The Learning Town - Teacher's Manual

8/6/2019 The Learning Town - Teacher's Manual

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THE LEARNING TOWN PROJECT: THE COMPUTER AS MEDIATOR TOCOMPLEMENT THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH FOR KIDS

TEACHERS MANUAL

MRCIA LUIZA DE ABREU

BELO HORIZONTE

2011


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SUMRIO

1 INTRODUCTION2 - BACKGROUND

3 THEORETICAL BASIS

4 - THE LEARNING TOWN

4.1 Target Public4.2 - Objetives

4.2.1 General Objetive

4.2.2 Specific Objectives4.3 - The Website

4.3.1 - Homepage

4.3.2 Message Board

4.3.3 Town Council

4.3.4 Food Centre

4.3.5 Pet Zoo

4.3.6 Cinema (Movie)

4.3.7 School

4.3.8 Contact Page

4.4 Social Networks

4.5 Implementation and Evaluation.

5 TO TEACHERS6 FINAL THOUGHTS

7 - REFERENCES


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To Teachers

It is a great honor to present this manual with information about the project

The Learning Town.

The wish to create a complementary space to textbooks which could bring

together the most innovative Digital Technologies began when I enrolled myself in

the course Especializao em Ensino de Lnguas Mediado por Computador (ELMC).

The course is an activity of the Post graduate Program in Linguistic Studies of the

Faculdade de Letras of UFMG (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais) whose

objectives are to bring-up-to-date and deepen the qualification of teachers in the use

of the Digital Technologies. In the course we had the opportunity to debate the

admission and performance of education in the digital world.

As Paulo Freire, I believe that education needs to be "up to its time" having the

teachers the responsibility to adapt their ways of teaching according to the

characteristics of their public, called "digital natives". It is needed, paraphrasing

Freire, to change the school, making it a new born as current and innovative as the

technology. The project The Learning Town is my contribution to the birth of this new

school.

Welcome!

Mrcia Luiza de Abreu

Project Coordinator


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THE LEARNING TOWN PROJECT: THE COMPUTER AS MEDIATOR TOCOMPLEMENT THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH FOR KIDS

1 INTRODUCTION

The Learning town is a website with the interface of a small town where the

students can Interact with the inhabitants and, while visiting each they will face

specific situations of language use and consequently with the genres of text used in

these situations, providing a deeper, systemic and frequent interaction with the

language in question in this case: English.

2 BACKGROUND

The computer, from the revolution of new technologies, has debuted in

education and even the most radical traditionalists cannot deny that the new

Technologies have brought significant results to the teaching/learning process. The

use of computers and internet by students is increasing considerably and rapidly on

the last years. Kids and computers are almost inseparable nowadays and, with

school aged children, and even younger, spending hours in front of a computer, to

not take advantage of this interaction is literally live in the past. Facing the new

educational reality, in which the old behaviorist model definitively doesnt suit the

questioning and critical profile of todays students, we perceived the benefits of the

usage of new technologies as mediator element in the process of teaching English

for kids.

The project The learning Town originate from the understanding that anything

isnt enough in itself regarding education, better explaining, a curriculum, no matter

how good; a textbook, no matter how embracing; a teacher, no matter how eclectic;

none of these elements is enough by itself. For a global learning, it is necessary that

these elements combine among themselves and to others, to form complete


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students, able to interact in the world, building their knowledge through interaction

within the group where they live.

The experience of working in a bilingual school, where the teaching of English

doesnt follow ESL patterns, but provide the student, since the early years, the

instruction in a system that Harmers & Blanc (2000) call Initial Partial Immersion, in

which both languages L1 & L2 are used as means of instruction since the beginning

of school life, directed us to think of a tool that could be a support to the teacher,

complementing the textbook and reinforcing the curriculum.

