Teaching while Learning.

Started by Tstewa Ikrantsyìp, July 29, 2015, 03:13:14 AM

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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

Kaltxì ma frapo, oeyä soaìa, tsmukan si tsmuke


This post is made for journal entry reasons
As you all know, or most of you, that I have been learning the language in earnest these last few weeks.
I myself plus one of my two teacher Tirea Aean, believe I have been making extraordinary progress.
I now need to translate less thana third of what I am taught and can hold a somewhat steady conversation with the use and assistance of the Na'vi dictionary.
My knowledge has grown, as has my confidence in myself and my ability to learn. But I digress.

The reason for this post, is that during my learning, which I have happily shared with multiple friends at school, I have come across a young man named Kaleb. He is only 14 years of age and is the little brother of my friend Malia.
He himself, is also a good friend of mine, much like a little brother, I care for him very much.

This young boy Kaleb has expressed extreme interest in
Firstly the culture
And then the language.

Unfortunately due to extenuated circumstances, he is unable to access the forum and other Na'vi related sites and blogs.

I myself think it is for the best that (and I apologse for any offense caused) he is not introduced to the community or forum until I help him build his confidence so that he might be able to successfully cope with the (unintentionally) harsh words and somewhat intense corrections no doubt waiting for him should he become part of the community right now, before he is properly prepared.

This is not due to the communit itself but due rather to the young boys extreme anxiety, triggered by even the kindest words. Which I speak of from experience.

My point being for this post, is that I intend to teach him Na'vi while I myself am still learning.

This post is where I will write about the methods I use, the lessons I plan, or the help I will need :P

With that being said, I will now make a second reply in the next hour, to talk about the first days spent teaching him and my plans for him and his learning.


Hayalovay
ulte
Eywa ngahu

ta Tstewa Ikrantsyìp
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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

Day 1: Tuesday

Today is the first day spent teaching or rather introducing Kaleb to the Na'vi language.

The first thing I did was I bought him an A4 booklet (96 pages) with some guide lines in the front, tips that helped and are still helping m, such as colour coordination, space efficiency and other such points.
(I'll be posting those guide lines to the post here tomorrow, for people to look over if they're interested.)
I went and bought the booklet for him yesterday afternoon when I got home from school where we were discussing his learning possibilities.

The second thing I did when I say him today was to make him aware of the several things. These things are:
1.   He doesn't need to feel pressured, I refuse to pressure him into anything, and if he feels he wants to stop or he is uncomfortable to make me aware so that I can help or decease what is making him uncomfortable.
2.   That this community is like a family and that once he joins, when he is able that he will see we are a very close-knit tight group with the best intentions.
3.   That this learning is about fun, despite how serious it can get sometimes.

What I then continued to do, was to write, on two separate pages a least of greetings and farewells (also pictured for tomorrow's post)
I practiced the pronunciation for each and went over them several times till he could easily say them without assistance.
What I intend to do, instead of throwing everything at him in one big mess, is to slowly work through the different parts of the language such as greetings, commonly used words and other such items. Slowly but surely, we will both together fill his book as we go along and he learns more.
After he has learned his greetings and farewells, I intend to teach him the possible replies for both. This will go on till half-way through next week, where we will then start on questions and numbers and number theory.
My goal is to get him speaking as soon as possible and then once he is at least semi-fluent and can hold a simple conversations then we will start with the rules, the phonetics, and the details of importance. It worked for me, and I believe it will work for him, since he learns in the same ways I do.
I also intend to teach him in a relaxed, non-pressurised, non-judgemental fun atmosphere with just a pinch of the classroom feel.
I also intend to use several resources that I myself have such as videos, the dictionary and other such up to date items.
But I guess for today, apart from all of that, that that's all.
Watch out for my next post.


Hayalovay
Ulte Eywa ngahu

Ta Tstewa
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Tirea Aean

This is excellent news!  I am very excited about this!

As I continue coaching you and you get solid, you pass that right along!  This is so great!

I believe that anyone who has a firm grasp on any subject can totally tell their friends about it.  This is a very natural way to go about this, I think.

I will be following this closely and look forward to seeing the epic progress thereof!

Let's all spread the language together. :')

'Ivong Na'vi!

Hahaw[hhvhhvcz]

Tewti, very good news!  :D
I hope, You and your students will learning funny and enjoyable.
And perhaps, after some time you will be able to speak Na'vi fluently and correct.
IMHO, because of that you're teaching in real world, you will make much better progres that we which teaching in virtual world.

