Design

LT548 - Curriculum and Materials Development

The context of the Curriculum Design Project I worked on in LT548 Curriculum and Materials Development, was an elementary Chinese course for heritage speakers. The design of this course aligns closely with the concept of backward design as outlined by Richards (2013), starting with clear learning outcomes and then developing appropriate assessments and learning activities. The curriculum demonstrates consideration of learner needs through the inclusion of a pre-course background information survey for parents and students. It also acknowledges the specific needs of heritage learners, focusing on developing their oral communication skills and cultural knowledge. The emphasis on topics relevant to students' lives further reflects attention to learner needs and interests. The use of a learner-centered approach (Weimer, 2013) followed by the teacher's ongoing observation, as well as the flexibility for adjustments based on student feedback and progress allows for continuous needs analysis (Macalister, et. al., 2019) throughout the course.

Cultural awareness (DeCapua, 2018) is a key component integrated throughout the curriculum, particularly in the Chinese New Year unit. Students learn about and engage with traditional foods, customs, greetings, and the meanings behind them. Activities like crafting traditional decorations, performing cultural greetings, and making dumplings provide hands-on cultural experiences. The curriculum aims to help heritage learners connect with their cultural roots while acknowledging their multicultural identities. By exploring the origins and significance of traditions, the lessons foster deeper cultural understanding beyond surface-level knowledge.  

LT539 - Design Language Learning Pronunciation

In LT539 Design Language Learning Pronunciation, I created a lesson plan for teaching the Chinese consonants "sh" (/ʃ/) and "s" (/s/). A key focus of the lesson is on intelligibility and comprehensibility, concepts highlighted by Derwing and Munro (1997). By helping students distinguish and produce the target sounds accurately, the lesson addresses fundamental aspects of pronunciation that are crucial for effective communication. 

The lesson plan followed the Communicative Framework (Celce-Murcia, 2010) by incorporating its key stages in the lesson's progression from introducing the sounds and their articulation to increasingly open-ended activities that allow students to use the target sounds in meaningful contexts. Additionally, the lesson was guided by Task-Based Language Teaching principles (Ellis, 2017), incorporating communicative activities and real-world tasks, such as the shopping interview, which provide students with opportunities to use language in authentic contexts. This combined approach not only enhances learner engagement but also promotes the development of practical language skills. This plan shows an understanding that good design in language education goes beyond presenting information, instead creating opportunities for meaningful practice and communication in the target language. This plan shows an understanding that good design in language education goes beyond presenting information, instead creating opportunities for meaningful practice and communication in the target language. 

LT536 - Design for Language Learning Systems

LT536 Design for Language Learning Systems highlighted the importance of having clear goals and learning outcomes for lesson plans. This artifact used the ABCD objectives (Smaldino et al., 2008) and Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956) for crafting clear and measurable learning objectives, specifying the Audience (heritage speakers of Chinese, ages 6-9), Behavior (identify, discover, recognize, spell, write), Conditions (in various activities), and Degree (85% accuracy). Through the practice, I learned how crucial it is to set a clear goal and learning objectives for designing an effective curriculum. Without it, lesson planning would lack coherence and direction, potentially resulting in disorganized and ineffective instructional practices.

Another highlight of this artifact was the concept of authenticity and the use of authentic materials (Gilmore, 2007). In this lesson, the use of authentic materials is evident in the word cards activity, where students work with vocabulary they've previously encountered in real-life contexts. The textbooks used in the Word Relay activity likely contain authentic Chinese texts or dialogues, providing students with exposure to genuine language use. Moreover, the activities themselves, such as the Word Relay and Spelling Race, simulate authentic communication scenarios where learners must quickly recall and apply their knowledge of Pinyin spelling rules. These tasks mirror real-world situations where heritage speakers might need to write or spell Chinese words. By incorporating these elements, the lesson creates an authentic learning environment that bridges the gap between classroom instruction and real-world language use, potentially enhancing student engagement and the transfer of learning to practical situations outside the classroom. 

LT537 - Second Language Teaching Practice

LT537 Second Language Teaching Practice, also known as “Talking with Ducks”, was unique and one of my favorite courses in this program. It allowed us to work with international students and gain practical experiences, guiding them in exploring the charm of English. I designed a lesson plan with Artie Kotov focusing on Halloween and Unusual Holidays in the United States. It aligns closely with key concepts of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) (Brown & Lee, 2015) by prioritizing meaningful student communication and interaction. Activities like the Halloween station rotation and unusual holiday tasks provide authentic contexts for language use, encouraging students to engage in real communication to complete tasks. This aligns with CLT's focus on developing communicative competence through purposeful language use. 

An inclusive community (Causton et al., 2008) is fostered through diverse activities that cater to different learning styles and proficiency levels. The mixed-level nature of the class is addressed through tasks allowing participation at various linguistic levels, while group work promotes peer interaction and support. This inclusive approach creates a supportive learning environment where all students can participate and feel valued. Game-enhanced learning (Reinhardt & Sykes, 2014) is a prominent feature, with both lessons incorporating game-like elements to boost engagement and motivation. The Halloween "escape room" concept and unusual holiday station rotation gamify the learning process, aligning with research showing that gamification can increase motivation in language learning. These elements are blended to create an engaging and effective learning environment.