The textbook adopted in the above referred school is rich concerning the

development of the four basic abilities in language acquisition:speaking, writing,

reading, listening; besides bringing besides providing interdisciplinary contents

covering the areas of Science, Social Studies e Math. However, we realized that

these contents do not contemplate basic standards at each level. From this

observation, the Project The learning Town was idealized with the objective to create

learning situations that allow students to develop specific competences in each

content according to the series (year), moreover, expanding the circumstances of the

L2, both in the classroom and beyond.

3 THEORETICAL BASIS

The project The learning Town was idealized to be a website aiming the

teaching of English for kids, with a sociointeractionist proposal, and a genre based

approach. In the city ofLearning Town the students Interact with the inhabitants and,

while visiting each place they get in touch with specific situations of language use

and consequently with the genre of texts used in these situations. Thus, we can

affirm that the project is based on the work of the theoretical and methodological of

the Socio-Discursive Interactionism (SDI) which understand the human behavior as

situated actions whose structural and functional properties are, above all, a product

of socialization (BRONCKART, 1997/1999), which is based on social-historical

psychology of Vygotsky (1934/1993) and the propositions of genres presented by

Mikhail Bakhtin (2000).


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To Vygotsky, the main function of language is the social interchange: men

create and use the language systems to communicate with his fellows. Further,

according to Vygotskys thoughts, the psychological processes of an individual

formation take into account the social and historical context in which language

activities occur. The proposal of the SDI relies on this view, since the language

activities have a central attribution. Thus, the activities and language production that

occur in certain social constructions lead to awareness, learning, and consequently,

to human development (MACHADO, 2000).

The language activities are related to various forms of communication used in

a particular social group, which lead us to the study of genre of text. Bakhtin (2000)

Bakhtin (2000) defines speech genres as "relatively stable types of utterances." This

definition is similar to the term genre of text, used by Bronckart (1997/1999),

Schneuwly and Dolz (1996).

In this view of language, its functional and interactive nature gets more

attention than its formal and structural aspect, thus the grammar is no longer the key

point of the teaching/learning process, but only one of the language skills involved in

the production of a genre of text (ABREU-Tardelli, 2007).

Based on the theoretical propositions that guide our teaching practice, all the

interactions in the website begin in a communicative situation that will develop

through the genre that is usually mobilized in that communicative situation, whether

oral or written. The contact with the genre will allow the student to use the language

capacities cited by Dolz & Schneuwly (1996) - capacities of action, discursive and

linguistic-discursive. The interactions, wheter reactive or mutual, take place according

to the necessity of each situation and genre.

4 - THE LEARNING TOWN

4.1 Target Public

The website The Learning Town is directed to the infant public, students in thefirst years of elementary school. Firstly, the project is restricted to the students of a


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certain school in Governador Valadares, MG. Later it is intended to expand its reach

to every educational institution interested in the project, considering that the website

aims to be an ally for the teacher who seeks to improve his/her classes through the

use of the new technologies.

4.2 - Objetives

4.2.1 General Objective

Through the website www.thelearningtown.com we wish to stimulate in the

student, in his early years, the competence to analyze, discuss, select, organize and

apply information through real situations of usage of the English Language, thus

contributing for the improvement of the read, writing, speaking, and listening skills in

the target language.

4.2.2 Specific Objectives

The systematic navigation through the website and the interaction with the

inhabitants ofLearning Town (pedagogical agents) allow the student:

Express in the target language in an increasing level of fluency;

Register his/her adventure in the small town in a daily journal;

Describe situations faced day by day in the small town;

Narrate events in chronological order and with richness of details;

Practice vocabulary and communicative functions with the pedagogicalagents, or with classmates, through chats, forums, wikis, etc;

Discuss and solve, in a collaborative way, simple problems of social matter,

such as finding a family for stray animals.

Besides these objectives, others, more specific, can be incorporated by the

teacher according to the necessity and with the branch of knowledge the teacher

wants to explore. Since the site allows the teacher to assign the student to visit

specific places, the teacher can plan their actions according to his/her goals for a

particular group of students.


