right type of information will be considered in the possible alterations of the lesson, going forward. They will also receive more individual instruction when they are presented with my observations in our upcoming class-feedback session, where students evaluate each others' work.

A group made poster-advertisement:

Post-Assessment & Analysis Chart

World Cultures

Component of the Assessment	Results	Analysis of Results (What they mean to you)
An Advertisement of a Korean city to foreigners with the focus on identifying aspects that would be attractive to foreigners (Foreigners’ perspective).	25/31 students were able to demonstrate accurate synthesis of the information and identify aspects.	There was a gap in understanding of which I need to address the 6 students to ascertain how to better help them reach their goals. They were all in the same group, so there may be individual variances.

Overall the lesson was successful and there were no major hiccups. Not every student was able to grasp exactly what was expected of them and the reasons for that will be examined further. There have been many collaborative discussions with other teachers to ascertain aspects that could be altered; however most of the alterations were immediate responses to students’ needs; therefore that will be automatically implanted in future iterations of this lesson. For example, the instruction document in Korean was made because I could see that a few students were having trouble with comprehension, even after a variety of modalities were presented to them; therefore I had a Korean teacher make the document and post it into the students homerooms, while I, sent it to their emails. In fact, other teachers assisted as much as they could and that was very helpful. Without this kind of collaborative effort it could have been much more difficult for students that are not middle to high-level in English comprehension to perform; therefore this document will already be included in future lessons.

A reflective analysis:

In a differentiated classroom instruction is both planned and improvisational (Tomlinson & Mctighe, 2006. p.89). The desire to be strong in all aspects in being able to respond to students needs is a driving force for me as teacher; however I recognize that there are areas where I need more development than others. For example, I would like to be able to do more pre-planning in regards to individual students so that I could better meet their needs. Currently in the environment in which I teach, I am responsible for over 570 students; therefore individual pre-class considerations, in relation to differentiation, are very difficult. In addition, I feel I need to improve upon getting more data; however for reasons stated previously, this practice is also difficult.

Responding to students’ individual needs could be assessed as one of my strengths. The classroom environment is very conducive to addressing students individually and they are very comfortable to actively tell me when they need some assistance. There are times when I can see a pattern emerge and a few students need the same kind of responses; when this happens it helps me consider factors of the lesson that could be changed or appended. Small fixes are applied mid-lesson while bigger ones are added by the next time the lesson is taught. The lesson is always evolving, although I try to simulate as many scenarios as possible to make sure it is complete; there are always things that happen in class which were not able to be anticipated.

In regards to the lesson: there were not many surprises or problems. The only possible problems anticipated were in comprehension and production; however whenever a student needed help with comprehension, even though the content was presented with the VARK intelligences in mind, they were easily remedied by responding to them individually. One major surprise contained within the products the students created: almost all groups exceeded expectations and they put a lot of effort into their work. Even the students that needed a little more work in reaching the learning objectives created impressive products and were not very far off in reaching the objectives.

There was some collaborative support for the lesson; mainly through the identifying of ways to reach all students. One teacher helped me create a document in Korean for the students that needed help with understanding. Other teachers collaborated with discussions about assessing the students’ progress. Parents were able to get involved by getting updates via their email accounts of what the class was doing and were able to send me questions; however only students sent me questions from the parents email account. As the unit continues there will be more collaborative efforts with colleagues and parents; however the language barrier remains a hurdle, but I am getting around it.

One major practice used to make sure the learning environment is fair and equitable and can be conducive to all learners, is to give them the freedom to learn how in ways they are most comfortable with. To do this I focus on students’ becoming self-directed learners. According to Arikpo & Grace (2015), advanced learner control is effective because learners know their own instructional needs best and hence are individually qualified to tailor their instruction (p.1). Even though the lessons begin with instruction provided from me, I use scaffolding to gradually enhance the information while simultaneously transferring the direction from the teacher to the student, and then I become a guide or an assistant to help them learn. In Korea students are usually accustomed to just taking the lead from the teacher, listening and doing rote work; however I have successfully been able to get them to take control of their own learning and therefore work in ways that parallel their learning styles.

