Jennifer+Ma

= **My Profile:** = = Konnichiwa! Hi Everyone, I'm a Japanese teacher at Simonds Catholic College, a Catholic boys school in inner Melbourne. I'm teaching Japanese at VCE level this year and I'm very excited to be part of this project. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. :) = = **Action Research Project Planner:** = Which area/s of your practice would you like to improve?  Increasing motivation and engagement in students of language classes.
 * = ** Stage 1 ANALYSE ** – =

What will be your focus for this project in 2011? Lifting motivation and increasing engagement in language learning for students in VCE while at the same time being able to successfully satisfy the outcomes required by the VCE. Developing the four macroskills of language learning: speaking, reading, listening writing and doing it through an engaging manner. Looking at how boys learn.

Connections to the Standards Language Pedagogy Timeline for 2011
 * Creating a culture of learning in classrooms.
 * Recognise what is missing in the ways textbooks present Japanese and providing material to enrich students exposure to and familiarity with a range of Japanese usages.
 * Engage students in learning through developing effective classroom management strategies. ||
 * = ** Stage 2 - PLAN ** =
 * = ** Stage 2 - PLAN ** =
 * Surveying students on their preferred learning style to get an idea and understanding of what methods students like learning in and altering classes to suit their needs.
 * Look at more authentic texts and resources to help show students a more authentic and upadated culture of Japan.
 * Building on connections of students' experiences in Japan and fostering a relationship between what they experienced and what is learnt in the classroom.
 * Decorating language classroom with Japanese themes to create a more authentic feel when students enter Japanese classes
 * Develop further ICT skills so they can be utilised in the classroom more effectively.
 * Collegiate visit with mentor

Introduce some ‘competition’ in the class where boys can compete with each other in a ‘fun’ environment with set goals (eg learning vocabulary)
Budget for Resource Grant - $1000 Erin ga chosen nihongo dekimasu DVD and Text Vol 1, 2 and 3: $59.95 x 3 = $179.85 Wakatta Answers and Audio Scripts: $34.95 Mirai 6 Course Book 2nd Ed: $54.95 Mirai 6 Activity Book 2nd Ed: $31.95 Map of Japan Poster: $16.95 Olympus Digital Voice Recorder: $89 || What did you do?
 * == ** Stage 3 – ACT ** ==
 * == ** Stage 3 – ACT ** ==

Survey Results: Students indicated that they prefer more interactive methods of learning than chalk and talk.

Dates: March 2011: First MLTAV workshop - Beginning of project 20/9/11: MLTAV Dinner - First face to face contact with mentor Simone Tynan 21/9/11: First collegiate visit at school - Simone Tynan visits Simonds Catholic College to conduct observation, resource sharing and discussion. 9/3/12: Second MLTAV workshop - Touch base on project and organisation of project schedule for the rest of the year.

ICT Engagement: - Increasing the use of ICT by incoporating interactive 'games' when learning vocabulary for topics.

IMPLEMENT: What did you notice?
 * 1) Benchmark: long term (VCE exam)/ short term (weekly)
 * 2) Short term quizzes and use previous word randomly (Test 10 new vocab and 10 random previous)
 * 3) Games during class with a highscore (Revise old and new vocab) ||
 * == ** Stage 4 - OBSERVE ** ==
 * == ** Stage 4 - OBSERVE ** ==

__ Workshop 2 __

Part 1

Questions for reflection:

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT p49 (Teaching and Learning Languages)

Task: Learning vocab (eg list of 10 words for test next week)

How does it matter to the students?

Learn the words or get a bad mark

How do students see the long term benefits of learning vocab now?

At present, students study just before a test – short term goals

Students are not good at looking long term.

What is at stake? “What is in it for me (student)?” - Engaging boys: using a leaderboard – just for top 3. Or a Championship quiz (prize of itunes voucher/lollypop)

Part 2 Nature of task itself:

Vocab quizzes on their own only have a grade as a reward.

(Orientation to participant) **__Perhaps__** not interesting or valuable to boys. || What would you do the same/differently in the future?
 * == ** Stage 5 - REFLECT ** ==
 * == ** Stage 5 - REFLECT ** ==

In terms of quizzes and games played on the computer to encourage vocabulary learning,
Perhaps need to have some other ‘reward’. Might be a highscore/leader board, or some sort of tangible reward (such as lollypop/voucher/ 5 minutes free time on the computer etc).

Enhancement: Making the quizzes more of a game/competition.

Monitoring of students results and activity through the use of Quia Classroom.

Suggested games sites:


 * Quia (can also do quizzes through here) excellent!! Low cost ||