Educating in a New Era:Trends and Future Directions in English Teaching

Angel SteadmanMEXTESOL Sonora Regional Convention

Hermosillo, MexicoApril 5, 2014

What We’ll Cover

• Globalization and English– How this affects English teachers– How this affects students

• Skills for the 21st Century– New technology– Paradigm shift in education

• What does this mean?– Implications for teachers

Globalization and English

• English is the language of global communication• According to the British Council:

– First language by 375 million– Around 750 million speak English

as a foreign language– 2/3 of world’s scientists read in

English– 3/4 of world’s mail is in English– 80% of world’s electronic data

is in English

English in the Workplace

• English is the main language of:– Books and newspapers– Airports and air traffic control– International business– Academic conferences– Science and technology– Diplomacy– Sports and international

competitions– Pop music– Advertising

English in Education

• Increasing number of students attending universities abroad

• Despite some pushback, English increasingly used as medium of instruction– Colleges and universities

becoming English-medium– Requires a very high level

of English proficiency by both students and instructors

The Trickle-Down Effect

Greater need for advanced English proficiency among students

Greater need for highly trained and proficient English teachers at all levels

Higher education requirements for English teachers and greater necessity for professional development

The Trickle-Down Effect

The good news: If you are highly proficient in English, well-educated, and up-to-date on current methodology and theory, you are IN HIGH DEMAND

The bad news: This means work. Lots of work.

The Paradigm Shift

“…We have a system of education that is modeled on the interests of industrialism and in the image of it…Schools are still pretty much organized on factory lines: ringing bells, separate facilities, specialized into separate subjects…It’s essentially about conformity and…I believe we’ve got to go in the exact opposite direction.”

--Sir Ken Robinson, “Changing Education Paradigms”

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

In the Past

Only teaching language

Focus on isolated skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)

Using the textbook as curriculum

Emphasis on teacher as presenter/lecturer

TodayUsing language as the vehicle to

teach academic content

Focus on three modes: interpersonal, interpretive, and

presentational

Use of thematic units and authentic resources

Emphasis on learner as “doer” and “creator”

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

In the Past

Use of technology as a “cool tool”

Same instruction for all students

Confining language learning to the classroom

Students “turn in” work only for the teacher

TodayIntegrating technology into

instruction to enhance learning

Differentiating instruction to meet individual needs

Seeking opportunities for learners to use language beyond the

classroom

Learners create to “share and publish” to audiences more than

just the teacher

The New Education

• 360,985,492 Internet users worldwide as of June 30, 2012– 34.3% of world population – a 566.4% increase from 2000 (ITU)

• “Digital natives,” “digital immigrants,” and “digital outcasts” (Prensky 2001)

It’s a Small World, After All

• Interconnectedness via globalization and technology makes the world smaller– THEN: Students had little experience with other cultures or languages– NOW: Familiarity with other cultures and languages is expected and

essential for upward mobility

• Beginning to see a leveling of the playing field– Students outside of academic areas (anywhere with Internet) now

have access to information and culture– Online courses becoming standard– iTunesU and MOOCs available to anyone

Online Classes Becoming the Norm

• Online course enrollment in the US at an all-time high• Negative perceptions of online courses changing

The New Meaning of Technology

Technology of the Past:Content based

Passive role of userStand-alone

Used by individuals

Technology of the Future:Collaboration basedActive role of user

Integrated Used by groups

Behaviorist or Connectivist

Pedagogy

Socio-Constructivist

Pedagogy

Don’t Panic, It’s a Good Thing…

New Paradigm

Motivation

Higher-level cognition

Differentiated instruction

What Does This Mean?

#1: We are all materials developers.

• Constructing and co-constructing textbooks and materials– iBooks Author– Online publishing– Class websites– Instructor blogs– LMS/CMS support

#2: Students are materials developers too.

• Students are active participants in their education– Creating content for classes– Working in groups with clear roles– Publishing and sharing classwork

#3: Print media isn’t enough.

• Incorporate a wide variety of multimedia sources– eBooks– Peer-to-peer file sharing– Audiovisual assignments– Google docs– Wikis

#4: We need new methods.

“Sage on the stage” to

“Guide on the side”

Flipping the Classroom• Content is presented

outside the classroom via videos, readings, and other materials

• Time in the classroom is used for application, discussion and collaboration, not lecturing

Source: Center for Teaching & Learning, University of Texas – Austinhttps://ctl.utexas.edu/teaching/flipping_a_class/what_is_flipped

Benefits of the Flipped Classroom

• Students can pause, rewind, rewatch videos or audio files• Instructors can incorporate more authentic materials• Works better with different learning styles• Easier to make accommodations for students• Builds working relationships between students• Engages students in collaboration and reflection

#5: We have to innovate. A lot.

• Globalization and technology are changing our perceptions of:

Culture

Language

AutonomyRelationships

Happiness

#6: We can’t do it all ourselves.

• SHARE!– Share new ideas and research

with colleagues– Encourage colleagues to share

with one another

• Develop communities of practice– Non-evaluative spaces to try out new ideas– Co-teaching, peer mentoring

• Allow yourself to learn– Take classes (online classes are a double help!)– Attend conferences– Open your mind to radical new concepts

Thank you!

Angel SteadmanTeacher Training Coordinator

amiller2@email.arizona.edu

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