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4.3 - The Website

4.3.1 - Homepage

As a website dedicated to

children, The Learning Town has

an interface, though simple in

terms of usability, is rich in visual

incitement. By entering the site the

visitor is greeted with an animated

introduction, the city's mayor

welcomes the visitor inviting

him/her to visit all the facilities in

town. On the homepage, the

ludicity is highlighted with signposts

that appear on various parts of the city, opening up the page by clicking on them.

4.3.2 Message Board

As a real town,

Learning Town has cinema

(movie theater), club, petting

zoo, food centre, School,

library, fun square. In each

place the student/visitor willfind different ways to Interact

building his/her knowledge

through this interaction. At

the end of this visit the

student is invited to leave a

message on the towns message board, highlighting points that he/she learned

during the visit. The message board will be an evaluation tool for the students

spontaneous writing.


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4.3.3 Town Council

The student, when visiting

Learning Town, receives the title

of Towns Citizen being able to

participate in the meeting at the

town-council. This interaction will

allow the student to get in touch

of contents of Social Studies,

and will provide the student to act as a citizen, discussing social themes with his

classmates through forums, and even participate in the decisions of the town.

4.3.4 Food Centre

In the Food Centre the student

will be in touch with all kinds of

subjects related to food. How to

buy food in a grocery store,

supermarket, fast food, or

restaurant; how to make

delicious recipes, how to be

healthy eating the right kind of

food.

4.3.5 Pet Zoo

The petting zoo is a special

place where kids can get in touch

with animals, learn and have fun.

At the Learning Towns petting zoo

this situation is not different. Here

students will find all kinds of

information regarding animals:

their habitats, characteristics, food

habits, survival strategies, etc.


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4.3.6 Cinema (Movie)

This is the space for

videos of all kinds. At the movies

kids can have fun and learn. In this

page the student will watch short

movies and video clips, and will be

redirected to other pages to do

activities related to the content of

the movie.

4.3.7 School

Inside the school the visitors will be redirected to three different pages. If they

go to the Library theyll find lots of good books. Choose one, and after reading it they

will be guided to do some activities related to the books content. If the students

decide to enter the Classroom they will find many interesting activities in all kinds of

subjects. For the teachers theres the Teachers Room where they can find many

Class Plans and all the directions that will help them in their mission.

4.3.8 Contact Page

Finally, theres the contact page, where the visitor can get in touch with

the websites administrators, for questions, doubts, suggestions, and etc.


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4.4 Social Networks

A 2007 research done by the British Council1

showed that students whofelt they were getting enough opportunities in their lives to socialize informally were

also successful in their learning. Its important to understand that successful students

combine studying and socializing, and that combining the two things helps them to be

successful at both. With this in mind the website The Learning Town has pages on

the main social networks such as Facebook, Orkutand Twitterand the pages can be

reached by clicking on the icons at the bottom of the homepage. These social

networks will be used as teaching tools to stimulate theinteraction among the students and teachers.

Besides, the students will also use a wiki page in order to improve their

writing skills in a collaborative manner.

4.5 Implementation and Evaluation.

As previously mentioned, the website presents itself as a tool for teacher

support, complementing the didactic material and deepening the curriculum. Thus,

the teacher must include in his/her Lesson plan the activities the student must

accomplish in the learning environment. The website has a special page where the

teacher will find guidelines for the use of the website, lesson plans and tips for

evaluation. Since the website is directed to children, it wasnt idealized for total

distance education, but a model that combines classroom activities with the distance

activities. The project is flexible concerning its utilization, allowing the teacher to act

as a tour guide, directing the student during his visit to the town.

Based on the theoretical propositions that guide the project The Learning

Town, the student will be evaluated throughout the process. By participating in the

project, for example, each student is asked to write a daily journal as a basis for the

evaluation of their progress in written language. In the restricted area (Teachers

1http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/teaching-learning-through-social-networks


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Room), the teacher will find lesson plans with suggestions for assessment in

accordance with the objectives of each activity.

