TeachingEnglish
Eleanor Occena - Biography
Submitted by eleanor_occena on 7 August, 2008 - 05:45
I am Eleanor Occeña and am the third Guest Teacher on Teaching English. Please call me Ellen. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A, of Filipino parents. I look very much a Filipina so it is easier for me to say that I come from the Philippines. I am now living in Mexico, in the state of Hidalgo, one of the 32 states of the country.
I have a full-time job in the English office of the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH). The official name of the office in Spanish is Direccion Universitaria de Idiomas (DUI). We coordinate the different English departments in every faculty and school of the University, generally supervising the implementation of the English program and the related activities, as well as the English teachers’ professional profiles, meaning, that we see to it that the English teachers have the specified requirements to teach in the university.
Early in the morning from 7:00 to 9:00, I go to teach at the Linguistics Area of the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities. I teach two subjects: Self-access as a Resource to eighth semester students of the B.A. in ELT course and Test Design and Evaluation to seventh semester students. Then I hurry off to another university building located downtown to my full-time job that starts at 9:30 a.m. and finishes at 5 p.m. Currently, the University is undergoing a curricular modification in all subjects in all the careers, so this colossal project has also involved a new curricular model for English language teaching. I am personally in-charge of the project where we are working to implement a competence-based approach to teaching English.
I have worked in the UAEH for the past 15 years. Before that, I worked in private schools in the grade school level. I have also tried teaching in what we call here the preparatoria levels, or the senior high schools. The university is where I have done a lot of things. My first full-time designation was as Academic counselor in a project that helped set-up the Self-access centre of the university in 1994. Because of this, I have helped in the development of self-access learning at the UAEH Self-access Center as well as teacher training in relation to learner training in self-access. The users of the Self-access Centre use a Self-access Continuous Assessment Record which was the product of my Final Project and thesis titled Helping learners to develop self-assessment at the UAEH when I obtained my Bachelors Degree in ELT under a joint project of the Ministry of Education in Mexico and Thames Valley University, London.
In 1999, I was designated the first director in-charge of the English office up to September 2005 when I went to study my Masters in TESOL at the University of Leeds in the UK under the Hornby Long-term Scholarship.
When I returned to Mexico, I became more involved in teacher training courses in ELT and motivational EFL conferences for students at the UAEH. I have written a 150-hour teacher updating course in various areas of ELT and have given it twice already.
From 1992 to last year, I have given a total of 24 presentations in teachers’ conferences and other teacher development related events. The most important ones I have done were at the Best of British 1999 in Mexico City (Helping Learners to develop self-assessment at the self-access center of the UAEH); the National Congress of Self-access Centres in Mexico in 2000 (Adapting a Mexican Self-access Centre); XXXI MEXTESOL National Convention in October 2004 and the National Association of University English professors (ANUPI) in September 2004, both delivering the same presentation (Meaningful English, meaningful learning); again at the National Association of University English professors (ANUPI) in September 2007 (Communicative competence Vs. Grammatical competence) and at the XXXIV MEXTESOL National Convention in November 2007 (Butterflies and Caterpillars). As you can see, I love attending teachers conferences and talking to teachers! Now, I hope to be able to do this during my two-month stint as guest teacher!
When I’m not working? Hah! I make up to my two kids, being with them - a daughter who’s 25 and a teen-aged son of 19! So there really isn’t any free time except to sleep! Ahh, a luxury!!
I have a full-time job in the English office of the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH). The official name of the office in Spanish is Direccion Universitaria de Idiomas (DUI). We coordinate the different English departments in every faculty and school of the University, generally supervising the implementation of the English program and the related activities, as well as the English teachers’ professional profiles, meaning, that we see to it that the English teachers have the specified requirements to teach in the university.
Early in the morning from 7:00 to 9:00, I go to teach at the Linguistics Area of the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities. I teach two subjects: Self-access as a Resource to eighth semester students of the B.A. in ELT course and Test Design and Evaluation to seventh semester students. Then I hurry off to another university building located downtown to my full-time job that starts at 9:30 a.m. and finishes at 5 p.m. Currently, the University is undergoing a curricular modification in all subjects in all the careers, so this colossal project has also involved a new curricular model for English language teaching. I am personally in-charge of the project where we are working to implement a competence-based approach to teaching English.
