Creating your learning philosophy
As a foreign language instructor, I frequently hear students express negative sentiments about their ability to learn a foreign language. These types of remarks have become so commonplace among my students at the start of each term that they no longer surprise me. Students of all ages come with preconceived notions about their own foreign language learning ability. “The understandings that children bring to the classroom can already be quite powerful in the early grades.” (Council et al., 1999, pg. 11). I teach first grade through 8th grade and the message from them is the same, “ I’m not good at Spanish.” This fixed mindset makes it more difficult for them to accept and be open to the learning that will be taking place in the classroom making the classroom environment key to the success of the student. A knowledge centered classroom environment provides students with information delivered by a subject matter expert who can deliver the information in a well organized and creative way facilitating the transition from information delivery to practical application. (Council et al., 1999, pg. 21). Combining a knowledge centered classroom with an assessment-centered classroom environment is essential for both students and teachers. Assessments track students' progress, enabling teachers to tailor lessons to individuals and facilitating differentiated instruction. Assessments don't need to be challenging tests that demand extensive memorization. In my Second Language (L2) classroom, the most effective assessments have been delivered through content gamification apps like Quizziz or Kahoot. Rather than focusing solely on grades, my classroom prioritizes students' efforts in exceeding their personal best scores. The repetition offered by these platforms is enjoyable, rewarding, and highly effective. The benefits of gamification in L2 learning include instant feedback, increased motivation, and social learning (Gil-Acirón, 2022, pg. 103). Additional benefits from content gamification are increased test scores, reduced language anxiety, and increased grammar performance (Gil-Acirón, 2022, pg. 111). In addition, gamification increases motivation, learner engagement, interactivity, and knowledge acquisition (Gironella, 2022,3 pg. 1). Lastly, “Piaget suggests that in addition to physical experience and concrete manipulations the learner needs social experience and interactions with a wide assortment of people.” (Harapnuik, 2017). Adding content gamification to the L2 learning environment adds the socialization needed in learning a second language.
Grouping all of these methodologies together leads me to the learning approach that encompasses all of the things I have described and that is a student centered approach using Constructivism as the main mode of learning. Since Constructivism “is an active, constructive process,” it fits well into the goals of an L2 classroom because learning a new language requires active participation where students build on prior knowledge to learn to interact with classmates and teachers in the foreign language.
Beliefs about the relationship between teaching and learning
“Teachers must come to teaching with the experience of in-depth study of the subject area themselves.” (Council et al., 1999, pg. 16). Planning well thought out lessons, preparing visually engaging presentations with student verbal participation is important in the L2 classroom. Student engagement is necessary to get students involved in the lesson and speaking in the foreign language. I often use Comprehensible Input (CI) as a strategy to teach in a more natural way using language that my students understand oftentimes using gestures and acting out the message. In this way, they are able to use the vocabulary they have already been exposed to and see it used in conversation. The hand gestures and acting only help to trigger the memory of the vocabulary or lessons they previously learned. CI is a high energy teaching tactic that takes a lot of planning and preparation and in this sense, experience and in depth study is necessary to be successful. This method works for many students because it allows differentiation creating an individualistic approach to the lesson. Fostering an individualized approach in the L2 classroom leads to the emergence of Inquisitivism. “ Inquisitivism is unique in that it's two primary or first principles are the removal of fear and the stimulation of an inquisitive nature.” (Harapnuik, 2017) Inquisitiveness is crucial in the L2 classroom because eliminating the fear of participating in speaking another language is essential for students to acquire the language skills being taught. It prompts students to ask questions like, "How do you say this or that?" Teaching a foreign language is closely linked to creating an environment where students can learn without the obstacles of fear of participation, fear of failure, and fear of making mistakes.
Beliefs about myself as a learner
After reviewing the various learning theories, I can say that I identify mostly as a Social Constructivist learner because it, “gives learners the opportunity for concrete, contextually meaningful experience through which they search for patterns, raise their own questions, and construct their own models; … Encourages students to take on more ownership of the ideas, and to pursue autonomy, mutual reciprocity of social relations, and empowerment to be the goals.” (Theories_Social Constructivism – KB, n.d.) Lev Vygotsky is the primary theorist who added the social perspective to Constructivism. “Vygotsky’s theory stresses that social Interactions are critical and that knowledge is constructed via the interactions with the environment and the other people.” (Theories_Social Constructivism – KB, n.d.) Vygotsky’s concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) considers that a person can do more in close proximity with an expert or simply by being close to someone who has more experience. I experienced this firsthand when observing more experienced teachers delivering lessons using techniques like CI in the classroom. I learned through (ZPD) by observing teaching techniques in action and by studying lesson plans crafted by veteran teachers.
