Step 8: A language aware school community (TP4 & ProTeacher)
How does a language aware school community relate to wider society? What should a teacher take into account when working with families newly arrived in Finland?
Language Awareness Task
Language awareness means being conscious of language use situations, texts and features of language. The following model supports first and second generation immigrant pupils in particular by paying attention to how language is used in teaching: https://hundred.org/en/innovations/language-conscious-teaching
LANGUAGE AWARENESS TASK:
A foreign-language family moves to Jyväskylä and their children join your class in teacher practice school.
Consider:
- What might a family moving to Jyväskylä need to know about school life, and what information might be useful for the family to share with the teacher?
- What should teachers find out about the background of the family and the student (e.g. previous learning experiences and language resources)? What are the best ways to obtain this information?
- How can teachers make sure pupils are involved classroom interaction and participate equally?
In your small group, based on the literature and your reflections, prepare a roughly 2-page info pack for the family and a toolkit for the teacher. Include a short metatext laying out the ethical background of your principles and actions as a teacher (approx. 1 page). Make use of the literature and online resources as well as the TP3 materials and experiences. If you wish, you can also interview families about their experiences (families can be contacted e.g. via Multicultural Center Gloria). The task will be analysed during the final session for ProTeacher reflections.
TP4 ProTeacher development work: Equal and equitable education
The development of language awareness is part of teacher development, which is reflected on, explored and described in ProTeacher – an online personal-professional portfolio of student teacher development. On the Language Aware Pathway, the ProTeacher reflection tasks are linked with Teaching Practices 1-4. During each teaching practice, students reflect on their skills and abilities with the help of selected questions related to the core competencies of teacher education at JYU.
OH4 ProTeacher development work – reflective area:
Ethical competence: You can identify and analyze your actions from an ethical point of view and act in conflict situations based on ethical principles.Interaction competence and competence related to diversity: You are able to work cooperatively in interaction situations and in groups. You are able and interested in listening to others and able to communicate in different interactions. You are able to become aware of and challenge your attitudes and beliefs related to diversity and act with the understanding that every person is special and has his own conditions and backgrounds. You are able to interact in culturally diverse contexts.
Community and social competence: You are able to critically evaluate community values, norms and operating practices and participate in their development. You are able to identify and evaluate wider social structures, for example the importance of political, cultural, economic and historical factors for learning, students and teaching, as well as for equality in education.
FOR THE SUPERVISOR:
Students can benefit from reflecting on what attitudes and expectations they have regarding encountering families and pupils and what assumptions might lie behind them. Students will also benefit from sharing their reflections with others, but may need support in doing so.
SCENARIOS FOR REFLECTION https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16P1ydSH4Qqn6BMYyo9DVVN7llcgV-C81q5k3E7ED8hU/edit?usp=sharing