Electronic journal of educational resources

EDUCATION AND E-LEARNING IN CANADA

AND AROUND THE WORLD

Number 2 – August 2021

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Electronic journal of educational resources - “Education and e-learning in Canada and
around the world’’, with monthly appearance on www.innovationcanada.org

ISSN Canada 2564-1700

Publication edited by INNOVATION CENTER LLP

Office: #341 -1771 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C9, British Columbia, Canada
Licence: LL01976
Website: www.innovationcanada.org
Email: innovationcenterbc@gmail.com

Editor: Innovation Center LLP

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Contents
COMMON CONCEPTS USED IN GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY LESSON............................ 5
prof. Adrian Asandei - Romania .................................................................................................. 5
USING WORDLESS PICTURE BOOKS IN CLASSROOM ........................................................ 9
Prof. Bozântan Gabriela Marina - Romania ................................................................................. 9
TRADITIONAL VERSUS MODERN IN THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS............... 13
Brăilescu Anita - Romania ......................................................................................................... 13
SCHOOLMASTER FOR AN HOUR ............................................................................................ 17
Bucsai Liliana - Romania ........................................................................................................... 17
PROFESSIONAL VALUES OF THE TEACHING CAREER ..................................................... 19
Ciobanu Ana - Romania ............................................................................................................. 19
THE VALUE OF EDUCATION AND THE CRISIS OF VALUES ............................................ 22
Ciobanu Ana - Romania ............................................................................................................. 22
EXTENDING THE USE OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CLASSROOM,IN
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................... 28
Cornea Luminița Elena - Romania ............................................................................................. 28
THE IMPORTANCE OF MODELS IN PHYSICS ....................................................................... 30
Craiciu Mariana Tanți - Romania............................................................................................... 30
THE EUROPEAN TEACHER ...................................................................................................... 34
Prof.Elena-Carmen Dogaru - Romania ...................................................................................... 34
SOCIAL INTEGRATION THROUGH SPORT ........................................................................... 37
Teacher Ana Gavrilescu – Romania........................................................................................... 37
THE NARRATIVE STRATEGIES AND CHANGES IN ENGLISH AND AMERICAN
NOVELS ........................................................................................................................................ 39
Morari Carmen-Ancuța – Romania ............................................................................................ 39
AMERICAN POSTMODERNISM: A PERFECT DAY FOR BANANA FISH .......................... 43
Morari Carmen-Ancuța - Romania ............................................................................................ 43
LANGUAGE SKILLS-RELATED TASKS .................................................................................. 46
Pantelimon Anca – Victoria - Romania ..................................................................................... 46
USING FIVE-WAY INTERACTION SPACES IN ONLINE DISTANCE LEARNING TO
PROMOTE ENGAGEMENT, CHALLENGE, AND PROGRESS AMONG K-12 STUDENTS51
Dr. Rommel Pelayo - UAE ........................................................................................................ 51
THE IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN LANGUAPE PORTOFOLIO .......................................... 59
Georgiana Pufulete - Romania ................................................................................................... 59

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WHAT IS SPEECH THERAPY? .................................................................................................. 62
Speech therapist, Anca Ioana Rîpan - Romania ......................................................................... 62
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION ....................................................................... 64
Prof. Stanciu Alina Georgeta - Romania .................................................................................... 64
EDUCATION – LEARNING OR KNOWLEDGE? ..................................................................... 66
Eugenia-Liliana Ștefănescu - Romania ...................................................................................... 66

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 COMMON CONCEPTS USED IN GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY LESSON
prof. Adrian Asandei - Romania
This article aims to highlight those links between two disciplines that are part of the same
curricular area, "Man and society". There are many elements that unite the two objects of study.
Thus, history cannot be taught without knowing the geographical space in which an event
took place, while geography is not complete without highlighting the role of the human factor in
the evolution of the environment (from ancient times to the present day). This aspect must be
understood primarily by students through the use by the teacher of appropriate means and
methods.
To outline the closeness of the two disciplines, we have identified some notions used by
both historians and geographers. These are space, place, region, territory, state, city and time.
Geographic space is that component of the world/ universe, three-dimensional,
homogeneous and infinite, which expresses the position, distance, size and extent of objects [1],
in relation to each other. There is mathematical or Euclidean space (defined by relation to three
rectangular reference axes that correspond to three dimensions: pole direction, equatorial plane,
altitude above sea level), physical space (consisting of physical properties, materials, objectives
of objects in material reality), behavioral space (the part of the environment in which human
perceptions and actions take place). Physical and behavioral space are subdivided into: visual
space, auditory space, tactile-kinesthetic or proprioceptive space [2].
The meaning of this term differs in history, where it can be synonymous with the region
or territory. The "living space" invoked by Adolf Hitler as a pretext for the Second World War,
referred to that well-defined territory, located around Germany, necessary for economic
development and inhabited by a predominantly German population; the Anglo-Saxon area refers
to the British Isles or the USA. to.
The problem of placing an event in space and time is extremely difficult for most
students. Few students have the precise notion of geographical location when it comes to a
subject of history. The location of a historical event should not be done in a restricted setting. In
order not to isolate the historical event from the contemporary world, it is necessary to locate it
through double maps, in order to have an overview of the studied problem: city-states in
Mesopotamia, their limits, the size of the Mesopotamian world and the Middle East (fig. 1). This
way of representing has the merit of posing a problem in a geographical entity that is and has
been so for millennia. In this manner the historical vision is greatly expanded and the student
better understands the causes, consequences, implications of events in the history of a state [3].
Here are some questions whith whom the student is familiar with. They are problems
related to the geographical and historical framework of the region in question:
- What were the geographical limits of Mesopotamia?
- What people lived in this area?
- What forms of state organization did the peoples of Mesopotamia establish?
- What were the main occupations of the inhabitants from this geographical area?
- On which continent is Mesopotamia located?

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 The advantages of using maps in class are: visual perception of a space through a
substitute; correct, quick, easy, indirect understanding of reality, knowledge of a space
inaccessible by size, knowing the spatial location of the components of the geographical systems
and establishing the relations between them; orientation in terrestrial space, thorough
fixation of information [4].

Fig. 1. Map of Ancient Mesopotamia

The map is also the tool through which a systematization of students' knowledge can be
achieved (fig. 2):

people neighborhood

Mesopotamia

occupation city states

Fig. 2. Lesson scheme model

Place, a fundamental concept in geography, determines through its coordinates

(latitude, longitude, altitude), the position of a point on the globe [5]. Concisely defined, the place
is a significant portion of territory. The geographical place is varied in shape and size, it has its
own characteristics, springing from the nature of the elements and their way of combining in
space and time.
The conscious perception of the properties (meanings) that makes a geographical phenomenon
unique and unrepeatable on the surface of the Earth, leads to the notion of place. The place is the
territorial materialization of each phenomenon, simple or complex, but unique and unrepeatable,
together with the representations (mental, linguistic, graphic, associative, etc.) elaborated by
people by perceiving and analyzing meanings, respectively by defining, locating and naming the
phenomenon.

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 Places have many attributes characteristics: location, size, internal structure, specific
dynamics, etc., all significantly differentiated from one place to another. It is important to note
that the places interact with each other. The relations between them determine their integration in
higher territorial units called geographical regions [6].
Geographical region is another key concept especially in geography, which has, in turn,
been variously interpreted and defined. The elements that appear, however, consistently in most
definitions allow us to formulate the following generalization: the region is a territorial unit,
characterized by relative homogeneity (relief, climate, water, resources, economy) [7] and
morpho-structural specificity imposed by the manifestation of dominant functions between
certain spatio-temporal limits. What gives "substance" to the region is the coherence and
cooperation of the parties in the structuring and evolution processes governed by the dominant
function (geomorphological, climatic, urban, industrial, administrative, geopolitical, etc.). For
example, the region of Northern Italy or the Transylvanian region, clearly heterogeneous in terms
of morphostructural and landscape, are well spatially contoured and unitary in terms of function.
As a result, many types of regions can be defined: physical, historical, economic, political,
cultural, in relation to the function considered dominant in a certain spatio-temporal context.
The territory represents that "land area, well delimited, in which a certain authority is
exercised" or "part of the Earth's surface, consisting of land, inland waters, territorial mass and
airspace, between the borders of a state and subject to its sovereignty" [8].
The state - the way of organizing human communities (synonymous with the word
country). The characteristic elements of a state are: a common territory, a population that speaks
the same language, having a certain level of civilization and the form of government (the political
organization of society). This concept has been discussed since antiquity (philosophers Plato [9]
and Aristotle or the geographer and historian Strabo) but will gain special importance only in the
Modern Age. The German and Anglo-Saxon schools attached great importance to the study of the
concept of state, which is seen as a "geographical organism and spatial phenomenon" that has a
certain "expansion instinct" [10]. We are in the period of the formation of the German Empire
and the creation of the ideology that will justify its wars of expansion.
A state cannot exist, as a political-territorial entity, if it does not fulfill an important
condition: independence or sovereignty. Independence (sovereignty) is that characteristic of a
state that individualizes it from neighboring states through the recognition of borders by the
international political community [11]. Also, the independence (sovereignty) of a state
presupposes its right to make decisions and solve internal problems without any external
interference.
The city - a complex human settlement, appeared since Prehistory, with various
functions (administrative, religious, economic, cultural) and rigorous organization (by social
classes or occupations). A prehistoric or ancient city has its own laws, religious beliefs, army,
ruler / governing body.
Time can be viewed from three perspectives: physical, objective time, located outside
individual experience, social time (the reference field of history), which analyzes the evolution of
human societies from the oldest to the most advanced, and individual time (biological), a
reflection of the biological rhythm specific to each living being, especially man [12]. Time is a
measure of change, it reflects the existential duration of objects, phenomena, events, their
simultaneity and succession. To situate in time a geographical phenomenon: we use the terms
duration, frequency, period; we establish the moment of its production (past, present, future); we
compare the duration, frequency and period of some phenomena; we identify temporal relations;
we deduce the influence of the time factor in the evolution of phenomena [13].
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 Lately, there is a grouping of disciplines by areas of interest. This comes, on the one
hand, from the desire of some teachers to expand their field / area of activity in order to make the
main discipline taught as attractive as possible. On the other hand, the tendency of modern
education is to group on areas of interest, not on disciplines, this being in the interest of the
student, who will form a much broader vision on an area of interest. Let's hope that textbooks and
new school curricula meet this beneficial trend for the 21st century student, who must be able to
understand and solve the many problems and challenges of today's world.

Footnotes

1. Neguţ S., Geografia umană, Editura Academiei Române, Bucureşti, 2011, p. 87.
2. Dulamă Maria Eliza, Elemente din didactica Geografiei. Subiecte pentru examenele de
definitivare în învăţământ şi de obţinere a gradului didactic al II-lea, Cluj-Napoca, 2001, p. 20.
3. Felezeu C., Metodica predării istoriei, Cluj-Napoca, 1998, p. 62.
4. Dulamă M., op. cit, p. 166.
5. Felezeu C., op. cit., p. 167.
6. Petrea, D., Ungureanu A., Geografie generală (curs), MEC, 2005, p.12.
7. Felezeu C, op. cit., p. 121.
8. Academia Română. Institutul de Lingvistică "Iorgu Iordan", Dicţionarul explicativ al
limbii române, Bucureşti, 1998, p. 1086.
9. Plato in the dialogue The Republic declares that the role of the state is to achieve the good of
all. Democracy was considered a degenerate variant of leadership, because it encouraged
ignorance, the promotion of personal goals and the capricious choice of leaders.
10. S. Costache, Geografie politică. O nouă abordare, Editura Universității din București,
București, 2004, p. 11.
11. Ibidem, p. 123.
12. O. Mândruţ, S. Dan, Didactica geografiei. O abordare actuală, Editura Corint Educaţional,
Bucureşti, 2014, p. 85.
13. Dulamă M., op. cit, p.21.

Bibliography
1. Academia Română. Institutul de Lingvistică "Iorgu Iordan", Dicţionarul explicativ al limbii române,
Bucureşti, 1998

2. Costache S., Geografie politică. O nouă abordare, Editura Universității din București, București, 2004.
3. Dulamă Maria Eliza, Elemente din didactica Geografiei. Subiecte pentru examenele de definitivare în
învăţământ şi de obţinere a gradului didactic al II-lea, Cluj-Napoca, 2001
4. Felezeu C., Metodica predării istoriei, Cluj-Napoca, 1998.
5. Neguţ S., Geografia umană, Editura Academiei Române, Bucureşti, 2011.
Petrea, D., Ungureanu A., Geografie generală (curs), MEC, 2005.

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 USING WORDLESS PICTURE BOOKS IN CLASSROOM

Prof. Bozântan Gabriela Marina - Romania

The present article deals with the subject of wordless picture books as a distinct genre of
children‟s literature in which sequences of images are intended to introduce children to narrative.
Moreover, this article presents a brief history of the genre and exemplifies how well it can be
adapted as a teaching tool in a language-learning setting.
A story in a picture book is communicated solely through the use of illustrations and
relies heavily on the readers own imagination. The so-called reading of wordless picture book is a
process in which children are invited to formulate what is happening in a series of events by
interpreting the illustration based on the background of their experience. The lack of text makes
these books more accessible for children who speak English as a second language, or have
limited English, allowing them to further develop their capabilities in both speaking and writing
in a foreign language. Because of these apparent simple main characteristics of the genre and
absence of verbal text, wordless picture books are often quickly dismissed as being too easy and
inadequate for teaching language in a school environment.
Too often, being literate focuses on reading written text only, and not in making sense of the
world around us, regardless of the modality that we are faced with. Moreover, despite the
potential for this medium to help children develop the particular skills needed for the digital age
we live in, there seems to be a general concern in whether or not children can actually learn
something from such books. However, in more recent years, a surprisingly large number of
academic studies within linguistics and educational psychology fields have set to investigate the
language development qualities of wordless picture books.

I. A BRIEF HISTORY OF WORDLESS PICTURE BOOKS AS A DISTINCT

GENRE

Although studies on response to picture books go back to the 1990s, those that exclusively
consider wordless texts, are more recent. Wordless picture books have become a well-defined
category within children‟s literature over the course of the last forty to fifty years (Crawford &
Hade, 2000: 66).
There are many studies that investigate the nature, definitions and didactic uses of wordless
books. Much recent research has contributed to establishing their intercultural and
multidisciplinary value, and to extending the possibilities of analyzing the mechanisms
underlying them from the point of view of narrative and the semiotic of images. Despite the
differences in context, readers, books and methodologies in the studies mentioned here there is a
shared understanding of the act of reading as a „transaction‟ between text and reader and of the
active role of the reader in “the semiotic, sense-making processes” (Crawford and Hade, 2000)
involved in this transaction.
This genre of book in particular elevates the nature of meaning-making, due to their prioritization
of reading images, which consequently increases the need for the reader‟s involvement (Arizpe et
al., 2014: 4). This genre offers surprising varieties, not only in topics and themes, but also in
levels of difficulty, and it extends to books with minimal text. Jalongo et al. (2002: 167) write
that “almost” wordless picture books are included in this category, as they use very minimal text.
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Nikolajeva and Scott (2001: 9, 21) highlight the complexity of the format by pointing out that
many wordless picture books are not designed strictly for small children, but they cater for an
adult audience as well. The visual complexity and high inference levels of many wordless picture
books, however, make them more suitable for an adolescent or adult audience than for young
children only.
The study of picture books is now a well-established area with the first comprehensive guide to
wordless (and nearly wordless) picture books was released in 2015. Wonderfully Wordless: The
500 Most Recommended Graphic Novels and Picture Books by William Patrick Martin (2015) is
a resource for those who understand the value of these exceptional books and want to use them in
working with different types of students, particularly preschool, but also, they can be used in
English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom.

II. WORDLESS PICTURE BOOKS AS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS:

Unlike picture books that contain text, wordless literature relies exclusively on visual content to
convey information to the reader. For emergent and more advanced readers alike, wordless books
can serve as powerful motivational tools, as their openness to interpretation allows for limitless
imaginative possibilities. Wordless books also support advancement of verbal communication
skills as they allow children to transform into active storytellers who orally share their
interpretations of illustrations with peers.
Imagination is an important part of the process of reading visual narratives. Readers are being
asked to actively participate in the construction of the narrative and cannot rely simply on the
literal decoding of written text. The open-endedness or ambiguity that is inherent in wordless
picture books allows readers to construct diverse interpretations and return again and again to
reconsider their initial impressions. Teaching readers to dwell in complex illustrations and to
wander through the sequence of images in wordless picture books, exploring the possibilities they
offer, is an important part of becoming visually literate.
Fortunately for educators, the past decade has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of wordless
literature being published annually and there is now a plethora of books that teachers can choose
from and implement in their classrooms. This publication surge has come in response to the
demand for new multi-literacy instructional approaches as well as alternative, visually-driven
resources that can assist children in enhancing their skills in visual literacy and verbal
communication.

II.1 TEACHING VISUAL LITERACY

Reading and writing skills both derive from the child‟s early literacy development. According to
Collins and Glover, children first interact with books during the early stage of their literacy
development by observing others participating in literate activities (Collins & Glover, 2015: 10).
Picture books are utilized to teach children many of these pre-reading skills, such as the parts of a
book, book handling skills, and the concept of a story. Wordless picture books provide children
with an outlet in which to recognize, interpret and express themselves through the use of pictures,
before they are able to decode the printed word. When not faced with the task of decoding, these
books also differ in complexity, making them not only useful with emergent readers, but with
older struggling readers and readers with learning disabilities. The lack of text also makes them

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interpretable by children who speak English as a second language, or have limited English
capabilities (Jalongo et al., 2002:21).