Scaffolding and Differentiating Cart:

Scaffolding and Differentiating Chart

World Cultures

Steps in Instructional Plan	Example	Gradual Release of Responsibility (Scaffolding)	Differentiation
Introductory/Anticipatory Set	Students watch a video comparing western and eastern culture followed by a short class discussion Teacher gives key-vocabulary for the text students record the words the need to work on in their notebooks	Teacher Facilitated	Subtitles, Writing key words next to the video. Images for visual learners, audio for auditory, Text for read/write,
Building/Applying Knowledge: Part One	Students read text about comparing cultures followed by a short discussion.	Focused Lesson with Teacher Taking Ownership of Leading the Instruction	Visual, Auditory
Building/Applying Knowledge: Part Two	Plickers Application. Students use the cards to give their opinions on what they have learned so far.	Guided Instruction	Visual, Kinesthetic
Extension/Enrichment/Transfer or Generalization: Part One	Ideas and Questions to consider ( Short response questions). Students can choose how they want to work: alone, with a partner or with a group. Teacher walks around and checks on students.	Collaborative, Guided Instruction	According to Learning Profile
Extension/Enrichment/Transfer or Generalization: Part Two	Students create an advertisement of a Korean city to foreigners with the emphasis on identifying aspects attractive foreigners.	Independent/ Collaborative	Differentiation by Product
Synthesis/Closure	Groups take turns performing their advertisement in whichever medium they chose with the	Independent/ Collaborative	Differentiation by Product

The post-assessment for the lesson was the project and I was able to gather that most of the students reached the learning goals. For the ones that did not; it was observed that they need some work on ‘considering the perspectives of people from other cultures’. This result will inform me and help with later iterations of the lesson and help me respond to those students as well. The post assessment was evaluated immediately and the feedback was recorded at the same time, but the students have not yet been able to receive the feedback because of time considerations.

As described by Clark (2012) “The whole point of collecting evidence of learning is to then use it diagnostically to ascertain students’ existing knowledge and then plan next steps for individual learning progression.”(p.34). The use of multiple assessments helped me evaluate where students where in relation to the learning goals and how I could respond to help them reach those goals. The pre-assessments helped me examine where students’ readiness was in regards to being able to comprehend the content going forward, it also helped me learn about them personally. The formative assessments let me know that students were keeping engaged and relatively aligned with the learning goals. The post-assessment demonstrated how students synthesized and transferred the information and where they were in relation to the future learning goals. They all revealed that most students are on pace to reach the learning goals and a few students need more individualized responsive instruction.

The whole experience of documenting how I instruct and use differentiation in class was an enlightening one. Although I have far to go in my journey in becoming an expert at using this instructional method, I feel that I have made considerable progress. This progress has been beneficial to the students as I have been better able to tailor my lessons to their needs and interests. Even though I have had to navigate the parameters of an educational system that leaves little wiggle room for change, I have been able to better implement and enhance my instruction, apply differentiation and use assessment for learning. From now until I continue my journey as a teacher I will constantly work on my development and growth, so that I could help students reach academic excellence and become successful life-long learners.

Appendices

Pre-Assessment & Analysis Chart

World Cultures

What I Learned	What This Means for Teaching & Learning of the Content and Planning	What This Means for Individual Students
1. Most of the students’ English comprehension is sufficient enough for the lesson.	Majority of the content will be understandable and students will be able to grasp new words rather quickly.	Some students will need differentiated guidance on the individual level.
2. Students’ English production varies; however the lowest can still produce with assistance and time.	The students should benefit from group work and working together to create a product that demonstrates understanding.	Individual students will be able to work in their areas of strength while simultaneously increasing their comprehension.
3. Most, if not all students are ready for instruction.	If content is instructed in a variety or ways that address learning preferences, students will be able to build on their knowledge.	Individual students will have a greater chance to comprehend content.
4. From the Assessment sheets and subsequent introductions I learned that students are already relatively comfortable in trying to use English.	The learning environment will be more conducive for learning and taking chances; therefore learning new content could be enhanced.	Individual students will have a decreased chance of being afraid to take chances.

