Putting values at the heart of learning
Valuing self, others and the environment through the consideration of an ethical values is at the heart of learning in our classroom. Students are encouraged to model values and to engage in reflective practices so that they are empowered to become effective learners and good individuals. These practices help our learners to develop holistically, nurturing a secure sense of
self, respect for self and others.
The aim was to think about why a king would like to be a down-and-out
and who or what the students in First Certificate 'M' would like to be if they weren´t
themselves. We got very interesting ideas which were later symbolized
in a collage.
As a corollary of both short stories, the group chose to leave an imprint of the the values that are at the heart of their learning through ART.
Put value to reading! Together we can make the difference!
Class: FCE 'M'
Making thinking visible
Many times what we learn mirrors what others are doing around us. We watch, we imitate, we adapt, we construct from there, we develop. Now imagine learning to dance when the dancers around us are not visible. Strange as it may seem, something very close to it happens all the time when learning to think. Thinking is pretty much invisible.
What we did in our group was try a way of making thinking visible through the use of art. The learners browsed through a menu of short stories and they chose the one that attracted them most. Yes, each learner can choose what to read and yet be in the same class as peers who have taken different reading decisions and paths. First, the learners decided what to read and I made sure that more than one student would read the same story from the menu.
We followed the several-stories-but-same-task approach. When the time came to discuss the stories we left the classroom and went to the place that speaks volumes about books: the library, which accounted for a big portion of the successful outcomes. There the students gathered in different corners with the like-minded partners who had read the same short story.
The task I set was very simple, the thinking they engaged in was not: they were asked to say what was meant by the title and to select powerful quotes so as to discuss their implications. Next came art and that was when their thinking became visible.
These are the posters they designed to encourage others to read their short stories in our school:
Art invites thinking, encourages visual literacy, fosters different learning modalities, develops forms of thinking that are vital to grow as individuals. The positive payoffs of the experience? Thoughtfullness, accomplishment, enjoyment, ownership, and above all a dream come true: a bunch of adolescents staying 20 minutes after the class was due, handling books and gathered around the librarian to borrow one!
Teacher: Analía Dobboletta
CAE Pioneers sit Computer-based Exam
We are proud to announce
that a group of nine candidates, all of them students at Asociación Rosarina de
Cultura Inglesa, sat CB CAE last 10 December. Today, 13 days later, we
celebrate that they all passed their exam with flying colours. Our congratulations
to the pioneering team:
Burlán,
Florentina
Cristiani,
Juan Pablo
Diez,
Fernando
Evangelista,
Ignacio
Grasso,
Francisco
Leguina,
Damián
Nuñez,
Alejandro
Peñalva,
Juan Ignacio
Perpiñá, Juan
Many thanks to Mariana De
Biasi, Cristina Insinga, Laura Gieco and Analía Dobboletta for encouraging
their students to try this new experience.
Most of the candidates
pointed out that the most user friendly test screens are Writing and Reading.
These are followed by Listening and Use of English.
Advantages
of Writing
- Ease and speed of typing
- Editing versatility
- On screen word count
Advantages
of Reading
- Drag and drop feature for
Part 2
- Text and questions in
parallel for Part 4
- Dynamic navigation menu
Advantages of Listening
- Headphones aid concentration
- Ease and speed of typing
- Part 4 layout
Advantages of Use of
English
-In Parts 1, 2 and 5, it is
much more meaningful to read the answers embedded in the context.
A
word to candidates-to-be:
- You should give it a try! It may sound awkward because we are not used
to the CB test but it was clearer. Francisco
Grasso.
- It´s a very good experience. If you have the chance, give it a try. Juan Pablo
Cristiani.
-
Very practical. Juan Ignacio Peñalva
- Really enjoyable experience. You get your results soon. Ignacio
Evangelista.
- It is better than the paper based test in every aspect. Alejandro
Nuñez
A word to teachers:
- It is quicker to do than the
paper test. Juan Pelayo Perpiñá
- Keep on recommending CB
tests to students. Florentina Burlán
- Get your students to do
the CB exam. Fernando Diez
-The strategies for reading
from computer screens and reading from paper are different. Highlighting is not
necessary for e-reading. Damián Leguina
THE ARCI ADVANCED TEAM
Play Reading: Hills like White Elephants
It was then that I remembered Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “Hills like White Elephants”. As we had not done any extensive reading, I thought this
was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a work of literature.
I asked my students to read the short story and then we talked about it
in class. We discussed the title, the setting, the themes and the symbols in it.
Some of the students were amazed to discover the couple in the story was
discussing “abortion” without making it explicit. We also noticed that the
story is heavily dependent on dialogue and, thus can be easily adapted into a
play.
At this point, I invited my students to stage the story. However, as
learning lines by heart might have discouraged them, I suggested reading lines.
We talked about reader’s theatre and they agreed to adapt the story, perform
it as a play and film it.
We distributed roles:
Characters (three)
The American: Fernando Diez
The waitress: Gala Casares Albarracín
Jig: Lucila Sanguedolce
Narrator: Regina
Silvano
Sound operator (he mixed sounds of bars and trains): Juan Perpiñá
Props person (he brought glasses and bottles): Francisco Grasso
Camera operator (she filmed the performance): Ma. Belén Cristiani
Scenic designer (she made a powerpoint presentation of photos showing
landscapes and important symbolic elements in the story -which was projected by
means of a beamer at the back of the stage): Gala Casares Albarracín.
The performance was a success. The students were really proud of what
they had been able to do. Some even joked about taking up acting!
The play was followed by an in-depth discussion in which interesting
points were raised:
-how the dramatization had helped fully appreciate the story
-the number of questions the female character asks evinces her lack of
confidence and her need for constant reassurance
-insight into the female character´s state of mind can be gained by
looking at the landscape and other symbolic elements
-the time they spend drinking gives a clue to the nature of their
relationship (they drink to fill in time)
-the characters talk, but fail to communicate with each other, which highlights
the rift between the two.
Finally, we reflected on Henry Miller’s words:
“The great work must inevitably
be obscure, except to the very few, to those who like the author himself are
initiated into the mysteries. Communication then is secondary: it is
perpetuation which is important. For this only one good reader is necessary.”
Listen to these students´ voices:
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Listen to these students´ voices:
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Reading Marathon
Throughout the year, some students approached me asking how they could enhance
their knowledge and improve their skills to be better equipped to face the
demands of the course. Apart from mentioning attending Self Access and handing
in homework, I insisted on the importance of reading - a habit which,
frequently because of lack of time, we neglect.
On Sep 30th, Fundación Leer launched the 9th
National Reading Marathon. Students, teachers, relatives and volunteers
gathered to enjoy reading at schools, libraries, clubs, etc. I thought it was a
good opportunity to remind students of the importance of reading, so we celebrated
this event in the library, devoting part of the class to reading for the sheer
pleasure of it. After the initial surprise (students did not expect to have a
class in the library!), they chose some short stories and sat down comfortably
in the armchairs. When they finished reading, they made their recommendations
on “literary emoticons”, and shared their comments about the stories with other
students.
As a follow-up activity, the students designed a poster combining images
and their quotations on reading. We all participated enthusiastically and benefitted
greatly from the activity.
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