Incorporating Interactive Student Notebooks into Secondary EFL Classes

Abstract

[eng] Evaluation is a necessary part of the learning process, but it is also one of the most intricate tasks. Traditional forms of assessment place the teacher at the center of the evaluation task when it has been demonstrated that student protagonism in the learning process is more beneficial. Studies on the application of alternatives in assessment represent a growing field for this reason. So far, however, there has been little discussion about using Interactive Student Notebooks in the subject of English as a Foreign Language. Interactive Student Notebooks, usually abbreviated to ISNs, were first developed by Lee Swenson for the subject of social sciences and made popular through the Teachers’ Curriculum Institute’s TCI Approach (Lobdell, Owens & Bower, 2005). These notebooks are a type of portfolio grounded in the principles of brain-based learning and, more specifically, brain laterality. They promote flexibility, creativity and reflection. Through the development of a three-fold teaching proposal aimed at lower secondary levels, the usefulness and feasibility of incorporating the Interactive Student Notebook in the EFL classroom will be demonstrated, especially as a way to break with traditional methods. It will be considered as an assessment tool, as a tool for practicing specific skills or competences and as a pedagogical basis for isolated activities.