Beliefs on the difference between a learning philosophy vs a teaching philosophy
“Teaching, or to teach, is to impart knowledge or skill to someone by instruction or example; or to give lessons in a subject. In contrast, learning, or to learn, is coming to know something, to acquire knowledge, or to find something out.”(Harapnuik, 2017). What sets apart my personal learning philosophy from my teaching philosophy? They're intertwined. I usually embrace a teaching philosophy that echoes the methods which aided my learning and success. The central idea is to cultivate a learning atmosphere where my students can excel and engage without apprehension. Nonetheless, I'm receptive to adaptations customized for each distinct classroom environment. Integrating the Individualistic approach with my own learning philosophy serves as a strong foundation in the classroom. Still, teaching is an ever-evolving practice; the more knowledge I gain, the better I can enhance my teaching. In Constructivism, the teacher’s role is to impart information building on what the students already know, therefore helping build the student’s knowledge base. In this theory, the Learner constructs the knowledge for himself. (Theories_Social Constructivism – KB, n.d.).
The learning theories that I identify with and why
Previously, I mentioned that I mostly identified with being a Social Constructivist because, “Constructivism, builds on the ideas of Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, John Dewey and many other primary theorists, claims that knowledge is constructed in the human being when information comes into contact with existing knowledge that had been developed by our unique set of experiences with the external reality and out beliefs about them (Jonassen, 1991).” (Theories_Social Constructivism – KB, n.d.).
However, I also believe that the Behaviorist philosophy complements my teaching style. As an L2 teacher, I place importance on activities and repetition, which are two of the four principles associated with Behaviorism. (infed.org, 2013). Similarly, the Cognitivist approach incorporates many aspects of learning theory that I find essential in both my personal learning and teaching methods. The principles of cognitivism that resonate with me the most are: “ Instruction should be well-organized, … Instructions should be clearly structured… Prior knowledge is important… Differences between individuals are important as they will affect learning.” (infed.org, 2013).
The main theorist of my preferred theories
Lev Vygotsky is the main theorist that I identify with; however, in reviewing all of the theories, I realize that I identify with a combination of theories and those include the Behaviorist theory and the cognitivist theory. The main theorist of the Behaviorist and Constructivist theories is Jean Piaget. Piaget identified four stages of mental growth in the Behaviorist theory while his ideas serve as the foundation of the Constructivist theory. (Theories_Social Constructivism – KB, n.d.).
Connection to one or more learning theories to support my position and how my learning philosophies impact or influence my innovation plan and my role as a change agent
In my Innovation Proposal, I suggest integrating a digital component into the foreign language classroom, transforming it into a genuine Blended Classroom environment. I believe that the learning philosophies I've outlined will bolster the idea that this learning environment will better suit today's students, often dubbed digital natives due to their lifelong exposure to technology in various forms. (Szabo & Kopinska, 2023, pg. 1). Both my learning and teaching philosophies are in line with the top three learning theories: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism. “ These theories, however, were developed in a time when learning was not impacted through technology. Over the last twenty years, technology has reorganized how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn.”(Siemens, 2004). A new theory, Connectivism, fit for the digital age proposes “a model of learning that acknowledges the tectonic shifts in society where learning is no longer an internal, individualistic activity.” Considering the applications and value of these learning theories in the L2 classroom, I believe that transitioning from a traditional classroom to a blended classroom is crucial and enhances the students' learning experience. By adopting a Constructivist approach, I can build upon students' existing knowledge and tailor instruction to their needs. Additionally, the Behavioristic approach allows me to use proven methods such as repetition and activities to reinforce lessons effectively. With the Cognitive approach, I can develop well-organized and structured lessons that pinpoint areas for differentiation in the classroom.
The main goal of my proposal is to recognize the fast-paced changes in our world due to technological advancements. The Connectivism philosophy enhances other philosophies by integrating digital tools into the classroom, which resonates with the learning preferences of today's digital-native students. I believe that the blend of learning philosophies I've described will influence my Innovation Plan. Each philosophy brings a distinct methodology that complements the integration of digital technology in my classroom. As a change agent, my role will be to combine the most relevant aspects of these philosophies and apply them practically to create a learning environment that caters better to the unique needs of my students.
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