Professional

Readings
PROFESSIONAL READINGS
( JOURNAL )

The study dealt on teacher-student interactions measured in terms of characteristics of two

teachers with distinct teacher-student relationships. These teacher-student relationships develop
from real-time teacher-student interactions and characterized by interpersonal content, structure,
and complementarity. Good teacher-student relationships are important for the learner’s
motivation, their academic achievement and for teachers’ well-being while the poor one are
related to classroom management issues and commonly the main reason why teachers leave their
profession.
Many studies have posted the important and crucial role of the relationship between the teacher
and student in education. These relationships develop from daily classroom interactions between
teacher and students. Since the knowledge base on the relation between these daily interactions
and the teacher-student relationship is limited, thus they want to add to this knowledge base. The
study defined interactions as real-time behavioural exchanges of two or more participants and
relationships as relatively stable patterns in these behavioural exchanges.
It is fruitful to use an approach based on Dynamic Systems (DS) theory when studying how daily
classroom interactions and teacher-student relationships influence each other. Development is
therefore studied by examining the relation between experiences and processes on different time
levels. Studying the development of teacher-student relationships using a DS approach includes
three basic tenets (a) real-time interactions between teachers and students in classrooms are the
building blocks of teacher-student relationships; (b) these relationships are manifested through
the development of recurrent, relatively stable patterns in real-time interactions; and (c) these
relationships constrain real-time processes and experiences. In various social contexts studies on
relationships have been carried out using a DS approach. Yet, the knowledge that only very few
studies have been carried out using this DS approach to empirically study interpersonal
relationships in educational settings. In studies that use the DS approach real-time interactions
are characterized by their content and structure.
The present study characterized in the context of teacher-student relationships: interpersonal
content and interpersonal structure. According to identifying the interpersonal content and
interpersonal structure in teacher-student interactions may be critical for understanding teacher-
student relationships. They will also add a third distinctive characteristic of real-time interactions
that is used in studies building on Interpersonal theory: interpersonal complementarity.
According to interpersonal complementarity, it is probably the most predictive characteristic of
interactions for studying differences in relationships.
As a first step in studying on the relation between real-time teacher-student interactions and
teacher-student relationships they will explore if teachers with different relationships with their
students also differ in interpersonal content, structure and complementarity of the real-time
interactions with their students. This discriminant validity of these real-time characteristics is a
prerequisite in studying the relationship between real-time (micro-level) and developmental time
(macro-level) processes and experiences. Insight in the relation between real-time and
developmental time processes and experiences contributes to the understanding of the
development of teacher-student relationships, and to interventions to improve teaching practice.
The results were compiled and stated are: for interpersonal content and interpersonal structure, it
shows that there were differences in interpersonal content of real-time teacher-student
interactions between the teachers. Thus, by measuring interpersonal content it was possible to
discriminate between two teachers who were perceived by their students as having a relationship
with students with distinct degrees of Agency and Communion. From the results of the
dispersion measure they concluded that variability is rather high in the teacher-student
interactions of both teachers. Yet, from the results of the Entropy measure they concluded that in
comparison to the results of variability is small. This indicates that, although the teacher-student
interaction trajectories move to a large amount of cells, these are still rather predictable
compared to interactions found in family or peer-relations studies. Interpersonal structure
discriminates between the two teachers for Communion in the negative situation in terms of
dispersion.

