SELF-CONFIDENCE.teachers have as challenge to increase this self-confidence by creating an adequate learning atmosphere where we can use tools such as Neuro-linguistic Programming in order to promote self-confidence in classroom; teacher Jose Gonzalez, (Oaxaca, Mexico) has a slogan which names his project: "Speak English. Learning English is fun". In my class I use "I like English" and, in fact, the legend is on a rubber stamp posted on cards which are used as rewards for working in class.

Activities have to be from easy to difficult ones; if activities are too difficult, students rapidly will get frustrated. It is common in secondary that after seeing something as very difficult, the student "builds" the defensive wall and, unfortunately, this energy sells and becomes contagious among students. Our lesson plan has to be carefully done step by step, from easy to complex, and always having in mind the purpose of the function, and the differences of our students.

THE AFFECT. Public schools, and even some private

schools, spend valuable classroom time engaged in "cooperative" learning (group learning) encounter sessions and discussion groups that employ pop psychology. These programs are designed for a very specific purpose -- to change the attitudes, values and beliefs of children in order to prepare them for be good citizens

Almost all claim positive outcomes such as:• Enhancement of self-esteem• Promotion of good decision-making• Reduction of stress• Improvement of academic performance• Improvement of a student's sensitivity to others

PROGRAM GOALS FOR SELF CONFIDENCE.

Affective education employs a number of psychological and pedagogic principles as primary to their success. The most significant of these principles includes beliefs such as:

• The meaning of life lies in subjective experience.• Self-Interest is and should be the foundation for

all moral decisions.• The teacher should be child advocate and

therapist.• Problem-solving through the application of moral

relativism.• Children are capable of making sophisticated

judgments.

The following are some of the more popular Affective Education Programs:

Project Self-EsteemProject Self-Esteem is an elementary level program

which purports to enhance self-esteem, improve memory, improve communication skills, stress individuality, increase sensitivity to others, and improve self responsibility.

QuestQuest was originally published as a Humanistic

Values Curriculum in 1975. The Quest program is divided into two main curricula: Skills for Living -- High school level; and Skills for Adolescence for grades 6-8

CANFIELD´S THEORY.

Canfield's theory of self-esteem is based on a distinction between the left and right brain. He claims the brain has two hemispheres. The left hemisphere controls the logical thinking while the right hemisphere controls feelings and impulses.

The foremost goal in Workshop Way is

1) protect each child's dignity.

2) Growing a positive self-concept is feasible for all students because the self-concept is never associated with knowledge, skills or right answers.

The program clearly states that one of the major goals is to lead pupils toward "higher levels of consciousness and deepening awareness in students by leading them to self-discovery."

WORKSHOP WAY

PUMSY in Pursuit of Excellence This is a very popular self-esteem program written by Jill

Anderson and published by Timberline Press in Oregon. Pumsy is a girl dragon who has three parts to her mind. These include her Sparkler Mind, her Clear Mind, and her Mud Mind. The author defines the Sparkler Mind as a mind that runs and plays like tiny pieces of happy lightning. The Clear Mind is defined as a pond, still and quiet, in the middle of a spring meadow. When Pumsy is in her Clear Mind, she feels good about herself and at peace. The Mud mind is defined as a puddle of mud that does not allow her to think clearly. When she is in her Mud Mind, she doesn't feel good about herself.

Risk-Taking

This affective principle is about the importance of getting learners to take risks in attempting to use language-both productively and receptively.

Successful language learners, in their realistic appraisal of themselves as vulnerable beings yet capable of accomplishing tasks, must be willing to become “gamblers” in the game of language, t attempt to produce and to interpret language that is a bit beyond their absolute certainty.

How can your classrooms reflect the principle of risk-taking?

• Create an atmosphere in the classroom that encourages students to try out language, to venture a response, and not to wait for someone else to volunteer language.

• Provide reasonable challenges in your techniques – make them neither too easy nor too hard.

• Help your students to understand what calculated risk-taking is, lest some feel that they must blurt out any old response.

• Respond to students’ risky attempts with positive affirmation, praising them for trying while at the same time warmly but firmly attending to their language.

Language-Culture Connection

Language and culture are intricately related. Any time you successfully learn a language, you will also learn something of the culture of the speakers of that language.

¨Whenever you teach a language, you also teach a complex system of cultural customs, values, and ways of thinking, feeling, and acting¨

Interlanguage

Second language learners tend to go through a systematic or almost systematic developmental process as they progress to full competence in the target language developmental is partially a factor from utilizing feedback from others

Discuss cross-cultural differences with your students, emphasizing that no

culture is ¨better¨ that another.

include among your techniques certain activities

and materials that illustrate the connection

between language and culture

Teach your students the cultural connotations, specially sociolinguistic

aspects, of languages.

Screen your techniques for material that

may be culturally offensive

Make explicit to your students what you may take for granted in your own

culture

Acculturation

euphoria

• Excitement, enthusiasm and optimist for everything in the host culture.

Culture shock

• negativity ranging from irrability to hostility, from anxiety to outright panic

Anomie

• gradually recovery of equilibrium and objetivity.

• Acknowledgement of positive and negative aspects of both culture

Assimilation or Adoption

• Acceptance of the new culture • Recovery of self-confidence and identity

¨Especially in ¨second¨ language learning contexts, the success with

learners adapt to new cultural uamilieu will affect their langa

Help students to be aware of acculturation and its stages.

Stress the importance of the second language as a powerful tool for adjustment in the new culture.

Be specially sensitive to any students who appear to be discouraged, then do what

you can to assist them.