More from Fran - David, I'm quite sure that Michael Halliday won't be
dropping in to surprise us!!!
Phil
Fran writes:
Phil, Jay, Bev,
Thanks for sending this on. I am now in Hong Kong where some of these
very
issues have come up in discussion this morning in what is a very
different
context from Australia or indeed the USA (one that is in many ways more
authoritarian in its educational practices).
I have not much to add to what I wrote, though re what Jay says re
mastery
and critique,it seems to me that learning mastery often also involves
learning aspects of critique. The issues for me are (i) whether the
teaching activity suggests that all that is known is fixed and
unalterable
as if there remains nothing more to do or learn, and (2) when the
critique
is considered. This is certainly an issue for children in schools but I
think it is even for university students who are learning for example,
something like SF theory. Anyone who tries teaching that to students at
the Master's level, say, is not advised to get into critiques too
early as
it can only confuse rather than enlighten.
And I would add- as I think Jay also says- much of this discussion is
not
entirely relevant to the matter of teaching foreign languages which I
gather are the concern of David who started all this off.
And now I must away to prepare a seminar for later this day.
Cheers and good wishes
Fran
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