Teaching Philosophy
A good teacher helps learners to help themselves. Rather than imposing knowledge onto students through lecturing, a good teacher encourages students to take an active role in their learning. It is important to facilitate a classroom environment in which learners are empowered to be autonomous: a place in which shades of meaning are carefully negotiated, emphasis is placed on the process rather than the result, and knowledge is constructed through collaboration.
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As a believer in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), communicative competence of the learner is the end goal. One way I achieve this is the incorporation of authentic materials into the classroom. Language taught should not be classroom-specific; it should mimic the language that learners will encounter in the real world. This increases the pragmatic or sociolinguistic competence of learners by making them aware of how language is actually used in a given cultural context. Learning that results from authentic materials will ultimately be far more meaningful when the students leave the classroom to use their language in a real context.
As much as I wish it were true, learners do not always learn what you want them to learn when you want them to learn it. Learners learn in stages, and at their own pace. These stages are not always clear; learners may use language features correctly in some situations and not others, and at times may backslide, which is why attention must be drawn to individual learners. In my grammar instruction, I also pay careful attention to a balance of instruction that is centered not only on grammatical forms, but also on meaning and usage. I draw attention to linguistic forms as they arise so that learners may have an experience that is more tailored to their needs. This requires awareness of these needs, which is why I believe in the ongoing use of needs analyses during the course. Similarly, I believe that assessment is a tool that helps both the teacher and the student to be aware of progression, which is why I design tests which reflect the material learners have been taught in the classroom.
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Furthermore, I always strive to make the classroom a collaborative space. Collaboration helps learners by shifting focus away from the product and onto the process of learning. I apply Team-Based Learning (TBL) by having learners work together to discuss authentic, real-world problems, and in doing so they are able to increase their long-term language retention by internalizing meaning through usage rather than through rote repetition. The use of the flipped classroom is also a constructive way for learners to actively engage in their learning and to collaborate with their peers by taking on a teacher-like role.
I have found technology to be particularly beneficial in encouraging collaboration. Not only does technology encourages learners to be active participants in an increasingly technological society, but it streamlines communication and enables learners to collaborate and negotiate meaning of knowledge, both inside and outside of the classroom. I have experimented with the use of blogs, class websites, surveys, smart boards, software, and more, to increase the technological literacy of my students and to encourage peer feedback.
Teachers must be aware that every student is different, and that factors such as aptitude, motivation, and attitude towards learning can play a great role in understanding. To accommodate a wide variety of students, creativity and flexibility are required. It is these individual differences that make the classroom such an exciting place. We don’t learn in a vacuum, we learn through living in a dynamic and constantly changing world – and that is precisely why it is so crucial to make the classroom as harmonious and engaging as possible.
I have found technology to be particularly beneficial in encouraging collaboration. Not only does technology encourages learners to be active participants in an increasingly technological society, but it streamlines communication and enables learners to collaborate and negotiate meaning of knowledge, both inside and outside of the classroom. I have experimented with the use of blogs, class websites, surveys, smart boards, software, and more, to increase the technological literacy of my students and to encourage peer feedback.
Teachers must be aware that every student is different, and that factors such as aptitude, motivation, and attitude towards learning can play a great role in understanding. To accommodate a wide variety of students, creativity and flexibility are required. It is these individual differences that make the classroom such an exciting place. We don’t learn in a vacuum, we learn through living in a dynamic and constantly changing world – and that is precisely why it is so crucial to make the classroom as harmonious and engaging as possible.