Advice for Beginning MET

MET | Martin Lovatt | March 1st, 2004

Hi Everyone,

I'm not sure what the protocol is here, but I'm about to start the MET Module and would like to know if anyone has any advice? I'm not looking for shortcuts as I want to get the most out of this course (after all, I'm paying for it!), but if there is anything you think might be useful to know, or any books or articles (not already on the reading lists provided by Aston) that you think are worth reading, that would be very helpful. I'm sure there are a few other CPs starting MET around now, too, so your comments would be useful for all of us.

Many thanks -- and good luck with whatever your present endeavors are!

Martin

p.s. For those of you who did not see my brief self-introduction on the FND list: I'm teaching adults at my own small school here in Fukuoka, Japan. I work with six other staff from a variety of countries. I'm probably the oldest CP (42) on this course, have a Japanese wife (boss?) and one daughter, aged 7.

Re: MET | Simon Humphries | March 1st, 2004

Hi Martin,

I too have a Japanese boss (wife), and we have a couple of daughters (4 & 0.5)

I wouldn't call this a shortcut, but a very useful thing to do is think early on about your focus and then contact Steve for advice on it.   You probably have a good focus anyway from the MET proposal you made for the FND.   Steve gave me advice then on some good focused reading I could do.   This is better than getting bogged down reading everything about MET I think.   Other people might differ on this of course, and background reading from other areas can help too, but having a focus for your reading makes it more relevant and interesting.

Good luck,

Simon H
Japan

Re: MET | Andy Boon | March 1st, 2004

Dear Martin,

I approached MET (and all of the modules) by first reading through the files and waiting for a spark to ignite (I think that what Keith says) in my head, an idea to develop of something I would like to pursue further. I would then use the file, library, Internet to find relevant articles, books related to my focus and begin my research....

Good luck with MET

Andy

(P.S. I also have a Japanese wife - but no children YET!!)

Re: Advice for beginning MET | Jerry Talandis Jr. | March 1st, 2004

Hi Martin,

You mentioned that you are very interested in getting all you can out of the module. Methodology is a very wide thing; is there any particular aspect of it that you are most interested in? If you are interested in having folks recommend reading materials outside of the book list and readings binder, then you might get a better response if you provide us some direction. Of course, you don't have to do this now. I think the advice you've gotten so far is good; you just have to get started and follow your muse. Once you have some clearer idea of what you need, send another message via this list. I'm sure you'll get some response.

Also, you can take a good look around the MET section of this archive. I just did that and came up with 25 hits. Many of the topics listed may help you.

Good luck!

Jerry
Toyama, Japan

PS: Oh, I just thought of something: it may also be of big help for you to make your thinking process public through this list. Let us know what's going through your mind as you search for an assignment focus. I think doing it in this way will really help you, as going through the process of articulating your thoughts and getting feedback from others will be beneficial for all. Don't forget that anything that you do on this list will carry on. You never know whom you'll be helping on down the line.

Re: MET | Mike McDonald | March 1st, 2004

I would echo Simon's advice about finding a focus early: I wish I'd taken it myself. Methodology is such a huge area that you can read a whole library full of books on it and still feel you've only scratched the surface (which is more or less my feeling right now).

For an up-to-date collection of short, easy-to-read articles on a very wide variety of methodological areas, I can recommend "Methodology in Language Teaching: An anthology of current practice", ed. Jack Richards and Willy Renandya, CUP (2002). If you're interested in a particular area, I'm sure many CPs will have useful suggestions. I can also recommend regular reading of journals such as TESOL Quarterly: almost every issue has something interesting on methodology.

p.s. I'm probably the oldest CP (42) on this course.

Not by a long chalk, sonny, not by a long chalk.

Good luck with the MET module: you may well finish it before I do!

Mike McDonald

Re: MET | Dominic Marini | March 1st, 2004

Martin

I think it will help you if you first decide what you think the purpose of MET is.

In my case, I thought the purpose was to become aware of myself in my classes. What am I doing in class? It is more profound that what it sounds like. Once you can see yourself critically or "from outside" your teaching will change for the better.

For the assignment, again in my case, I found something that "bugged" me about the class and then documented what I did about it and how I interacted with the class. For example, I discussed the problem with the students. However, when I watched the video of that interaction I noticed that I had dominated the discussion and actual ignored some of the students' recommendations. What did I do then? Well, that is the second half of the paper: I actually used that video in class to show how to NOT have a group discussion and then refocused the learners attention on the problem and ..... blah, blah, blah ....

What I learnt was how to document myself and how to be critical about my teaching without being down on myself personally, and then how to follow though with classroom change. By the end of the process, learning had improved in class. It was only because I listened more sympathetically to the students' suggestions and implemented them in class. (In the event, a couple of procedural changes to the class were all it took.)

All the best Martin,

Dominic
(45 years old but still pushing hard)

Re: MET | Martin Lovatt | March 2nd, 2004

Hi Everyone,

Many thanks for all the great feedback re. the MET Module. Obviously, my question was a bit like asking 'How long is a piece of string?' but, despite that, I received very helpful comments. I especially liked Simon's advice, which was backed up by Mike - and Mike's book recommendation. (I was also delighted to find out I'm not the grandfather of the course, either, so thanks for that, Mike.)

Anyway, your responses and insights were very much appreciated and I will certainly 'reflect' (Julian's favorite word) on them.

Power to you all.

All the best,

Martin

P.S. Come on Andy, time to pass the DNA on; you'll appreciate your parents a lot better if you do!

 

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