II.2. DEVELOPING READING AND WRITING SKILLS

Wordless picture books can be a positive teaching tool, whether it is helping young students learn
to read, or using the books as a model for the formation of written language. Students who are
reluctant writers, or struggling writers, may find the motivation, and creativity they need to
become successful writers.
Many young children struggle with writing and expressing their ideas or organizing a story line.
The use of wordless picture books can help a child see how a story line flows and also allows for
a student‟s creativity and imagination to be used to create their own written script of what is
occurring within the story. Once a child feels comfortable with wordless picture books and can
read through them, they can then be used as a type of writing prompt. It is during this time where
a child‟s creativity will spark and the teacher may see what the thinking process is like for that
child.
The use of the genre in the classroom situation, shows that the books can be used to develop
reading and language competence. Using images helps to improve comprehension for struggling
middle school readers. Moreover, an essential skill required by individuals, both in and out of the
school environment, is the ability to interpret visual images.

II.3. WORDLESS PICTURE BOOKS DEVELOP STORYTELLING ABILITIES

Storytelling is one aspect of speech that is essential for early childhood language development.
With sufficient storytelling ability, then one will be able to communicate everything smoothly,
well, and complete. Storytelling can help children‟s social skills. It supports children to learn to
read, to understand the world‟s knowledge, and to make good social-emotions. With storytelling,
a child is familiarized and introduced to story patterns, different kinds of environments such as
how to socialize, play, and help at home, school or community in general. Stimulation of a
picture is useful for early childhood and early foreign language learners. However, it can also be
used for higher levels depending on the state of the image used. Using wordless picture books
allows those who are learning a new language to express themselves through the pictures of a
book without having to read words.
Storytelling is a wonderful way to link literacy development and language learning. Through
stories, parents and children hear a new language spoken and become acquainted with the sounds
and rhythms of language patterns. Together, through stories, children build vocabulary
knowledge in their new language. Storytelling can elicit lively conversations, develop verbal
language skills and provide an opportunity to express personal thoughts and feelings.

Referrence list:
1. Arizpe, E. 2014. Wordless picture books: Critical and educational perspectives on meaning-making in
Kümmerling-Meibauer, B. (ed.). 2014. Picture books: Representation and Narration. New York: Routledge. 98–112.
2. Beckett, S.L. 2012. Crossover Picture books: A genre for all ages. London: Routledge
3. Collins, K. & Glove M. 2015 I Am Reading: Nurturing Young Children's Meaning Making and Joyful
Engagement with any Book. Heinemann Educational Books
4. Crawford, P. & Hade, D. 2000. Inside the picture, outside the frame: semiotics and the reading of wordless picture
books.

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5. Jalongo, M.R., Dragich, D., Conrad, N.K. & Zhang, A. 2002. Using wordless picture books to support emergent
literacy. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(3), Spring: 167–177.
6. Martin, W.P. 2015. Wonderfully Wordless: The 500 Most Recommended Graphic Novels and Picture Books.
Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
7. Nikolajeva, M. & Scott, C. 2001. How Picture books Work. New York. Garland Publishing

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 TRADITIONAL VERSUS MODERN IN THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

Brăilescu Anita - Romania

The share between traditional and modern in the teaching-learning process has been
quite controversial over time because each teacher had to find a balance in the way they work in
the classroom. We must specify that without the traditional, without a classical basis in the
educational process, we cannot talk about modernity. In the following we will refer to the
moderate application of active-participatory methods in lessons, to the optimal balance between
traditional and modern.
Taking into account the fact that the main didactic method used in the class of students
is the conversation, we will consider it as a starting point for the whole educational process.
Dialogue, communication are essential for all subjects taught, teachers will strive to ask students
with questions as clear and relevant as possible to make themselves understood, realizing that
only in this way can achieve the desired goals. Other traditional methods of work that are just as
effective in the classroom are: demonstration, exercise, debate, and textbook work.
In addition to these classic methods, modern methods come to complete some of the
shortcomings of the former: the thinking hat method, brainstorming, the Frisco method, the
stellar explosion, the cube, the bunches, etc. In this order of ideas, according to Ioan Cerghit, we
notice that these methods also fulfil a series of functions necessary in education: 1) the cognitive
function, 2) the formative-educational function, 3) the instrumental function and the normative
function. All these functions have the role of streamlining the entire educational process.
Drawing a parallel between traditional and modern methods, we will find that
traditional ones are somewhat deficient if used independently of modern ones. For the traditional
methods we can highlight the following characteristics: they emphasize a good acquisition of the
content and aim especially at the informative side of the education; are focused on the teacher's
teaching activity while the student is seen as an object of instruction; have a formal character thus
stimulating competition. However, beyond any advantage, traditional methods bring passivity
among students, which is not auspicious.
At the opposite pole are the active-participatory methods with the following
characteristics: they give priority to the development of students' personality, thus aiming at the
formative side of education; they are always focused on learning through discovery; are flexible
and encourage cooperative learning; the teacher-student relationship is one based on
collaboration and mutual support. These modern methods encourage students to participate in
classes, the competitive spirit developing imagination and creativity. Using these methods as
much as possible, students have the opportunity to discover their possible passions and
inclinations, but also to overcome their shyness when it comes to free speech. These methods
help practically everyone, even those who are not used to actively participating in classes.
If we take the mathematics lesson as an example, we will find that only by combining
traditional methods with modern methods can we obtain satisfactory results and even
performance. Mathematics learned through the "game of operations" will make students attentive
and eager to answer as much as possible. ,, In each given situation, the success of learning is
largely conditioned by the nature and structure of mental operations aroused by the variety of
procedures involved. From this point of view, the method ensures a certain structuring of the

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sequences and operations, a hierarchy and rationalization of them in an integrative unitary whole,
which is the lesson itself in its development [1].
Next we will talk about the application of these methods in the case of students with
ADHD. In the activity carried out with students with ADHD it is necessary to use interactive
methods, exercises to reduce attention deficit, games for developing attention, adapted
worksheets, either for checking by the student with ADHD the necessary material for each class,
or self-assessment of the work done autonomously, or for the acquisition of vocabulary and
notions of grammar corresponding to the age and level of the student - worksheets based on
images, simple work tasks, formulated in a concise manner, whose main role is to maintain the
student's attention. certain time interval.
In addition to methods, oral exercises, games and differentiated worksheets, an
important role is played by
certain measures taken by each teacher - aiming to establish a minimum quality standard for each
activity, the use of attentive strategies during the task, the use of strategies for understanding
written text and oral and written expression.
In the French language class, the student with ADHD will also be helped by the
translation into Romanian of the requirements on the worksheet or in an assessment test, by
images that capture the essence of a text intended for reading, by interventions of the teacher or
some colleagues in case of some words / sentences more difficult to pronounce; independent
activities in the classroom and at home will be adapted to the student's ability to keep his
attention focused for a certain period of time, the emphasis being on the quality of accomplishing
tasks whose task requires a short time, having a low degree of difficulty, medium.
The specific energy of hyperactive students can be converted into creativity and
positive effort, and the lack of ability to concentrate can be made up for by educational strategies.
Imaginative education provides a practical way to organize teaching continuities, depending on
the child's interests and how he can learn naturally, without getting bored, in a teaching process in
which attention is maintained by stimulating the child's imagination. The purpose of imaginative
education is to help each student to develop the five types of understanding while learning
mathematics, chemistry, physics, Romanian language, foreign languages, etc. Imaginative
education is achieved through communication and gesturing, storytelling, humour, play,
theatricality, mystery, comparison with different heroes.
Here are some interactive methods used to teach children with learning difficulties.
"Change pair" method The class is divided into two groups equal in number of participants. Two
concentric circles are formed, the children being face to face in pairs. Each child occupies a seat,
either in the inner circle or in the outer circle. Standing face to face, each child has a partner and
has a number. The teacher gives a task "Check if the number of the student in front of you is
higher or lower than the number you have". Each pair discusses and sets the outcome. The outer
circle rotates clockwise, thus changing the partners in pairs. The game continues until it reaches
the initial partners or ends. Advantages of the method: children have the opportunity to work with
each member of the group, each is involved in the activity and contributes to solving the task,
stimulates team cooperation, mutual help, understanding and tolerance of the other.
"Gallery tour" method It is an interactive learning method based on collaboration
between students. This method involves the interactive and formative evaluation of products

[1] Ioan Cerghit-Methods of education, Didactic and Pedagogical Publishing House, 1980, vol.1, p.32.

14
made by groups of students. Students, in groups of three or four, solve a problem (a learning task)
that is likely to have several perspectives. The products of the group's work are materialized in a
diagram, diagram, inventory of ideas, etc., noted on a piece of paper (a poster). Posters are
displayed on classroom walls. At the teacher's signal, the groups go through each poster in turn to
examine the solutions proposed by colleagues. Visitors' comments and observations are written
on the analyzed poster. After the gallery tour ends, each team re-examines the product of their
work compared to the product of the others and discusses the observations and comments noted
by colleagues on their own poster.
Bunches are an effective teaching and learning technique that encourages students to
think freely and openly. The bunch method works after the following steps: Write a word / topic
(to be researched) in the middle of the board or a sheet of paper. Students will be asked to write
down all the ideas, phrases or knowledge they have in mind about the topic, around the word in
the center, drawing lines between them and the original word. As they come up with new ideas
and write them down with their own words, students will draw lines between all the ideas that
seem to be connected. The activity stops when all the ideas are exhausted or when the allotted
time limit has been reached. In the reflection stage we will use the "revised bunch" in which
students will be guided through questions, in grouping information according to certain criteria.
This method better fixes the ideas and structures the information, facilitating their retention and
understanding. The use of these methods trains students in a continuous participation and
collaboration, increases the intrinsic motivation because they are asked to discover facts, to bring
pros and cons. Teamwork develops an attitude of tolerance towards others and the reasons for
stress are eliminated and emotions are attenuated.
At the end, we present some game ideas that help to develop students' attention. These
games can be associated with either classical or modern, active-participatory methods, their
purpose being a common one - to stimulate students' attention (students diagnosed with ADHD or
just less motivated for school tasks) and to keep them awake. during the activity.
Removing an object or word- Place five or seven objects in front of the student, objects
that he must remember. The student then turns his back, while one of the objects is removed. The
student must remember the missing object and name it. The same exercise can be applied to a
seven-word list.
Make frequent analogies (similarities between the new word and others you already
know). This will make the connection easier to make sense of and classify the information. Later,
the student will reuse the new knowledge more easily.
Group game "I'm going on a trip, I'm taking it with me ..." - where you have to repeat in
order the objects named from the beginning.
Ball games - We throw the ball from one to another asking certain questions (depending
on the theme of the lesson), we explain to the child that the moment we say "Red!" he will have
to lift the ball above his head. The game requires the child's concentration and reaction speed.
Scenario bag- The student extracts a statement from a bowl, a statement that we
translate into a dialogue; the student has to say what his reaction would be if he were in this
situation. These are positive or negative statements, such as "An older boy forces you to give him
your money," "Your best friend ignores you," or "Doing a special activity with your family."
Role-playing games: You have won an award. Your best friend encourages you to do
something that does not tempt you. • You watch TV and your mother tells you to come and eat.
.:. A child pushes you into recreation •:. Your friend doesn't want to play the game you suggested.
•:. A child wants to take one of your favourite games. •:. You don't understand one of the
teacher's explanations. .:. Another child wants to fight you.
15
 Continuation of letters- The child must copy without mistake a series of letters such as
DFRTTTGHYHJY etc. It can also be a series of numbers or shapes. Or the 3 mixed depending
on the age of the child. The length of the string will also depend on the age and ability of the
child to concentrate.
Music chairs - useful game for question-based activities. The one who remains must answer a
question.
The game of voluntary errors - Voluntary errors are created in the choice of words. The
student with ADHD will realize that there is a nonsense in the sentence / phrase stated and will
become more attentive to the teacher's speech.
Concluding on the basis of the information presented starting from the general to the
particular, we can state that only by combining the classical methods with the active-participatory
ones we will obtain the most efficient results in the didactic career.

Bibliography:
Bolotă, Elena Laura, Teaching methods for developing communication skills (grades 5-12), Demiurg Publishing
House, 2019.
Cerghit, Ioan, Methods of education, Didactic and Pedagogical Publishing House, 1980, vol.1.
Neacşu, Ioan, Methods and techniques of effective learning, Fundamentals and successful practices, Polirom
Publishing House, 2015.

16
 SCHOOLMASTER FOR AN HOUR

Bucsai Liliana - Romania

In order to cultivate the pleasure of reading among pupils, and the awareness of its
importance in building and perfecting their personality, apart from methods like: literary get-
together, poetry hour, competitions on literary topics, crafting literary albums, I have also used
the “schoolmaster for an hour” method. I have applied it in the reading class, which takes place
once a week, in the 3rd grade.
Hence, I split the pupils in teams of two: the first one in the grade book with the last one
in the grade book, the second one with the second to last one, and so on. Thus, they were able to
know in advance when they were supposed to be “schoolmasters”. Each team chose a text by
mutual agreement (poetry, story, legend, etc.), which they read several times, they decided
together upon the unknown words, explained them by using the dictionary (since they were
already accustomed to work with the dictionary in the classes of Romanian language), they drew-
up a worksheet following an algorithm that they were familiar with from the other reading
classes, with: title, author, characters, plot, and an appropriate drawing. Before the concerned
class, children really take time to go into their act: they prepare their chairs in front of the
classroom, the texts, drawings, and everything they might need (even a worksheet with simpler
tasks for their classmates). They write the date, text title and author on the blackboard, then they
each read an excerpt. Meanwhile, their classmates listen and write down the unknown words and
any questions they might have on their reader‟s notebook. After the “schoolmasters” finish
reading the text, they explain the new words to the pupils and then they ask different questions, to
help their classmates understand the content o f the text, thus proving that they have understood
it.
Here comes the most pleasant part for all the pupils, namely, the dramatization of the
read text. “Schoolmasters” appoint pupils to different roles and then direct the mise-en-scene of
the text (with the help of the actual schoolmaster). At the end of the class, the message is
determined, as well as the type of the text (literary, non-literary, poetry, story, legend), pros and
cons are emitted concerning the deeds of the characters, they ask the classmates whether they
have read other texts by the same author or not. At the end, the two “schoolmasters” give marks
to the pupils based on their answers and on how active they had been. These are registered in a
special grade book, which the class keeps for similar classes. Finally, the team of
“schoolmasters” for the next reading class is recalled.
Following a questionnaire applied during the class, I have concluded that this method is
preferred by most of the pupils. Therefore, I think that it is a model of good practice applicable to
the 3rd and 4th grades, for subjects such as Natural Sciences, Civic Education.
This method not only develops in pupils the pleasure of reading, but also stimulates their
creativity and imaginations, because they wish to be “better, more original” than the previous
ones, they want their lesson to be more beautiful and pleasant. There have been children who
even prepared background music for the dramatization.

In this way, pupils are involved in a very complex activity, because:

17
 -They search for texts on their own,
-They are active readers at the library,
-They get ready with dedication and enthusiasm,
-They are involved and eager to present their lesson and become “schoolmasters”.

Each time, they feel sorry when the reading class ends, because they would still have questions
to ask or something to add.
By participating with great interest, their intellectual abilities for analysis and synthesis are
developed, as well as critical thinking, teamwork.
I think that all of these represent strong arguments in order for this activity to be considered an
example of good practice.

18
 PROFESSIONAL VALUES OF THE TEACHING CAREER
Ciobanu Ana - Romania

General science is focused on knowledge, but what is knowledge focused on?

