Competencia 4

Implantación e investigación de la enseñanza

El estudiante maestro selecciona, utiliza e investiga prácticas, estrategias, métodos y materiales adecuados y variados para promover el aprendizaje de todos los(as) estudiantes, su pensamiento crítico y su capacidad para solucionar problemas.

Effective Instruction Reflection.doc

Action Research

To evidence this competency, I am sharing my action research investigation and my effective instruction strategy. It was an interesting process because I didn't have the opportunity to do such evidences before the practicum. The effective instruction focused on providing the students a pre-test, research ways to address a need and then provide a post test and compare the outcome. The action research focused on the structure of a paragraph. This is because while giving a class I noticed that a student needed help with this subject and I provided tutoring sessions. After those sessions I compared the first independent work with the ones done after and during the tutoring sessions. For both investigations I improved my research and analytical skills, and it allowed me to learn about different techniques and methods to help my students improve their performance in the classroom and in the English language.

During this experience I learned that if I include the students interest into what it is that I want them to improve, their attentiveness and engagement with the material increased. For example, during the effective instruction I did a fishing activity. This activity was to assess the students in regards to past participle irregular verbs, it was in a form of a competition. I saw how every student was excited to participate and wanted to answer correctly in order to win. I knew they liked to be active and that they liked to compete, and I took that knowledge to my advantage. I did the same with the action research, student #1 loved dogs and I allowed the student to create a paragraph about their pet. Observing the student's engagement in producing the paragraph was very different from the first paragraph done in the classroom. The student even told me "Teacher, can I write more sentences? I feel like there is not enough space" (this was mentioned because the template provided). I answered that she could, and she proceeded to write. I was impressed by this behavior and quite content that the student wanted to write, which was different from what I saw in the classroom. In both investigations the students improved compared to the first material they produced on their own.

However, it is important to mention that making two investigations while teaching was challenging. In regards to the effective instruction the challenges I faced were in terms of planning and researching strategies and activities that allowed the students to understand. Then, during the active research a challenge that I faced was in regards to tutoring because after the practicum I studied in the university and student #1 had also extra curricular activities. The challenge came when deciding and coordinating dates that both parents and myself could agree with.

Nonetheless, it is because of the results retrieved and the students improvements, that both, effective instructions and action research are investigations that I would incorporate in my future experiences. From getting the change to research strategies, to creating the materials based on the information found, and seeing the results I can say that I became a better educator because of it. I got to see the value in tutoring students which is rewarding because not only am I reinforcing learning experiences but also I got to establish a good student-teaching relationship. The student #1 even told me "Teacher, at first when my mom told me I was going to be tutored I didn't want to. I even complained but I'm glad I did it because I got the chance to know you better which I liked". Getting that comment from the student was very rewarding because the benefits are not only seen by the teacher but also the students notice that as well. I believe both experiences impacted not only me but the students in a positive way because I was able to improve my investigating techniques and skills and the students had the chance to reinforce and improve their knowledge.

“There is no teaching without research and no research without teaching.”

– Paulo Freire

We live in a world that is constantly evolving with each discovery in history, science, medicine, and education. For this reason, professionals in each area must be aware of these changes, as this allows their work and performance to be more effective. In education, research on those practices, methods, or strategies to be used in a classroom helps to learn new points of view, stimulates creativity and improves the quality of the teaching offered. Research also stimulates in us the ability to think and analyze qualitative and quantitative information. This plays an important role in the training of a teacher because it provides new and better ways to understand the teaching and learning processes in order to apply what best benefits the students. When an individual decides to dedicate himself to this profession, he must take into account that this is a commitment and an important position, since they are forming people who will be the future of our society.

During the August to December semester in the year 2021, for the EING 4046: Assessment of ESL Learners class I conducted a research essay. In order to execute it, I had to use class content and other resources and research on a theory that could be applied to English as a second language learners. This research essay had as its title and focus "How can constructivism help teach literacy skills to ESL students?". Throughout the essay, the theory is explained, how it applies to my context of expertise (elementary school), and what assessment methods can be used.

I chose this paper as a sample domain for this competency because as part of the research I had to conduct a content analysis and apply it to the necessary context. This paper helped me to learn how I can develop speaking, reading, and writing skills in English as a second language students using the constructivist approach. Constructivism has been an approach of interest to me and through this research essay I was able to learn more about how to apply it. This knowledge gained gives the opportunity to be able to teach a class focused on the learner and their needs. It gives me ideas on how I can deliver content and have students take a more active role in the classroom. Finally, researching about methods, theories or educational approaches helps to teach a more efficient class. For this reason, I chose this work as evidence because beyond the knowledge gained, it is an opportunity to improve my performance.

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El trabajo de un maestro, el conocimiento que adquiere al graduarse o cuando trabaja y le dan un currículo a seguir no debe limitarse a eso solamente. Lo ideal para que todo maestro pueda dar una clase de calidad y relevante es manteniéndose actualizado con investigaciones que encuentre que le sean de ayuda para su vida profesional. Investigar te ayuda a estar al tanto de nuevos métodos de aprendizaje, ayuda a profundizar en la materia y a aplicar aquellos métodos que sean relevantes dentro de un salón de clase. Por eso el desarrollo profesional no debe ser limitado sino complementado con investigaciones que te ayuden a mejorar tu desempeño como docente.

Utilizó una bibliografía anotada como evidencia de esta competencia realizada en el curso de EING 4018: Linguistics and the Teaching of Reading durante el semestre del 2019 (enero-mayo) con la profesora Dr. Cristina Guerra. La bibliografía anotada consiste de 5 artículos encontrados en la internet sobre el proceso de alfabetización. Encontré artículos hablando de la alfabetización disciplinaria, maneras en las se puede fomentar el desarrollo de la alfabetización, los beneficios de leer en voz alta a los niños; otro artículo hablaba de cómo se podía encontrar la fuente de dificultad para leer en los niños, y otro artículo evaluando programas de alfabetización.

Realizar esta bibliografía anotada me ayudó a expandir mi conocimiento en cuanto a este tema y profundizarlo, así como fortalecer mis destrezas investigativas y también me expuso a realizar una bibliografía anotada ya que era la primera vez que realizaba una. Este ejercicio me abrió los ojos a un sinnúmero de investigaciones, artículos y noticias que había sobre este tema y por eso mi interés hacia aprender más sobre este y muchos otros aspectos sobre las ingles crece aún más.

En fin, investigar tiene grandes beneficios los cuales aprender más allá de lo que te ofrecen en una clase jamás está demás, al contrario, es una suma, a nuestro conocimiento sobre la materia y a nuestro desempeño como educador.

Para ver la bibliografía anotada haga click aquí.

No puede eliminar este segmentoDescarga de responsabilidades: Los trabajos que presenta el estudiante en el portafolio electrónico son responsabilidad de éste y no representan, necesariamente, las posturas de la Institución. La Universidad de Puerto Rico no se hace responsable de los errores. El estudiante tiene la responsabilidad de cumplir con las políticas de tecnología del Sistema Universitario de la UPR.