The Natural Approach
Hello Šárka :-),
I like this observation sheet as well.
Your keywords are similar to mine - I have there also visual aids and realia, which I consider important in this method. I appreciate this one: gradual involvement of Ss (3 stages) and I´m going to add it on my list as well.
I think that it is useful to underlined these important sentences: about the atmosphere, speak when they are ready, you have the real objects and visual aids written there, variety of activities, comprehensible input.
These with your keywords are putting together the main principles of this method.
And the last question is just perfect I would say: Did the T provide comprehensible input? How the T did it? The answers lead us to full fill this huge challenge.
Your observation sheets inspired me :-)
Hi Evička :)
Thank you so much for your nice comments. I'm glad that you made them, it is very much appreciated. I would add your point about visual aids and realia to my list. To be honest, I alwasy have a problem to fit into just 10 key words :)
Šárka
Hello Šárka,
your observation sheet is well organized and I like a lot your key words on the top of it.
We have agreed on these words: acquisition, communication and i + 1 input (comprehensible input). I totally agree with Evička because I have also mentioned the importance of materials and pictures (which come from realia) which I didn’t find in your list of key words. On the other hand you have emphasized it in the observation sheet below which is fine. I will also add to my keywords the gradual involvement of Ss (3 stages) which you have written and I really like it! I have highlighted there only the specific silent period which I find unusual but it makes more sense in the context of the 3 stages of the involvement of Ss.
Mentioning the usage of the target language, do you think that according to this method it is necessary to use only the target language? I have got written in my observation sheet that it is not forbidden to use the mother tongue. What do you think about it?
I agree with you in the case of using gestures and that there was a wide range in activities during the lesson.
I appreciate the structure of your observation sheet with the questions which you ask yourself! 😊
Hi Terka :)
Thank you for your detailed comments which I see as an opportunity to see more in this approach.
Your note about the importance of materials and pictures is the one which I miss and want to add to my list of key words. It is hard to get with only 10 key words, so I didn't put it there. But I'm glad you made that point.
About the target language, I honestly don't know if the T uses only the target language. I would say that it is desirable but couldn't be done with every class because of a diversity of learners. Of course, it is not forbidden to use the mother tongue, the T may use it in problemtic situations (not understanding, missing information...). But it's interesting to think about it, thank you.
Thanks
Šárka
Hello Šárka,
To begin with I have to say, that I really like your observation sheet! I like the key words stressed on the top of it.
I also like that you use the green and red colors that emphasis the advantages and disadvantages of the method.
I would maybe add that the students are not pressured to produce language until they are ready, and it is something I really appreciate. Plus I also like that this method employs engaging activities.
I agree with your disadvantages and I would even add, that this method is mainly best and useful for the beginners, and for the more advanced students it is not as effective. And I found one more disadvantage which is, that it could be difficult to move forward for some, since the students are not pressured.
Hi Naty :)
Thank you for your comments. I like your note about not forcing the Ss to produce language until they are ready, it's perfect one to complete my thought about the silent period. I see your point in highlighting the importance of engaging activities which make the Ss be active and get them interested, so I'ma dding this one.
I like your thinking about usefulness for a certain type of learners (beginners X advanced), I think I should take this point into consideration. Your last point about difficulties wiht moving forward for some Ss, I totally agree with that one, it's connected to my point about no required output.
Thanks
Šárka
Dear Šárka,
I have to say that I like your observation sheet so much. The structure of your sheet is well orgnized which makes it really well arranged. The list of the key words at the beginning of the sheet makes it more clear what the whole method is about.
There are some key words that I agree with, for example plenty of vocabulary which is typical for this method. I would also add that the repetition of these words is also important because the words must be heard many times. Communicative situations is the next key word which I have in my observation sheet too. I must admit that I have to add some of your key words to my sheet because it seems like good points which I forgot, for example self-correction of the students or gradual involvement of Ss. Maybe I would add to your list the real objects and visual objects, which are used during this method but you mentioned it further in your observation sheet.
I have the same question as Terka, because I mentioned in my observation sheet that the first language of student's is allowed and you mention there only the target language. Have you thought about it?
I appreciate that you put the list of the advantages and disadvantages at the end of your observation sheet. I did it in the same way as you because it makes it more clear and then I really like that you differentiated the columns by colors. I agree with your points about the advantages and disadvantages, there is nothing I would add.
Thank you so much Šárka, your observation sheet inspires me a lot! :-)
Hi Naty :)
Thank you so much for your fitting points :) I always like to hear/read a different point of view.
I totally agree with your point about repetition and I will add it to my list of key words. The real objects and visual objects should be there, I take your point and fill it to my list.
The target language was just my presumption before real teching but, to be honest, I don't really know if it's necessary to use only the target language and I see your point about this note.
Thank you for your specific comments which enable me to think more deeply about this approach.
Šárka
Dear Šárka,
I must admit that I like all of your observation sheets because they are really sophisticated.
This observation sheet is not too long or too short, it is proportionate because it contains all the important information about the method.