Knowledge is focused on education and education, in turn, represents the process of
transmitting-receiving values and obtaining measurable and appreciable results. The fundamental
values of education are: The truth; The good; The Sacred and the Beautiful. They can give real
meaning to human existence because the ideal of education is for man to live better, because man
is a supreme value. These values cannot be imposed, but only educated in the feeling of freedom,
respect and goodwill, and the purpose of the teacher is to cultivate these values to students
through their own example and not only, these values and behavioral attitudes.
What is pursued through education is precisely a transfer of the educator's personality
over the child. A teacher who respects his life principles, who respects moral values in everything
he does, will pass on the same thing to his students. And this is the support for a transfer of
knowledge and for the training of skills.
It is not the diploma that gives us the quality of educators, but our life, as it is from a
moral point of view. There are "part-time" educators and "vocation" educators. The results of the
educational activity are completely different.
In the current conditions of transition, education is becoming an increasingly difficult
process, because it is called to prepare at the same time the future citizen, for living and
producing changes, to establish the moral constant by relating it to axiological landmarks.
The content of moral education is determined by two systems of values, that of ethical values and
that of religious values, between which there is no strict demarcation, moreover these systems are
cooperative, complementary. Ethical values are predominantly philosophical in nature and
without them science remains a barren, cold, inoperative tool.  9
It is known that the religious dimension is part of the history of human culture and
civilization and also of the heritage of humanity. Adopting an attitude of rejection or removal
from the pedagogical perimeter is equivalent to "human illiteracy" whose consequences are
reflected in contemporary society.  11
Faith leaves deep imprints in the human soul, at all times and in all peoples, always
promoting morality.  12
By the didactic professional competence is understood the set of cognitive, affective,
motivational, immanent capacities of a successful development of the pedagogical activity,
interspersed with the personality traits, for the achievement of the advanced objectives. This
emerges from the roles played by the teacher - the essential characteristics for efficient teaching
activity that were presented by Perreti A. and highlights five main directions of teaching activity.
Teacher roles: resource person; relationship manager, technician, evaluator and researcher, who
in turn are subdivided into roles specific to each activity.  1
Perrenoud Ph.D. In his paper "Ten New Teaching Skills" he discusses what is essential for good
teaching in a society where knowledge is increasingly accessible  2
● To organize and lead learning situations;
● Manage the learning process
● To design and develop differentiation devices
● Involve students in their learning and work process
● Work in a team
● To participate in the administration of the school

19
 ● Inform and involve parents
● Use new technologies
● Confronting the tasks and ethical dilemmas of the profession
● Manage one's own continuing education.
In addition to the professional competence, which includes general competences that
reflect the essence of training in a certain professional field and specific competences -
acquisitions and practical skills specific to the discipline, each teacher must also possess
pedagogical competence. The latter is defined as the ability of the educator to decide on a
pedagogical problem, based on a deep knowledge of the legitimacy and educational phenomena,
in a broad sense; and in a narrow sense, it refers to the skill of a person to perform all the tasks
typical of the specific teaching profession, at a certain level of performance.  3
Teachers' competencies are complex combinations of knowledge, skills, understandings,
values and attitudes that lead to effective actions in various situations. As the teaching process is
much more than certain activities and involves values or assumptions about education, learning
and society, the concept of teachers' competences can be interpreted differently in different
national contexts.  4
As a general premise, it is useful to distinguish between pedagogical / didactic
competences and pedagogical competencies  4
The pedagogical / didactic competences are those related to the role of the pedagogue in
the classroom activities, they have a direct connection with the job of organizing and carrying out
the activities - with the professional knowledge and skills mobilized for the action.
Teachers' competencies imply a broader systemic vision of the professionalism of the pedagogue
and reflect the multiple roles of the pedagogue on several levels: individual, educational
institution, local community, professional networks. The descriptions of the two sets of
competences overlap and interfere, as is often the case in theory and practice, as they relate to the
professional lives and experiences of teachers.  5
Napoleon Hill stated that persuasion is the magic ingredient that can help us advance in
our career or business and get to have happy and lasting professional and personal relationships. 
6
In the educational process, persuasive ability is of great importance in ensuring the
professional success of the teacher. The pedagogue communicates daily with the students not
only to achieve the objectives he set for them, but also to teach them to be able to establish
effective relationships, to be understood, to feel good with those around them, which puts him in
value to the student, gives him the feeling that he is a person that the teacher respects and who
deserves all the attention.  5
I.O. Pânișoara considers that persuasion is a tool that must be in the "arsenal" of every
teacher. What matters is how each of them understands how to use it. Thus, the author argues that
the pedagogue must learn to use it for the purpose of educating children.  7
Other authors note that in all the activities carried out by the pedagogue, certain norms and
conveniences will be taken into account.  8 The procedures used to exert an influence on
students refer to clothing, presentation, prestige, relational attitude, use of meaningful words,
stereotypical language formulas, spatial positioning, etc.All together referring to the quality of the
teacher to persuade.
The main criterion for the humanization of education must be the level of moral and civic
responsibility of the graduates of educational institutions for the family, his nation, for all
mankind  10

20
 From the above we can conclude that the professional values of the teacher can be
grouped into two major interdependent categories, namely:
-moral-cognitive and affective consciousness
-moral conduct- habits, traits of will and character.
The teacher leads and decides, organizes, influences, advises and controls, appreciates and
guides, is a model of civic and moral conduct, is professional ... or at least it should be! He
exercises his attributes and qualities on the group and on each of its members in order to achieve
school success and to form desirable behaviors, directs interpersonal relationships in the group in
order to ensure a psychosocial climate conducive to student personality development and
improve interpersonal relationships.
Giving children science seems a relatively easy thing to do, but training people in the
fullness of the word is especially difficult.
To the moral conscience we can associate the aptitudes, the inclination, the natural or obtained
predisposition to do some things, grace, inclination, vocation. And we can attach to moral
conduct, the abilities, the ability to do everything with ease, skill, dexterity, skill and skill.
Education policy has a solid and stable value base, which has been formed over several millennia.
These values reflect world morality that guides us to reconciliation, tolerance, democracy,
openness and collaboration. And if we were to refer to a famous proverb "Water passes, stones
remain" in which water would be knowledge and stones - good manners, we could say with
certainty that knowledge can be forgotten but good manners are kept for life, both ( both water-
knowledge and stones-good manners) having a colossal importance in the formation of the
student as a worthy citizen.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Peretti A. Educația în schimbare. Iași: Spiru Haret, 1996, 182 p.
2. Gliga L. Coord. Standarde profesionale pentru profesia didactică. București, 2002
3. Pavel M. Formarea inițială a viitorilor învățători prin utilizarea tehnologiilor informaționale și
comunicațiilor Chișinău 2015 Teză de doctor.
4. Dumbrăveanu R. Pâslaru V. Cabac V. Competențe ale pedagogilor: Interpretări. Chișinău, Ed. Continental
group, 2014 192 p
5. Dascăl A., Duminică S., competențele profesionale ale cadrelor didactice în realizarea proiectării
activităților din instituțiile de educație timpurie. În culegerile conferinței Științifico-practică națională cu participare
internațională. Vol I Reconceptualizarea formării inițiale și continue a cadrelor didactice din perspectiva
interconexiunii învățământului modern general și universitar Chișinău 2017 p.67
6. Peru-Balan A. Strategii persuasive în comportamentul comunicațional al principalilor concurenți electorali
în alegerile locale. Chișinău. În Studia universitatis moldaviae. Nr.8 (48), 2011, p.177-193
7. Pânișoară I.O. Comunicarea eficientă. Iași: Editura Polirom, 2004
8. Parfeni V. Persuasiunea –element important. vicaparfeni.blogspot.com
9. Cucoș C., Pedagogie și axiologie.Editura didactică și pedagogică. București 1995
10. Scutelniciuc I., Scutelniciuc V. Corelația dintre ideie, credință, neam, tradiții și timp în educația liberă. În revista
”Conceptul creștin de educație, idealul Românilor de pretutindeni. Vol I. Chișinău 2000 p. 12-16
11. Axenti I. Conceptul educației moral-religioase și gândirea pedagogică a lui Onisifor Ghibu. În revista ”Conceptul
creștin de educație, idealul Românilor de pretutindeni. Vol I. Chișinău 2000 p.61-65
12. Mândâcanu V. Educație. Credință. Umanism. Chișinău, 2007
Mândâcanu V., Moștenirea noastră bogăția spirituală., Chișinău 2001
13. https://didacticka.files.wordpres.com/2008/05/profesiadidactica.pdf

21
 THE VALUE OF EDUCATION AND THE CRISIS OF VALUES
Ciobanu Ana - Romania

"The purpose of education should be to prepare people to act and think

independently and who, at the same time, see in the service of the community the
supreme achievement of their lives."
Albert Einstein
Increasing the quality of education is one of the current problems of the education system
in the Republic of Moldova. The general strategy of modernizing education lies in offering the
possibilities to each student to capitalize on his potential. This desideratum demands the
modernization of the content of education, the optimization of the means and strategies of
organizing the educational process, the reconceptualization of the aims and finalities of
education.
The formative role of the educational process was synthesized by the Czech philosopher
and pedagogue Johann Amos Comenius, in his work "Didactica magna", in which he states that,
although people are endowed at birth with "the seeds of science, morality and religiosity", they
become a good of each only through education. In Comenius' view, no one "can become human
unless he is educated," which means that the activity of training and stimulating individual
resources leads, implicitly, to human perfection. The role of influence that education has is that of
pursuing the continuous development of specific human qualities and the exploration of new
horizons of knowledge for the individual. Through this role, the active attitude of man towards
his own fulfillment is exploited, but also the sense of responsibility for future generations,
expressed by the intention and permanent concern to transmit to his descendants the ideal of
education, that of "being" and "becoming". In a narrow sense, this educational ideal represents
“the type of personality that a certain society, at a certain historical stage, projects, and aspires to
or imposes, as the most general reference model for the values shared by the respective company,
within the time horizon that is accessible to it ”. In a broad sense, the educational ideal is “the
expression of the ideal or cultural model of personality, which synthesizes the supreme values of
a society, a culture and a civilization circumscribed to a certain geographical, socio-cultural,
economic, political space and a certain period. of time which, through the essential characteristics
and meanings of its internal evolution, stands out as a historical epoch ”[11].
A real challenge in ensuring a quality educational approach and adapted to the
contemporary needs of society is the issue of values, from universal to individual, which are
transmitted in order to guide the individual in relation to others and trigger his reactions to
factors. environmental. As a measure of autonomous and responsible behavior, value has several
important characteristics, among which can be mentioned: early development in the child's life,
direct experiences with people and especially family members, resistance to change, training in
different sociocultural environments, through observed and experienced behaviors and attitudes.
Values are, in fact, those behaviors, thought processes, character traits, which society considers
correct, good, with desirable results, which deserve to be taken over by others, depending on the
morals of each and free will. The value dimension is intrinsic to education, because - through
training - values are assimilated and transmitted to future generations, and the purpose is to form
the person's ability to create and promote positive values himself [3].
Researcher Cibotaru L. tells us that given the permanent changes that take place in
society, the relationships that students face daily in school life and outside it, teachers will tend to
develop and implement projects that capitalize on curricular content based on the imminent needs

22
of students leaving aside the system of values necessary for a complex education. The
disintegration of values is the most obvious and painful problem of our society and the teacher's
mission is to generate new values in the lesson, but also to activate those left in the shadows.
Thus, all the educated values will allow the adolescent to become a worthy citizen eager to get
involved in social life, able to identify the problems and imminent needs of the community to
solve or improve them.
In the value universe of the school there are certain tensions between the table of values
of educators focused on the values of egalitarianism and collectivism, outdated educational
technologies, "closed society" and the orientation of pupils, students to the values of freedom "of
an open society" focused on us moral criteria. [2]
In most educational institutions there is such a problem, namely the resistance to change
of some teachers, which is based on outdated teaching technologies and completely captivating
for young people in the XXI century.
Nicolae Baum claims that: “Only in a new type of educational system can be achieved the
primary objective regarding the reproduction of generations, the education of the Personality, the
Citizen in the spirit of humanistic values, order, measure, love, rationality, truth, courage, general
benefit , social solidarity, religiosity, dignity, freedom, responsibility, etc. A strategy of hope is
needed that would allow us to restore man's confidence in the country's past and future through
education, forming him in the spirit of work, inventiveness and patriotism. " [2].
Individual-human qualities are manifested by expressing general-human and national
values, such as: kindness, truth, goodness, diligence, honesty, humanism, social responsibility,
ethnic, cultural and religious tolerance, appreciated as patriotic values of humanity.
The formation of the future citizen in the spirit of solidarity, respect for the past and future
of society, which can put confidence in the destiny of humanity and in indispensable human
values, will create the premise of a society that tends to perfection.
The values that need to be assimilated by emerging personalities include in themselves
knowledge, beliefs, moral-ethical norms, attitudes, all of which materialize in such values as: art,
interpersonal relationships, education, etc. In the process of developing human civilization, both
spiritual and material values have been and are subject to transformations, sometimes beneficial,
which contribute to the improvement of human conditions, sometimes vice versa.
In the category of moral values can be included many human qualities among the most
significant are: honesty, tolerance, kindness, humanity, fairness, justice, truth, equality, duty,
respect, altruism, patriotism, responsibility, almost all the values we are talking about have a
general human nature and a national character. [9] Which once promoted "will give birth" to a
generation of valuable personalities.
The human being humanizes and acquires its specific face not only through the processes
of growth and maturation but also through culturalization and socialization. Becoming human is
accompanied by the assimilation and creation of a culture of reception and appropriation of
values.
The primary role of the educational activity consists in the formation of the human
personality, so it is an activity of cultivating the human character. Everyone becomes a
personality within a delimited geographical space: parental home, yard, locality, country, planet,
and the activity of cultivating the personality is done gradually.
C. Cucoș attributes an important role to the values in the constitution of the individual's
identity, stating that they fortify the interiority, directing the individual towards the conquest of a
true world based on moral autonomy. [3]

23
On the other hand, as a result of democratic changes in society, we are witnessing not only a
change of values, but a reversal of the scale of personal, social, moral values. Society is dynamic,
and it is constantly changing, and cultural patterns are changing. Those of a certain generation,
formed according to a set of values, who have their own beliefs about life, are less receptive to
change.
Mindsets do not change so easily. With the passage of time, people no longer adjust their
thinking. Adolescents, on the other hand, feel a greater need for change. They need her. It is part
of the process of building their personality. Instead, adults have an already formed personality,
and are more reserved.
The gap between today's teenagers and their parents is rightly generated by the fact that
the former did not know the lack of freedom of expression, culture and even goods, which today's
young people consider as mandatory for their development. Those of the younger generation find
it difficult to understand that in the time of their parents, it was very difficult to aspire to a
brilliant career, it was rather a beautiful dream that could only be fulfilled with great
compromises. Those who have felt the imposed regime on their skin, claim that today's young
people do not properly understand the freedom they enjoy and do not know how to elucidate
what is good and what is bad.
Every generation wants to be treated with respect, every generation wants to be
appreciated, and in order to gain respect and appreciation, each of them wants to impose their
own point of view. Such situations are encountered both in school and in society.
The value priorities we follow throughout life define us as personalities, so educating
children and adolescents through the prism of values forms the awareness that any value exists in
and through man, thus forming the axiological self of emerging personalities.
The purpose of forming a human personality is mainly achieved by assimilating the
general human values in the education process. This process of assimilation of values takes place
through the axiological ontogenesis of the personality and is carried out gradually and upwards.
From birth every being finds in the social environment the totality of spiritual values, which are
expected to be assimilated, and once mastered they guide us in daily life as a conditioned reflex,
enriching ourselves with new ones, or developing them on the existing ones.
These values are, in fact, the quantitative and qualitative measure of the moral, spiritual,
emotional transformation and human consciousness that have emerged in the educational plan
through the use of processes, methods, means or by combining them into a single system. Thus
the education through values of the future citizens makes the school in general and the esteemed
parents in particular.
The acquisition of values during maturation takes place differently from one person to
another, because the environment of origin of each individual differs and has a considerable
influence on the formation of the developing personality.
From the above we can conclude that education can be achieved effectively when the
family, school and community work together. The former know the peculiarities of age,
personality, can apply appropriate educational technologies, and the latter can strengthen them
through their own example and dedication.
The fundamental values of education are: The truth; The good; The Sacred and the
Beautiful. They can give real meaning to human existence because the ideal of education is for
man to live better, because man is a supreme value. These values cannot be imposed, but only
educated in the feeling of freedom, respect and goodwill, and the purpose of the teacher is to
cultivate students through their own example and not only, these values and behavioral attitudes.