'Ivong Na'vi!
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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

#4
Day 2: Wednesday

today I helped Natasha with a few basics, got her to write down the lesson plan for the next few weeks in the back of her book so she knows what she'll be learning and she's prepared.
I've also made her aware that he school work does not come after this language or community, her marks are important and she needs to keep control over that to be able to do this successfully.

first and second break I sat her down and ran her through some greetings and some odd words, I explained the theory of certain letters such as ä and ì and how they are extremely common. I intend to extend this soon and win the alphabet and phonetics through-out the first few lessons so they're more able to easily understand.

I've bought her the book that she's writing in and she seems happy :)

I have 3 students, Ren, Natasha and Kaleb.
What happened was yesterday when Natasha expressed an interest in the language I went home and I was so excited I somehow began thnking it was Kaleb because he had also expressed an interest before hand. I ended up organising Kalebs lessons and starting them before Natasha approached me this afternoon.

ren approached me before she hopped on the bus and told me she was interested, but I have a feeling she won't last very long. she's never truly committed to anything, she's a very laid back sort of person.

I was unable to do anything during lunch today because I was working on my assignments because it's due very soon, so I need to be as prepared as possible. I think tomorrow will be the same, but we'll see what happens. I've actually organised a private area.

so I'm going home this afternoon and i'll write some lessons and ideas and then I can start things off tomorrow.

Hayalovay
ulte
Eywa ngahu
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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

#5
Kaltxì ma frapo. here is my 3rd day entry.

Day 3: Thursday

Today I'm going to be restarting on the basics for my second student Natasha who has yet to pick her Na'vi name. I'll ask her the name she wants and then ask one of you to translate, if that's not too much trouble.
Yesterday Kaleb, the first student decided on him name in inspiration for me. His Na'vi name is now Ikrantsyìp.
So like what I did yesterday with Kaleb, is I'll start going through the basics, introduction, greetings and farewells, after I discuss a small bit of theory.
Kalebs already started the basics, but I told him I would be catching the others up and putting in a few extras just in case he wanted to be there.
At lunch time, I have a nice sized white board, I have my lesson planned out, what I want to talk about. The students will be meeting me in the lower section of the school library, we have our private space, and then once I've done all the beginning materials we can really get into this!!!
.........................
Recess has just passed, and I was working through the basics with one of my 3 students. Ren, Natasha and Kaleb.
I ran her through a few guide lines, since we only had a few minutes, explained some of the classes. Got her to copy down (in the back of her book) the lesson plans for the next week and a half.
She is an eager young student and glad to learn.
On other news the young lady Ren has decided she is interested and wants to join my informal class as well. I am glad for her and glad I decided to get her a book just in case, it has payed off well.
The last piece of news that I have so far is that my first student Kaleb might not want to learn as much as he's been implying. Apparently yesterday he shoved his booklet off on Ren and threatened certain actions if she didn't take it from him. I am unsure since he told me he lent it to her because she wanted to read it.
I'm not sure whether I should talk to him about this, or leave it be and that if he wants to leave I won't be angry and I won't pressure him.... I think I should talk to him??? I'm not sure....
What are your opinions??
..........................................
I'll be writing more this afternoon after the afternoon break and the official lesson.
................................

at lunch time unfortunately I was unable to continue my lesson with the students, since I was working on my assignment, just like I had anticipated yesterday.

I also ended up having a conversation with Kaleb and made him aware if he wasn't comfortable learning, or these lessons that he could leave and I wouldn't be upset or angry and that I'd completely understand since I am a bit intense in my obsessions.

I ended up finishing my assignment though which was really good and I had a talk to the students in the afternoon before I hopped on the bus.

I intend to get more books for the students and maybe start a more detailed lesson analysis.


anyway, more tomorrow.
Hayalovay
ulte
Eywa ngahu

Tstewa
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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

day 4:
Friday

So what's happened today is I've asked Ren to return my book full of lesson plans, guidelines and the beginning lists, which I gave to Kaleb, but he gave to her, and she told me she has lost it but she'll get me a replacement so I'm extremely.....aggravated.

My second student Natasha is sick, and I haven't seen Thomas today, so it's seems it'll just be me and Kaleb today.

:) 

talk more this afternoon.
Hayalovay
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Kame Ayyo’koti

I enjoy reading this "teaching log." I'm interested to see where this goes.

