CASE STUDY 5: You are teaching to a group of 22 children in 2nd grade of Primary and

there is one student who never participates in the play activities offered in the class. What
would be the way to proceed with this student? Justify your answer.

1. INTRODUCTION
With the permission of the tribunal, I am going to explain case study n.5 in which I am asked
to explain how I would proceed with a student who never participates in the play activities
offered in the class. On many occasions, when a teacher is faced with a group of students
he or she has to know what type of activities and methodologies to use with them in order for
the learning to be effective.The use of active methodologies and activities that promote the
interest of the students is the main way to teach new contents to the students.
With this type of resources, the educational activity is focused on the student and their level
of learning is taken into account at all times, as well as their interest and motivation to learn.
Therefore, once the legal framework of the assumption would be founded and established, I
will go on to develop proposals and strategies on what would be, in my opinion, more
effective involving all students in the lesson.

2. BASIS FOR THE CASE STUDY

To begin with, it is necessary to justify in some way those elements that constitute the
content of the assumption.
As I said in the introduction, motivation and educational activity focused on the student is a
resource to develop along the Primary Education.
Motivation is the most powerful influence in learning. it can be defined as a state of cognitive
and emotional arousal which leads to a conscious decision to act and which gives rise to a
period of sustained intellectual and physical effort in order to attain a previously set goal.
Teachers need to know that both internal and external influences are likely to arouse
students' emotions and how they internalise them.Once the activity has begun, the learners
need to sustain the effort to achieve the goal. In relation to that, Cunningsworth (1984)
established the importance of selecting appropriate resources and materials to the
classroom and how they influence communication.
The growth of the communicative approach emphasised that language is a tool for achieving
goals and not simply a linguistic system in its own right. Hymes’ theory of communicative
competence played an important role in introducing a new perspective on language teaching
so the learning process is focussed on motivation and attracts students along the learning
process.
Educational models have been developed and improved to become tools where learning is
centered on the student and his or her educational level. One important methodologie is the
ones developed by Garner (1983) called Multiple Intelligences.This theory defines that
intelligence is not a unitary set that groups different specific capacities, but a network of
autonomous sets, relatively interrelated. For Gardner the development of some type of
intelligence depends on three factors: biological factor, personal life factor and cultural and
historical factors.
With regard to legal references, the Spanish Organic Law for the improvement of the
educational quality, determines equity as one of the principles of the Spanish educational
system. It guarantees equal opportunities for the full development of the personality through
educational inclusion, equality of rights and opportunities that help to overcome any
discrimination as well as universal accessibility to education, and which acts as a
compensatory element for inequalities, with special attention to those arising from any type
of disability.
With reference to language, Order ECD 823/2018 regulates the development of linguistic
competence of and in foreign languages. It defends educational innovation as a priority line
in education and proposes the improvement in the acquisition of competences. In addition,
the recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 of December on
key competences for lifelong learning advocates the development of key competences for all
as part of their lifelong learning strategies.
It is also necessary to take into account Royal Decree 73/2011 which establishes the charter
of rights and duties of the members of the educational community, and the basis of
coexistence rules in schools. It specifies that all students have the same rights and duties
without distinction except those derived from their age. All of them have the right to the free
development of their personality and personal capacity, as well as the right not to be
subjected to any kind of discrimination.
Lastly, as defined in the curriculum of Aragon (Order 16th of June 2014), we, as teachers,
should facilitate learning in all areas, as well as, habits of work or respect among others. All
of that should contribute to the integral development of the personality of the students.

