Melina CO #6 = Speaking with Dr. Rios

  Melina CO Blog Post #6 = Speaking with Dr. Rios

Date/Time: January 16th, 2025, 10:50-11:40

Topic/Skill: Speaking, Low-Intermediate Level (Correction/Pronunciation)

Teacher Presentation: Dr. Rios began this class session by returning the transcripts from a timed speaking activity students had done previously, with small notes demarcating where errors were (but not exactly what the errors were, as Dr. Rios wanted students to find their mistakes independently). He followed this by discussing the difficulties encountered with English pronunciation for speakers of each of the home languages of the students present (French, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Arabic). For example, he noted that Arabic speakers often have difficulty distinguishing between their "p" sounds and their "b" sounds when speaking. 

Classroom Management: Dr. Rios floated around during the correction segment of the class, looking for students who were struggling. Additionally, he was floating around the class during the discussion of pronunciation difficulties, involving the students by engaging with their particular cultures and accents specifically. 

Materials: Worksheets (with notes), projector, youglish.com 

Student Participation: Students corrected their errors on their transcripts, listened to what Dr. Rios said that speakers of their home languages often struggle with when speaking English, and watched his demonstration of the proper usage of the youglish website. 

Feedback Provided: During this portion of the class, Dr. Rios assisted students with their transcript corrections. 

Lesson(s) on teaching you learned: During this class, I learned the importance of being relatable and approachable. As a former ESL student himself, Dr. Rios seemed to deeply understand and sympathize with his students; his position as a fluent English speaker also functioned as an example of what is achievable to his students. In my future teaching English, I will absolutely make myself an active learner of my country's host language, not only for cultural reasons, but also to make myself more relatable to my students!

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