24
In the current conditions of transition, education is becoming an increasingly difficult process,
because it is called to prepare at the same time the future citizen, for living and producing
changes, to establish the moral constant by relating it to axiological landmarks.
The content of moral education is determined by two systems of values, that of ethical
values and that of religious values, between which there is no strict demarcation. Moreover these
systems are cooperative, complementary. Ethical values are predominantly philosophical in
nature and without them science remains a barren, cold, inoperative tool. [4]
It is known that the religious dimension is part of the history of human culture and
civilization and also of the heritage of humanity. Adopting an attitude of rejection or removal
from the pedagogical perimeter is equivalent to "human illiteracy" whose consequences are
reflected in contemporary society. [1]
Faith leaves deep imprints in the human soul, at all times and in all peoples, always
promoting morality. [10]
The lack of a truly valuable education, has brought in our current society an acute lack of
morality and this can lead to major disruptions in the process of formation-development of the
human personality. The researcher Hadîrcă M. in the work “Education and the crisis of values”
tells us that: “The reform in education, carried out in the conditions of a transition from a
totalitarian to a democratic society, determined an ample process of disintegration indoctrinated,
leaving a big gap for the new values, which, however, were delayed to appear. Just as the social,
economic, cultural structures specific to a society that has just started on the path to democracy
are being consolidated, the values corresponding to these structures, including those specific to
education, have not fully taken shape in the pedagogical consciousness. As a result, at the level of
the educational process there is a vacuum today, resulting from the erosion of old values and lack
of speed in replacing them with a new value system, which has major consequences in terms of
education, especially on the moral-axiological dimension of education. its. [8]
It should be noted that even at the current stage, after several efforts, the transition of the
value axes from the civic education curriculum to the curriculum of the reconceptualized
disciplines of education for society and personal development has not changed significantly, and
the focus has remained almost exclusively on the curriculum implemented on the development of
the intellectual dimension and on the achievement, at process level, of the curricular objectives
that aim more at the cognitive field and less at the axiological-attitudinal field, the permanent
preoccupation, through school evaluation and by drawing up various registers and evaluations
after each module, only by highlighting the intellectual performances of the educated, not of the
ethical, moral, civic, aesthetic, etc.,
In the gymnasium disciplinary curriculum for civic education, the dimensions on which
the discipline is concretized are pursued, these being the defining one's for the formation of a
young person, with a strong and complex personality: education for identity, education for
national and general-human values, education for democracy and citizenship, education for
personal and career growth and for the promotion of physical and mental health, and aims to form
the feeling of love and devotion to the state of the Republic of Moldova regardless of ethnicity,
culture and religious beliefs, as well as the formation of personal and civic identity. [6]
The major goal of the discipline of civic education is the formation of the qualities of the
active and responsible citizen, promoter of national, general-human and democratic values, able
to assume responsibility for his own destiny and the destiny of the community.
The curriculum in the discipline Education for society has as its basic goal the
development of competencies for a culture / democratic society, which values human dignity,
human rights, cultural diversity, democracy, justice, integrity, equality and the rule of law.
25
 The objectives of the subject Education for Society derived from the disciplinary
curriculum for grades V-IX are to encourage and support students to become citizens: aware of
their rights and responsibilities as citizens; informed about the social and political world;
concerned for the good of others; clear, when expressing their opinions and arguments; able to
have an influence in the world; active in the communities in which they live; responsible in the
actions they exercise as citizens.
The teaching-learning process of the Education for Society discipline is based on and promotes
the following values and attitudes:
● participation / involvement in / in community life;
● manifesting a constructive interest in community issues;
● respect for moral norms, rules and laws;
● solving problems in a non-aggressive way;
● respect for human / child rights;
● tolerance towards people / groups who express opinions, beliefs and values
different from those of the majority;
● efficient social behavior;
● responsible decision-making capacity;
● positive attitude towards oneself and towards others. [5]
The curriculum for Personal Development is the normative-regulatory document, which
establishes the operational framework for implementing the provisions of educational policies,
based on the evolution of the Republic of Moldova, focused on training priorities of citizens,
aimed at achieving a high level of quality in education.
It is designed to help students develop the skills they need to know each other, to accept each
other, to lead a healthy independent life, to become informed, active, honest citizens, to relate to
others in a safe atmosphere, to be responsible in making career and personal development
decisions throughout life. [7]
The attempt of some curriculum authors to revive the educational side of the process was
not successful, by overturning the taxonomy of pedagogical objectives and bringing to the
forefront of education the current competencies and "sub competencies" "units of competence",
generating attitudes, beliefs and values. Thus, pre-university education in the Republic of
Moldova has achieved some progress in terms of human personality development through
cognitive values, but not in terms of spiritual values, we consider morality, citizenship,
patriotism, etc., this being in fact the problem of the quality of current education. Teachers admit
that they are more concerned with the instructional side, and the educational side has one of the
weaknesses of the education system.
Our society is in a crisis of values and as long as it does not have a political doctrine
unanimously accepted by all state policy reformers in the field of education, to outline a model of
human personality that we want to form for tomorrow through education, basis main directions
of design and implementation of training-development activities of this type of personality,
values of education on which the instructive-educational process is based and value coordinates
to lead education / teachers in its activity, but also selected educational content namely depending
on these value coordinates, the real training needs of the learner, as well as the options of modern
society, [8] the educational process will not change significantly, the society of tomorrow
collapsing into an even more acute crisis of values.
The reform of the value system must start from the "model of human personality that we
want to form for tomorrow" made by a group of experts, politicians, doctors of science and
representatives of civil society. The model should be promoted by all possible means, both
26
through the media, higher education, high school, middle school, kindergarten and last but not
least the family, for the formation in young people of moral, civic, patriotic qualities necessary
today for active inclusion in a democratic society.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Axenti I. Conceptul educației moral-religioase și gândirea pedagogică a lui Onisifor Ghibu. În revista
”Conceptul creștin de educație, idealul Românilor de pretutindeni. Vol I. Chișinău 2000 p.61-65
2. Bahum N. Educația morală în contextul filosofic și religios. În Revista ”Conceptul creștin de educație idealul
Românilor de pretutindeni. Vol I. Chișinău 2000 p. 12-16
3. Cucoș C. Pedagogie., Editura polirom Iași 2006 ISBN 973-681-063-1 463 p.
4. Cucoș C., Pedagogie și axiologie.Editura didactică și pedagogică. București 1995
5. Curriculum național Educația pentru societate. Chișinău 2018
6. Curriculum național Educația civică pentru învățământul gimnazial. Chișinău 2010
7. Curriculum disciplinar Dezvoltare personală. Chișinău 2018
8. Hadîrcă M. Educația și criza de valori. În Didactica Pro Nr.3(61) Chișinău 2010
9. Luchian Teodosia., Factori de personalitate care influențează receptarea și asimilarea valorilor. Cahul 285 p.
în Conferința științifică de totalizare a activităților de cercetare. Vol I 12-13 mai 2011
10. Mândâcanu V. Educație. Credință. Umanism. Chișinău, 2007
11. Nicola Ioan, „Pedagogie”, Ediţia a II-a, Editura Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti, 1994.

27
 EXTENDING THE USE OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE
CLASSROOM,IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Cornea Luminița Elena - Romania

John Dewey (1859-1952), an American philosopher, psychologist, and pedagogue,

stated, "Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself." Nothing could be further
from the truth! Education makes its mark on human evolution throughout life. At the individual
level, education contributes to the enhancement of personal and professional skills, contributing
to the "grinding" of young generations to integrate into the dynamic contemporary society, which
is in a constant search for solutions for development.
Starting from here, it is the permanent duty of all “actors” involved in this education
process (public authorities, managers of specialized institutions, teachers, professors, students,
parents and families), to contribute to its permanent improvement through the decisions adopted,
through methods and techniques for implementing the instructive-educational process, through
active participation in the act of teaching and learning. The formative role of the next generation
that education has today, requires more than ever to take into account this teacher-student
relationship, on the background of which the complex tasks of defining the personality of the
student who learns and is formed as guided by the teacher. The role of the teacher is paramount in
managing a tripartite relationship, in which both students and their parents or families are
involved. Relationship skills represent, in the training of students, the necessary bridge for
transposing the performances acquired in school, to the specific conditions of reality. Even if they
are integrated in primary education, they come from families living in different environments and
socio-financial contexts in some cases with deficiencies in the elementary educational culture
regarding communication and social behavior (interpersonal relationships).
Extracurricular activities thus refer to all educational activities organized and planned
in educational institutions or other organizations for educational purposes, but less rigorous than
formal ones and conducted outside the incidence of school programs, led by qualified persons, in
order to complete the formation of the student's personality. provided by formal education or the
development of other particular aspects of his personality.
In all these activities we aim to prioritize the children's interest, to be able to satisfies
their needs and motivations, to develop their knowledge, playful, interpretive, artistic spirit, to
cultivate their love of Romanian history and culture and, last but not least, of nature conservation
and protection.
Cultivating the spirit of communication, of spontaneous expression, gives us the
opportunity to get to know children better. On this occasion, they were more cooperative, more
open to dialogue, as if dispersing that boundary between "lady" and "children". They have more
confidence in themselves and in the educators, becoming closer, more friendly. Extracurricular
activities contribute to the development of the child's personality, he feeling valuable, important,
with creative and interpretive potential, with a team spirit and love of work. Of course, in some
situations, extracurricular activities can be a "waste of time" or a distraction of the learner to the
detriment of formal educational activities.
But, beyond anything, we must consider not only the activity itself, but the particular
nature of the individual experience of the learner, in the activity that becomes the most interesting
for him.1
The role of the school and the teacher (in collaboration with other educational factors,
such as the family, certain groups to which students adhere) is to provide the most valuable and

28
effective extracurricular activities for mental development the student, but also for his ability to
inter-relate with those around him.
Extracurricular activities offer opportunities for the development of skills, in relation to
certain objectives that inspire and challenge the learner, both for his educational success and for
that of everyday life. These have an important value both for the social development of the
learner and for the personal team, skills of learning how to learn. The teacher has special
possibilities to know his students, to direct them, to influence their development, to achieve more
easily and more beautifully the main objective, the preparation of the child for life.
In conclusion, the teacher can do a lot to educate the creative spirit in extracurricular
activities. There is a need to change the way we think a lot, to avoid criticism in such activities, to
encourage students and to get positive feedback.

Bibliography:
1. R.S.Rubin, W.H.Bommer, T.T.Baldwin, Using extracurricular activity as an indicator of interpersonal skill:
Prudent evaluation or recruiting malpractice? Human Resource Management, 41 (4), 2002, 452

29
 THE IMPORTANCE OF MODELS IN PHYSICS

Craiciu Mariana Tanți - Romania

As a way of reflecting, knowing and studying the complex physical reality around us,
modeling simplifies and schematizes the studied processes. In the absence of such a procedure,
without a unifying theory, physics would be powerless; it could not use the mathematical
apparatus properly and could not give the experiment a well-defined purpose.
To talk about a real progress in knowledge, it is necessary to investigate and discover
"hidden" relationships. In this case, a creative search is needed that highlights the flexibility,
spontaneity, adaptability, originality, fluidity in terms of association, the ability to develop or
temporarily adopt a solution, abstraction, inventiveness and, last but not least, the ability to
imagine. There is the possibility of the theoretical-scientific explanation of nature and, in
particular, of physical phenomena by mental means and by an increasingly complicated logical-
mathematical apparatus, completed by experimental verifications that are sometimes quite
difficult to achieve. Also, nature in its complexity, in the multiple forms of organization and
manifestation, in the endless interconnections and interdependencies, it is difficult "to be brought
to the classroom". For the development of theoretical thinking and especially abstract thinking in
students, it is important to introduce them in the teaching-learning process of physics some of the
theoretical research methods used in physics like mathematical abstraction, idealization, analogy
etc.
In physics, a model is made by simplifying reality, in order to effectively study the body
or the phenomenon. Thus, some properties, particularities, characteristics and aspects of the body
or phenomenon under study are neglected, consciously and deliberately abandoned, considered
secondary, non-essential and unimportant in the given problem, keeping only the essential ones
that are of interest, considered main, priority and important in that study. Any physical theory
begins with the construction of a model, at simple as possible at the beginning, after which it is
continuously improved, until the value of a quantity calculated using the theoretical model
approaches the value of the same quantity, determined experimentally, when the model is said to
be satisfactory.
In the process of elaborating the models, several specific stages and characteristics were
highlighted [1], [2]. Thus, the main type of abstraction used is idealization, ie the mental
replacement of the real object with the ideal one, the model. The similarity between the model
and the real object allows to obtain in most cases useful knowledge, quite true after studying the
model. Empirical facts are used as a basis for modeling, but we must not lose sight of the fact that
a model is always postulated, but never established experimentally. The results of mathematical
modeling of physical realities are confirmed by experiments and can be verified with precision
tools. Experimental confirmation is necessary because the whole abstract construction that
represents the model does not reflect the whole multitude of properties of the studied body. We
can also expect that, following the experiments, even after calculating the errors and making the
necessary corrections due to the simplification of reality, we will not obtain a total concordance
between the experimental and the theoretical results.

30
 At the same time, the creation of models and the mathematical analysis of their
consequences sometimes led to the prediction of new elements or effects, unknown at that time
and discovered later. The fundamental element for using a model is the mathematical equation of
the model. A very important feature of models in physics is that they are not static, definitive, on
the contrary, with the progress of science undergo more or less changes, improvements, so we
can talk about a dynamic evolution of them, either because they can not explain some features of
newly discovered phenomena, either to more accurately express objective reality. Physics appears
to be an opening of scientific thinking characterized by multiple connections and self-correction.
The theory of physics itself can be spoken of as a model or even a set of models between which
there is interdependency, coherence, logic and unitary behavior.
It can rightly be said that "The art of the physicist is to know what to keep and what to
neglect in the proposed problem" [3]. Only in this way he can obtain the laws and quantitative
mathematical relations specific to the scientific study of that phenomenon.
One of the simplest and most used mathematical models in physics is that of the material
point. This model neglects the shape and dimensions (volume) of the body it represents, any
thermal, electromagnetic or optical properties of the body, rotational motion, body deformation
and retains in reality only the body mass, supposedly concentrated in its center of gravity, and its
position in a reference system to which it can move. Therefore, the material point is an
idealization, a mathematical abstraction that is defined as the geometric point in which the whole
mass of the body it represents is considered to be concentrated. As in kinematics the body mass is
not of interest, it becomes a mobile (geometric point in mechanical motion). In physics, the
isolated material point is also quite common (the material point conventionally removed from
interactions), which facilitates the study of dynamics. Usually, a body is considered a system of
material points.
In practice, a material point is confused with a body whose dimensions can be neglected
in relation to the dimensions of the surrounding bodies or the distance to them. Thus, a stone or a
projectile can be confused with material points because their dimensions are very small compared
to the Earth. Likewise, the planets that move around the Sun can be considered material points,
their dimensions being negligible compared to the immensity of the Universe.
The same body may be considered a material point in one situation, and in another
situation, the same body may not be considered a material point. For example, a rock on top of a
mountain can be considered a material point for a tourist at the foot of the mountain, but it is no
longer a material point if the tourist has reached the top and is in its vicinity. Likewise, a stone
that moves in the atmosphere, under the action of the gravitational field, can be considered a
material point, but when it rolls on a surface, it is no longer a material point. A ship at sea or
ocean is a material point if we look at it from a distance and the same ship can no longer be
considered a material point if it is in the harbor. Similarly, a plane in the sky is a material point,
and the same plane at the airport is no longer a material point.
In the translational movement of a body, all points of the body move identically, the
movement of a single point of the body characterizing the movement of the whole body, so we
can apply the material point model [3].

31
In mechanics, the rigid solid model is also used. In practice, all bodies are more or less
deformable. If the deformations of the body can be neglected in the considered problem, the
model of the rigid (non-deformable) solid is obtained. The rigid solid is a system of material
points whose mutual distances remain unchanged. This model can be made with a good
approximation of a steel ball, a wheel, a bar, a cylinder, a trolley, etc. The rigid solid model is
valid only for classical mechanics, valid for low body speeds. In relativistic mechanics, at very
high speeds, comparable to the speed of light (c = 300000 km / s), the deformations of bodies can
no longer be neglected.
The ideal fluid model applies to incompressible and completely viscosity-free fluids. Such
a model is useful because it facilitates the study of certain phenomena and is a satisfactory
approximation for a large number of liquids and even gases, as long as their speeds are lower
than the speed of sound.
For gases there is the ideal (perfect) gas model which consists of a set of point molecules,
in constant motion, totally disordered, between which there are no interaction forces, the
collisions between molecules and the walls of the vessel being considered central and elastic. In
order to establish the ideal gas model, the empirical laws of gases are taken into account. An
argument in favor of neglecting the proper volume of gas molecules may be the high
compressibility of the gases which allows it to be assumed that the gas molecules are at great
distances from each other.
Atomic models have evolved very dynamically. Dalton's atomic model assumes that
atoms have a spherical shape, are homogeneous and identical to each other, but differ from one
substance to another, can collide perfectly elastically, and are not electrically charged. This
model qualitatively explains the structure and some properties of substances, some simple
phenomena, but it is not enough to deduce quantitative relationships. The Thomson model or the
"raisin cake" model represents the atom through a sphere inside which the positive charges are
homogeneously distributed and the electrons are embedded inside the positive sphere. This
atomic model has a static and artificial character, as it attributes different natures to positive and
negative charges. He gave an explanation for the origin of spectral lines, but the experimental
values of the frequencies of these lines did not coincide with those calculated, hence the need to
replace it with a better one [4]. The following atomic model was proposed by Rutherford,
following the experiments that bear his name. This model assumes that the positive electric
charge of the atom is not continuously dispersed, as in Thomson's model, but is concentrated in
the center of the atom, and electrons orbit around the nucleus like planets around the Sun, hence
the name planetary model of the atom. Even though it has improved Thomson's model, this
model also has shortcomings, unable to explain the stability of the atom, how the atom emits or
absorbs energy, nor the spectral lines. All these models are based on classical physics. Niels Bohr
appeals to quantum physics, introduces two postulates and develops a new model that succeeds in
overcoming the shortcomings of Rutherford's model. Quantum mechanics includes in a unitary
theory the correct results of previous theories, which it develops. Bohr's quantified model is
deficient in that it can only be applied to the hydrogen atom and hydrogen atoms.
Not only atomic models were created, but also nuclear models. The simplest nuclear
model is the liquid drop model, according to which, under the action of nuclear forces, nucleons
are arranged in the form of a drop. This model explains the almost spherical shape of some
nuclei, the spontaneous and stimulated fission, the high value of the density of nuclear matter, the

32
dependence on the mass number of the radius of a nucleus, but it cannot explain the very high
stability of nuclei formed by groups of two neutrons and two protons. . The model that removed
this deficiency is the nuclear blanket model. One model that attempts to unify the two previous
models is the collective or generalized model of the nucleus that satisfactorily explains most
nuclear phenomena: nuclear fission, excited states, nuclear spin, magnetic moments, nucleus
shape, energy levels of even proton-numbered nuclei, and of even neutrons-numbered nuclei.
As mathematics and science evolve and develop, models are perfected quantitatively or
even qualitatively transformed so that they more accurately reflect objective reality. If a model
that at some point explains the physical reality at the level of that time, is improved or replaced,
this does not mean that physics is an inaccurate science, on the contrary, this highlights its open
character.

