Publication Date

2002

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

First Advisor

Pat Moran

Abstract

This paper is based on David Hawkins’ framework of the I-Thou-It with an expanded and personalized interpretation. It aims at defining more precisely the roles of the I, the Thou, and the It in the author’s classroom. The paper also cites research related to this framework and compares the findings, differences and similarities of author’s research with those of other researchers. The paper examines each of the roles and the interplay that takes place between and among them.

The paper explains the advantages of the subject-centered classroom, i.e. dominance of the It. Thus, the emphasis of the paper is on the It in the learning triangle and the role it plays, as well as possible ways of achieving the optimal It-angle in the triangle. The use of L1 is presented as part of the I. The affective domain of the student (i.e. anxiety and self-esteem), announcement of the exam results, are parts of the Thou, as well as the effects of sitting in a circle and eliciting student feedback. Textbooks and culture are presented as parts of the It. The author concludes by describing what she has learned from her research and the direction she has taken in her teaching as a result.

Disciplines

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Curriculum and Instruction | First and Second Language Acquisition

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