I have worked in the UAEH for the past 15 years. Before that, I worked in private schools in the grade school level. I have also tried teaching in what we call here the preparatoria levels, or the senior high schools. The university is where I have done a lot of things. My first full-time designation was as Academic counselor in a project that helped set-up the Self-access centre of the university in 1994. Because of this, I have helped in the development of self-access learning at the UAEH Self-access Center as well as teacher training in relation to learner training in self-access. The users of the Self-access Centre use a Self-access Continuous Assessment Record which was the product of my Final Project and thesis titled Helping learners to develop self-assessment at the UAEH when I obtained my Bachelors Degree in ELT under a joint project of the Ministry of Education in Mexico and Thames Valley University, London.
In 1999, I was designated the first director in-charge of the English office up to September 2005 when I went to study my Masters in TESOL at the University of Leeds in the UK under the Hornby Long-term Scholarship.
When I returned to Mexico, I became more involved in teacher training courses in ELT and motivational EFL conferences for students at the UAEH. I have written a 150-hour teacher updating course in various areas of ELT and have given it twice already.
From 1992 to last year, I have given a total of 24 presentations in teachers’ conferences and other teacher development related events. The most important ones I have done were at the Best of British 1999 in Mexico City (Helping Learners to develop self-assessment at the self-access center of the UAEH); the National Congress of Self-access Centres in Mexico in 2000 (Adapting a Mexican Self-access Centre); XXXI MEXTESOL National Convention in October 2004 and the National Association of University English professors (ANUPI) in September 2004, both delivering the same presentation (Meaningful English, meaningful learning); again at the National Association of University English professors (ANUPI) in September 2007 (Communicative competence Vs. Grammatical competence) and at the XXXIV MEXTESOL National Convention in November 2007 (Butterflies and Caterpillars). As you can see, I love attending teachers conferences and talking to teachers! Now, I hope to be able to do this during my two-month stint as guest teacher!
When I’m not working? Hah! I make up to my two kids, being with them - a daughter who’s 25 and a teen-aged son of 19! So there really isn’t any free time except to sleep! Ahh, a luxury!!
- eleanor_occena's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Log in or register
Follow TeachingEnglish
 |
 |
 |
 |
Comments
Dear Ellen,
I would like to congratulate you for being the brave third Guest Teacher on Teaching English website!
You must be a very hardworking teacher, and quite involved in that "colossal project" at the University, working to implement a competence-based approach to teaching English.
You said that when you returned to Mexico(after completing your Master degree at the University of Leeds) you became more involved in teacher training courses in ELT and you had written "a 150-hour teacher updating course in various areas of ELT" and had given it twice already. Do you mean you have provided training on those "various areas of ELT" twice? Wouldn't you mind sharing with us which main areas you have focused on?
I wouldn't like to abuse of your patience, not to mention taking too much of your time(which is so precious!). But I would appreciate very much if you could explain to us the reason(s) for choosing the metaphor "Butterflies and Caterpillars" at the MEXTESOL Convention in November 2007.
Thank you very much indeed.
Best regards,
Mª do Céu Costa
Hi Ellen
I am a full time English teacher, coordinator and student, I am doing my diploma in TESOL, and I am really impressed by your work and the challenges you confronted in your career which required lots of vital decision makings.
I am interested in knowing more about the competence-based approach to teaching English. I am trying to implement that in my school, I would really appreciate it if you could explain it further and provide some samples of your work.
Thanks
Hi Ma do Céo Costa!
Nice to hear from a very enthusiastic teacher!
The Updating ELT Practice course has actually been given thrice already. Two intensive 5-hour sessions daily for 30 days were given simultaneously in July last year. A colleague of mine helped me out with the other course. Then, a Friday course was implemented from May to December during the same year.
Updating ELT covers the following main topics: Reflection on current practice dealing with teachers’ beliefs and experiences (Borg, 2001, ELT Journal 55(2) pp. 186-188; Apprenticeship of Observation (Lortie, 1975); Personal Practical Knowledge (Carter, 1990:300); the English syllabus – understanding the learning objectives as competences; Current resources for teachers i.e. self-instructional systems, platforms, blogs, webquests, ipods, chats, group discussions on the internet, etc.; Current approaches – task-based learning, student centred approach, reflective approach, competence-based approach, meaningful learning, etc.; current methodologies and teaching techniques; Classroom Observation – describing teacher’s actions, knowledge and beliefs; Assessment – relationship of testing to teaching, alternative / continuous assessment.