The following concept map brings the dynamic structure of the Project and its

association with the theoretical concepts in which the Project is based.

5 TO TEACHERS

This Project has been designed to help teachers, by using the new

technologies, to reach better results with their students. The website must be used as

a complement for the class instruction and the activities can be assigned as

homework or class work, in groups or in individual basis.

The website has a friendly interface and all the activities are integrated. The

student is redirected to the next page as needed. Once in a while an avatar will

remind the student about the safety rules for the internet, but you teacher, must keep


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your students aware of the dangers they can face if they do not follow the rules for a

safe navigation on the web.

In each page theres a menu with the name of the activity, the subjects it

embraces, and the objectives that must be accomplished.

Date Pictures Subject Files:

12/7/2011

The Water Cycle

Subject: Science - Earth Science

Students will be able to:*understand that water travels in a cycle.

*understand the parts of the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

*Theyll also get in touch with the concept of water storage and transpiration.

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Understanding FossilsSchool subject:

Science: Earth Science - Students know that fossils provide evidence about the plants and animalsthat lived long ago and that scientists learn about the past history of Earth by studying fossils.

Students will be able to define fossil.

Students will be able to explain the job of a paleontologist.Students will be able to list and describe the four types of fossils.

Students will better understand how fossils are formed.

6 FINAL THOUGHTS

The use of computers and the Internet by students is increasingly common

and begins earlier year by year. Children are learning English through a variety of

devices and games such as DSs, PSPs, and akin, and it's important that schools

walk in that way instead of continue to use "obsolete" technologies as the old

homemade flashcards.

To incorporate the modern Information Technology and its gadgets on school's

curriculum since its first years allows students to take advantage in the race for

literacy, which is increasingly important today. But to be a vehicle of change it is

necessary to have sufficient resources such as well-equipped multimedia

laboratories, digitally literate teachers, and above all, these technologies must be

incorporated to traditional methods of teaching in a symbiosis that can increase the

use of computers and internet a broader level than just additional tools in the

teaching / learning, or "fads trainers of a consumer market, losing the opportunity topromote an effective change in teaching" (Seabra 2010).


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7 - REFERENCES

ABREU-TARDELLI, Llia Santos. Elaborao de seqncias didticas: o ensinoe aprendizagem de gneros em lngua inglesa. In: DAMIANOVIC, M.C. (org)Material Didtico: Elaborao, Implementao e Avaliao. 2007

BAKHTIN, Mikhail Mikhailovich. Os gneros do discurso. In: Esttica dacriao verbal. M. E.G. G. Pereira (Trad.). So Paulo: Martins Fontes, 2000.

BRONCKART, Jean-Paul.Atividades de Linguagens, texto e discursos. Por uminteracionismo scio-discursivo. Trad. Anna Rachel Machado e Pricles Cunha. SoPaulo: Educ, 1997/99.

HARMERS, J e BLANC, M. Bilinguality and Bilingualism. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press, 2000.

MACHADO, Anna Rachel. Uma Experincia de Assessoria Docente e de Elaboraode Material Didtico para o Ensino de Produo de Textos na Universidade. DELTA.,So Paulo, v. 16, n. 1, 2000. Disponvel em:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-44502000000100001

SEABRA, C.Tecnologias na escola. Porto Alegre: Telos Empreendimentos Culturais,2010. Disponvel em: https://www.institutoclaro.org.br/banco_arquivos/Cartilha.pdfAcesso em : maio de 2011

SCHNEUWLY, B; DOLZ J, Gneros orais e escritos na escola. Traduo eOrganizao Roxane Rojo e Gals Sales Cordeiro. Campinas: Mercado das Letras,2004.

VIGOTSKY, L. S. Pensamento e Linguagem. Traduo de Jferson Luiz Camargo.So Paulo: Editora Martins Fontes, 1934/1993.

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The Learning Town - Teacher's Manual