Innovative English Learning Strategies

InfoThis is a summary of the following YouTube video:

Teaching English without Teaching English | Roberto Guzman | TEDxUPRM

TEDx Talks

May 26, 2016

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Nonprofits & Activism

Three-phase system for effective English teaching

  1. Roberto Guzman, a professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Aguadilla Campus, has been teaching undergraduate English courses for over 20 years. He focuses on developing critical thinking and hands-on language skills.
  2. Guzman was frustrated with traditional methods of teaching English, as students could pass written tests but struggled with real-life conversations. This led him to develop a new teaching system.
  3. His system, called 'Teaching English without teaching English,' moves away from grammar-focused instruction and is divided into three stages.
  4. The first stage involves giving students a 'BS detector,' a mental tool to identify nonsensical or vague information. This tool is high-maintenance but essential for critical thinking.
  5. The 'BS detector' has three parts, with the first part being critical thinking skills. Students are taught to ask specific questions when reading, listening to talks, or engaging in conversations.
  6. Specificity is emphasized because it indicates knowledge and responsibility. People who avoid being specific often do so because they lack understanding or want to avoid accountability.

Three-phase system for critical thinking in English

  1. Roberto Guzman emphasizes the importance of asking specific questions to understand the speaker's comprehensiveness, evidence, and burden of proof. This helps students critically evaluate the information they receive.
  2. The first phase of Guzman's system involves teaching students to ask specific questions about the information they encounter. This includes checking for comprehensiveness, evidence, and burden of proof, especially in scientific topics where replicability and experimental data are crucial.
  3. The second phase focuses on detecting logical fallacies, which are errors in reasoning. Guzman explains common fallacies such as non sequitur (false cause and effect), ad hominem (attacking the person instead of the argument), and argument from authority (believing something is true because an authority figure says so).
  4. Guzman uses examples to illustrate these fallacies, such as the non sequitur fallacy where forgetting an umbrella is humorously linked to causing rain, and the ad hominem fallacy often seen in political debates where personal attacks replace argument merits.
  5. The third phase is inspired by Benjamin Bloom's taxonomy of thinking skills. Guzman highlights the importance of memorization as the foundation of learning but stresses that students must move beyond mere memorization to higher-order thinking skills.
  6. Bloom's taxonomy includes skills like understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Guzman encourages students to develop these skills to enhance their critical thinking and language development.
  7. Guzman's three-phase system aims to improve both the learning experience for students and the teaching practice for professors by fostering critical thinking and effective language use.

Teaching English through critical thinking and current events

  1. Roberto Guzman emphasizes the importance of deep thinking and critical analysis in his English classes. He encourages students to question and evaluate information rather than just accepting it at face value.
  2. Guzman believes that changing one's opinions and being open to new ideas is crucial for personal and societal growth. He quotes George Bernard Shaw to support this view, stating that progress is impossible without change.
  3. To foster critical thinking, Guzman uses a variety of contemporary resources such as TED talks, YouTube videos, and current events instead of traditional textbooks. This approach helps students engage with real-world issues while improving their language skills.
  4. For example, Guzman discusses topics like the Syrian refugee crisis and Puerto Rico's economic situation in his classes. He uses articles from renowned economists like Joseph Stiglitz to stimulate discussion and analysis.
  5. Guzman has two main rules in his classroom: no personal attacks (ad hominems) and the understanding that ideas are not people and do not have rights. These rules help maintain a respectful and open environment for discussion.

Encourage questioning, embrace mistakes, foster peer tutoring

  1. Roberto Guzman emphasizes the importance of questioning ideas, even those presented by the professor. He believes it is an ethical responsibility to challenge ideas that don't make sense, as unchecked bad ideas can cause significant harm.
  2. Guzman uses the example of Adolf Hitler to illustrate the dangers of not questioning harmful ideas early on. Hitler's unchecked rise to power led to immense destruction and a world war.
  3. In the classroom, Guzman encourages an interactive environment where students feel free to question and discuss ideas. This interaction is crucial for developing critical thinking skills.
  4. Guzman addresses the fear of making mistakes in language learning. He explains that making mistakes, known as developmental errors, is a natural and necessary part of learning a new language.
  5. To create a comfortable learning atmosphere, Guzman allows students to express themselves freely, without fear of making mistakes. This approach helps students understand the boundaries of linguistic rules.
  6. Guzman observes that students who initially struggle with English often become more engaged during debates and conversations. They begin to ask peers for translations, leading to spontaneous peer tutoring.
  7. This peer tutoring happens naturally as students help each other with language translation, fostering a collaborative learning environment. Guzman facilitates this by encouraging participation and making eye contact with students to prompt them to speak.

Language learning through comfort and content focus

  1. Roberto Guzman discusses his method of teaching English by allowing students to use Spanglish and make mistakes without judgment. This approach helps students feel comfortable and reduces the fear of being graded poorly.
  2. Guzman compares traditional language teaching methods to describing the taste of food without actually experiencing it. He argues that memorizing rules and focusing solely on grammar is ineffective for truly learning a language.
  3. He emphasizes that language is a living thing and should be experienced dynamically. Once students are comfortable with making mistakes, classroom interactions become more dynamic and engaging.
  4. In the writing process, Guzman prioritizes content over form initially. Students are encouraged to get their ideas, evidence, and feelings on paper first before worrying about grammatical correctness.
  5. The second stage of writing involves correcting grammatical mistakes and focusing on the mechanics of the language. This two-stage process helps students develop both their content creation and language mechanics skills.
  6. Guzman stresses that content is more important than form, using examples of world-class writers like Stephen King and Isabel Allende, whose manuscripts are edited for form by professionals after the content is created.

Encourage critical thinking and curiosity

  1. Roberto Guzman emphasizes the importance of content over grammar in learning English. He argues that while grammar can be learned from machines or proofreaders, the passion and creativity in writing cannot be faked.
  2. Guzman believes that learning is a painful process due to societal narratives that shape our perceptions. He introduces the concept of cognitive dissonance, which occurs when new ideas conflict with existing beliefs, and stresses the importance of forming opinions based on reason and critical thinking rather than prejudice.
  3. He encourages his students to ask questions and be curious, likening this curiosity to that of a three-year-old child. Guzman notes that societal norms often suppress this curiosity by the time children reach sixth grade, and he sees his role as an educator to revive this inquisitiveness.
  4. Guzman asserts that growth and maturity come from the ability to question and seek understanding. He believes that competent and ethical individuals are not afraid of questions and are often passionate about sharing their knowledge.
  5. In conclusion, Guzman views his role as an educator to open as many doors as possible for his students, giving them the freedom to choose which opportunities to pursue.

Teaching English through practical skills

  1. Roberto Guzman emphasizes the importance of practical skills over traditional book learning.
  2. He uses a metaphor of teaching students to cook rather than just reading about cooking.
  3. This approach is applied to his method of teaching English, focusing on hands-on language development.
  4. Guzman aims to improve both the learning experience for students and the teaching practice for professors.