" Teaching English in an Islamic Cultural Context"
Many thanks to all who came to the session and apologies to those who found the room full and couldn't attend. I hope this site can make it up.
My workshop aims to shed light on what it means to be an English language teacher in an Islamic culture. I will identify the common elements of the socio-cultural state of Muslim students that paint the language classroom and contribute to the choice of proper teaching methods. Finally, I will offer my audience some recommendations and solutions for potential issues.
Summary
Teaching English in an Islamic culture in the current times poses complex questions for both teachers and learners. For language teachers who do not belong to the same culture, teaching English could be a challenge and teachers’ lack of understanding of the learners’ culture may foster misconceptions and nourish Islamophobia.
Learners on the other hand experience perplexing perceptions and feelings; they realize the international status of English language and its importance for advancement in studies and having a good future career. At the same time, this lingua franca is, mistakenly, associated with colonialism and political dominance.
The socio-cultural setting of any language classroom has a powerful impact on the choice of methodology, students’ attitudes towards learning and consequently the outcomes. Through talk and dialogue with my audience, I hope to address such issues and identify teaching methods and practices that best suit Muslim learners.
The workshop is intended to be a short journey of cultural discovery through group activities and class games. I expect participants to take an active role in the discussion and share their ideas with the presenter.
14 October 2010
1 year 31 weeks
Hi Mohammad Manasreh, I appreciate your initiative. For adult learners, or those who are interested to learn more about the great religion, it is an easy and automatic way to learn. In a way it will be an automatic learning.
In cognitive psychology, it is called "Content-based Instruction" or "Theme-based Learning". According to educational psychologists Content-based Instruction is the "only way" to master a second language. No second language learner is going to learn a language for language sake. Grammar is the most horrible way to learn any language. In this case you blend religious and social topics with language learning.
Content-based Instruction is remaining on paper for three decades. Everyone praised the subject and shied away from it because of the operational issues associated with it. It starts from developing course content to delivering the program. Only one company, Espoir Technologies has developed full fledged content-based instruction programs like Smart English through Success Secrets, Smart English through Movies, Smart English through Cricket, Smart English though Love & Romance, Smart English through Technology & Science, Smart Communication through Management Ideas, Smart Communication through Wit & Wisdom etc. Each one is customizable to your level (thanks to an artificial intelligence program)to IELTS, GRE, GMAT level. It builds great social communication skills - it can even record your body language while you practice!
26 April 2010
1 year 30 weeks
Salom Mohammad Manasreh,
I've read only One Reply here to your so Timing initiative...
I see that the venue with your topic get an Audience:
" Teaching English in an Islamic Cultural Context"...
at the CS forum:People.CS For All Ages .50s+ Travellers
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=2164&post=6980673
Halima
26 April 2010
1 year 30 weeks
dears,
I asked Heike,the organizer of the SLanguages 2010 Conference,which took place on October 15-16 2010, starting 5pm GMT on Friday evening and running for 24h,also how trigger more English teachers from Uzbekistan(the Moslem's country) be presented here, at that conference..
This 24 hours SL Marathon was Really Amazing!
Yes,I wanted invite my Uzbek friends and colleagues despite not having avatars as of yet, but they could/wanted not participate only bcs their Old Style of Mind and Mentality ...I understood, that Uzbek either like SL or don´t. Some find it useful, but many don´t. In any case, there are thousands Uzbek English Teachers, who can´t get into SL, because their PCs are too old, don´t have the right graphic card, connection is too slow, etc., etc. I only wonder: must we as educators wait till things will change in a few years, when SL can be accessed via a browser?!
Halima