This essay is attempting to analyse the Study Journal of Cserna György, (30) English major Russian Retrainee, from methodological point of view. The study journal, which was part of a Language Practice (LP) course, contains written dialogues between Cserna and his LP practice tutor, Horváth József (34). The tutor and the student could write to each other fortnightly.
The idea of such a study journal seems a bit wild at first hearing. After all, what can a 30- and a 34-year-old man, who can talk to each other both personally and on the telephone whenever they want to, write to each-other? Why do not they discuss their problems orally ? Is not it a bit artificial ? If one reads the dialogues the answers for these questions can be found easily. The topics they touch vary from house building, thesis writing, women's day, future plans to reflections of the previous classes. Obviously, Cserna and Horváth could have discussed these topics orally, but since the journal was part of the Language Practice syllabus and breaks between the classes are far too short, in addition they are usually needed for coffee drinking or going to the lavatory, it was quite practical to put down what they could not find time for.
The journal does not seem artificial since it contains real concerns about the LP classes, the author's thesis, the group Cserna belongs to, and besides, the tone of the dialogues is natural and honest. The length of the writings also suggests that the tutor and student have something to say to one another indeed, and in their content these written conversations go far beyond the usual shallow oral chatting. At one point for example Cserna writes: "Sometime I feel that "we" live a slavery life, never look back, don't have time to "chew on" a bit what we have been doing or what we are planning to do."
As it is evident from the previous quotation, the journal must have been an excellent device for deepening the personal relationship of the tutor and the student. Both of them had to devote a certain amount of time to each other, and nobody else. Through the personal matters the student and the tutor touched, such as house building, lesson planing, future plans, and other personal concerns they could see into each other's life to a certain extent, which formerly was not possible, thus they got closer this way.
The journal is a teaching device too. Cserna and Horváth consciously use everyday English on the course of their corresponding, and while they are conversing Horváth, by stealth, tries to teach his student by using idioms such as "pain in the neck", and everyday, informal expressions like "it would be smashing for me," or "... is most interesting". In the meantime the student tries to do his best to show his wit and knowledge, and uses expressions like "casetteful" or "I am an only boy", and even tries to create a new English word ("journalling").
This type of study journal is a feedback for the teacher. The tutor asked his student to comment on the previous LP classes, and the student did it, more than once. These pieces of information (i.e. the critical notes of the students) can be really useful for the teacher as it is clear from Horváth's reflections: "your observations are most valid and useful, I think". ".. this observation and the others you shared make perfect sense to me. " The students' reflections also have a washback effect because the teacher of course would not force the activities which had negative feedback, but will try to take the suggestions into consideration, thus the students can indirectly influence their classes by the study journal.
It is clear from the journal that this washback did work in practice since at one point Cserna suggests a "more dynamic lesson beginning", and he adds "I can even imagine some physical activity", and a few pages (and weeks) later he writes with enthusiasm: "Last lesson was brilliant. I mean the yoga exercises ... "
From methodological point of view the study journal is a very useful device both for the tutor and the student. It develops the personal relationship of the tutor and the student, develops the students written performance, provides feedback for the teacher, and makes course evaluation easier for the tutor, since a there is a concrete written material in his hand, which can inform him about the student's progress and diligence throughout the semester.
Showing posts with label diaries in EFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diaries in EFL. Show all posts
Thursday, May 10, 2007
R 145 F
This semester diary-writing was introduced in language practice lessons of the third-form Russian retrainees' group in order to develop several skills and sub-skills of the learners and to make their work more colourful. This interesting written task met the students' requirements and both they and their teacher of language practice have enjoyed this form of communication very much as the diaries were addressed to their tutor Mr. József Horváth. How can a diary-writing task develop the students' writing, reading and even communicating skills? This essay tries to answer this question in the following steps:
- Nature of diary-writing in general
- Diary-writing as a free writing activity in the classroom
- Conclusion
Nature of diary-writing
When people keep diaries they do it on the purpose to record the current events of their lives in order to remember their main interesting personal experiences. Sometimes they intend to give it as a present to the person whom they want to involve in their personal feelings. While writing a diary in any case they are highly motivated as they have an inner urge to express themselves. That is why they are open and frank and they write freely. When they propose to share their thoughts with others they do it on a communicative purpose, as they want to write about something which is important for them and they wait for the opinion or the reaction of the person they addressed their message to. In this way diaries are very similar to informal letters which are written by people that are very close to each other and know each other's minds very well.
Diary-writing as a free writing activity in the classroom
Diary-writing, in consequence of the characteristic features mentioned in the previous paragraph can be used efficiently in language learning as well, as the form of it is free. But what does the expression "free writing" mean?
When students are asked to keep a diary they are supposed to write in them about any topics and they can do it as they wish: they are allowed to form their thoughts in some words or they can write several lines or even pages about what they have got to say. This type of freedom of communication encourages the students as they do not feel being forced to write more than they would like to. They can choose the topic of their writing, so they will report on that things what they consider to be interesting and attractive for them. From this evidence comes that they will direct the flow of their diaries according to their interests. This possibility is a great factor of motivation which is a prerequisite thing for a successfully done task.