“Butterflies and Caterpillars” is an adaptation of an activity named “Butterflies” designed by Malderez and Bodocsky (1999:85) in their book Mentor Courses published by Cambridge University Press. The objective of the activity is to ‘raise awareness’ of the dangers of inappropriate ‘intervention’ by teachers. Intervention refers to the ‘influence’ of the mentor or teacher trainer on the student teacher or future teacher, pointing out the importance of being aware that what a teacher trainer says in a training class will make a difference one way or another to the development and thinking of the teacher trainee.
“Butterflies and Caterpillars” was carried out further adapting it to the roles of the teacher and student in the classroom, encouraging teachers, not just teacher trainees, to reflect on the importance of the teacher’s influence on the students’ learning and thinking. Malderez and Bodocsky point out that “inappropriate intervention “may not achieve the teaching aims.”
How is this done? The community of butterflies tries to convince the caterpillars, which are reluctant to become butterflies, of the benefits of being a butterfly. Some are convinced, some are not. What is interesting in the activity is getting the caterpillars to tell us how they were convinced or what did a butterfly do to convince a caterpillar, as well as why a caterpillar wasn’t convinced by a butterfly. It is a reflection on the way we teach, how we convince learners of what we teach.
So very sorry for replying 'til now. I really appreciate your interest.
Ellen
Hello Ahlam,
We used the general descriptors of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEF or CEFR) for languages as the basis for establishing the competences that our students should be able to master by the end of each term. We have one general program for English which is included in the curriculum of the courses offered by our university. The CEFR has competence descriptors for travel, work and study purposes, but we chose to use the general descriptors useful to any field. The CEFR can guide you to how you can establish your learning objectives using the descriptors of the reference levels. A general descriptor is established for every level of your english program. Then a descriptor is needed for every competence that students should be able to master or achieve by the end of the term, being able to show evidences of having acquiered the competence marked by the program. For example, in the A1 level of the CEFR, one of the descriptors is "Can perform and respond to basic language functions such as information exchange and requests." We have interpreted this descriptor in our English program as the basic competences where students, by the end of the term, 'can give and ask about personal information'; can ask for and give directions; can talk about oneself and others, ask for and give information such as the time, prices, physical descriptions, directions and other simple functions such as inviting, accepting and refusing. These specific competences conform the program units.
After establishing the competences, the next part of the process is establishing what are needed to enable learners to show competence of the language, i.e. vocabulary, language structures, pronunciation, knowledge of where and when to use the language, etc. the students are given the time to get exposure to the language, through practice activities, teachnological resources, getting prepared to show the specific evidence or evidences for which they will be evaluated. There can be performance evidence, showing ability to use the language, through role playing, dialogues, etc. There can be product evidences such as project work. Evidences should be as close as possible to real world use of the language. For example, being able to show evidence of being able to talk about personal information can be shown through print outs of chats on the internet, or filling up forms, or a dialogue exchange of information.
'hope this can give you an idea.
Ellen
Hello, Ellen!
Thank you very much indeed for your kind words and detailed information related to the "Updating ELT course" topics covered, as well as your patience for letting us know and explaining so clearly about "Butterflies and Caterpillars".
I must tell you I have never been a teacher trainer. But I also think the same dangers of inappropriate "intervention" can be applied to the daily interaction between the teacher and her/his learners.Our teaching style, our behaviour, will always influence (positively or negatively) the students' thinking and learning. I also think it's very important to reflect on the way we teach. Then we'll be able to convince our learners more easily of "what we teach". In our view, "How we teach" really makes all the difference.
Despite being very, very close to my retirement (I cannot believe how all these almost 37 years have passed so quickly!), I hope to keep learning from these fascinating group discussions on the Internet.It's like magic to access (through a simple click...) to colleagues from around the world, sharing our views/experience, thus expanding our knowledge, and to some extent, relationships!
Thank you so much, Ellen. Happy achievements!
Mª do Céu
Dear Teaching English Team,
I would appreciate if you could accept the password referred to above.
Best regards
Mª do Céu
Dear Ellen,
I must confess that your huge experience on issues involved in teacher training intimidating for a near novice teacher trainer and now decision maker like me. But I'll rather turn the coin around and take that which is, (even more outstanding) inspiring.
I work in the Ministry of Basic Education in my country Cameroon and over the last few years, teacher training has been based on a learner-centres approach which we very illogically called the New Pedagogic Approach - NPA. (don't bother about the name as it is actually older than our independence!) The main idea about this approach has been that of encouraging inferencial thinking both in trainees and in the young learners they will eventually teach. Now we are introducing the competency-based approach to complement the NPA.