Bibliography

[1] Anghel Sorin, Malinovschi Viorel, Iorga Simăn Ion, Stănescu Costel, Physica Teaching Methodology, Arg-
Tempus Publishing House, Piteşti, 1995, page 162
[2] Liliana Ciascai, Didactics of physics, Corint Publishing House, Bucharest, 2001, page 19
[3] Anatolie Hristev, Mechanics and acoustics, Didactic and Pedagogical Publishng House, Bucharest, 1981, pages
11, 17-18
[4] Corneliu Rusescu, Cosma Tudose, Models and modeling in physics, Scientific and Encyclopedic Publishing
House, Bucharest, 1987, page 162

33
 THE EUROPEAN TEACHER

Prof.Elena-Carmen Dogaru - Romania

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and
knowledge." (Albert Einstein) [1]
The issue of the European teacher is an extremely interesting one, which we can approach
from multiple perspectives.
First, in the strict sense of the word, a European teacher is an abstract idea, an ideal, as it
is outlined on the European Union's website, the page dedicated to education:
https://ec.europa.eu/education. The learning space provides actors in the educational
environment with useful materials, structured by age groups, which can serve both as a source of
inspiration for classes and as a source of information about the history of Europe, about
citizenship, or even about a specific field such as how to reduce the energy consumption.
The European teacher takes into account when carrying out a teaching activity, the values of the
European Union, which means accepting multiculturalism, linguistic diversity and different
mentalities that come from different parts of the European Union. It will also convey values such
as respect for others and the environment. Concern for the environment is reflected not only in
lessons on nature, for example, geography or biology, but also in foreign language textbooks. I
speak from the point of view of the French language teacher. In French-language methods
published in France and not only, the issue of environmental protection is frequently addressed
because when teaching, it is not only necessary to transmit knowledge. In my opinion, values,
ideas, beliefs and long-term not only skills, such as language but also correct behaviors, such as
environmental protection, selective collection and sorting, must also be created.
A European teacher is aware of the rules of the European Union, if we speak from the
point of view of foreign language teachers. We must keep in mind that the European Union has
been involved in developing a common assessment guide for teachers across the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) [2], an international standard for
describing language ability gip that provides unitary assessment tools through levels A1, A2, B1,
B2, C1, C2. When a foreign speaker takes an exam a language test, he will obtain a result that can
be recognized in any country in the Union European and can be framed for an equivalent level so
that there are no more differences in assessment.
The European Union encourages the promotion of multilingualism in schools. All over
Europe, migrant children bring a multitude of languages and language skills to the class. They
are a potential asset for citizens, schools and society in general. According to the EU website,
there is the issue of better exploiting the potential of EU linguistic diversity. There is also the
Council of Europe's Center for Modern Languages, through which the Commission supports the
development and dissemination of new methods of language teaching in multilingual classrooms.
Therefore, it is recommended that schools adapt their teaching methods to encourage the positive
and constructive participation of children who speak another language and come from different
cultural backgrounds, giving everyone the opportunity to develop in optimal conditions. On the
same site, it is also mentioned that two reports have been prepared for this purpose: Rethinking
language education and language diversity[3] in schools and Migrants in European schools:
Learning and maintaining language skills.
On the other hand, if we think of the European teacher from a different mental point of
view, of the way of thinking he has, we must take into account the fact that nowadays teaching is
no longer done in the traditional way, in which students receive some knowledge that the teacher

34
actually dictates. It is an openness to change, to new teaching techniques[4] to the consideration of
actively participatory methods to the involvement of modern teaching techniques in the teaching
act. So the European teacher will be one who will be able to cope with a brilliant example of
experience, with a teacher from another country implementing unitary methods at the European
level. For example, we can think of training courses for language teachers, which create for them
a common framework, to which they refer when they teach foreign language classes using
common methods, methods already tested and unanimously accepted so that there should be no
major differences as a chance for quality education.
From my point of view, a European teacher is also one who has dealt with teachers from
other European countries and who has participated in exchanges of experience with schools in
other countries. Nowadays, it is extremely easy to find partner schools because there are
exchange programs at the European level, either through Erasmus + programs or through e-
twinning partnerships, for which there are internet pages or Facebook pages, where teachers from
schools in Romania can find partner schools and can carry out intercultural exchange projects
either on linguistic topics or on technical topics depending on the particularity of the school
where these teachers teach. Indeed, the European Union supports education and training. From
the same site we learn that EU education and training policy is designed to support action at
Member State level and to help address common challenges such as an aging population, skills
shortages, technological developments and global competition.
In Romania, there is, in my opinion, openness and countless efforts on the part of most
teachers to live up to the expectations that today's society imposes. Unfortunately, the concern
about improving working conditions and funding is unfortunately not the same as in other EU
countries or even in more remote regions. During a training course, for example, some teachers
from Angola(sic!) spoke, unexpectedly, about the increased attention that the authorities pay to
education. The result would certainly be a different one, in a positive sense, if there were a
regulation at the European level as well. Let's hope this happens in the future.

Bibliography

McIver, D., Fitzsimmons, S., Flanagan, D. (2016). A Knowledge-in-practice approach to

choosing instructional methods. Journal of Management Education Vol 40 Issue 1.
Nilson, L. (2016). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors. Jossey-
Bass.
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/albert_einstein_122147
https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-
descriptions
https://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/innovation-in-education/about-innovation-in-education_en
https://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/about-education-policies_ro
https://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/multilingualism/multilingual-classrooms_en
https://www.isme.in/new-teaching-techniques/
https://rm.coe.int/linguistic-diversity-and-new-minorities-in-europe/16802fc1c0

Bibliographic references

[1] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/albert_einstein_122147

35
[2] https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-
descriptions
[3] https://rm.coe.int/linguistic-diversity-and-new-minorities-in-europe/16802fc1c0
[4] https://www.isme.in/new-teaching-techniques/

36
 SOCIAL INTEGRATION THROUGH SPORT

Teacher Ana Gavrilescu – Romania

Education is a system of training and human development. In a world of change, it is very

important that sport is seen as a useful and vital activity for everyone. Firstly, because this activity
is enjoyed by children, secondly, because it is a way to learn with pleasure and thirdly , because
both the brain and our body need movement, relaxation , well-being.
Social integration through sport , represents an interactive process of knowledge assimilation and
practice of valor OF THE sport and fair play , teamwork, competition, race, tolerance, team spirit,
dedication.
The systematic practice of sports in an organized environment, is meant to achieve social
integration. Any sport , is an important component in the education of perseverance and cultivation of
courage.
Children, who from an early age will play a sport, will grow up confident in themselves and their
own strength . One problem with sport is that some people still see sport as an obstacle to success
in their studies.
Some parents forbid their children to practice sports, because they believe that sport is not
important, or at least not as important as other subjects. However, experience has shown us
that sport is useful to society as a whole and plays a vital role in maintaining good physical and
mental health .
Schools, under the guidance of physical education teachers, need to hold more frequent
conferences for children and parents to explain the importance of sport. The social composition
of schools and classes change much and is therefore very important to create an optimal
environment for learning , so that all students come to school.
Early school leaving , is directly linked to unemployment, social exclusion, poverty and
poor health. In our school unit is implemented for a period of three years the project " Sustainable
social and educational integration through sports activities", which aims to increase participation
in the educational act and the transfer rate ISCED 3. The approach is focused on integrated
activities sporty and run outdoors.
The implementation of this project leads to: the development of a model of integration
through sport for children and young people at risk of social exclusion, the creation of a
methodological and operational infrastructure to support the integration of vulnerable children
and young people in the education system and long-term communities ; raising awareness of the
importance of education and creating a group of experts who will ensure the sustainability of the
project.
The target group of the project implemented in our school , is made up of the 68 students
from the gymnasium cycle who are more than half of Roma ethnicity.
Some of these students at risk of educational exclusion carried out in the first year of the project,
inclusive activities based on sports twice a week and participating in various contests and
competitions.
By implementing the inclusive educational model, based on sports activities, it led to an
increase in the motivation of students' participation in the educational act, school results were
improved and school dropout was reduced.

Bibliography:

37
-Methodological guide for sustainable social and educational integration through sports activities
PNP 001 www.eeagrants.ro

38
 THE NARRATIVE STRATEGIES AND CHANGES IN ENGLISH AND AMERICAN
NOVELS

Morari Carmen-Ancuța – Romania

I would like to start by defining the key-concept of this essay, which is “narrative
strategy”. The narrative strategies are the techniques used by the author in order to give life to his
story. Some of these techniques are: point of view, audience, characterization, plot (the events of
the story), structure and the choice of words (diction).Therefore, when we talk about narrative
strategies we should focus on who is telling the story and why, how are the protagonists
characterized, what happens in the story etc.

,,Daisy Millerʼʼ, written by Henry James, is the story of a young American girl who
travels through Europe with her mother and her brother. We are first introduced to Winterbourne,
an American educated at Geneva, who is visiting his aunt, Mrs. Costello. After a short
conversation between Winterbourne and Daisy‟s brother, we meet Daisy. Winterbourne is
charmed and intrigued by the American girl who talks so much and who is very pretty.They
decide to visit Chateau de Chillon together and Winterbourne promises to introduce her to his
aunt. He is very disappointed when he finds out what his aunt thinks about the Millers: they are
common people who should be ignored. He returns to Geneva but he cannot stop thinking about
Daisy.They meet again in Rome, where Daisy again scandalizes people because she spends too
much time with an Italian man, Mr.Giovanelli. In the end, Daisy and Mr.Giovanelli visit the
Colloseum, Daisy catches Roman fever and she dies.
“Daisy Miller” is divided into 4 parts. In the first part, we find out where the action takes
place and we also meet most of the characters (Winterbourne, Daisy, her brother, Eugenio, a
character whose presence in Daisy‟s life makes her seem even more frivolous).This part ends
with Winterbourne‟s promise to take Daisy to the Chateau and to introduce her to his aunt (a
person who will be able to tell her everything there is to know about him).
The second part is a “reversal” of the situation, as Winterbourne‟s aunt refuses to meet
Daisy Miller. During their conversation we find out about the relations between the Americans
and the Europeans, their opinions about each other.Winterbourne is at first worried that his
aunt‟s refusal will affect his relationship with Daisy, but it now becomes clear that Daisy is not at
all interested in what others think about her. Daisy and Winterbourne finally visit the Chateau
and the second part ends with another conversation between Winterbourne and his aunt: he
informs her about the trip he has taken.
In the third and fourth part, the setting changes, the action now takes place in Rome. A
new character is introduced, Mr Giovanelli, who, in Winterbourne‟s opinion is responsible for
Daisy‟s death. At the end of the novel, we find out that Mr.Giovanelli truly cared about Daisy
and that he would have loved to marry her.
Two of the most important characters are ,of course, Daisy Miller and Winterbourne.
”Daisy Miller” is also the title of the novel, a way in which the author warns his readers that the
main character, the protagonist of the story is Daisy Miller. As Elizabeth Harwick says in her
introduction to “Daisy Miller”,”there must be someone to observe her, and to puzzle about her
somewhat charming freedom in conversation and her friendly manner with inferiors and equals.
This someone is Winterbourne, an American educated at Geneva, and returning to settle
here.”The other characters see nothing else in Daisy but a common girl,who should be ignored
because she does not behave properly. If it weren‟t for Winterbourne, who considers Daisy to be

39
special, she would not be an appropriate subject for such a story.Winterbourne is the one who
underlines her complexity. He does not interpret her actions as being rude and offensive, he tries
to understand her. Even though he probably fails in the end, his contribution to the making of
Daisy Miller as a protagonist is enormous.Winterbourne proves to be the only one (except for her
family) who tries to help her, although at first he seems rather shallow, being impressed by her
mere prettiness ,plus the fact that he is not yet married but he has certain relations with older
women.
Henry James uses both direct and indirect characterization for Daisy Miller. A direct
characterization is used for Daisy‟s physical portrait:”she was dressed in white muslin,with a
hundred frills and flounces and knots of pale-coloured ribbon….and she was strikingly,
admirably pretty.” We find out everything else about her by analising her actions and reading
what other characters think of her actions. We get to know Winterbourne from what the author
tells us about him at the beginning of the novel, a description of the man who would become
Daisy‟s most important portraitist: a man with many friends, thus reliable and generous, with no
enemies and who is very fond of an older woman living in Geneva.
Henry James wrote this novel after his friend told him about an American girl whose
behaviour was similar to Daisy‟s, but her life did not end in such a tragical way, the problems
which appeared due to her behaviour were minor.This novel was clearly not written for the
American reader, as here the American women are not described in a flattering way. It was
probably written for those people who were interested in the differences between American and
European cultures, even though some people consider that these differences were exaggerated
here.
“Daisy Miller” is written in the third person narrative. The author knows everything
about his characters and describes them himself (for example Winterbourne at the beginning of
the novel), or he lets the other characters state their opinions about a certain character, he passes
his own opinions on to his characters.

“1984” is one of the most famous works of George Orwell. It is the story of Winston
Smith, a member of the ruling party in London. In those times, people were being watched
through telescreens, the Party had control over the language, the culture, everything. Winston
feels extremely frustrated by this rigid control of this Party, which prohibits free expression or
one‟s opinion and sex. He starts a diary although he knows that if “they” catch he, he will be
murdered. He becomes obsessed by the idea that O‟Brien, a man he works with, is a member of
the Brotherhood, an organization which is trying to overthrow the Party. He also thinks that one
of his co-workers, a beautiful woman, is an informer and that she knows everything about him.
He ends up having an affair with her.They rent a room and, for a while, they manage to hide their
affair from the Party. After a while, he receives a note from O‟Brien, who is asking to see him.
O‟Brien gives them a copy of the book of the Brotherhood. Winston and Julia read the book in
their rented room, but they are caught. A troup of soldiers barge into their hidden room and
“arrest” them. Mr Charrington, the man who rented them the room, proves to be a member of the
thought police. Both Winston and Julia are tortured until they admit that they were wrong and
that they believe in the power of the Party. In the end they are released but they affair does not
continue, because they had betrayed each other. He has learned to love Big Brother, not Julia.
This novel in divided into 3 books. The first book describes Winston‟s life before he starts the
affair with Julia, his fears that Julia wants him dead and the conviction that O‟Brien is a man who
has the same beliefs as he does.

40
The second book is a story about how love can give you power to fight, to ingnore the risk of
being killed. When reading the second book, the reader starts having hope that Winston and Julia
will survive, together with their love for each other, that O‟Brien is indeed a very powerful man
who will help them overthrow the ruling Party. Winston has great faith in O‟Brien as he is brave
enough to turn off the tele screen in order to talk to them and listen to their problems. In adition
to this, Winston and Julia are so sure that, even if they get caught and they will have to confess
their sins, they will not betray each other. Of the three books, the second one is by far the most
optimistic, it makes us hope for a “happy ending”, but unfortunately this book proves to be
misleading, as at the end of the book they get caught by the Thought Police.
The last book describes the tortures both Winston and Julia have been put through, the
death of the love between the two. They are tortured until they give up their beliefs are start
believing in Big Brother. The end is tragical, although they survive and they are released. The
Party releases them because they destroyed them, their power to fight and their will to love
anything, anyone else but Big Brother.”1984” also has an Appendix, the part where Orwell
explain the principles of new-speak, how it works and why a new language was needed.
The main character of this book is Winston Smith. He seems like a brave man, who is
willing to fight for what he believes in. On the other hand, one of the main reasons why he
continues to fight against Big Brother, is that he knows that no matter what he does, he will be
caught and murdered. After committing his first crime (the only true act of bravery), he doesn‟t
stop because he thinks that it is only a matter of time until he is arrested. One might also think
that he is naïve for trusting O‟Brien so much, but in such a world everybody desperately needs
someone to rely on.
Another important character is Julia. She is the one who helps us understand how
Winston really is, because she is the only character Winston is ever honest with. In many ways,
Julia is Winston‟s counter part.When we “see” them together, it is much easier to characterize
Winston. Julia is optimistic,Winston isn‟t. She is also more realistic than him, she realizes that
she fights agains the party “for the fun of it” that nothing will change. Julia is more selfish than
Winston, so the fact that he betrays him in the end does not really come as a surprise. Their moral
values, thoughts and hopes are revealed to us through their conversations and their actions
(indirect characterization).
Winston‟s physical portrait is realized by the author: he is thirty nine years old, cannot
move correctly his right foot. Julia is described as Winston sees her: a beautiful woman with
black hair. Other portraits in the book are those of o‟Brien and Big brother (direct
characterization).
“1984” is written in the third person narrative, from an omniscient point of view.The
author knows everything about his characters, even their thoughts, hopes and desires. He helps
the readers know Winston as well as he does by introducing another character, Julia.
The telescreens used by the Party to watch the people is similar to the eyes of the reader
who see everything the characters do and leave the readers to draw conclusion about the
characters, just as every move people made would be interpreted by the one who are behind the
telescreens.
George Orwell was educated in English boarding school and became frustrated by the fact
they these schools had almost absolute control over their lives. This feeling was augmented by
the rise to power of Hitler and Stalin. He also worked as an Imperial Police man and hated the
fact that he had to enforce laws he did not agree with. His opinions about totalitarism and
political authority were similar to the ones of Winston Smith, the protagonist from”1984”. He
passes his feelings on to Winston, not wanting to get to involved in the “life” of the characters.
41
He wrote this book in order to warn people that unless they do something to change the situation,
the world will become impossible to live in.
We can see a slight resemblance in the way the characters are built and characterized in the two
novels. However,”1984” has a far more complex structure, as it is a dystopia. George Orwell
“invented” a new world, using some elements from the real world but changing others, even the
language. The author‟s presence in the world of the text is clearer in “1984”, especially due to the
last part of the book,”appendix”, where he explains everything there is to know about the new
speak and gives examples.