3. CASE DEVELOPMENT
Once the different elements that would intervene in the assumption have been established in
some way, I am going to explain the activities. After these general considerations, I move on
to develop the case study.
The main objective of the proposal I am going to develop is that the student participates in all
the activities that take place in the classroom. It is for this reason that I will carry out different
strategies and dynamics to promote the motivation of all students, especially this student, to
try to make him/her more participative and active in the classroom.
First of all, it is important to know if the student presents some type of personal condition that
causes this lack of participation. For that, it is essential to talk to the tutor. Once it has been
checked that the student does not present any special condition or situation, it is necessary
to think on strategies, always considering the student's interests, to encourage his/her
participation. It is important to take into account the age, since children need to be active and
they are curious. Therefore, we must propose solutions according to these characteristics.
The activities that are going to be developed in this case of study are going to be divided into
three main groups: learner-centeredness activities, cooperative learning activities and
experiential learning activities.
Learner-centeredness activities cover a vast range of possible stances from focusing
teacher's attention on the learner's negotiation of curricula. That type of activity can be
developed when the interaction between teacher and student is broken, using that resources
the student becomes the center of the learning process.
A useful activity to work with is to create different learning corners in the classroom with
different types of information in relation with the same topic. Students have to walk through
the different stations and complete a schedule with relevant information. That activity is also
related with the Multiple Intelligences because students need different capacities that are
relatively interrelated.
Cooperative learning is also a useful dynamic to work with since students can learn new
concepts together and help each other. In this type of learning, teachers can introduce
games as they are a potential resource in students’ learning.
Games can help and encourage learners to sustain their interest and work. They are a very
valuable learning tool because they help to motivate students in their learning process, and
this motivation will be linked to their participation in these types of activities. The
gamification, which will have to be adapted to the age, interests and needs of the group of
students, also helps teachers to create contexts in which students can use the language in a
real and meaningful way using the four skills. In addition, in this type of dynamics, the
student is more involved in his or her learning and his or her participation will be more
evident because he or she will be the center of the process instead of the teacher.
Experiential learning activities are also a good strategy to be used in this case. If students
learn from immediate experience, it is easier to get them engaged in the process, both
intellectually and emotionally. Projects are a good example of this type of learning that
contributes to different key competences development and allows students to get immediate
learning. Another useful activity is using trips as resources to receive and learn immediate
information and create your own learning according to your experience.
Using ICT is also beneficial for students because with them teachers can present materials
and resources more visual and therefore more attractive to students. The use of that
resource also motivates the students and encourages them to learn in a meaningful way.

4. CASE STUDY MATERIALS

According to Order 16th June 2014, “Materials are tools for students and teachers to work”.
They must provoke students’ curiosity, interest and attention, but they should also contribute
pupils to feel comfortable at work and to develop confidence in their own abilities as well.
They must establish a harmonious relationship between cognitive demands (linguistics,
intrapersonal and interpersonal tasks) and support them to achieve aims (visual aids, clear
instructions…).
If these materials promote their curiosity and attention, consequently they will also promote
their motivation and their participation, so it is for that reason that they must be carefully
selected to achieve this purpose.
As seen in the case development, digital materials are an important resource to use in the
classroom since they are more attractive for students. The use of ICT contributes to
students’ learning. There are a lot of applications that can be used in our lessons. “Voki” is a
good example of an interactive app that contributes to get students’ attention and
participation.

5. CONCLUSION
Once I have explained the terms of this case study, I would like to end with a brief
conclusion. The ideas proposed in this case study try to contribute to promote participation in
the classroom in a motivating way. It is important that all the students in the group feel that
they are part of the group, being the center of their own learning process.
We, as teachers, have to provide solutions when some of the students are not included at
all, taking into account their motivations and interests. If there is any improvement, we have
to try different methodologies and ideas, always focusing on the student.
As seen, there are a lot of resources and strategies that can be used as a source of
motivation, games and technologies being especially important since they contribute to
improve students’ competencies, communication and, therefore, students’ full development.

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
● Cunningsworth, A. (1995). Choosing your course book. Heinemann.
● Cunningsworth, A. (1984). Evaluating and selecting EFL teaching materials.
Heinemann.
 ● Hymes, D.H. (1972). On Communicative Competence, en J.B. Pride and J. Holmes
(eds). Sociolinguistics. Selected Readings. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
● Gardner, H. (1983). Multiple intelligences. Basic Books.

7. REGIONAL AND STATE REFERENCES

According to the regional and state references, they have been already mentioned, but I
point out them now in an analytical way:
● Organic Law of Education 2/2006, 3rd May, modified by the Organic Law for the
improvement of the educational quality, 8/2013, 9th December.
● Order ECD/823/2018, 18th May, which regulates the BRIT-Aragon Model for the
development of the Linguistic Competence of and in Foreign Languages in public
non-university centres of the Autonomous Community of Aragon.
● Order 16th June, 2014, by which the curriculum of Primary Education in the schools
of Aragon is approved.
● Decree 73/2011, 22nd March, which establishes the charter of rights and duties of
the members of the educational community and the bases of the coexistence rules in
the schools of Aragon.

8. EUROPEAN REFERENCES
● Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18th December
2006, on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/EC).