I've just been watching Playway to English author, Herbert Puchta (or is it Günter Gerngross?), using Playway in the classroom from Cambridge's website:
http://www.cambridge.org/us/esl/catalog ... cale=en_US
Given the students shown in the video, the rhetoric of 'intelligence-building' and 'vocabulary consolidation' seems to fall far short of it's mark. On the contrary, it's almost as if he's insulting their intelligence. If not for the camera and prior coaxing, I wouldn't expect him to maintain their attention for long.
Playway 2nd Edition... like or dislike?
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Well, taking into consideration the children's ages as well as their reaction to the different activities, I would say it is cute, and it doesn't insult their intelligence as you say.
I've been teaching young children who react exactly the same to similar activities, and who get excited to anything you present to them, as long as it teaches something. And I don't agree there has been "coaxing", how can such young kids be coaxed????
Well, anyway, with great respect for your opinion, I disagree. And the reason I'm not voting is that I also disagree to this kind of poll...
Sorry...
Syl
I've been teaching young children who react exactly the same to similar activities, and who get excited to anything you present to them, as long as it teaches something. And I don't agree there has been "coaxing", how can such young kids be coaxed????
Well, anyway, with great respect for your opinion, I disagree. And the reason I'm not voting is that I also disagree to this kind of poll...
Sorry...
Syl
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longshikong
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:49 am
Thanks for your input Syl, I appreciate it!
But don't you feel the kids in the video aren't learning anywhere near their optimal level given their age and obvious prior experience with English--I have 5 year-olds ask and answer from picture prompts in full sentence. Is it just me or do others feel the lesson is a little juvenile for them?
I know the point of the video is to demonstrate the authors' instructional intent but if you agree there's a mismatch, intended or otherwise, then the author will appear to be teaching the course rather than the students--I didn't see much actual learning happening, did you? As you know, age and other factors dramatically affect children's learning which is why overlooking this even in a demo video by a major industry publisher is indeed surprising!
But don't you feel the kids in the video aren't learning anywhere near their optimal level given their age and obvious prior experience with English--I have 5 year-olds ask and answer from picture prompts in full sentence. Is it just me or do others feel the lesson is a little juvenile for them?
I know the point of the video is to demonstrate the authors' instructional intent but if you agree there's a mismatch, intended or otherwise, then the author will appear to be teaching the course rather than the students--I didn't see much actual learning happening, did you? As you know, age and other factors dramatically affect children's learning which is why overlooking this even in a demo video by a major industry publisher is indeed surprising!