Bibliography
George Orwell, 1984, Editura Penguin Books, USA, 2012.
Henry James, Daisy Miller, Editura Pearson Education Limited, London, 2007.

42
 AMERICAN POSTMODERNISM: A PERFECT DAY FOR BANANA FISH

Morari Carmen-Ancuța - Romania

“A perfect day for banana fish” is the first short story of the volume “Nine stories”, written by
J.D.Salinger.It is a story about psychological effects of the war, about social alienation and
death.The other stories give us clues as to how this one should be interpreted, especially
“Teddy”,the last story.
The main character, Seymour Glass, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.The
action takes place in the 1940s,when people didn‟t know much about mental illnesses and those
who suffered from it were misunderstood and alienated. In the first part of the story,we find out
things about Seymour from his wife‟s phone conversation with her mother. Her mother is very
worried that he might lose control and hurt Muriel. Muriel,on the other hand,is very calm. After
reading the whole story, we get the feeling that she knew her husband so well that she could
predict that, even if he loses control, the only one he could ever hurt is himself. Therefore,she is
not frightened when her mother reminds her about the story with the tress or the things he told
Muriel‟s grandmother. She claims that she told Seymour not to do dangerous things and that he
understood. Muriel treats him as if he was normal, but ,unfortunately, she only does that because
she is too self absorbed, too busy doing trivial things to take the time and understand the
condition her husband is in. Although we find out the Muriel faithfully waited for Seymour until
the war was over (a proof of great affection), she does not seem very fond of her husband at the
moment. Even though Muriel‟s mother seems to be really worried about Muriel and her husband,
both her and Muriel seem to forget all about him and start talking about dresses, dinner parties,
thus revealing their true interests and wishes.
Another proof that Muriel and her mother neither care nor try to understand Seymour is
that part of the conversation where they talk about the book Seymour asked Muriel to read.
Muriel‟s mother remembers that she put it in Freddie‟s room because there was no space for it
anywhere else.When Muriel explains why she asked about the book, we get the feeling that she‟s
being ironic: ”said the girl crossing her legs”,”He said I should‟ve bought a translation or
something”.
Muriel and her mother seem more concerned about what people think of the way
Seymour behaves than about Seymour himself: ”Does he behave himself on the beach?”. Even
strangers show more interest in Seymour‟s condition than them (for example, the doctor from the
hotel who asks Muriel is he has been sick lately).The conversation between the two is interrupted
by Muriel who is in need of a cigarette.
After their conversation ends, we meet Sybil, a little girl and Seymour.Their conversation
is simple and shows us that Seymour feels better in the company of children, who are pure and
honest. Seymour truly cares about Sybil. Sybil asks about Seymour‟s wife, but his answer is
evasive, showing an estrangement of the couple. He is very anxious to talk about something else,
he is clearly aware of the situation between him and his wife, but we sense a sort of resignation
with the fact that his wife does not understand him and she does not have time for him: ”The
lady?That‟s hard to say. She may be in any one of a thousand places…Ask me something
else.”Seymour is willing to please Sybil and is very patient,until Sybil tells him that she has seen
a banana fish.Then, he pulls her out of the water even though she said that she doesn‟t want to
come out yet.We are not sure why he wants to leave.He might have thought that, when Sybil told
him that she has seen a banana fish, she was talking about him. This would also explain the
43
suicide. He desperately wants his soul to remain pure, not to become like the other adults who are
so preoccupied with trivial things.
After explaining to Sybil what a banana fish is, he is very surprised that Sybil has never
seen one. If we think about what a banana fish represents (destruction of the human soul, the
degradation of the human being),we can understand Seymour‟s surprise, as he thinks that beside
children, all people are corrupted. Children are the only ones who are pure and truly good, so he‟s
very disappointed when Sybil see (him as) a banana fish. He realizes that children see him as
being corrupt so he cannot live among them anymore, but he sees himself different from the
adults so cannot relate in any way to them either. His total isolation leads to his death, the
acceptance of the fact that he cannot or will not change in order to integrate. In addition to all this
he probably feels that he has let down the persons who he cares about, among them being,of
course, Sybil.
On his way to his room, in the elevator, he is, for the first time in the story, near an adult.
He seems obsessed by the way in which people see him. He feels that the others think he is
different and is mad about it. His outburst might come as a surprise due to the fact that during his
conversation with Sybil he was calm, he did not misbehave, not even after she told him about the
banana fish. He wants adults to be as honest as children, he sees adults as being sly and sneaky.
In the elevator scene, he actually rebels against something that is only in his mind, since the lady
did not know him and had no reason to offend him, not knowing that he is, indeed different from
the other people. Finally the woman gets off the elevator, scared by the way in which Seymour
behaved.”let me out here please ...the woman said quickly to the girl operating the car”.
One of the themes of this story is violence. Seymour was deeply affected by the violence
of the war. Muriel‟s mother is concerned that he might become violent and hurt his wife, while
Muriel is calm and says that he is not afraid of him. Muriel‟s mother mentions some awful
incidents (“business with the trees”,”that business with the window”,”those horrible plans he said
to granny.”),but all these show that he wants to take his own life, not to hurt the others. At the
end of the novel he takes his own life, which is another act of violence against himself, not
others. Of course, he reacts violently when he thinks the woman is looking at his legs, but this is
verbal violence. Except for this incident, he seems a very calm person, who is capable of showing
signs of affection (“the young man picked up one of her feet….and kissed the arch”).
Although the term ,,banana fishʼʼ is present in the title, we only find out what they really are
when Seymour meets Sybil on the beach. He considers their lives to be tragic. As the banana fish
is a symbol of human degradation (his wife and everyone he knows), he thinks that the humans
who are too involved in the social part of their lives also have tragic lives. He does not kill
himself because he sees himself as a banana fish, he does it so he won‟t become one. Even his
wife‟s habits disgust him. He is sick of dealing with such people, but he is not strong enough to
live among them without the fear of being “contaminated”. He cannot adapt to the real life so he
commits suicide before it is too late. He wants his soul to remain pure and perhaps thinks that the
degradation will affect everyone who is alive no matter how much they people try to avoid it.
One of the stories which really help us understand the meaning of ”a perfect day for
banana fish” is “Teddy”. Here, human degradation is symbolized by the apple, with reference to
the Bible (“what you have to do is vomit it up if you want to see things as they really are”,”I
mean if you vomit it up, you won‟t have any more trouble with blocks of wood and stuff.”
Similarly, Seymour thinks that if the fish didn‟t eat so many bananas, they would not have such a
tragic life. The bananas are, and so are the apples: ”intellectual stuff”, logic, every day social
activities which take up all your time so you don‟t have time for what is really important and stop

44
you from seeing things as they really are. Seymour Glass shoots himself in the head, the source
of danger, the source of logic, the thing which prevents the soul from remaining pure.
“A perfect day for banana fish”is a great story, full of hints and clues which lead to many
interpretations. After reading the other stories, things become more clear, but we are still not
absolutely sure why Seymour took his own life.

Bibliography

J.D.Salinger , A Perfect Day for Bananafish, Shmoop University Inc, 2010.

45
 LANGUAGE SKILLS-RELATED TASKS

Pantelimon Anca – Victoria - Romania

If we think of native speakers and competent language users, the four language skills that
they possess might be categorized as: productive skills – speaking and writing, which involve
language production, and receptive skills – listening and reading, which involve receiving
messages.
In order to use language skills, language learners need a number of sub-skills for
processing the language they use and are faced with.
When referring to receptive skills, as Jeremy Harmer says, readers/ listeners employ a
number of specialist skills when reading or listening and their success at understanding depends
on their expertise in these specialist skills. These are: predictive skills, getting the general picture,
extracting specific information, extracting detailed information, recognizing function and
discourse patterns, deducing meaning from context.
Productive skills are part of the students‟ language output. Exposing students to language
input is not enough: we also need to provide opportunities for them to activate their knowledge,
for it is only when students are producing language that they can select from the input they have
received.
Choice of text
In real life, when we pick something up to read, we usually know roughly why it was
written and what it is going to be about. We rarely read anything in a “vacuum”, i.e. knowing
nothing whatsoever about the subject. Reading passages in language textbooks are taken out of
their normal contexts, so we have fewer clues as to what they might be about, and the task of
reading with understanding is, therefore, more difficult. Pictures and titles help us to predict the
subject matter, but students need both guidance and motivation in order to read with purpose and
satisfaction.
The text that I have chosen for skills practice (The Richest Man in the World) is suitable
for the pre-intermediate level. It is appropriate to catch the students‟ attention, as its subject is
sure to stimulate their curiosity and make them want to know more about it. It is also suitable for
the students‟ level, containing verbs in different tenses, some new vocabulary, and, being part of
an English newspaper article (adapted), it also represents a piece of real English (roughly-tuned
input).
The main aim of the lesson is to get students to practice reading and various sub-skills
related to it (making predictions, reading for specific information, deducing meaning from the
context). They will also be able to transmit information about what they read, both in written and
spoken form.
Procedure:
The lead-in stage, when the students are encouraged to become interested in the subject
matter in the text (Jeremy Harmer), encourages students to predict the content of one paragraph
of the text, thus providing a purpose for reading.
The students are asked what they know about the country of Brunei. They fill in a two-
column table: what they know (or think) about the country on one side (location, population,
king/ president, etc.) and what they would like to know on the other side. Thus, they can make
predictions about what they are going to read.
For the next task , they receive the fourth paragraph of the text and they can check if what
they knew (and what they predicted) was right and also find out new things about the country

46
(including about its richness, which directs them towards the subject of the text). The students are
involved in reading in order to confirm their expectations about the information the text will
contain.
The next stage of the lesson is skimming, when we want students to have an idea of the
main points of the text – an overview – without being too concerned with the details. It entails the
reader‟s ability to pick out main points rapidly, discarding what is not essential or relevant to the
general picture.
In order to practice this sub-skill, (known also as reading for gist), the students are given
the rest of the text divided into four paragraphs (besides the one they already have) and, on five
strips of paper, five titles, one for each paragraph. They are divided in pairs and their task is to
read the paragraphs and to choose the appropriate title for each.
To check the answers, the pairs get together two by two and discuss them (groups of four)
and then with the whole class. In order to develop their ability to scan a text (reading for specific
information), the students are given – working again in pairs – a list of numbers. Their task is to
read the text again and say what the respective numbers refer to (e.g.: 1,788 – number of rooms in
the Sultan‟s palace in Brunei).
The feedback to this activity will be done by exchanging the answers between different
pairs (then whole-class correction). The next step is meant to introduce the new or unfamiliar
vocabulary by means of definitions. The students (still working in pairs) receive definitions for
some of the words in the text and they have to find the word that each definition refers to (they
are also told in which of the paragraphs they can find them).
This kind of task (inferring meaning) helps the students work out the meaning of words
from the context (e.g.: It cost £100,000, but for the Sultan this is not a great amount of money).
As students discover things on their own, thinking of the meaning, they are more probable to
remember those words.
Feedback to this task could be done by using the interaction pattern opposing teams: the
students are divided into two teams, facing each other; someone in the first team reads the word
and someone from the other team the definition.
An optional activity with the purpose of checking understanding would be a competition
between the students (working in pairs): each pair is given a summary of the text containing five
mistakes. Their task is to find the mistakes and correct them (the winner is the team that finishes
first). As a first text-related task/ follow-up (productive skill - writing), students work
individually: they imagine themselves being the Sultan of Brunei and they have to describe a
normal day in their life (what their activities and preoccupations would be). The students are
monitored during this stage and the common mistakes are discussed and corrected afterwards.
Another text-related task will have as focus the other productive skill – speaking, and the
students will be grouped following the interaction pattern of enemy corners. They work in two
teams and the subject is related to the last sentences of the text: And the Sultan himself? With all
his wealth, is he a happy man? Nobody asks him that. One of the teams has to find arguments and
reasons why the Sultan is happy; the other team has to find reasons and things which are a
hindrance to his happiness. At the end there is a debate and each team can express their ideas.
The students will also have the chance to express their personal ideas.
As Jeremy Harmer says, students are frequently made nervous by reading material... But
when teachers choose the right kind of material (and use appropriate reaching techniques) and the
students are successful, then the benefits are obvious. If we can say to our students that they have
read something difficult but they have managed to understand it, they have every reason to feel
triumphant.
47
Materials
Lead-in: Brunei …
Things you know Things you would like to know

Brunei is one of the smallest but richest countries in the world. Its wealth comes from oil and gas.
Many people think that Brunei is in the Middle East, but it isn‟t. it‟s in East Asia, on the north
coast of the island of Borneo. It sells the oil and gas to Japan, and earns $2 billion a year – that is
$229,000 every hour – from it. And the beauty is that there are so few people to share all this
money. The population of Brunei is only 230,000. The Sultan and his three brothers are part of
the government.
Skimming (they receive the paragraphs on one page, in the right order, and the titles on separate
strips of paper)
(His country His royal line His money His palace His Lifestyle)
His royal line
His Majesty, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the twenty-ninth Sultan of Brunei, is the
richest man in the world. He is descended from one of the oldest ruling dynasties on earth – a
royal line that goes directly back over 600 years ago to 1363.
His money
When one of his daughters was eleven years old, he gave her a birthday party. It was in
the ballroom of Claridges Hotel in Mayfair, London, and it cost £100,000, but for the Sultan this
is not a great amount of money.
The Sultan total wealth is more than $25 billion. He owns hotels all around the world: the
Dorchester in London, the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, and the Hyatt Hotel in Singapore.
He has a fleet of private planes, including an airbus. One of his London houses has the biggest
garden in the city, except for the Buckingham Palace.
His palace
Some years ago, in Brunei, he built the biggest palace in the world. It has 1,788 rooms, 5
swimming pools, 257 toilets, 44 staircases, and 18 lifts. The dining-room can seat 4,000 people.
There are 564 chandeliers with 51,490 light bulbs. A servant is employed full time to change
bulbs – about 200 a day. The total cost of the palace was $400 million. In 1996, he had a special
party there for his fiftieth birthday. It lasted three days and the guests included Michael Jackson,
the American musician, the Infanta Elena from Spain, and Prince Charles from Britain.
His country
Brunei is one of the smallest but richest countries in the world. Its wealth comes from oil
and gas. Many people think that Brunei is in the Middle East, but it isn‟t. it‟s in East Asia, on the
north coast of the island of Borneo. It sells the oil and gas to Japan, and earns $2 billion a year –
that is $229,000 every hour – from it. And the beauty is that there are so few people to share all
this money. The population of Brunei is only 230,000. The Sultan and his three brothers are part
of the government.
His Lifestyle
Despite all his money and power, the Sultan is a very shy man. He often goes to
international meetings but says very little. In 1965, when he was 19, he married his cousin,
Princess Saleha, who was sweet, pretty, and only 16. Time passed and she became more and
more reserved. In 1980, the Sultan met an air hostess called Miriam Bell. She is much more
outgoing than many Bruneian girls and the Sultan fell in love with her. So, in 1981, he married
her, too, and now the two wives and ten children – four princes and six princesses – all live
happily together in the palace.
48
And the Sultan himself? With all his wealth, is he a happy man? Nobody asks him that.
Scanning
What do the following numbers refer to?
1363, 1788, 257, 1996, 229,000, 230,000, 19, 1981, 10

Inferring meaning
In your text, find the words which mean the following:
Having a person as grandfather or grandmother, great grandfather etc.
A sum, a quantity, a collection of something
A large amount of money and possession
A group of buses, planes etc. under one control
A large decorative support for electric lights (usually hanging from the ceiling)
Nervous (without courage) in the company of others
People who do not like to talk about themselves or to show their feelings
Friendly (wanting to have social relations)
A woman who looks after the comfort of passengers in a plane (during the flight).

1. Descend

2. Amount

3. Wealth

4. Fleet

5. Chandeliers

6. Shy

7. Reserved

8. Outgoing

9. Air hostess

Read the following summary of the article. There are five mistakes in it. Find them and
correct them.
The Sultan of Brunei is descended from the oldest ruling family on earth and he is the richest
man in the world. He owns lots of hotels in many different countries and some years ago, he built
the biggest palace in East Asia. He is very sociable and outgoing and in 1996 he had a party
which lasted three days to celebrate his fortieth birthday.
In 1981, he divorced his first wife and married an air hostess. He has ten children and lives in the
palace with his family. He also has houses in London.

Bibliography

49
1. CELTA Input Session on Teaching Reading, 31st of July 2008
2. Harmer Jeremy: “The Practice of English Language Teaching”, Longman, 1996
3. Willis Jane: “Teaching English through English”, Longman, 2001

50
USING FIVE-WAY INTERACTION SPACES IN ONLINE DISTANCE LEARNING TO
PROMOTE ENGAGEMENT, CHALLENGE, AND PROGRESS AMONG K-12
STUDENTS

Dr. Rommel Pelayo - UAE

Background of the Study

In the continuing implementation of online distance learning in Al Itqan American School

(AIAS) during the era of pandemics, there has been a backlash in sustaining the interest of
students over time. Survey results from the school's stakeholders administered by Sharjah Private
Education Authority (SPEA) in May 2020 revealed that only 63% of the students felt positive
and energetic in the delivery of online education. 64% of the respondents were generally happy
about it. As we dealt deeper on this matter, the school found out that many of them felt
disassociated in the lesson by the limited interaction of the students with their peers and teachers.
Only very few had a positive interaction with their teachers and the majority of them had no
opportunity to interact with their friends. These raised some serious concerns about the learning
outcome. If this is not addressed, student's education will be viewed as stressful and
unproductive and will create students who cannot deal with the academic rigors in the next step
of their education ladder.