Student work:

Some of these are in links because they are media files which are too large to add as an attachment:

1.Video of Jejudo: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7glvTw78XzHbno2N00yUHByR0U

2. Prezi: https://prezi.com/dcdwcbmbgjhg/copy-of-learn-prezi-fast/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

3. Power Point: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7glvTw78XzHX0t6bFhkMlY4YXM/view?usp=sharing

4.Poster

5. Script

Formative Assessment & Analysis Chart

World Cultures

Tricky Part of the Lesson	Formative Assessment to Use	Analysis and Adjustments
Comparison of Cultural perspectives; EAST vs WEST	Have students hold up Plickers cards using the Plickers application. Students respond with their level of agreement then based on that call on individual students to share their opinions (assess).	If it is observed that students are not grasping the concept, continue with pre-loaded Plickers examples, discuss some more.

Post-Assessment & Analysis Chart

World Cultures

Component of the Assessment	Results	Analysis of Results (What they mean to you)
An Advertisement of a Korean city to foreigners with the focus on identifying aspects that would be attractive to foreigners (Foreigners’ perspective).	25/31 students were able to demonstrate accurate synthesis of the information and identify aspects.	There was a gap in understanding of which I need to address the 6 students to ascertain how to better help them reach their goals. They were all in the same group, so there may be individual variances.

Scaffolding and Differentiating Chart

World Cultures

Steps in Instructional Plan	Example	Gradual Release of Responsibility (Scaffolding)	Differentiation
Introductory/Anticipatory Set	Students watch a video comparing western and eastern culture followed by a short class discussion Teacher gives key-vocabulary for the text students record the words the need to work on in their notebooks	Teacher Facilitated	Subtitles, Writing key words next to the video. Images for visual learners, audio for auditory, Text for read/write,
Building/Applying Knowledge: Part One	Students read text about comparing cultures followed by a short discussion.	Focused Lesson with Teacher Taking Ownership of Leading the Instruction	Visual, Auditory
Building/Applying Knowledge: Part Two	Plickers Application. Students use the cards to give their opinions on what they have learned so far.	Guided Instruction	Visual, Kinesthetic
Extension/Enrichment/Transfer or Generalization: Part One	Ideas and Questions to consider ( Short response questions). Students can choose how they want to work: alone, with a partner or with a group. Teacher walks around and checks on students.	Collaborative, Guided Instruction	According to Learning Profile
Extension/Enrichment/Transfer or Generalization: Part Two	Students create an advertisement of a Korean city to foreigners with the emphasis on identifying aspects attractive foreigners.	Independent/ Collaborative	Differentiation by Product

References

English as a Second Language: Commencement 85 Commencement Grades 9 – 12. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/biling/resource/ESL/05Com.pdf

Bill and Melinda Gates, F. (2015). Teachers Know Best: Making Data Work for Teachers and Students. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=03b1432c-86e1-4cbe-8f08-6022442b7374%40sessionmgr105&hid=105&bdata=JnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3d#AN=ED557084&db=eric

Cho, Young-E. (2007). The Diaspora of Korean Children: A Cross-cultural Study of the Educational Crisis in Contemporary South Korea Retrieved from https://books.google.co.kr/books?hl=en&lr=&id=_61Iexxu2t0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR2&dq=Korea+educational+style&ots=iXHyV7sQNM&sig=eR-IcGW4prdjWJQW66J2jy_JNPo#v=onepage&q=Korea%20educational%20style&f=false

Grundel, A., & Pleau, A. R. (2013). Comprehension: The Secondary School Educator's Responsibility. Principal Leadership, 14(1), 48-52. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=8&sid=03b1432c-86e1-4cbe-8f08-6022442b7374%40sessionmgr105&hid=105

Liu, Y. (2015). East meets west = Dong xi xiang yu.

