A Pedagogy of Care and New Chances Maria

A Pedagogy of Care and New Chances Maria Lisak

Welcome How do we show a caring learning environment that never gives up on the learner? This dialogue is a chance to talk with other educators concerned about making safe spaces within the competitive English gatekeeping system.

Rationale In my classes there are several wounded souls. Wounded not just by English but other systemic forces too Promote healing to get back in the fray I want to empower my learners I want them to feel safe & confident to express & develop their identity I hope that they tap into their lives to problem solve I teach public administration & social welfare. But really I teach an ESP course in PA&SW But really, really I teach soft skills for successful living, working and studying.

Unpacking My Pedagogy

Theory Critical Theory critiquing and changing society as a whole Social Justice Pedagogy to analyze social life through a lens of diversity to prepare students to be transformative democratic agents Also, a dose of Adult Education Theory (Andragogy) Learners are experienced already, autonomous, collaborative; our studies are relevant and practical to their future jobs

But I can also find: Culturally Responsive Teaching/Pedagogy exploring one's own culture, learning about other cultures, and learning about students' cultures. English for Specific Purposes Public administration (project managers) Social welfare (social workers) Participatory Practices in Constructivism Co-construction of rules, work and grades Collaborative decision making Negotiation to modify teacher’s rules, work & assessment

Method Shut up Class-keeping & Instructions at start of class During class: clarify, confirm, encourage End of class: feedback & reminders Outside of class contact Flip class Homework – making time Class time - present or perform in class F 2 F & online - evaluate, assess & assist

My Practices elicit what learners already know document it multimodally question, critique, analyze, understand together teach to the errors reflect, especially by connecting to the ‘real world’ risk taking > applying new learns to real life

Classroom Tools Korean language Smart devices Naver Dictionary Google Translate App Peers Teacher

Activities to Foster & Heal Opportunities for silence counter-storytelling multimodal learning all fit into a practice of inclusion and care.

Silence Inclusive silence is a way to welcome quiet time as honored and ‘listened to. ” Music, movement (mime), and silence in response to videos, art objects, and realia, are curative and restorative modalities, giving learners space to pull things apart without falling apart. What do you do with silence in your class?

Counter-storytelling, an example of social justice pedagogy, is a means of exposing and critiquing dialogues that often go unchallenged. Book covers from pictures Who’s voice is missing? Valuation: Help/hurt litmus testing Do you give ill-structured problems that have unclear goals and incomplete information? Ill-structured problems are great chances to elicit counter-stories.

Multimodality Meaning making practices Unleveled class English, Korean, pictures, videos, movement, music, other languages When there is a wider range of modality to express meaning, there is more meaning making activity to engage in. How can you error correct multimodally? How can you show care multimodally? What texts do you find create a healing atmosphere in your class? How can multimodal expressions foster confidence and risk taking?

Wrapping Up Silence, counter-storying and multimodal artifacts are types of advocacy which encourage learner transformation and celebrate their own performative learning. A care-based pedagogy allows learners to enter and exit learning experiences as whole beings while reflexively negotiating that learning experience together. Every class is a new chance to risk and grow together. Learning (and unlearning) is tough. Don’t give up!

Join us on Facebook KOTESOL SIG Social Justice (Critical Educators in Korea)