Although the teacher can take notes of the diaries, they should not be graded and corrected, in this way students can feel secure, they can concentrate on the content of their diaries and they do not worry about errors or the format of their works. Of course they will take care of grammatical correctness as they would like to make themselves understood entirely. The degree of motivation can be increased in the case of a good, relaxed and well-balanced relationship between the teacher and the students. A harmony between them, an ability of thinking in a similar way and a mutual confidence in each other can result not just more and more developed skills but interesting personal experiences while writing and - on behalf of the teacher - reading a diary.
As a diary can be written for somebody, in this case for the teacher, he or she can react on it. The teacher can take the opportunity to do so in some sentences written by him in the students' diary. In this way the teacher and his or her students will share their thoughts, views or opinions which can result a better collaboration in the future. - According to a golden rule language learning is always more effective when the relationship between the teacher and student is harmonious. -
In diary-writing the teacher can get some feedback about the teaching programme about his or her work and the students' responds to the events that have taken place in the classroom as the students tells him or her what they like and what they do not like in the lessons. Getting some useful pieces of information in this way can help the teacher to find the way to the children and it can help him or her to develop his or her own personality and teaching style as well.
Conclusion
Diary-writing as a free writing activity can be enjoyable and it can provide a great time both for the writer and the reader which can make the teaching - learning process more efficient and can bring some lightness in it. The students and their teachers can get closer to each other through diary-writing which can result some more awareness in the classroom on behalf of the students. In real life there are several situations in which people have to act or write spontaneously, but the way they have to do it can be practised through diary-keeping.
This semester the students of the third-form Russian retrainee's group had the chance to take part in a language practise course where one of the challenging tasks was diary-writing. Being practising teachers they could gain by this interesting task and use all the advantages of diary-writing in their work thanks for the teacher of language practice as he has aroused his students' interest of the potentialities in this activity.
- Nature of diary-writing in general
- Diary-writing as a free writing activity in the classroom
- Conclusion
Nature of diary-writing
When people keep diaries they do it on the purpose to record the current events of their lives in order to remember their main interesting personal experiences. Sometimes they intend to give it as a present to the person whom they want to involve in their personal feelings. While writing a diary in any case they are highly motivated as they have an inner urge to express themselves. That is why they are open and frank and they write freely. When they propose to share their thoughts with others they do it on a communicative purpose, as they want to write about something which is important for them and they wait for the opinion or the reaction of the person they addressed their message to. In this way diaries are very similar to informal letters which are written by people that are very close to each other and know each other's minds very well.
Diary-writing as a free writing activity in the classroom
Diary-writing, in consequence of the characteristic features mentioned in the previous paragraph can be used efficiently in language learning as well, as the form of it is free. But what does the expression "free writing" mean?
When students are asked to keep a diary they are supposed to write in them about any topics and they can do it as they wish: they are allowed to form their thoughts in some words or they can write several lines or even pages about what they have got to say. This type of freedom of communication encourages the students as they do not feel being forced to write more than they would like to. They can choose the topic of their writing, so they will report on that things what they consider to be interesting and attractive for them. From this evidence comes that they will direct the flow of their diaries according to their interests. This possibility is a great factor of motivation which is a prerequisite thing for a successfully done task.
Although the teacher can take notes of the diaries, they should not be graded and corrected, in this way students can feel secure, they can concentrate on the content of their diaries and they do not worry about errors or the format of their works. Of course they will take care of grammatical correctness as they would like to make themselves understood entirely. The degree of motivation can be increased in the case of a good, relaxed and well-balanced relationship between the teacher and the students. A harmony between them, an ability of thinking in a similar way and a mutual confidence in each other can result not just more and more developed skills but interesting personal experiences while writing and - on behalf of the teacher - reading a diary.
As a diary can be written for somebody, in this case for the teacher, he or she can react on it. The teacher can take the opportunity to do so in some sentences written by him in the students' diary. In this way the teacher and his or her students will share their thoughts, views or opinions which can result a better collaboration in the future. - According to a golden rule language learning is always more effective when the relationship between the teacher and student is harmonious. -
In diary-writing the teacher can get some feedback about the teaching programme about his or her work and the students' responds to the events that have taken place in the classroom as the students tells him or her what they like and what they do not like in the lessons. Getting some useful pieces of information in this way can help the teacher to find the way to the children and it can help him or her to develop his or her own personality and teaching style as well.
Conclusion
Diary-writing as a free writing activity can be enjoyable and it can provide a great time both for the writer and the reader which can make the teaching - learning process more efficient and can bring some lightness in it. The students and their teachers can get closer to each other through diary-writing which can result some more awareness in the classroom on behalf of the students. In real life there are several situations in which people have to act or write spontaneously, but the way they have to do it can be practised through diary-keeping.
This semester the students of the third-form Russian retrainee's group had the chance to take part in a language practise course where one of the challenging tasks was diary-writing. Being practising teachers they could gain by this interesting task and use all the advantages of diary-writing in their work thanks for the teacher of language practice as he has aroused his students' interest of the potentialities in this activity.
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