Module 14 Discussion: What Has Changed?

High quality language instruction has evolved into a more student centered approach. In the past, the classroom revolved around the teacher and her role as leader, discussion facilitator, always expert fact teller, instruction has now taken a more student led approach. Teachers now have more of  facilitator role, planning instruction that allows for collaboration and input from students. In the past, students were at their individual seats, reading from the text and copying notes written by the teacher. They studied the notes, memorized material and took the assessment. Now teachers use a myriad of materials other than the text-current newspapers, videos, computer programs nd other materials supplement the prescribed texts. Students often engage in collaborative group work, working in centers, doing "Pair and Share" activities, solving math equations and doing reviews of their peer's work in these ways, the classroom revolves less around the teacher and more around student led learning.