The researcher was in a quest to find an effective structure that could shape remote teaching.
This quest is parallel to the questions raised in the World Economic Forum in April 2020 which
this paper would reflect to answer: "Could the move to online learning be the catalyst to create a
new more effective method of education for students?" (Li & Lalani, 2020). In the light of this,
the researcher came across the concept of contagious communication between the student and
the teacher in distance learning which becomes a key to learning (Cavanaugh, 1999). This
communication must promote continuous interaction not only between learner to a teacher but
likewise with learner to learner, learner to content, and learner to the system. These interactions
should be evident in a series of constructivist steps of engage, explore, elaborate, and evaluate
(5E) in the lesson that promotes student achievement. Hence, the promotion of interaction in the
five steps of learning posts a greater hope to promote real learning.

Research Design

Educational Action Research (EAR) is used as the backbone to explore the influence of
the five-way interaction via 5E (Bybee, 2006) and 4 Interaction categories (Bouhnik & Marcus,
2006) in online distance learning on challenge, engagement, and student progress. From the
exploratory stance used to understand the issues on student engagement and challenge, it
culminated in the implementation of the interventions within 10 weeks. This is a full duration of
the second term containing 10 weeks of teaching. The use of Technical Action Research (TAR)
focused on student challenge, engagement, and progress after implementing the five interaction

51
spaces (Coughlan et. al, 2002). This TAR uses PDSA as a method to identify the influence of the
interventions.

Furthermore, this research also employs the PDSA cycle use to improve an intervention
process (Miller, Prudente & Aguja, 2017). PDSA is an iterative process involving four stages of
improving an intervention or practice. It promotes iteration, planning, evaluation, and reflection
processes relevant for action research in an educational context. Three main outcome variables
were investigated to influence the use of the 5E model and 4 interaction categories, these are
student engagement, student challenge, and student progress. The results were further
corroborated with student attendance and satisfaction ratings of students and parents.

Results and Discussion

Influence on Student Challenge. After the conduct of the intervention, student challenge and
engagement ratings from joint observations were consolidated and presented in table 2. The
indicator that has the highest obtained rating was "Students are challenged via differentiated
teaching/learning activities" with a weighted average of 2.26 while student initiative was the
lowest at 1.86.

Table 3: Student Challenge Indicator Ratings

Indicators Fully Mostly Some Not Weighted Interpretation

Evident Evident Evidence Evident Average
(4) (3) (2) (1)
1 Perseverance and 2 31 29 7 2.18 Some
independence (3%) (45%) (42%) (10%) Evidence
2 Thinking, 1 23 43 2 2.12 Some
problem-solving, (1%) (33%) (62%) (3%) Evidence
and research skills
are evident
3 Student Initiative 3 20 23 23 1.86 Some
(4%) (29%) (33%) (33%) Evidence
4 Students are 6 31 23 9 2.26 Some
challenged via (9%) (45%) (33%) (13%) Evidence
differentiated
teaching/learning
activities
5 Self-paced and 4 28 27 10 2.16 Some
optional activities (6%) (41%) (39%) (14%) Evidence

Review of the notes made by the joint observers: it was found that lessons observed
showed 12 varieties of teaching strategies that promoted student challenge. These strategies
included the use of choice; case study; task mixtures; prior knowledge; blooming questions;

52
stepped activities; expert in the corner; Socratic dialogue; options; key words display;
worksheets; group work through MS Team Channels, one notebook, and breakout rooms; and
exemplify. The majority of these strategies were taken from the "differentiation deviser" from
the website of Geoff Petty (2021).

Influence on Student Engagement

The indicator on positive classroom environment is the highest at 2.84 which was
interpreted as "mostly evident" while an indicator of linking lessons to their lives is the lowest at
2.29.

Table 4: Student Engagement Indicator Ratings

Indicators Fully Mostly Some Not Weighted Interpretation

Evident Evident Evidence Evident Average
(4) (3) (2) (1)
1 Student 13 47 8 1 2.76 Mostly
participation is (19%) (68%) (12%) (1%) Evident
maximized.
2 Positive 18 43 7 1 2.84 Mostly
Classroom (26%) 62%) (10%) (1%) Evident
environment
(socially,
emotionally,
physically)
3 Students link 13 19 28 9 2.29 Some
lessons to their (19%) (26%) (41%) (13%) Evidence
lives – UAE
Context
4 Student's 11 41 17 0 2.64 Mostly
Responsibility (16%) (59%) (25%) Evident
for their learning
is evident
5 Student’s enjoy 17 34 18 0 2.71 Mostly
learning and are (25%) (49%) (26%) Evident
engaged

The findings revealed that the five-way interaction model gave teachers a better way to
present a lesson as compared to previous strategies. Classes visited were either a full class or
with few absences. An interview with the supervisors focused on attendance – indicating that
absences are caused by students having health issues, particularly in the lower grades. They

53
added that few students had internet issues at home at the time of the observation. 33 students
across the middle and high school had some issues in attendance in their online classes. These
students claimed that they have a very poor connection at home and felt isolated. This confirmed
the concept of disengagement by Spencer (2020) along with the impact of no interaction
(Bouhnik and Marcus, 2006).

Influence of the Student Engagement and Student Challenge over time

A positive change can be extracted when the ratings of the second term are juxtaposed
with the ratings in the first term baseline assessment. Student challenge has increased by 71.22%
while engagement increased by 12.12%. Therefore, when interactions are promoted in the steps
provided by Bybee's 5E framework, student engagement and student challenge increased.

Table 5: Difference between Baseline and the Second Term Ratings in Student Engagement
and Student Challenge

Areas First Term Second Term Difference Percentage Interpretation

Rating Rating Change (%)
Student 2.31 2.59 +0.27 12.12 Slight Change
Engagement
Student Challenge 1.39 2.38 +0.99 71.22 Above
Moderate
Change

Among the two areas under study, there has been a notable increase in the student
challenge as compared to engagement over time. It is evidenced by the fact that students were
more interacting with the teacher, with their classmates, and with the content being provided.
The cognitive (Bybee and social construct has challenged them to think deeply and has expressed
their challenge in the way they interact with the teacher, classmates, and the content
(Charalambos & Marina, 2009).

Influence on Student Progress

Clear data shows the progress rating of students in the second term. Arabic and Islamic
studies ratings show a high disparity as compared to English, Maths, and Science (see Table 5
below). Classes that have a meaningful and interactive “engage” phase hook the students and
they are more likely to persist until the end of the lesson. However, there were teachers observed

54
who struggled in providing a smooth connection of prior knowledge to the targeted learning
objectives, therefore interactions in these classes were very limited.

Table 6: Student Progress Ratings Across the School

Learning English Math Science Arabic Islamic

Cycle Studies
Cycle 1 95.00 96.00 93.00 71.00 68.00
Cycle 2 95.25 96.75 95.50 81.00 82.00
Cycle 3 92.00 92.33 97.60 78.83 83.50
Cycle 4 97.00 97.67 98.89 84.67 88.83
Average 94.81 95.69 96.24 78.88 80.58

With this finding, the researcher can link the increase in engagement and challenge with
the five-way interaction framework. Teachers reported that students were able to submit the
evidence of completed tasks while other learning evidence can be readily observed virtually.
Teachers had more evidence to support their achievement when spaces for interaction are
provided via Nearpod. Audio recordings of their understanding of the lesson are available and
their answers to open-ended ended questions are archived. More students are willing to open
their cameras and use their mic to interact with teachers and students. Teachers are yet to find
ways on how to monitor the breakout room sessions to see how productive students were in the
discussions. There were also instances where teachers are also overwhelmed with the number of
submissions which cause the delay in sharing their feedback with the students.

Figure 1: Student Progress Ratings Across the School

Islamic Studies

Arabic

Science

Math

English

0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Influence
on Satisfaction
Cycle 4 Cycle 3 Cycle 2 Cycle 1
Rating and
Student Attendance

55
 As indicated previously the researcher also used other variables that can describe the
influence of the four-way interaction through 5E in the online spaces. This includes student
attendance (School Inspection framework, 2015) and satisfaction (Martin and Bolliger, 2018).

Figure 2: Student Attendance Rating Comparison

Attendance is one of the indicators of engagement (Gottfried. 2010). The review of the
attendance data detected the influence of the four-way interaction process. There was an increase
in the attendance as observed in grades 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, and 12 - as against their attendance
during the first term depicted by the blue line graph. Overall, the attendance rating was 91.28%
which is consistent with that of the attendance rating of the students during face-to-face setting.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The four-way interaction in an online space is fundamentally helpful in promoting student

engagement, student challenge, and student progress. It is worth noting that though the
engagement slightly increased at 11.43%, the implementation of the four-way interaction
through our 5E framework increased student challenge by 52%. The instructional design has
given a platform for students to interact with their peers through the collaborative spaces
provided by the software used by teachers - such as 'class notebooks' in MS Team, MS team
'subchannels', and 'Zoom' breakout rooms. Evidence of interaction with teachers through oral
discourse and interaction with the system through the use of technology platforms and LMS
became evident. There were 12 differentiation strategies (Geoff Petty, 2021) implemented which
mostly appear in the elaboration, exploration, and evaluation phase – and these were made
possible when the 5E design was structured. Students and parents increased their satisfaction in
the online delivery spaces as compared to the first term.

The use of 5E as a platform to provide the 4 categories of interactions among students

and teachers is recommended across the subject areas. The experience provided by these creates
a social space that has been, otherwise, limited since the upsurge of online learning in March

56
2020. Caution has to be taken when implementing the design predicted by the readiness of the
teachers and the administrators. Initially, teachers should decrease the learning expectations to
allow meaningful interaction in the online spaces. During the learning walk, observers have
noticed the need to enhance the use of hierarchical questions to elicit deeper thinking. It was
observed that teachers who elicited questions from the lower level and graduated to a higher
level through the art of questioning have a greater number of students participating in class as
compared to those teachers who were not successful in delivering explicit and clear questions.
Since there was insufficient evidence of the interaction of the learners with the content, a review
of the processes for this interaction is highly recommended.

References

Barbour, M. K., and Thomas Reeves. “The Reality of Virtual Schools: A Review of the
Literature.” Computers & Education, vol. 52, no. 2, Elsevier Science, pp. 402–16,
doi:info:doi/.
Bawa‟aneh, M. S. (2021). Distance Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic in UAE Public
Schools: Student Satisfaction, Attitudes and Challenges. Contemporary Educational
Technology, 13(3), ep304. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/10872
Bouhnik, D. and Tali Marcus. (2006, February 1). Interaction in Distance Learning Courses.
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.605.143&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Brydon-Miller, M., Prudente, M., & Aguja, S. (2017). Lighting a spark, seeing the light:
educational action research as transformative practice. In D. WyseN. Selwyn, & E.
Smith The BERA/SAGE Handbook of educational research (Vol. 2, pp. 435-451). SAGE
Publications Ltd, https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781473983953.n22
Bybee, Rodger & Taylor, Joseph & Gardner, April & Scotter, Pamela & Carlson, Janet &
Westbrook, Anne & Landes, Nancy. (2006). The BSCS 5E Instructional Model: Origins,
Effectiveness, and Applications. BSCS.
Cahyarini, A., et al. "The Effect of 5e Learning Cycle Instructional Model Using Socioscientific
Issues (Ssi) Learning Context on Students' Critical Thinking." Jurnal Pendidikan IPA
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Cavanaugh, C.S. (2001). The Effectiveness of Interactive Distance Education Technologies in K-
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 07.pdf?__hssc=78953035.3.1594905952480&__hstc=78953035.6e0e0a0313d45f448de4b1
1fd3249164.1565335479949.1594891826396.1594905952480.96&__hsfp=2835188385&
hsCtaTracking=9771e5e5-7950-449f-be04-42d4de0529a6%7C24d634be-aa28-4957-88e5-
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58
 THE IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN LANGUAPE PORTOFOLIO

Georgiana Pufulete - Romania

The aim of ELP implementation has been different: in some cases the implementation
has been limited to a single school, while in others the whole education system has been targeted.
Sometimes the ELP has been used to develop the learner‟s authonomy and the self-assessment
covered more traditional methods of assessment. Sometimes it has been used as a means of
guidance language provisionto the needs of individual learners or specific learner groups,
sometimes to promote a whole school approachto developing the pluringualism of pupils.[1]
Most ELPs have been developed and implemented within the context of a project, and
the majority of ELP projects that led to the development and validation of ELP models for
various age groups have been initiated or supported by Ministries of Education.
”The overwhelming initial reaction to the ELP from both learners and teachers in all the
different contexts for which models were developed was positive. Learners reported that they
found the ELP motivating. They found the ways in which it described the different components
of communicative competence clear and illuminating. They enjoyed the possibilities for self-
assessment and goal-setting that the ELP provided. They appreciated the opportunity to reflect
on their plurilingual and pluricultural experience. Teachers, too, observed the benefits of the
ELP. Where the ELP was introduced as an “extra”, however, as in contexts where curriculum
goals had not yet been formulated in terms that could easily be related to the CEFR, or where the
formal assessment of learning was not yet based on language use rather than linguistic
knowledge, the criticism was often made that although using the ELP was interesting, it took up
too much time and effort that would otherwise be devoted to achieving formal curriculum goals.
By contrast, where the ELP fully reflected curriculum goals and where self-assessment and other
aspects of learner autonomy were being fostered, the ELP was perceived as providing a valuable
mediating tool between teachers and learners and between the classroom and the curriculum ”
[2]
The ELP was perceived as a mediating tool between teachers and learners, between classroom
and curriculum. One of the most valued effect of the ELP project as a whole is its European
character, between 2000 and 2010, 118 models were developed and validated as a result of
cooperation across European countries regarding culture and educational contexts. [3]The
European dimension has also been appreciated by many young learners who are proud to possess
a truly European product such as the ELP.
The ELP has had a strong influence on the content of L2 textbooks which included
checklists, reflection on learning, the use of dossier and so on.
A positive aspect of the ELP influence on textbooks is the support of ELP‟s pedagogical
function by introducing self-assessment, action-orientated objectives and reflection on learning
and intercultural experience.
There seems to be a small relation between the official assessment tools (tests and
examinations) and the self-assessment checklists in the ELP in many educational systems. The
ELP is designed to recognise and value all of a learner‟s languages, wherever they were learnt
and it can be said to have the major impact in situations where it plays a central role in gole
setting and assessing learning.”In his discussion of the ELP‟s role in the assessment process,
David Little (2009) argues that the full potential of the ELP as a companion piece to the CEFR
will not be realised until an assessment culture has been established that integrates the

59
instruments used for self-assessment (checklists, etc.) with those used for other forms of
assessment, including official exams.” [4]It is worth reminding the full title of the CEFR, namely
Common European Framework of Reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment.
While the ELP‟s role in learning and teaching has been well established in many contexts, the
part it can play in all aspects of assessment (self-assessment, peer assessment, teacher
assessment, school reports, formal examinations, etc.) has been less explored.
The ELP‟s impact can be measured in terms of how it has been introduced into schools
and how it is being used there. It is hard to establish how many learners possess an ELP and how
many use it on a regular basis or how many schools and educational systems make direct use of
the ELP in their teaching and their assessment procedures. But in 2007, Rolf Schärer, the
General Rapporteur managed to gather all data regarding ELP activities and their impact from
2001 to October 2007 and summarised them in the following terms:
• The ELP is an effective learning and reporting tool in a wide variety of contexts.
• The ELP fosters dialogue and cooperation in the learning process beyond language learning.
• The ELP fosters learner autonomy and positively affects motivation.
• The ELP is an effective tool of reflection and helps develop self-assessment competence.
• The ELP reflects key educational concerns such as communicative, partial and intercultural
competence.
• The underlying principles of the ELP promote unity in diversity without being prescriptive.
• Not all learners and teachers favour a learner-centred approach which shifts responsibility to
the learner.
• The ELP is not a viable proposition if it is used mechanically to check progress.
• The ELP has benefits for learners, teachers and schools if it is to remain attractive.
• Too wide a gap between the demands of the curriculum and ELP principles is difficult to
manage.
• Space in the working routine is needed to make good use of the ELP.
• The status of the ELP needs to be defined on the broad educational level as well as in the local
context.
• Sustained learner and teacher support is needed to achieve the desirable long-term effects.
In 2010, the EVC [5] summarised the added value of the ELP for teachers as follows:[6]
• The ELP encourages learners to take responsibility. (Learners accept that they share
responsibility for the success of the course.)
• The ELP helps the teacher to cope with heterogeneous groups. (The ELP helps learners
understand their individuality, and helps them in achieving personal goals within the group.)
• The ELP promotes communication within the class by providing a common language. (The
CEFR‟s approach to describing competence in terms that learners can understand and the ELP‟s
approach to reflection on learning, facilitates a true dialogue about learning among the learners
themselves and with the teacher.)
• The ELP helps make progress visible and increases satisfaction. (The descriptors are relatively
easy for learners to understand, so they can both see what they‟re aiming at and when they have
achieved it. If learners can see that they are making progress, they are more likely to be
satisfied.)
• The ELP helps make achievement visible and comprehensible for employers, for other schools,
etc. (If learners need to show their current levels of proficiency in one or more languages, the
ELP does this in a clear and comprehensible way.)

