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Hi, my name is BreAnna Winzer and this is my last semester at the University of Houston. I am a Teaching and Learning major and I think that this course will provide me with a lot of useful information to apply into my approach to teaching. I am currently student teaching on a elementary school campus. I created a little video about me and I hope you enjoy it.
Awesome post BreAnna! I also attended FBISD schools since elementary school and graduated from Elkins. Just as you did in your Spanish class, my teacher also gave us a lot of worksheets and book work, but I still managed to struggle. I agree that learning a new language is very hard, but I feel that everyone should study and learn a new language. It is important to try to understand one’s culture and it can be useful for ESL students, “In some parts of our world, most children grow up speaking one language only.” (Ortega, 2009, pg. 3). I think it is awesome that you took ASL classes. I wish I could have taken them in high school but they were always filled. Just as I do in Spanish, I know basic sign language along with the alphabet. My friend and I taught ourselves the alphabet in 5th grade because we would talk to each other across the classroom using sign language! Was Spanish hard for you to learn in school and do you still remember any Spanish that you learned?
ReplyDeleteHello Sara,
DeleteSpanish was pretty difficult for me to learn in high school. I resented the class because I just felt like the overall structure of the class was not beneficial to me. Still, I tried my best because even then I could see the value of it. Also, I remember very little but sometimes random vocabulary words will pop into my head.
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ReplyDeleteHello BreAnna!
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to meet you and learn about you! After hearing that you took Spanish, I regret that I did not take Spanish during high school since it is a useful language. I took French classes instead, but I enjoyed the class overall.
It really amazing that you learned American Sign Language! I would love to learn the language. Looking back, I remember back in elementary years that I learned the alphabet of the American Sign Language during Physical Education class. The teachers would ask the students to spell out the activity related words to go get water. To this day, I definitely remember most of the letters. Like Ortega mentioned in the book language is special especially when you involved other and extending that knowledge by learning the language's culture (Oretega, pg. 1). Like you mentioned, I agree that once you learn the culture of the language you will appreciate more of the language since you learn some background knowledge.
Good luck on your last semester! You are almost finished!
-Katherine Nguyen
Hello Katherine,
DeleteI have to say that I enjoyed my ASL class way more than my Spanish courses. I found the language to be easier to grasp and practice. During the course I was surprised and delighted to learn more about Deaf culture and the history of the language.
Hello BreAnna Winzer
ReplyDeleteI commend your drive to expand your communication abilities by learning Spanish and then Sign Language. It is obvious that learning any secondary language can come with its challenges but I would imagine communicating with your hands can be just as difficult as well. It is stated in the text that “Human language manifests itself in spoken, signed and written systems across more than 6,500 languages documented to date” (Ortega). Despite this fact there is still universal commonalities because in order to get a message across between two people there has to be sounds, symbols, texts, and sentences established within a language that can allow for proper communication.
Ortega, L. (2011). Understanding second language acquisition. London and New York: Routledge.
Hello Bryan,
DeleteFrom what I can recall I did have some challenges with grasping certain nuisances within both languages. This is because every language can be attached to different cultures. Learning can be difficult no matter what so it's important to figure out what kind of learner you are. I think if I thought more deeply about that it would've helped me.
It’s very interesting that you had the opportunity to learn two different languages in completely different ways. It’s also interesting that you talked about how you were more motivated to learn the new language when you were immersed in the culture. Ortega talks about how motivation is a determinant of language acquisition (9). When learning Spanish I was really taught the culture of south America where my teacher was from and was excited to learn. Hearing about your experience confirms my belief that this is an excellent way in which to learn a new language. I wish we started applying this technique at a younger age at the critical period of language acquisition (Ortega, 13). Regardless, this gives us a lot of tools to apply to our own classrooms.
ReplyDeleteHello Alexandra,
DeleteThank you very much for our positive feedback. I have to say that I agree with our point. Motivation is a great determining factor when a student is learning a different language because at time it really can be discouraging. My experience lines up with what Ortega mentioned students have to be invested in their learning.
Hi BreAnna,
ReplyDeleteThe topic you brought up that I would like to discuss is how your Spanish teacher taught through a lot of books and worksheets. I believe that practicing writing a different language entails some book work, but I strongly believe in more authentic teaching. Like Ortega said in his book, “battles have been for and against traditional grammar teaching,” and I think that it is because it is appropriate in moderation (Ortega, 2013, p. 8). I am curious to hear what you think: do you think that book work and worksheets should not be used at all, or some of the time?
Hello! I too believe that the best way to learn a different language is through authentic interactions and teaching. I however have been in three Spanish classes where most (about 80%) of our learning was through a textbook and packet. I can honestly say I do not remember anything I have learned within those three classes. I wished I had more authentic teaching or interactions so that I can become more motivated to memorize the language for future use rather than learning just enough to to pass an exam. I do see where books and worksheets can help with visually seeing how to write and spell words and their correct usage, but constantly using it becomes less interesting and not motivational.
DeleteHello,
DeleteI do think that book work and worksheets are useful however, authentic teaching is more meaningful. Interactions are what language is about. Meaningful interactions that relate to a student's life and that a new language learner can see the purpose of learning promotes motivation to learn. So to answer your question Shelly, I think book work should be used some of the time.
Is learning Silent Language as learning another second language? Where would you classify this type of learners? After reading the chapters you have read for this class, what similarities do you find between them? ¿Qué tanto español puede producir? Creo que la metodología usada en los colegios de los Estados Unidos es responsable en un gran parte de los americanos continúen siendo monolingües en su gran mayoría. ¿Usted que piensa?
ReplyDeleteHi BreAnna!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your background to us! I also had a similar experience in high school where I had to take at least two years of a foreign language. I remember also having to do many worksheets about the language’s vocabulary and rules. I remember having a hard time verbalizing Spanish in class when I had to speak in conversations. I also loved that you learned American Sign Language as well as deaf culture. I had a hard time learning Spanish in high school compared to learning Chinese from when I was a baby. In SLA there is discussion that a critical or sensitive period may be essential in the learning of a new language (Ortega, 2011, p.14). Therefore, as I grew up with the language of Chinese that I had learned from a young age, it is more likely to stay with me instead of my three years of Spanish.
Ortega, L. (2011). Understanding second language acquisition. London and New York: Routledge.