Quote from: Tstewa Ikrantsyìp on July 29, 2015, 07:57:03 PM
I'll ask her the name she wants and then ask one of you to translate, if that's not too much trouble.
I'd be happy to help. :)
"Your work is to discover your world, and then with all your heart give yourself to it."

BlueHusky2154

I never thought this would be possible... teaching while learning...
:P
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Vawmataw

Quote from: TEAgaming2154 on July 31, 2015, 04:42:00 PM
I never thought this would be possible... teaching while learning...
:P
If it can be done, why not?
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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

im just typing up Friday afternoon.
the first lesson was...amazing!!!
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Tirea Aean

Quote from: TEAgaming2154 on July 31, 2015, 04:42:00 PM
I never thought this would be possible... teaching while learning...
:P

It's possible.  You learn something, know it well, then teach it.  But you haven't learned all the things yet, so you're still learning. 

For ex, Teach a language while learning it.  First learn the sounds and some simple greetings.  Then when you know them well, teach them.  while(not done learning) {Then learn the next thing, then teach that.}

Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

exactly. unfortunately I don'thave long to learn the rest of it so I can keep teaching them :/
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Tirea Aean

I went in and fixed this thread. :)

That Czech Wikipedia URL source Blue Elf posted exploded the thing.  I believe it was a Czech wikipedia article about Memory.

Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

there have been no classes this week. but hopefully there will be a class, either today or tomorrow.
since Monday and Tuesday I was away sick, and Wednesday, all my students has school sport activities they had to go to at the start of lunch.
if there is a class today, i'll write about it.
If not, I will write tomorrow :)
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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

What I'm thinking, is since neither my students nor myself have very much time for very many lessons, as you can see.
I've decided (after running it by several people) that I'm going to go and get each student a notebook (yes another one) and they can write about their thoughts and opinions or any questions they have concerning the lessons, or the community itself. which I will then post here for your pleasure.

:)

talk soon.
Tstewa
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Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

I got each student a notebook.
I need to get more now.
I have 7 students, plus 1 who is interested more in the animals than anything.

Natasha
Kaleb
Nathaniel
Lachlan
Diarmi
Thomas
can't remember his name because he only attended for the first time today. hrh

i'll be making a photo group in the forum gallery and uploading their pictures soon.

Lachlan handed in his homework and I thought I might upload it now.
..............

Na'vi Homework
1.   How complex is this language?
2.   How much revision are we going to do?
Every lesson in one way or another.
3.   Are there any words in Na'vi that are similar to English?
Most likely. I'd have to look through the vocabulary for them.
4.   Why is the sentence structure of Na'vi so unfixed?
5.   How long have you been teaching?
6.   What would be some common mistakes made in this language?
7.   What would be some easy ways to remember some of the more complex words?
8.   What is the best way to remember some sentences?
9.   Is it ok to skip lessons if you are having a hard time or are feeling depressed, sick, etc.?
10.   Is there any other place(s) for us to have a lesson other than the library? (because just about every lesson in the library there are people who intentionally disturb the lesson)
What I feel about this language.
I feel that this language is a little bit complex and will be a big challenge for somebody like me with terrible memory. I like how the sentence structure is so free because I easily forget sentence order with other languages. I get quite annoyed when people intentionally disrupt the lesson. I am quite confused by a lot of the dialogue and I believe there should be a better way to remember than just removing words (sorry).

I think the lessons could improve by going into a different area than the library because there a lot of people in the library at lunch and I feel as though about 48% come just to disrupt the lesson and annoy all of us.

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Tirea Aean

Cool!

Do you prepare your lesson plans somehow? Since you are transparent with this sort of stuff, do you plan to publish your lesson plans as spoken to your students? Maybe there could be something interesting that other teachers around here could find in there ;)

Tstewa Ikrantsyìp

if it's wanted. I'll write my lessons as spoken with the students
I don't see why it'd be useful but i'll be happy to if it's wanted
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Tirea Aean

It of course doesn't have to be a word for word transcription, but key points and ideas would even help me out some too. :) As one who sometimes teaches, I like to study the way people learn and how other people teach because there's always something for me to learn there. I'm no perfect teacher... yet ;)

EDIT: And of course, you don't /have/ to do this. I was just curious how you usually go about this business because I think I remember you saying you've never done this before, and you're doing this all on your own. I'm just curious what kinds of methods you use. :)  I'm just a super curious kind of person, I guess. :D