Shirley, M. L., & Irving, K. E. (2015). Connected Classroom Technology Facilitates Multiple Components of Formative Assessment Practice. Journal Of Science Education And Technology, 24(1), 56-68.Retreived from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=20&sid=03b1432c-86e1-4cbe-8f08-6022442b7374%40sessionmgr105&hid=105

Martinez, M. R., & McGrath, D. (2013). How Can Schools Develop Self-Directed Learners?. Phi Delta Kappan, 95(2), 23-27. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=988171a2-7548-4419-9822-43ccc6bcead8%40sessionmgr120&hid=105

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009h). Learner differences [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Soiferman, L. K. (2015). Understanding the Effectiveness of Rubrics from the Students' Point of View. Online Submission, Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED558553

Tomlinson, C. A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Clark, I. (2012). Formative Assessment: A Systematic and Artistic Process of Instruction for Supporting School and Lifelong Learning. Canadian Journal Of Education, 35(2), 24-40. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=32&sid=ed2fe9ce-7433-4d9f-97c8-5f4e80d1c65b%40sessionmgr102&hid=105

Walden University. (2015, May). Field experience: Part 2 - Resource guide. (13th ed.).

Minneapolis, MN: Author.

Technology in the classroom: Application of 'Second Life'

2016-02-11T22:57:00.001+09:00

So everyone,

I am proposing the use of Second Life for education in group projects or even overall interaction. In the book excerpt Upgrading the Curriculum, Heidi Jacobs (2010) gave a list of pool replacements for assessments, one of them was “Second Life Simulations.” This rattled in my head a little bit as I thought, “What the heck is that?” I subsequently gave it a look and upon learning how it worked I thought, “Wow, I could do so much with this, especially in an ESL class.”

Second Life is a 3D world where everyone you see is a real person and every place you visit is built by people just like you (secondlife.com). In the classroom or even when students are outside, it can be used for collaboration, support, learning, interaction, student displays, presentations…the possibilities are endless because it is a virtual world. Students can also use it to connect with others from around the world. And in my class, in particular, it could be used in collaboration with other classes abroad. It is an immersive world allows the student to move, talk, build, and connect with the very information that they are learning - they can be surrounded by it and then they can contribute to it (teachinghub.com).

A Second Life virtual classroom (scienceroll.com)

Second life enables students to work together synchronously and then return , individually or as a team The learning space is always available for students to use, even when students can’t meet physically (Secondlife.com).

It is easy to use, you pretty much just have to be computer literate: Students have to join Secondlife, download the viewer, login, then they can create their avatar and explore.

For my class, I would create a virtual classroom as an extension of the physical classroom and we would do different activities such as have a field trip to London or talk to a Native American, or anything that would otherwise be impossible; actual location, time and resources are not an issue with Second Life. Another thing I am excited about is creating a platform in which the shyer or apprehensive students can feel more comfortable to interact, and this is a great way.

This website circumvents the boundaries of a physical space by opening up a virtual world of boundless information, education and experiences. I haven’t used it yet, but I am taking my time to digest and learn about it. I will consider the best way to employ this wondrous website in my classroom, to best engage students and create the possibilities for endless learning. Developing a virtual classroom system such as Second Life promotes greater students interest. It integrates the benefits of a physical classroom with the convenience of a virtual learning .It provides immense flexibility and sophistication in the existing learning platform structures with the perfect combination of synchronous and a synchronous interaction. It provides a means of collaborative learning for the students in and outside the classroom (Teja 2011).

References/ Reviews:
http://scienceroll.com/2007/09/19/how-and-why-to-use-second-life-for-education/

http://www.teachhub.com/second-life-lessons-classroom-activities

Teja 2011. Virtual Classroom Documentation Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/46355844/Virtual-Classroom-Documentation#scribd