Anlyzing the Journals and Questions Essay

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Journal for Lems Book (Chapter 1)

I would like to choose the "language-based learning theory," "English and new language: four domains and fifth domain," and the factor of "motivation" for second language acquisition (SLA). Second language acquisition has never been easy for any new learner of the second language and according to the language-based learning theory, there is a process including interrelated areas: learning language, learning content through language, and learning about learning (Wells, 1994, p. 42). The researcher affirmed that language is a skill and this phenomenon is tested in the classrooms where students need to learn English as a second language. For that, they need to be motivated; however, there can be many types of motivational factors for those students to learn a second language like English, for example, if a student plans to go abroad in an English state and wants to work over there, he or she would have to have knowledge of the language so that communication does not remain a problem. Motivation is the learner's orientation to learn the second language (Dornyei, 1998, p. 117). It can be due to the reason that students are interested in knowing the new language, its culture and integrate into its society well. This mostly happens when a student is planning to go and live in another country. For instance, if a Japanese student wants to live in America, he will have to learn English as a second language since he would have to know its culture and people. Language tells a lot about the gestures and face expression when one is talking; hence, the voice tone and words expression of a certain language have to be learnt. Teachers depend on the four domains for this very purpose so that SLA becomes easier. The four domains- listening, speaking, reading and writing- have to be institutionalized in the classroom in order to formulate a balanced literary program for better comprehension and training.

Answer to Question 4

Once I had to visit my uncle in China and for that, I had to learn some basic words of everyday use in Chinese language. Chinese, as my second language at that time, was very difficult. I had to make use of 'integrative motivation' since I had to learn Chinese for joining a community, which was visiting China and communicating with native people for everyday reasons like purchasing goods from the market. Other than that, there was presence of intrinsic motivation and integrative motivation since my personal interest to learn the language was there, and my desire to join a Chinese community for certain period of time, two months, was the reason. It enhanced my ability to learn the language as the desire to learn allowed me to learn it quickly and that too, with full concentration. According to Gardener's motivation theory of L2 motivation for second language learning, motivation has three elements: effort, desire and positive effect (Lai, 2013, p. 91). Goal is the main orientation that the learner has to seek when he is learning another language; the orientation can be integrative and instrumental. The openness and complete identification with the other culture are the two characteristics of these orientations that allow the learner to come close to a culture and language is the best gateway for this matter. The learner's attitudes towards the new language and its culture can be modified by the teachers through instructions, curriculum, lesson plans and assessments schedules so that integrativeness could be shaped, which is an important element of motivation.

Other tasks of my life that were influenced by a number of motivations include joining the school (instrumental motivation), learning to use a new mobile phone (intrinsic motivation) and visiting China (integrative motivation). I do not have any other example for integrative motivation since this was the only experience for which I had to visit another country and had to learn its basic everyday usage of language.

Answer to Question 5

Intrinsic motivation is a person's innate capacity to learn and this is usually present in every child since the beginning (The Journey to Excellence, n.d.), as he learns in class from the stage of kindergarten. The person who has intrinsic motivation has a powerful intention for learning and the teachers would have to tap this characteristic for further building of the learning and character of children. As classroom, teachers and parents are the primary sources of learning for the child, these can serve as motivating environment as well. It can be inferred that intrinsic motivation can both be inborn and learnt from the environment.

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In addition to that, it has been widely researched that intrinsic motivation for second language acquisition is directly related to positive outcomes of the students since there is greater motivational intensity and greater realization of self-confidence when it comes to language competence among other students of the class (Al-Ghamdi, 2014, p. 3). In the light of these pieces of research, it is known that producing appropriate environment for learning in the class is conducive for intrinsic motivation. Along with that, group-oriented learning encourages learners to work harder towards their aims as the group working increases their commitment; however, it depends on the group members' ability and skills required to achieve those goals.

On the other hand, resilience is learnt from the external environment since it is the ability of the child to cope with stressful situations and respond to those with their brains and immune system (Walsh, 2015). It is because when a child faces any adversity, it is only then that his resilience ability comes into play. It can be deduced that adversity, obstacles and other environmental threats helps an individual to build resilience (Konnikova, 2016); hence, resilience can be determined by upbringing and external environmental factors.

Discussion Questions

Question 1

The points in the PowerPoint presentation "Not Just Good teaching," I was familiar with points like a good ESL teacher helps to develop academic vocabulary along practice of syntax and grammar patterns, knows that spelling are important predictors for developing reading proficiency along with spelling development having to build a separate path as that of a native. The point that I was not familiar with from the same presentation was readiness for parental involvement along with welcoming culturally diverse families into the class.

I have extra expertise in helping and correcting proper English for use for the students, alerting to refer students for special education screening issues, helping in the development of the grammar, spellings and syntax, guiding learners for correct academic writing and speaking, and doing formative/summative assessments. The areas in which I am not "up to the speed" are inviting parents to the class as I have not done that before, but I am willing to do that as this is an important aspect of learning second language in the class that would serve as a real life experience for the students.

Question 2

All of the researches were already familiar to me except CREDE since it involves teaching to address inequalities. As already mentioned above, I was unfamiliar with involvement of parents that belong to diverse background for better ESL learning; same concept can be applied to this EEL learning so that inequalities and their diverse backgrounds could be studied deeper for better comprehension of language and collective training in the class with teachers.

Question 3

I would like to share my thoughts on one video named "Communicative language teaching: Jeremy Harmer and Scott Thornbury- The New School." The video talks about teaching and various other aspects that relate to the fact that teaching is all about learning from what happens in the class. Teaching is an ongoing learning experience for both the teacher and his students since the students are learning from their teacher while the teacher learns from various other sources such as books or the internet to prepare lessons for the class. It was intriguing to know that in this process, the teacher also learns new things which he later passes on to the class and encourages them to learn about it on their own in the form of home assignments or class group discussions and other linked activities.

Module 2

Reflective Journal for Lems Book (Chapter 2)

The ELL/ESL plan I found on one of the websites called "ESL Kids Stuff" that was for ages 8 to 12 seemed appropriately designed for the children of this age group. The plan was an introduction lesson that included greetings, asking and answering questions, identifying classroom stationery and using modal verbs for rules (ESL Kids Stuff, n.d.). The CALP skills in the four domains of this lesson can be incorporated in the following ways:

Speaking: Although the plan includes asking and answering questions, which means that students would be encouraged to speak and communicate with the teacher more so that they know the language which they are to learn. Communicating with the teacher is the best way to learn second language as the teacher would listen and make corrections for the students.….....

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