D for Dynamic Systems

Dynamic systems are systems sensitive to changes in our lives, the changes which depend on special events or things that can change our balance and our plans.

In Willy Cardoso's blog post and ELT – Poster preComplexity sentation @ TESOL France he raises several questions about dynamic relationships between various aspects of language teaching.

 In my blog post I'll try to relate to some of these.

       How far are you and your students comfortable and able to cope with the unpredictable?

The ability of a class to cope with the unpredictable is when you as a teacher prepare them for the unknown for good and for bad.

The class’s inner strength will be one of the things that determines if the class will find ways to deal with the unknown just like when you are learning L2.

When you are learning L2 your ability to learn the second language depends on several things such as:

·         Environment

·         Age

·         Motivation

·         Native language

·         Access to native speaker

·         How open is your class to the external environment?

 This question depends on how your class can study with the influence of this environment.

The influence can be positive or negative; it depends on the maturity of your pupils and the amount of impact that the environment has on you and on your pupils.

Teachers can bring the world outside by using real things from that world like articles, facts and other things that the pupils can relate to.

Those items can help the teacher in bringing the pupils into the English Environment.   

  

·         How far is your class able to influence its external environment?

A group can influence a bigger group but it depends on the strength of the group against the one that is bigger than the group itself.

The Smaller Group can affect the external environment with songs, posters Etc.

From the Dynamic systems perspective, smaller groups can influence bigger groups and vice versa.

This question leads to the next question and they share similar things.

·         How far are students/groups able to create networks with other students/groups?

The strength of the group can Determine the ability to build connections between your group and other groups in order to share your knowledge with others.

 This connection can help the groups in dynamic learning.     

     

The education system can be seen as a dynamic system. It starts from the way you create networks with other teachers so you will be able to exchange materials, thoughts, ideas and different theories of teaching and learning.

The Internet is the most important invention of the last century. With internet you can create networks with teachers from all over the world so we can link with schools in other  cultures and to share ideas.

Learning a new language can also be seen as a dynamic process.

By building relationships with your students you can find something that is mutual to the group and by engaging students in discussions you can focus on the language as it emerges.  

In a truly dynamic group you are finding the things that are interesting or relevant to the learners. In this case, the group is the one to tell you if the material can help them in learning the language or if they need something to stimulate their desire for learning the English language.

In conclusion, the dynamic systems approach  can help you better understand  your teaching and connect to your pupils.