Which of the main five hypotheses do you agree with?

Which of the main five hypotheses do you agree with?

I most agree with hypotheses 4. "Instruction should be responsive to the affective as well as the cognitive needs of students, and their different personalities, preferences, and learning styles should be taken into account."

One teaching process does not meet the need of each and every student. I realize that a teacher would try to perfect his/her teaching style and may get set in his/her way. Any teaching process will have superior students versus students that can't adapt to that teaching style. Phyllis has perfected her teaching style where her students are enjoying the language and therefore learning. We need more teachers like Phyllis.

Once, I watched a student in a class. I could see once the discussion turned to the application of the language that this student lost interest and zoned out. Out came the phone and the texting started. I thought how would I as a teacher brought that student back. Adults are different because they are in class to actually learn. But what about a younger student who is required to be in class like or not, it is important to know the students.

As I study each hypotheses, each have a place in the learning of the language.

Hypotheses 1 - 5:

1. A student should be able to understand and speak the language beyond his/her time in class. I think about English. Most Americans speak English but how many know the rules of English? If we were fluent in our language, would be be studying the rules or just speak the language?

2. I think about the statement that was made in class that we only hear the language in class or in ceremony. Most of the students would only speak in class but not necessarily at ceremony. In my community, one could go to the Elder center and hear and have the opportunity to converse in our language. Media is important for that purpose, an individual can study independently and hear the language whenever he/she chooses. First speakers are important to teach the language because the language is authentic and the opportunity to have creative dialog is greater instead of memorizing and speaking word lists.

3. Another statement in class is that language is full of mistakes and there are few that speak the language in an excellent manner. When teaching the language, I agreee that one goal would be to produce accuracy. Jackie talked about if you have not mastered your dominant language would you be able to master a second language. In one of the post, one of our tribal cohort talked about learning to spell miigwech correctly and for a long time, this student used a differently spelling and now appreciated having the correct knowledge. With phonetic spelling, one word will be spelled in many different ways and therefore many different pronuncations. Therefore the development of accuracy is very important.

5. I think this hypotheses is equally important. To know the way of life of a community is very important. Those old ladies in a community are very adamant about following the teachings (the do's and don'ts). There are certain practices that you would never know if you don't have a knowledge of the community. Even in my community, many of our families that don't know what to do at ceremonies and don't attend or practice because they are afraid to admit that they know what to do.