Looking at the competencies you have outlined from the CEFR, I'm a little lost where we place objectives. So:
1. what difference do you make between competencies and objectives?
2. How will you measure competencies in an examination-oriented educational system where learners are evaluated on the basis of structures, comprehension and writing?
Best,
Harry
Dear Harry,
Gosh! When I was invited to be guest teacher, I wrote Penny that I was afraid I wouldn’t do as well as you and Laxman. I wasn’t sure what to write of at the start but as the introduction about me in the webpage said I was to write of ELT issues in Mexico, I decided to start with what I was doing at the moment. The truth is that I am happy to talk to English teachers of anything that concerns ELT.
Competences are shown in study programs as descriptions of what students are expected to show they can do at the end of a course or a unit of a course. Objectives are statements of what is/are expected to be achieved at the end of a course or unit of a course that includes a stated purpose usually related to the over-all aim of the English course or even the institutional aim. Let’s look at an example of an objective for a first level course that states the competence and the purpose:
The students can understand and use very basic phrases to describe people, things and the location of places, as well as can express in a simple manner, actions and activities in the present time [the competences] for the purpose of maintaining social interaction in daily and routine situations [the purpose, look at the main aim of the English course below].
The aim of the English course is to provide students with the knowledge of the language through the use of basic language structures and expressions in familiar and social contexts that will enable them to communicate and interact with other people in daily and social situations and transactions……etc.
Competences are also viewed as having a higher pedagogical order between these two terms because teaching the competences involve a process: teaching and learning, and that each of the activities that are carried out within the process can have a specific objective. Let’s take the example of ‘can use very basic phrases to describe people, things and the location of places’:
Examples:
Sub-competences (Sub-topics)
Specific Objectives
1- Can make physical descriptions of people
a) Vocabulary used for physical descriptions (adjectives)
b) Parts of the body
To make simple physical descriptions in spoken and written form for the purpose of describing oneself and others in situations such as meeting people or talking about other people.
2- Can locate things and places
a) Vocabulary of places, objects and building units (bank, school, cinema, etc.)
b) Parts of the house
c) Furniture
d) Language structure: prepositions of place
To comprehend and describe where things, places and buildings are for the purpose of providing information when asked about their location.
3- Can talk about the existence of things and places
a) language structure: There is/are; Is/Are there? There isn’t/aren’t
To state and ask about the existence of things and places for the purpose of giving and asking about factual information.
The adoption of this approach will require a change in the way we evaluate, where written tests will not be the only form of evaluation. First of all, emphases will be given to the presentation of evidences of the competences, either performance evidence or product evidence, or both. The program should specify in what way students are to show evidence of a competence, and the use of marking criteria will be necessary to assess the evidence. Because there could be product evidences and performance evidences, a portfolio* is needed to keep the evidences organized in one place, so we can also say, there can be portfolio assessment. Continuous assessment is also suggested, taking into account many ways of evaluating the learner during the learning process. So aside from the presentation of evidences, evaluating knowledge of structures, comprehension and writing can make up continuous assessment.
Ellen
* A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the students’ efforts, progress and achievements in one or more areas. (Bailey, 1998:216)
Dear Eleanor,
Just a quick note to say hi and congratulations on doing all this besides your current responsibilities.
Great stuff!
All the best,
Alejandro G. Martinez
Hi Alejandro!
So glad to recieve your note. I hope you don't mind my taking advantage of this reply to your message to ask you if CUP has got ICT resources that can be used for teaching literature. One of our teaching colleagues here, Laxman Gnawali, wrote inquiring about ICT resources for literature as he is going to give a talk about this. Thanks a lot in advance.
warm regards,
Ellen
Hi Ellen,
I'm an Algerian teacher trainer.Thank you for your article which is really interesting and inspiring for the Algerian practitioners because the Algerian ministry of education has initiated a reform committed to the competency-based approach but when you mentioned items such as aim,objective vs competency it became a little bit complicated.To my mind,the salient elements of the CBA are the process ,the end product and assessment in its various forms.Having a recourse to a particular jargon/terminology may trap and daunt practioners.
The end product in any case is communication whatever the form it takes,say,written or oral.What matters most and foremost is the competences i.e intercating, interpreting and producing the learner will acquire and the appropriate resources(grammatical structures,lexical items)they will mobolize in a real life situation.
Sincere greetings,
Abdelillah