The present study explored the discriminant validity of interpersonal content, interpersonal
structure and interpersonal complementarity in real-time teacher-student interactions for teachers
with different relationships with students. In order to do this, they compared these characteristics
in real-time interactions of two teachers with a distinct teacher-student relationship in their
classrooms. The results of this study showed some differences in interpersonal content of real-
time teacher-student interactions between the teachers. On average the interactions of Teacher A
showed more Agency than the interactions of Teacher B whereas the interactions of Teacher B
showed more Communion than the interactions of Teacher A. Thus, measuring interpersonal
content in only a couple of minutes allowed us to discriminate between two teachers in a way
that is consistent with student perceptions of the (general) relationship with these teachers. This
is promising for research aiming to connect the level of relationships with the level of real-time
interactions. For practice, this is useful in helping teachers to understand their general
relationship with students based on characteristics of their daily interactions with their students.
Results on interpersonal structure of real-time teacher-student interactions showed that in
general, the differences between teachers are relatively small: differences between situations are
larger than differences between teachers. This may imply that variability differentiates more
between situations than between teachers. This would mean that it is important to take the
situation into account when comparing variability in teacher-student interactions of different
teachers.
Regarding differences in interpersonal complementarity they found that the teacher-student
interactions were complementary in most situations. Teacher B, with the higher Communion
relationship, showed consistent correspondence in the real-time interactions with students in all
three situations. For Teacher A results showed no correspondence in the positive situation.
Teacher A, with the higher Agency relationship, showed consistent reciprocity in the real-time
interactions with students in all three situations. For Teacher B results showed no reciprocity in
the negative situation. These results indicate a connection between the level of Agency or
Communion in teacher-student relationships and complementarity in the corresponding
dimension in real-time interactions.
They were all aware that their study had some limitations that should be taken into account in
future studies. First, this was only an exploratory study that compared two teachers with distinct
teacher-student relationships. Yet, within the population of teachers there is a lot of variation in
teacher-student relationships. These relationships vary in terms of Agency and Communion. To
fully understand the discriminant validity of interpersonal content, structure and
complementarity, we should compare these characteristics in interactions of teachers with other
types of teacher-student relationships than in the present study.
Second, we analysed teacher and student behaviour separately for Agency and Communion.
However, according to interpersonal theory, the relation of both dimensions can best be
represented within a circular plane: the IPC described a vector-based method that takes into
account the circular nature of the interpersonal construct. Circular statistics is a promising
technique to analyse data with a circular nature. In the future, using circular statistics will enable
us to take behaviours as a blend of Agency and Communion into account.
The ultimate goal of the study was to increase understanding of how teacher-student
relationships (macro-level) develop from real-time interactional processes (micro-level). We
hope that such an understanding will help teacher educators create awareness among their
student-teachers of, for example, the effect of teacher behaviour on the interactions with students
and how these interactions will affect the teacher-student relationship and the classroom climate.
Teachers experience difficulties in changing routines or patterns in their behaviour, however,
contend that teachers are highly motivated to learn or change when they see the effect of their
behavior on students. Video coaching and video guided training have been used in teacher
professional development programs effectively to create a better understanding of the role of
teacher behavior in teacher-student interactions. Actively analysing the role of teacher behavior
in interactions and for instance zooming in on situations where knowledge of the
complementarity principle could help teachers (re)gaining control of a situation, will encourage
them to stay focused, view their practice from another perspective, and implement change.
The results of this study suggest that interpersonal content, interpersonal structure, and
interpersonal complementarity indeed discriminate between teachers with distinct teacher-
student relationships. Studying interpersonal content, structure and complementarity in real-time
interactions helps to increase knowledge about the effect of teacher behavior on student
behavior. This provides clues to intervene and change behavior in the classroom to improve
relationships and the classroom climate.

Reference: Pennings, H. J.M., Tatwiik, J., Luce, T., et al. (2014). Real-time teacher-student
interactions: A Dynamic Systems approach retrieved on August 13, 2017 from
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0742051X13001303
PROFESSIONAL READINGS
(INTERNET)
Title: Exploring the Benefits of Incorporating Authentic Literature in English Language
Teaching

Introduction:
English language teaching plays a crucial role in developing students' language proficiency,
communication skills, and cultural awareness. While textbooks and curriculum guidelines
provide a structured framework for language instruction, educators can enhance the learning
experience by incorporating authentic literature into their teaching practices. Authentic literature,
including novels, short stories, poems, and plays written by native English speakers, offers
numerous benefits that extend beyond language acquisition. This professional reading aims to
explore the advantages of integrating authentic literature in English language teaching,
highlighting its impact on language skills, critical thinking, cultural understanding, and overall
motivation among students.

1. Enhancing Language Skills:

Authentic literature exposes learners to natural language patterns, authentic vocabulary usage,
and diverse writing styles. Reading literary texts helps students expand their vocabulary, improve
grammar usage, and develop a sense of language fluency. By engaging with authentic literature,
students encounter complex sentence structures, idiomatic expressions, and figurative language,
leading to a deeper understanding of the English language. Furthermore, exposure to various
literary genres cultivates students' appreciation for literature and fosters their creativity and
imagination.

2. Promoting Critical Thinking and Analysis:

Authentic literature encourages students to think critically, analyze characters, themes, and plot
developments, and make inferences. Through literature-based discussions, students are prompted
to evaluate different perspectives, interpret subtext, and draw connections between the text and
their own experiences. This analytical approach strengthens students' cognitive abilities,
problem-solving skills, and their capacity to articulate their thoughts effectively. Moreover,
studying literature nurtures empathy and emotional intelligence as students explore diverse
characters and their motivations, broadening their understanding of human nature.

3. Developing Cultural Understanding:

Authentic literature offers a window into different cultures, societies, and historical contexts. By
exploring literary works from various time periods and regions, students gain insight into
different social norms, values, and traditions. Exposure to diverse perspectives helps foster
cultural sensitivity, tolerance, and appreciation for the richness of global cultures. It also
encourages students to reflect on their own cultural identities and challenges stereotypes,
promoting inclusivity and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of the world.

4. Fostering Motivation and Engagement:

Authentic literature engages students emotionally and intellectually, fostering a love for reading
and learning. When students connect with relatable characters, compelling narratives, and
thought-provoking themes, they are more likely to be actively engaged in the learning process.
Reading authentic literature can also spark meaningful discussions and debates, creating a
collaborative and interactive classroom environment. Furthermore, incorporating creative
activities such as role-plays, character analysis, or creative writing based on literary texts helps
students develop a sense of ownership and personal connection to the material.

