Holistic Approach to Language Learning
Holistic Approach to Language Learning
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What is the holistic education approach?
What is the holistic education approach?
"Holistic teaching seeks a balance between the whole and the part." (Miller, 2007, p. 9). Educators should select learning content and teachings that views the learner as a whole on the principle of interconnectedness with mind, body, emotions, and spirit (Miller, 2007). Miller defines holistic education as, "...to bring education into alignment with the fundamentals of nature. Nature at its core is interrelated and dynamic." (2007, p. 3). This approach values the relationship the learner has with their environment and is founded on three principles: balance, connection, and inclusion (Miller, 2007).
Why is it important?
Teachers must incorporate learners’ lived experiences into the classroom and select materials that establish relevance to students’ lives. While formal education is important, we should also put emphasis in our learner's social and emotional wellbeing. In return, this will help students develop life skills that can be applied to the different learning environments as they make connections to their learning.
Teachers acknowledge that it is important to apply holistic education in the classroom but in language teaching, as most English Language Learners (ELLs) have low proficiency and comprehension in English, our focus is to teach grammar to increase student’s proficiency. Naturally, ELLs who are learning a second language struggle to critically explore and achieve deeper understanding of issues in the texts however, this provides an opportunity for educators to utilize a more multimodal approach for learners to connect to the learning content, the environment, community, and other learners. As teachers become more responsive to students’ social and emotional wellbeing, they are more likely to be committed in learning and exert more effort and active participation in the classroom.
Implementing holistic teachings in ELL/ESL Classrooms
Implementing holistic teachings in ELL/ESL Classrooms
Some characteristics of implementing holistic teaching in ESL/ELL classrooms are:
Student-centered learning approach
Experiential learning
Authentic learning
Connecting student's lived experiences into learning content
Diversity and inclusion
Community
What role does technology plays in holistic education in ELL?
What role does technology plays in holistic education in ELL?
Nodding emphasize that our curriculum should focus on prior learning experiences allow for students to see the connections they have in-class to their world. “A truly educational experience must be connected to past and future educational experiences and to other on-going life experiences.” (Nodding, 2012, pg. 776). Teachers and school administrators are important in developing learning environments that reflect the new age of technology and learning approaches and find creative approaches to meet the needs of our students through authentic learning experiences. EFL/ESL classes has benefited from this approach as it allows learners to make connections to their learning meaningfully. Technology is flexible in meeting the unique needs for language acquisition for language learners. For example, some language tools and applications have built -in features to support differentiated instruction for variety of learners in reading, writing, listening, or speaking.
However, teachers should not rely on technology. Gardner (2000) reminds us that, "technology is neither good nor bad in itself, nor can it dictate educational goals" (p. 33). Therefore, as we embrace new technologies, "we need to declare our educational goals and demonstrate how a particular technology can help us to achieve them. And of course we must provide adequate technical assistance if the technology is to be deployed effectively" (Gardner, 2000, p. 34 ). While Miller argues that, "A technology-driven curriculum is ultimately a narrow and limited curriculum" (2007, pg.9).
References
References
Gardner, H. (2000). Can technology exploit our many ways of knowing? In D. T. Gordon (Ed.), The digital classroom: How technology is changing the way we teach and learn (pp. 32-35). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Letter.
Miller, J. (2007). The Holistic Curriculum. University of Toronto Press. Second Edition: Canada.
Noddings, N. (2012). The caring relation in teaching. Oxford Review of Education, 38(6), 771-781.
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