LING 482: Teaching Philosophy
Learning is a gift that
is shared and passed on over time with the same enthusiasm as it was given by
the people who taught you. Because of what I have learned from other teachers
in the past, one of my main goals as a teacher is to motivate students
intrinsically so that they will not only be learning English as a requirement,
but to make the students see the importance and satisfaction that comes out of
learning a language for yourself. This means finding a deeper meaning in
language learning and having the ability to communicate clearly with others and
really connect with the world around you through language.
My short term and long
term goals in the classroom are that my students will develop enough comfort
and intrinsic motivation to integrate themselves into the language culture and
environment in which they are learning. I hope to achieve this by giving
students more incentive to individually strive to practice their English outside the
classroom on their own account. Although I emphasize the importance of
in-classroom learning, there is no substituting for the real and practical
application of language in actual-life situations. I believe that focused
instruction and practice within the classroom are key elements to supplement a higher
understanding of the Target Language, however, said focused instruction must be
produced and applied outside of the classroom to make a learning difference. I
would also like to place an emphasis on the importance of practice with native
speakers. Although students can practice and learn from one another within the
room, students cannot lean colloquial language and casual forms unless they are
interactive with L1 English speakers, so I want to express my emphasis exposing
students to practicing with them. My appeal to Language Immersion and practical
style of learning comes from my experience as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student
in Spain where I had to participate in such kind of learning. In my personal
experience, I found it to be exponentially more effective and efficient (and
nonetheless more enjoyable) than in class work. Immersion based work gives
students a chance to practice so that trivial memorization is not forgotten or
left unused.
In sight of their long
term goals, I hope that my students will obtain an acquired understanding of
English, rather than a learned understanding. This means developing fluency in
their speech and the ability to use colloquialisms in casual conversation when
appropriate through their immersed interaction, while not neglecting their
learning of formal English inside the classroom. Likewise, students in my
classes will be able to distinguish between the use of formal and colloquial
English and will know which situations each style should be used. This way,
students will not become confused or make errors in formal writing situations
such as email writing, writing research papers, giving formal speeches or
filling in job applications. Meanwhile, they will retain their ability for
colloquial speech with a sufficient understanding of circumstances of when to
use it.
I plan to achieve these
goals by using mostly the direct method and natural method while instilling the
principals of intrinsic motivation, language culture connection, and
communicative competence within the students. I will achieve these by assigning
cultural, out of class lessons that students should attend for credit (sporting
events, performing arts, etc.) where they will need to use English with natives
while experiencing the culture therein. They will supplement this integrative
learning with reflective journals where I will encourage students to use of new
words and expressions that they learned during their immersion experience. In
order to practice immersion with the use of formal language, students will be
required to give in class speeches, write formal emails, hold mock job
interview sessions, conduct in class formal debates about current events in
society, and listen to formal speeches. Additional in class sessions will
include some Grammar Translation Method, with most focus on the Direct Method
in order to have a greater variety of learning.
In my experience as a
teacher, I would first like to gain practical experience in teaching before pursuing
a higher degree (M.A., Ph.D., etc.). This was, I can have a clearer understanding
of teaching first-hand in order to make a degree in higher education more
relevant, since I will be able to relate material to my past experience. From
my previous involvement as an OPIE & ELIP Pronunciation Tutor, English for
All teacher, a Cultural Liaison, and a teacher of English in China, I feel that
most of my learning about teaching comes from first-hand experience and
speaking with other, more experienced teachers. One example is in the instructions
given in the Pronunciation Lab during training. We were given instructions and
directions on how to teach, but they never really made sense until we were
given the opportunity to practice them. From this example, I think you can see
a relation between my preferred learning style and my preferred teaching style.
For the future of my
students, I want the class lessons that they learn to be applicable to a much
wider variety of subjects and experiences in life, exceeding language tests,
ordering coffee, or earning a degree in English. I hope to open their minds
through language thinking and challenge their social natures to make them altogether
more well-rounded, open minded, confident and worldly individuals. After all,
what is the use in learning English if you never get a chance to use it?
No comments:
Post a Comment