I've been reflecting on the importance of creating a safe environment for learning, especially using an inquiry-based approach. It's so important that students feel like they are able to take risks in learning, especially in the sometimes vulnerable state of trying to learn a language. Successful language learners are always the most willing to make mistakes and be able to learn from them. I've been thinking about how even though young students have little language to work with in order to engage in student-led learning while using the language of instruction, they generally have much less social awareness to feel like they are in performance mode at all times. I recently watched a Ted Talk required for another PME course called "How to get better at the things you care about" by Eduardo Briceno in 2016. He discusses how classrooms tend to be more often in the "performance zone" rather than a "learning zone" in which students feel like they are put on the spot to perform the best of their ability, not prioritizing a growth mindset (Briceno, 2016). I notice how for Kindergarteners, this isn't as much of an issue making them much better risk takers in language learning since they are less concerned about performance and are more open to making mistakes.
I know that the process is messy and won't necessarily look the same as a classroom that isn't in the first year of language immersion. Building a safe, inviting, comfortable learning environment is the first step to implementing a growth mindset that invites risk taking and great potential for learning.
Briceno, (2016) "How to get better at the things you care about" https://www.ted.com/talks/eduardo_briceno_how_to_get_better_at_the_things_you_care_about
Hi Dema,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your post. Creating safe environments for our learners is so important. This is something that I have strived to do each year since I teach middle years, which seems to bring a whole new world of feelings and insecurities, especially when being in a vulnerable, learning environment. I appreciate how you talk about how younger students are more able to make mistakes and as I was reading this, I was wondering if this could be something that all educators, at all levels, could strive for in their classrooms? Imagine the rich and safe learning environments this would create - and how students would naturally learn from one another and grow together in their knowledge acquisition! This is something that I will continue to strive for. Thank you for sharing the TedTalk and your experience with classroom environment. I look forward to reading more of you posts!