I absolutely loved this video! The video consisted of an all class skit about the pilgrims who came to the US many years ago. This was followed by a guided discussion of their own experiences of when they came to the US and how they felt about their journey. This touched upon very serious things, such as, how they felt when they left. Then, the students worked in groups using real travel brochures to create a travel plan of their own, a great way to use comprehensible input with authentic material. The teachers, aids, and vocabulary was posted around the room to provide the necessary language support/awareness for the students.
This activity was created to develop language awareness. We ask ourselves, what does it mean to know a language feature? It is not enough to know the basic form; Rules, exercises, memorization. The more effective way is to selectively use the language within a given context, such as the activity on the pilgrims. The successful learner must know the multiple meanings in a variety of contexts. In all, these students were the conscious participants in their own learning.
I feel like the main concept I have learned throughout my education as a TESOL minor is that there is SO much that goes into learning a language. Successful learners need to know grammatical and syntactic rules, vocabulary, and context, and if this isn't enough, their sociocultural background and personal motivation play an important part as well. Language learning is extremely complex, and as future educators, we are taking on a big responsibility.
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