RAISING STUDENT MOTIVATION THROUGH TEACHING PROVERBS

HIGHER COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGYMUSCAT, SULTANATE OF OMAN

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

PRESENTERS: DR. GAYANE HOVHANNISYANMS. SONA SARGSYAN

OVERVIEW

Introducing The ProblemBrainstorming Of Key Concepts – Motivation – Imagery And

Meaning Of Proverbs

Group Activity With ProverbsOur PresentationSummary

QUESTIONS FOR BRAINSTORMING-1

1. What do you do in your classrooms to motivate your students to think and speak English?

QUESTIONS FOR BRAINSTORMING -2

What do you think is the use of teaching proverbs?

ACTIVITYYou’ve got one proverb in Arabic and one - in English.Try to draw the original proverb. Find the English

equivalent(s) of the Arabic proverb (you can use your smartphones). Compare the original with that of the translated one. What is common? Do you see any differences between them?

Do the same with the English proverb we gave to you.

EXAMPLES FROM OUR PRACTICE

PROVERBS

حدبته يرى ال الجملThe camel does not see

its hump.People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

PROVERBS

عروسة تبقى البوصة، .لبسDressing up a stick turns it

into a bride.Clothes make the man.

PROVERBS

If you were saved from the lion, do not be greedy and hunt it.Don't press your luck. 

PROVERBS

اختها بنت بشعر بتتباهى القرعةThe bald woman boasts of

her niece's hair.Someone who brags about other people's accomplishments or abilities.

PROVERBS

The neighbor comes before the home.Choose your neighbors before you

choose your home.

PROVERBS

مايتعدل عمره الكلب ديلThe dog's tail will never

straighten out.A leopard doesn't change its spots.

PROVERBS

رجليك مد لحافك قد .علىStretch your legs as far as your

blanket extends.Don’t live beyond your means.

OUTCOMES 1THE PILOT TEACHING AIMED AT SEVERAL PRACTICAL AND  THEORETICAL OBJECTIVES. AMONG THEM: 1. HELP TEACHERS TO INVOLVE THE STUDENTS INTO ACTIVE

LEARNING. (PRACTICAL) 2. MOTIVATE STUDENTS' CREATIVITY IN TRANSLATING

IMAGERY. (PRACTICAL) 3. GIVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SMARTPHONE APPLICATION IN

CLASS FOR LEARNING PURPOSES (PRACTICAL). 4. PILOT VIGOTSKY-LEONTIEV'S STATEMENTS ABOUT  ZPD

ACTIVATION AND MENTAL CONSTRUCTS EXPANSION THROUGH BILINGUAL ACTIVITIES (THEORETICAL).

OUTCOMES -2. They are within the scope of the Ss prior knowledge about the world, so they inspire CONFIDENCE.

Ss forget the fear of mistakes and LARGER SPEECH UNITS begin to emerge.

Ss connect the lesson with familiar things learnt from own cultural environment, i.e. they are RELEVANT

Ss find common concepts between their native and target languages – CULTURAL INVOLVEMENT is the strongest possible motivator!

While introducing and explaining proverbs Ss become ATTENTIVE and EMOTIONAL.

Positive emotions and sometimes funny images call forth INTEREST AND CREATIVITY.

Interested students become willing to do assignments and make INDEPENDENT LEARNING searches.

Finally, the positive and engaging activities give SATISFACTION and sustain the material in MEMORY.

FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSION Please mention ….

3 things that you liked most of all. 2 things that you might try to use. 1 thing that you will definitely use in your classroom. The topic . The learning outcomes. The proverbs . The pictures/drawings. The activity . The strategy of motivation.

THANK YOU & HAVE A NICE WEEKEND

Do Good, Throw it inTO the river, and…. (Armenian Proverb)