Re-imagining the Classroom through Social Justice Projects-Portraying Students' Attitudes

Olga Chaves Carballo, Ph.D.Nuria Villalobos Ulate, M.A.

Facultad de Filosofía y LetrasEscuela de Literatura y Ciencias del Lenguaje

Re-imagining the Classroom through

Social Justice Projects: Portraying Students’ Attitudes

Universidad Nacional (Costa Rica)

The Language Program at UNA

Programs:- English Teaching in the Elementary and Secondary School- English for Other Majors

Mission

To contribute to the Costa Rican development in the areas related to language and its different fields: linguistics, literature, second language teaching and translation through teaching, investigation and production.

“The implication here is that we can't call our English teaching successful if our students,

however fluent, are ignorant of world problems, have no social conscience or use their

communication skills for international crime, exploitation, oppression or environmental

destruction.”

New Trends in Global Issues and English TeachingKip A. Cates (1997)

Why Teaching Social Justice?

The Transformation of English Teaching

and Learning Setting Students’ expectations when learning the

language Professors’ focus on linguistic components

Learning English can also be the tool for advocacy and greater social good

Learners Opportunity Educators Agents, inspiration

Learners’ Role

Explore their inner potential to respond to this quest

Adapt to the new changes and challenges of this century

Must be prompted to explore their attitudes toward a more global interdependence and responsibility for the planet Earth

Become critical thinkers and social reformers

Educators’ Role

Strive for lifelong learning in order to strengthen their professional knowledge, methodology and attitudes towards implementing critical pedagogy

Become agents of educational renewal Actively get involved in critical analysis, reflection and

creative response to their teaching by developing skills in conducting research on social issues

Empower themselves so that their students can reconstruct their own learning

Have a potential to inspire students to transform their lives

Make a difference in guiding learners to find social reform

Implementing Social Justice Projects

Social justice project: Think, Share, Act (TSA) - TSA website

Different groups of students

1.Select a social issue of their interest2.Do research and fieldwork3.Carry out the project4.Create a documentary about the journey


1. Selection of social concern*Reflection*Discussion*Sharing

2. Research on issues*Access material (Internet, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, interviews, surveys)

*Reports


3. Action plan*Name for project, logo and slogan*Documentation of participation

(Pictures, video clips, notes, interviews, surveys)

4. Student-created documentary *Experiences, challenges and insights

Language Learning Experiences

Creation of student blogs Recordings for language

improvement Written papers Awakening gatherings Closing ceremony

The Impact of Social Justice Projects

Leadership Collaboration Conflict resolution Good interpersonal skills Self-reflection Values

The Impact of Social Justice Projects

Sensitivity – Appreciation of life, family and

opportunities– Recognition of people’s needs

Commitment– Fundraising– Advocacy

Students’ Social Justice Projects

Samples of Student-Documentaries

“Our Right is to Know Our Rights”

Vanessa Salazar Jonathan Alfaro Carolina Quirós

The Role of Attitudes in Second Language Learning

Attitude success in acquiring a SL/FL Students' attitude towards the SL/FL is

usually influenced by several factors: exemplified teacher-student relationships, a positive classroom atmosphere, the use of innovative tools, motivation, authentic teaching materials and activities.

Social justice projects contribute to the learning process motivate students to learn

Students’ Attitudes towards Social Projects

Get to know themselves better Grow as individuals and students Feel proud of themselves Realize their inner interests Become aware of different social conditions Give back to society by doing something

useful Face challenges and overcome them Have a feeling of belonging to the

university

TSA Participants

“TSA has been an amazing experience that has given to me a lot of happiness and I think that it has made me be a better person.” Sofía Avendaño

“TSA has been an amazing experience that has given to me a lot of happiness and I think that it has made me be a better person.” Sofía Avendaño

“The project contributed to build new opportunities and a better future for orphan girls. The most beautiful feeling that I experienced was to give my affection to them because they need love.” Ana Beatriz Arguello

“The project contributed to build new opportunities and a better future for orphan girls. The most beautiful feeling that I experienced was to give my affection to them because they need love.” Ana Beatriz Arguello

“This project was the difference in this semester, and of course, I love it, I think that working with children, especially when you know that they come from broken homes or problematic families and you can do something for them, is amazing, I have never felt something like that and I wish that I could keep working with this because for me it was an amazing experience, and I am sure my classmates loved it too.” Jonathan Porras

“This project was the difference in this semester, and of course, I love it, I think that working with children, especially when you know that they come from broken homes or problematic families and you can do something for them, is amazing, I have never felt something like that and I wish that I could keep working with this because for me it was an amazing experience, and I am sure my classmates loved it too.” Jonathan Porras

“The social project, Remembering our Grandparents, improved my writing skills and enhanced my speaking skills. But the most essential thing is that it made me a better person. Working with old people taught me values, patience and appreciation of life. I realized that I can make a difference in people’s life. It also taught me things that nobody could ever teach me in a class, I could just learn it by myself. So after finishing this project I felt very pleasant and satisfied because of all the laughter and happy faces that the elders showed me that this project was really worth it”.

Priscilla Morera

“The social project, Remembering our Grandparents, improved my writing skills and enhanced my speaking skills. But the most essential thing is that it made me a better person. Working with old people taught me values, patience and appreciation of life. I realized that I can make a difference in people’s life. It also taught me things that nobody could ever teach me in a class, I could just learn it by myself. So after finishing this project I felt very pleasant and satisfied because of all the laughter and happy faces that the elders showed me that this project was really worth it”.

Priscilla Morera

Social Project: A Lesson of Life

“In this semester, in the English course, the teacher told us that we had to work on a social project. At the beginning I did not want to because I thought I did not have time to do it, but when my classmates and I were planning the activity, I thought that it was a good experience. In this moment I learned that the university is not just for studying a major, but also for growing as a person”. María José Jara

“In this semester, in the English course, the teacher told us that we had to work on a social project. At the beginning I did not want to because I thought I did not have time to do it, but when my classmates and I were planning the activity, I thought that it was a good experience. In this moment I learned that the university is not just for studying a major, but also for growing as a person”. María José Jara

Integrated English I: International Relations Major

Pronunciation Vowels: English Major

Integrated English I : English Teaching in Elementary School

Major

Concluding Remarks

Social justice projects effective tool for students to:

* Improve their language skills

* Make a difference in the world

Educators working for social justice should help students open their minds to take action in social justice concerns.

Mission in life

Links to Documentaries and TSA Website

Aid to the Students’ Community of Hatillo 2http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClccF52_FxM

Pet’s Lovehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR74Zxtp35cTSA Social Project Websitehttp://sites.google.com/site/thinkshareact

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THANK YOU!

Nuria: [email protected]: [email protected]