ICT AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR INDEPENDENT LEARNING

Trying Different Teaching Methods in EB23 Cardoso

Lopes

Escola Básica Santo António - Funchal

30 de Janeiro de 2007

Author - Filomena RochaPresentation – Fernando Campos

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1. Different colours, different levels …(Filip Neri Middenschool)

Solving the same task, but in different ways:

The student chooses one level among three - no help, a little help or very guided. The points he/ she will get depend on the level (lower level, less points).

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Teacher explained the method to the class (Portuguese class, 9th grade; content: origin and evolution of the portuguese language )Students asked if they could work in group to feel more confident and teacher agreed. Two changes were made according to their abilities.They formed six different level groups, two for each level.

1. Different colours, different levels … (Cardoso Lopes)

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Level 1 (green paper) – nine points maximum

Level 2 (blue paper ) – twelve points maximum

Level 3 (orange paper) – fifteen points maximum

1. Different colours, different levels … (Cardoso Lopes)

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1. Different colours, different levels… (Cardoso Lopes)

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1. Different colours, different levels…(Cardoso Lopes)

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1. Different colours, different levels…(Cardoso Lopes)

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1. Different colours, different levels…(Cardoso Lopes)

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Report:

Students finished the task on time and correctly. Exercise number 3 – resuming information and writing – was the most difficult for them, even for those who chose level 1 and had the key words and topics on the paper.

Students enjoyed the fact that they themselves could decide what they can or cannot do; they said that the level they had chosen was appropriate, with two exceptions:

one felt difficulties on working with level 2 and asked for level 1;the other one felt that level 2 was too much easier for him.

1. Different colours, different levels…(Cardoso Lopes)

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2. Who wants to be the teacher?

Students are requested to prepare a part of the lesson at home; they can work in group or alone.

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Student must:

• Study the subject to teach; he/she can use the textbook information or any other sources (at home, the other students read the textbook and underlined the main ideas);

• Think about the best way to transmit the information to the class (fifteen minutes), considering the resources available;

• Prepare a few questions to ask the class in order to check comprehension;

• At the end, both teacher and class evaluate the work.

2. Who wants to be the teacher?

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• Diogo, 13th years, 9th grade, talking about dramatic text;

• Diogo showed some transparencies he had made, drew a scheme in the blackboard and gave copies to the class. At the end, he asked three questions.

2. Who wants to be the teacher?

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Class report: they paid attention all the time, were very interested and understood what Diogo explained. They particularly liked the idea of not having to write, because Diogo supplied the copies and some teachers obliged them to copy a lot from the blackboard… “It was a different lesson”.

Diogo’s report: he understood the subject much easier, because he “worked a lot on it.”

Teacher’s report: Confirm! “If I had done the explanation myself, the results would not be better.”

2. Who wants to be the teacher?

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• Ahmad, 17th years, 9th grade, talking about the origin and evolution of the portuguese language;

• Ahmad simply read the summary he had made on his working book, without using any support. At the end, he asked some questions.

2. Who wants to be the teacher?

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Class report: they felt the need of a written support, but they understood the main topics;

Ahmad`s report: “I could have done better, but I know what I was talking about!”

Teacher’s report: Ahmad made a summary and read it to the class. The others listened and answered correctly his two questions. However, teacher had to introduce some topics he missed and reinforce others.

2. Who wants to be the teacher?

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Testing the methods – final remarks

1. Different colours, different levels…

Students effectively understood the content;Students felt confident and autonomous;The method needs to be applied again and more frequently in order to produce best results.

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2. Who wants to be the teacher?

Class was motivated and calm;Students cooperated with their “fellow teacher” and were anxious to show their learning by answering the questions;“Fellow teachers” – the need to explain something to the others forces students to deeply study the subject;“Fellow teachers” – repeating the strategy will stimulate their creativity and increase their competences on how to synthesise information, how to interest an audience and keep their attention, how to express themselves in public, etc…

Testing the methods – final remarks

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We will go on working!Visit us on May and in…

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