REFLECTIONS 5-6

What I learned was that humanism and social interactionism in language teaching.According

to humanistic approaches,the inner world of the learner is important.They emphasized that

encouraging personal growth is important.Humanists focus on whole person not just

cognitive skills.Whole person learning interested in enhancing the individual’s ability to take

increasing personal responsibility for leaner’s own wellbeing.According to Erikson individuals

pass through predetermined stages which are necessary for psychological development.He

divided human life-span into eight categories,each with its own unique time frame and

characteristics.These challenges need to deal with succesfully for each category.Abraham

maslow suggested hierarchy of needs:deficiency needs and being needs.In the levels of basic

needs,the person does not feel the second need until the demands of the first been

satisfied,nor the third until the second has been satisfied,and so on.According to

Maslow,learners should be encouraged to think and not be penalised for being

different.Rogers say that learning is self-initiated and involves both feelings and

cognition.Critism needs to be kept to minimum and self-evaluation needs to be

encouraged.According to social interactionists,people are born into a social world,and

learning occurs through interaction with others.With interactions we make our sense of the

world.Vygotsky argued the importance of language in interacting with people;not just

speech,but symbols and signs as well.He said that any unit of study should be presented in

all its complexity.He pointed out the advantages of collaborative work set at a level just

beyond the learner’s current level of competence.Feuerstein made a programme called

Instrumental Enrichment for teaching people learn how to learn.According to Feuerstein

anyone can become a fully effective learner.Both Vygotsky and Feuerstein used mediation

term.It means significant person in learners’lives,who enhance their learning.

I suppose I need to focus more on Instrumental Enrichment.

I have difficulty in understanding how to use unconditional positive regard in language

classes.

I believe that I may use mediation theory in my teaching.Because the secret of effective

learning lies in the nature of the social interaction between teacher and student.The role of

the language teacher,as a mediator,to find ways helping learners to learn more

effecitively,perminantly and joyfully using authentic materials,games etc.and helping

students move into and through the next layer of knowledge.As a teacher,I also need to help

my students to reach their capacities with the zone of proximal development.For example,I

can give them reading materials including some words they are unfamiliar.I can create a

sense of belonging in classroom by providing involvement of all students.I should personalise

learning being aware of differences between students.To help learners self actualisation I

need to encourage them to make choices for themselves.For example,they can decide with

teacher how evaluation should be.Because peer feedback is important for social

interactionism, I need to support group work in classes.As a teacher,I need to empathise

with learners by getting to know them as individuals and seeking to understand the ways in

which they make sense of the world.