Conclusion:
Integrating authentic literature into English language teaching provides numerous benefits,
encompassing language skills development, critical thinking, cultural understanding, and student
motivation. By embracing authentic literature, educators can create dynamic learning
experiences that promote language acquisition, foster critical and analytical thinking, and
cultivate global citizenship. As English language teachers, it is our responsibility to expose
students to diverse voices, perspectives, and literary traditions, empowering them to become
lifelong learners and compassionate global citizens.
PROFESSIONAL READINGS
( BOOKS )
Deeper Learning

Educational techniques also called as student-centered learning is relatively a new movement

that was based on the current belief and was influenced from the advanced American educational
thought. Most of our educational practices today were developed more than a century ago in the
purpose of producing highly competitive workers to be assigned to repetitive mechanical
errands. The advocates of deeper-learning in this century argued on the matter that the job
industry requires a very unique set of skills, one that our present educational practices is not in
the situation to help learners develop: the ability to work cooperatively, to present ideas to a
group such brainstorming, to write effectively, to think deeply and critically about problems, to
take information and techniques learned in one context and adapt them to a new and unfamiliar
problem or situation.
Learners must practice them in school in order to develop all the skills but in most schools right
now, they don’t get the opportunities to practice the skills. It is the reason why the advocates of
deeper learning promote inquiry-based instruction, project-based learning and performance-
based assessments. The students were given opportunities to engage in the discussions rather
than just listening to the lectures of the teachers through inquiry-based instruction. They can also
work in a group activity that elaborates on making projects that might take weeks or months to
complete through project-based learning. Also, they will experience getting scores not only
during exams but also through making their own outputs such as portfolios, presentations,
artwork and written work because of the performance-based assessments. There is a wide
opportunity to the students to learn different skills in many schools that use deeper-learning
principles.
Camille Farrington would call academic perseverance as one of the believers of deeper-learning
and what others might call grit or resilience. The disbeliever of deeper-learning exists almost
everywhere and have issues about it. One of their main concerns is that, while project-based
learning is used by highly trained teachers where it is very effective in the classroom, it is also a
technique that is easy for a beginner teacher to do quite badly. To make the project useful, it
needs to be properly planned and built on the foundation of accurate and relevant information. If
it doesn’t happen, project-based learning will be useless to education. Jal Mehta stated on his
provoking essay in 2014, that some worrisome issues were not only about race but of class. This
essay focuses mainly on the deeper learning advantages and both inequality across schools and
tracking within schools such supply side inequality. Those disbelievers pointed out that in 1960’s
and 1970’s, “project-based learning” was used in some low-income schools as a euphemism for
the practice of having poor kids build Lego models and doodle in coloring books while the rich
kids across town learned how to read and do math. They also expressed that the students must
first need to develop that core knowledge before they can benefit from a collaborative, project-
based approach.
Bob Lenz has made project-based learning the main educational approach in its four schools
which served mostly low-income black and Latino students in San Francisco Bay Area. In 2015,
Lenz wrote in his book Transforming Schools which addresses people class concerns about the
deeper-learning approach. Lenz disagrees that project-learning is for rich people only and wrote
that “We have yet to encounter a single student who was either not ready or somehow too
advanced for the kind of performance- and project-based education that we advocate.” Lenz was
right, when deeper-learning approach is used well it can produce benefits for students in poverty.
Expeditionary Learning schools have shown significant academic success with low-income
students. And a 2014 study conducted by the American Institutes for Research of student
performance at schools in California and New York, found that there is a significant positive
impact in going to deeper-learning schools.
Deeper-learning strategies are often used to correct the no-excuses educational philosophy but
recently, the strong gaps that once existed between no-excuses and deeper-learning schools have
begun to break. In the fall of 2015, Elm City Preparatory Elementary School in New Haven,
Connecticut, one of the founding schools of the Achievement First network, introduced changes
of its curriculum that includes an embrace of many of the beliefs and practices of deeper
learning, including an increased emphasis on experiential learning and student autonomy. The
students now control their schedule and pursue their own personal interests in their learning
much more than what they used to do, and they have more independence in the subjects they
study. Elm City teachers lead students on a two-week “expeditionary” project in which they
study a single subject in-depth sometimes involving outside school visiting a farm, museum, or
historical site once every two months. They emphasized three crucial intrinsic motivators:
autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Toll said that the hardest one the Achievement First has always been autonomy, and added that
in the past we think that we know what’s best for students. So letting kids choose what to focus
on has been a bit of a challenge for us. So far, the experiment had been a success. Students were
still getting the rigorous education that Elm City had become known for, but now they were
more motivated, more enthusiastic, and more engaged.

Reference: Tough, Paul (2016). Helping Children Succeed: 2.2 Deeper Learning retrieved on
August 13, 2017 from http://paultough.com/helping/pdf/Helping-Children-Succeed-Paul-
Tough.pdf?=hcs=pdf-landing