NAME: Rose Angelie D.

Joaquin
MOOC: Caloocan
SUB-CAMP: Caloocan
MOOC LEADER: Ma. Lourdes D. Rola

MOOC Reflection
Teaching Grammar Communicatively

Reflection Guide Questions:

1. Summarize the key concepts that you have learned from this week’s module.
2. What was the most useful learning? Explain.
3. How do you plan to use or apply this learning in your class, life or profession?
4. What challenges did you encounter while MOOCing this week, and how did you deal with them?

WEEK 1: Orientation and Culture

The key concepts I’ve learned from this module are the 3P model of culture (Frank,2014) which are
perspectives, practices and products. These concepts helped me to have a wider idea about culture and find out
their value in teaching a multicultural learner in a regular classroom setup. I plan to apply this once I’ve
encountered or interacted with a person or group of people who has different tradition, beliefs, behavior, values
and way of life other than I do, to avoid misunderstanding and conflict and to show the sign that I could be
interculturally competent. This week was really an amazing MOOCing experience!

WEEK 2: Critical Thinking

In this module I’ve learned the relevance of critical thinking for intercultural competence. I’ve also
explored about micro-cultures which are sub-culture which exist within larger cultures. According to Neuliep,
micro-culture is an identifiable group of people who share a system of values, beliefs and behaviors and who
possess a common history and verbal and nonverbal symbol system that is similar to but systematically varies
from the larger, often dominant cultural milieu” (2015, p. xvi) I have also created my own “Identities Wheel”
which was a wheel diagram that help me identify the different roles I play and the various activities I have as an
individual. I also gained something about active listening which is the main ingredient for successful
communication; the three main fields for active listening are counseling and training, business, and conflict
resolution. All of these learnings are useful in their own way, to be able to achieve intercultural competence, I
must be an active listener and critical thinker to absorb and accept cultural differences.
It was a worthwhile and productive learning week!

WEEK 3: Activities and Assessments

In this module, I have learned on what students think, make and do to raise cultural awareness in
the English Language classroom. According to Jerrold Frank, teachers can help students connect to the target
culture by exploring these dimensions: the self as cultural, the elements of culture, intercultural phenomena
(culture general learning), particular cultures (culture-specific learning) and acquiring strategies for culture
learning. These dimensions will help improve the “intercultural communicative competence” (Bryam 1997) and
1
raise awareness of cultural differences. I have also learned about creating a rubric and what teaching context
could fit this type of assessment and what are the benefits of using a rubric as an assessment tool. With these, I
have known what kind of activities and assessment I must give to be able to lift consciousness and cognizance
about culture among my students.
It was indeed a well spent and valuable week.
WEEK 4: Interpretation, Reflection and Beginning Lesson Planning
In this module, I have learned the difference between description and interpretation. The pictures in
the quiz really helped me distinguished why these two words are opposite. The quiz given also helped me to be
more accurate on my understanding about certain things. Depth of reflection regarding rubrics also helped me
reflect on my teaching experiences and the purpose of learning and working with rubric. I am also glad to learn
about making a lesson plan which would make my students active listeners, critical thinkers, in a know of
dealing with intercultural people which I could interpret and assess well through the use of rubric.
This week was truly a great learning exploration!
WEEK 5: Applying it Logically
In this unit, I have learned on how I could apply what I’ve learned from Units 1-4 in my own life. I
also learned on the elements necessary for a good lesson plan such as: objectives, timing, sequencing,
differentiation, assessment and materials. Similarly, if one is really planning to teach culture or critical thinking
there are guidelines given to culture and critical thinking lessons.
Applying these in my own class would really be much easier since I have known now sequentially
on how I could teach culture accompanied with critical thinking.
My MOOC learning experience was truly remarkable!