60
• The ELP puts learning into a wider European context. (For some learners, the European
recognition of the ELP and the level system is important and attractive.)
• The ELP facilitates mobility. (The CEFR‟s provides a transparent and coherent system for
describing communicative proficiency across Europe.)[7]
In 2011 the validation of ELPs was replaced by online registration based on the principle of self-
declaration. To support this development, the Language Policy Division has made available a
full set of templates and other resources that future ELP developers can draw on to con-struct
new models. The ELP will continue to thrive and develop, however, only if its effect on the
learning, teaching and assessment of language skills can be shown to be positive. Some of the
ways for measuring impact that have been suggested are:
• research projects that explore one or more aspects of ELP implementation with a view to
producing a research report;
• an individual research project undertaken by a postgraduate student, either for a thesis leading
to a higher degree or for the dissertation component of a partly taught master‟s degree
programme;
• action research undertaken by an individual teacher or by a group of teachers who are
collaborating on ELP implementation;
• an online impact survey (a questionnaire on websites of institutions involved in ELP
implementation);
• case studies;
• studies of the involvement of teacher training institutions in ELP implementation, re-search
into the ELP and in the organisation of ELP seminars;
• desk research based on the Council of Europe‟s Language Education Policy Profiles;
• a survey of how many ELP models have actually been developed – with or without validation –
as local, regional and international projects (including EU-funded projects).

LIST OF REFERENCES
[1]
www.coe.int/portfolio
[2]
www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/elp/elp-reg/history_elp
[3]
The European Language Portfolio: The Story So Far (1991–2011) , David Little, Francis
Goullier and Gareth Hughes www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/elp/elp-reg/accredited_models
[4]
The European Language Portfolio: The Story So Far (1991–2011) , David Little, Francis
Goullier and Gareth Hughes www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/elp/elp-reg/accredited_models
[5]
EuropeanValidation Committee
[6]
This summary of how the ELP can bring added value to the language classroom is to be
found on the ELP web-site: www.coe.int/portfolio.
[7]
European Language Portfolio: Interim Report 2007, Rolf Schärer, General Rapporteur, 2008

Bibliography and sitography

1. www.coe.int/portfolio
2. www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/elp/elp-reg/history_elp
3. The European Language Portfolio: The Story So Far (1991–2011) , David Little, Francis Goullier and Gareth
Hughes www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/elp/elp-reg/accredited_models
4. European Language Portfolio: Interim Report 2007, Rolf Schärer, General Rapporteur, 2008

61
 WHAT IS SPEECH THERAPY?

Speech therapist, Anca Ioana Rîpan - Romania

The word "speech therapy" comes from the greek "logos" which means word and
"paidea" which means education . Therefore, speech therapy deals with speech education, and in
a broad sense with the study and development of language, the prevention and correction of
language disorders.
Language disorders have a transient character, correctable, educable, by specific speech
therapy methods.
Language disorders can be:
1. Pronunciation disorders (impaired pronunciation of one or more sounds: dyslalia,
dysarthria, rhinolalia).
2. Rhythm and fluency disorders (stuttering, bradylalia, tahilalia).
3. Voice disorders (aphonia, dysphonia and phonoasthenia).
4. Disorders of reading and writing language (dyslexia-dysgraphia, alexia and agraphia).
5. Polymorphic disorders (aphasia and alalia).
6. Language development disorders (psychogenic mutism, delay in general speech
development).
7. Disorders associated with psychopathological or psychiatric disorders (echolalia).
Speech therapy is addressed especially to children, because their speech is constantly structured,
and the disorders that appear tend to consolidate and worsen over time in the form of deficient
skills. It is also addressed to patients who have suffered a stroke.
The speech therapist establishes the exercises corresponding to the child's particularities. It
focuses in particular on the regulation of respiration, the gymnastics of the phono-articulator, the
imitation of onomatopoeias, naming objects or images, repeating syllables, phonemic hearing
development exercises, forming small sentences based on concrete images, free storytelling.
Not only the speech therapist and the child are involved in speech therapy. In order to
reach the desired results as soon as possible, the speech therapist must collaborate with:
• The family: in order to know the attitude of the family members towards the speech
disorder, the change of the family's attitude in the favorable direction of the child's correction;
• Teachers: recovery and correction of the child's language in a context other than
therapeutic or family;
• Or other people significant to the child.
The duration and success of therapy depends largely on the degree of involvement of all
those involved in the child's education, through the continuous stimulation of language, through
positive feedback and emotional support.

When do we go with the child to the speech therapist?

The moment you, as a parent, feel that something is wrong with your child's speech.
All evaluation scales indicate that at 2 years and 2 months the child should make short
sentences: "Give water !," Come on, mother! "

What are the risks when you do not go to the speech therapist with the child?

62
 When the child does not go to the speech therapist, he may reach the age of schooling and
may not be able to pronounce the sounds correctly. He will not be able to write the sounds
correctly. Written language cannot be mastered if oral language is not developed.Phonematic
discrimination is also very important. He must recognize every sound when he utters it in order
to be able to write it. There are kids who get to school who don't actually talk. Thus they will not
be able to develop. They will not be able to keep pace with the other children in their class.

Bibliography

1.Bodea Hațegan, C., 2016, Logopedia.Terapia tulburărilor de limbaj.Structuri deschise, Editura Trei, București.
2.Verza, E., 2003, Tratat de logopedie, vol. I, Editura Fundației Humanitas, București.

63
 IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION
Prof. Stanciu Alina Georgeta - Romania

Quality in education is the set of characteristics of a supplier and its program through
which the expectations of the beneficiaries and the quality standards are met.
The school must be regarded as an organization that carries out its educational activity in
a competitive market of the provision of services . The competences through which the quality of
a school unit can be appreciated are professional-scientific, organizational, communicational,
psychosocial, psycho-pedagogical competences. The services provided by a school can be
considered quality only to the extent that its products and processes meet the needs and
expectations of customers and partners.
In order to define a quality school, we must consider the school environment, the
physical environment, the curriculum of methodical activity, the relationships between students,
teachers, parents and the community. Quality assurance in a school should start with an objective
identification of the aspects that need to be improved and their ranking in order to set priorities.
From this perspective, the aim is to: improve the behavior, motivation and presence of students,
formative assessment, by using a wide range of valuable methods and tools, collaboration
between teachers and relationships with all stakeholders, improve partnerships between school,
family and community, increase numerically and qualitatively partnerships with local economic
agents, reducing absenteeism and school dropout.
The Romanian Academic Society (SAR) presented a study that evaluates the quality of
education in Eastern Europe, including Romania, and which started from the idea that, in
education, the quality of education is due to the way in which educational services are designed
and applied. In this regard, it recommends six methods by which the quality of Romanian
education can be improved:
1.Identifying the real contribution of the school to the students' progress
2.Evaluation of educational services with emphasis on their purpose
3.Stimulating parental involvement
4.Promoting school inclusion
5.Intervention for personalized education to the characteristics of the school
6.Performing a benchmarkingbetween schools.
Benchmarking is a management process that manifests itself through self-improvement,
a process that must be carried out continuously in order to prove its effectiveness.
Benchmarking is manifested in simple ways that can be used as employee development
exercises. Teachers can visit other institutions and see how things are going there. They can
discover the best practices that fit for them and then improve them. The importance of
benchmarking is given by the fact that it saves the effort to discover things that already exist.
There are several types of benchmarking: internal, functional, general and comparative.
As a complex comparison activity, benchmarking has ten stages:
1.Identifying the benchmarking topic
2.Identifying the benchmarking partner
3.Determination of the method of data collection and data collection
4.Determination of the competitiveness gap

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5.Designing the new performance
6.Communication of results
7.Setting targets
8.Development of the action plan
9.Implementation of the plan and monitoring
10.Reformulation of the criteria
Benchmarking must be introduced as a process because it offers advantages that lead to
success, identifies differences and suggests ways to mitigate them. Benchmarking is not a
process that exposes the weaknesses of the school nor penalizes those responsible, it is used to
identify areas and ways of improvement, but also to reward those who bring about notable
improvements.
A "good" school is defined by "entrances", that is: school facilities and utilities are of
high quality, the teaching staff is highly qualified and together with the students participate in
long-term activities that are interesting, attractive and rewarding, and the "outputs": the results of
the students, their performances, the formation of the ability to reflect on the world, to formulate
and solve problems based on the relationship of knowledge in different fields, valorisation of
one's own experiences in order to be optimally conducted on the labour market or higher
education.
Therefore, the quality of education represents the level of satisfaction offered by the
effectiveness of the educational offer in the field of education and training, established by
reaching standards and to which the participants in the learning process and other stakeholders
contribute.
Bibliography:

Sallis.E – Total Quality Management in Education, Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005

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 EDUCATION – LEARNING OR KNOWLEDGE?

Eugenia-Liliana Ștefănescu - Romania

Vision and time

This is a very short incursion in history, philosophy, psychology, culture and direct
observation, in order to improve the education, to see the differences between learning and
knowledge and to understand the meaning of human life.
The future belongs not to those who are informed, but to those who know what to do with
information! The most important is to use the information for the benefit of humans and not
against them.
Let‟s imagine somebody is somewhere in space and sees the Earth all around, like we do
when we are standing in front of the globe of the world. For the people on the Earth, time is very
short and they cannot see and understand enough in one life, to become wisely. That means
humans are not ready for the next level.
But a few people on planet, who kept from their ancestors the information about the
world, remain in the top of pyramid through generations and observe the behavior of humans.
So, from time to time, when the standard of life grows up and the population seems to be almost
happy and closed to become wisely, a great danger appears for the establishment.
That means it‟s time for protecting the information: time for wars, time for disharmony,
time to maintain secrets safe from the other humans. But who starts these bad events,
accompanied by calamities: earthquake, floods, thunderstorms, wildfires etc.? A great force
above us adjusts, from time to time, the mechanism of death and life.

Through History

Freedom is not something other people have to give us. We were born with it and we
have to find it back to each other inside his being. But in order to be able to live together in peace
and good understanding on Earth, it is necessary to respect the rules of common sense.
Is this true? Are the humans a part of a process of selection generated by other humans? Looking
back in history we absolutely cannot find an era, to define that certain was a happy time for
humanity.
When the people are oppressed, they fear and fight for their lives. They go one step back
for a while and let the others exploited them, just to stay alive. When the people have enough
money, too much rights and liberty, but they don‟t have rigor and discipline, love and
understanding, they get confused and live dangerous: they drink, take drugs and they don‟t know
what to do to their life. They are not decided what way in life is right or wrong, because the
substances which they ingested or injection, deregulate the lucidity of the brain. They are lazy, or
hate work, most of them, and want just to have fun. In that case, other people need to work for
them. What a pity! What a waste of energy and time!
So, the next question is: do you think everything is done for the sake of humanity? What
is necessary to do, to restore balance and to keep humanity on a normal way? And what means
normal?
History shows us how the people were subjugated during the time. But too much blood
and too much destroyed buildings generated not weapons, not chemical arms, but biological
arms, which is the best natural way to restore control on everything around.

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About normality

Normality, from ancestors, means naturally, morality and virtue, meant to be in balance
and harmony with nature. What is no longer happening these days. In its desire for progress,
humanity exploits the resources of air, soil and subsoil, but at the same time affects the balance
of the planet.
So, solutions must be found quickly to restore planetary balance. And the school would
be the most appropriate place, as it engages an impressive number of teachers specialized in all
disciplines and pupils of different ages to conclude on this.
It is therefore necessary to restructure teaching, to bring students to a higher level of
understanding of what they teach, allowing the development of free thinking and the creativity of
pupils, which will bring the necessary reform ideas for change to the fore.
Normality means that we accept all kind of creatures on the Earth and live in harmony with
them. Exceptions are more accepted. The humans have no right to judge other people for their
belief and their behavior. Just one simple condition in the top of the list: each person‟s duty is to
not hurt others.
In connection with the controversial Christian religion, it may be said today, that the
virtues of mankind are written in the 10 divine commandments; and that merely respecting them,
without the existence of other laws, would contribute to the good functioning of mankind.
What could be the virtues promoted in the cultures of peoples so far? Politeness, fidelity,
caution, restraint, courage, justice, generosity, compassion, mercy, gratitude, simplicity,
tolerance, purity, gentleness, good faith, humor, love. And the most important is love!
But are these still benchmarks of the new changes we are just going through?

About Education

Education means a fundamental social phenomenon of transmitting the life experience of

adult generations and culture, to the generations of children and young people, necessary for
their integration into society. Also, education means knowledge of good manners and behavior in
society according to them2.
Looking in the dictionary for the meaning of other words:
Learning means to pass on knowledge and skills of any kind to someone (systematically)3.
Knowledge means not just possess information, but understand it and have the ability/capacity to
realize connections between different phenomena, events and enough intelligence to find
solutions each time is necessary4.
In his volume, Theaitetos, Platon said: “Knowledge is pure conviction with a sense…
Knowledge is justified”5. But knowledge of antiquity was based on moral marks and humanity
feared gods. And during the time, technology has advanced and its development has reached
high levels. Today, the evolution of technology has led to the diminution of faith, so the
landmarks of mankind have changed considerably.

2
romanian’s online dictionary
3
romanian’s online dictionary
4
romanian’s online dictionary
5
Platon, Theaitetos, apud Ben Dupré, 50 Ideas You Need to Know. Philosophy, page 24

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But Albert Einstein said: “I am afraid of the day when technology will be more important than
inter-human relations. There will be a generation of idiots in the world”6. Was Einstein right?
Looking at the recent events of the last 50 years, the educational standard has increased, but
student training is falling. They are concerned about lightening their jobs and living as easily as
possible, working as little as possible and earning as much money as possible
A few help develop the technology, and most are just using it, making it easier for them
to do much of the work. The drawbacks occur when we realize that by using these modern
devices, the cognitive capabilities of the brain decrease, more oriented toward discovering the
software facilities, than on the knowledge of the surrounding world.
Science means a set of knowledge in a particular field of knowledge7. Science is closely
related to knowledge, but few have mastered it. Most of them get the work of others ready,
which is why they, instead of moving forward, are regressing. Because they don‟t use any more
their brain for studies and research, but for paying services and just using them.
Each age passed on the pattern of the previous generation to its descendants. And
evolution has allowed substantial changes from one age to the next. Changes that allowed time
and space jumps. These changes led to progress on some palaces and backsliding on others. Such
as technological progress on the one hand and removal from roots on the other.
The education‟s object is increasing self-confidence of each person. So, why don‟t the
humans take just all the best of each era and do just what is right? Balance and harmony is the
way to the state of happiness. Maybe because they didn‟t understand de difference between what
is right and what is wrong. Or maybe they don‟t even ask their selves what is wrong and what is
right, and actually they just do chaotic actions, without thinking, just acting.
So, we can say that, as before, learning in today's school is based on the transmission of
patterns from generation to generation, but technological evolution leads to different results,
possibly unexpected, influenced by society's progress. But knowledge is directed in the area of
digital technology. It remains to be seen what the medium- and long-term effects will be.

Cultures and civilizations

Each nation has its own culture. But nations wandered from roots civilization and today,
they live like a leaf in the wind. From the ancient civilizations to the evolution of the current
digital technology, every people have lived with a certain culture, which has undergone changes
over time. The differences between cultures are major and have depended on the traditions,
customs and ways of living and thinking specific to each nation. But every age is always subject
to major changes and the challenges are inherent.
Sometimes, humans objectives are based on develop spiritual life and other times,
humans objectives are based on material life. But what we need to be happy is to find a way to
balance both of them. Today, humans are preoccupied more for material being, a spiritual life
almost doesn‟t exist.
Cultures are therefore subject to change, both within the culture of the nation and
globally, due to the growing interference generated by the migration of the world.

Which Are the Objectives of Education Today?

6
https://dokumen.tips/documents/487-de-citate-celebre.html
7
romanian’s online dictionary

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 The work of the human brain is very little exploited and known by researchers, only a
small part of it is currently used by humans. This created the idea of finding a way to measure
human intelligence. This is how the IQ measurement was achieved. So, the brain, least known to
researchers, among the organs of the human body, will for a long time be in the center of their
attention, in an attempt to understand how to increase its area of use and thus, hopefully,
contribute to the advancement of humanity. Will researchers get answers to the unanswered
questions of humanity so far?
We are going through a period of profound transformation, with repercussions in all
areas, and therefore also on planetary educational systems. It is not possible to say precisely at
this moment, where is humanity going to and what will be the new educational benchmarks?
It is visible on the horizon the trend of change, of bringing new into the consciousness of
humanity. But resistance to new developments inevitably arises, even if there is a population
segment that easily accepts the new approaches. The question is: are we moving toward progress
or backsliding? Only time will be able to answer this question, to the next generations.

Bibliography
 Aamodt, Sandra – Wang, Sam - Secrets of the human brain, Letter Publishing House, Bucharest 2020
 Comte-Sponville, Andre, Little treated of the great virtue, Universe Publishing House, Bucharest 2020
 Drimba, Ovidiu., The History of Culture and Civilizations, Scientific Publishing House, Bucharest 1995
 Dupré, Ben, 50 Ideas You Need to Know. Philosoph, Letter Publishing House, Bucharest 2019
 Geiss, Imanuel, The History of the World. From prehistory to today, All Publishing House, Bucharest 2012
Webcast

 https://dexonline.ro/
 https://dokumen.tips/documents/487-de-citate-celebre.html

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