Your key words are similar to mine. I did not have gradual involment of Ss (3 stages) and plenty of vocabulary. I have Ss needs and visual aids instead. I will complete my key words because I love yours. It is great to see how other people think about the same topic.
I also appreciate your questions and answers. It shows that you studied the topic and wanted to answer all of your ideas and thoughts. I have quite similar findings, I want to share something from my observation sheet that can be helpful for you:
-The T talks slowly and distinctly.
-NA is designed to develop basic communication skills – both oral and written.
-It is based on an assessment of student needs.
-Materials come from the world of realia rather than from textbooks.
And I want to use your idea about questions and answers! It looks great. I have a question for you: Did you have to look for an inspiration about the structure or is it your idea?
Thank you for sharing this observation sheet.
Adéla
Hi Adélka :)
thank you very much for your thorough comments. I really appreciate it and as you wrote I also need to be inspired by other people who see the same thing in different ways.
I totally get your point about the visual aids and I put it to my list of key words. What is new and really useful for me to add is your point about Ss' needs which I also put to my list.
Your shared points at the end of your comment are very much needed, I also have them on my 1st draft excerpts which is much more detailed than my final observation sheets. It's demanding to fit in just 10 key words to fulfil the potential of the method/approach. Thank you for reminding me of their importance.
Please, if you like my structure, use it! I would be honored. I honestly didn't know how exactly should the observation sheet look like. I wanted to use the facts/principles/statements from the theory and "the ticking space" and combine it with my point of view, practical use. So, this is it :D
Thank you very very much
Šárka
Hello Šárka,
thank you for your genuineness. I think that it is great that we are open minded about the outlooks of other people. Ss' needs are important in almost every method and I believe that it should be on the top of every teacher willingness.
I will definitely use this structure in the future because I love it!
Adéla
Hello Šárka,
I really like your observation sheet because it is very simply done but it contains the most important information! :-) I also like that you explain how the principle was used. Amazing is that you asked questions if it was used. Interesting!! :-)
I am impressed by the key words because almost all principles are shortly said with them. Great! I agree with all of them. You mentioned self-correction, I would just add that if there is any mistake, the T doesn’t correct it immediately – waits but if there in no self-correction, the T gives a hint.
I agree with you advantage. I like much more things about this mehod: the emphasis on low-anxiety atmosphere, lots of communication, meaning of words is recognized from the context.
I am scared that sometimes the T forget about writing and reading. What do you think about it? Do you see it as a disadvantage?
Have a nice evening! :-) Marie
Hi Maruška :)
Thank you for your nice and clear comments.
Your added note about mistakes and the correction by the T perfectly extends my point about self-correction and I will write it down to my observation sheet, thanks for that.
About the advantages, I totally agree with your points. Your point about low-anxiety atmosphere goes with my note about the pleasant atmosphere.
About using of writing and reading it's hard to say. I think that reading activites can be done within this approach, as it was during our sample lesson of this approach. But I don't know much about working with writing activities in this approach but it's interesting to think about it more.
Thank you for your impulses to think about it more deeply.
Šárka
Šárka,
there is a flood of commend on this observation sheet! And I am really glad that you are getting only a positive feedback because I also liked your sheet very much!
Your observation sheet contains all the important stuff but still you managed to keep it simple. Your sheet actually reminds me of you because the form of expressing things is easy enough for everyone to understand and in the same time, we can see that there is deep knowledge behind what you are saying/writing.
I won't comment on the key word because I don't really have anything new to say. With what I can contribute is my list of advantages. I have a bit longer list than you have so maybe you would find something worth writing down.
- wide range of activities
- based on Ss needs
- usage of real objects
- i + 1 (comprehensible input - Ss stay motivated and learn a lot)
I have nothing more to add about your sheet but I would like to comment on the discussion here.
I totally see your point with using the target language by the teacher. I mean, the T is the source of the language input and it would make perfect sense to use the language throughout the whole lesson. On the other hand, I don't remember anything about the mother tongue being forbidden in this method. What I wanted to say is that I was thinking the same way as you, Šári, and the question from Téra and Naty surprised me and made me rethink about it. Unfortunately, I still don't know what the right answer is :D
Last thing! Šári, I appreciate the way you answer to all of the comments here! It is clear that you are taking time to answer to all of our comments and you are thinking thoroughly about what we wrote down. Even when there are so many of them here :D
Thank you for the opportunity to see your observation sheet :)
Kačí
Hi Kačí :))
I really appreaciate your looong comment about my observation sheet, even though there's enough of them :D However, yours makes me see my work through different eyes, again.
As you wrote, I wanted to make it simple and easy to read, but it meant to have left out other really interesting points. On the other hand, it made you consider what was really important and typical for this approach.
Your 4 points about advantages were in my 1st draft observation sheets, actually. But I had to leave them out of this one. Your points made me think about it and I found out that I tried to name the advantages of the particular sample mini lesson which we atended, not in general. However, I want your advantages in my observation sheets, anyway!
I was surprised by girl's comment about the target language, too. Maybe, it was because I wrote the 1st question - Did the T use only the target language? and it made them think about it in this way.
Thank you so much :)
Šárka