I have been teaching for many years and the interaction with the different students I have had so far has given me the capacity to decide what teaching techniques are the best for each of them.
In my opinion the main focus in a language teaching course should be given, on the first hand, to the meanings of the words because if one does not know what the different words represent it is not possible to use them in the right situation. It is important to teach students vocabulary in order for them to write meaningful sentences.
On the other hand, the intrinsic, personal motivation we have as learners is the will we each have to learn. Every piece of information can be related with new things which at the same time may lead us to new knowledge.
Although motivation is important when it comes to learning, it is evident that the shared knowledge must carry a great weight. If a student is motivated to learn but the lessons do not have any meaning behind them, the teacher has the obligation to come up a lesson that not only will actually teach something to the student, but which is also dynamic enough for it to be acknowledged and stored permanently in the learner’s mind.
Finally, I think that we must respect the different cultures we may find inside a classroom. Each student is different and although the idea of teaching and actually reaching each and every one of them at the same time might be really ambitious, one must try to make it their goal to make a lesson be as successful as it can possibly be.
I like the point you make on the first paragraph. I also believe that experience plays a very important role and helps a lot when it comes to choosing what things to do or not to. However, experience must go hand in hand with learning, and also with adapting to the new things that come along.( Sorry! Nothing to do with your 4 points. It is just that I agree with all of them and have nothing else to say about! :) )
ReplyDeleteI like when you talk about been respectful with the different cultures we find inside the classroom. I relate this argument with different personalities, learning styles and different motivation there exist in the classroom. Ideally, we have to teach them to share and respect the different points of view, some students like to participate a lot during the class, but how important is to leave other students to talk.
ReplyDeleteI found very interesting when you say " althought motivation is important when it comes to learning it is evident that the shared knowledge must carry a great weight" and you are so right with that. It is not enough that the student is motivated, the teacher must fin the way to teach where that new information has to be stored in the learners mind so he doesb´t forget ir easily.
ReplyDeleteBeing respectful is very important! I agree! Most of the times we don't take care of the different points of view, cultures, ideas and thoughts. As a teacher we need to consider all the differences to make our students feel confortable inside the classroom.
ReplyDeleteNice points here. One couple of questions:
ReplyDeleteWhat happens when the teacher is obliged to use a certain method or use a text-book that isn't very dynamic?
Who cares about the teacher's needs?
How do we teachers manage to do a good job day-in-day out?
Who/what motivates the teacher?
My answers to your questions:
ReplyDeleteIn my case I have to use the textbooks our coordinator tells us to work with. Of course she chooses the books according to our suggestions and our needs.
The textbooks that we use have plenty of material: CDRom, DVDS,iTools etc but I don´t have enough time to check all of them.
My main motivation are those students who appreciate my job, those who are not mature enough to do this way now but will in the future, those who have difficulties but make efforts etc.
The only thing that discourages me is bad discipline and not being respectful with the teacher and their classmates.
I agree with you, motivation is essential for teachers and students, it's great that your coordinator listens to your suggestions, it helps to create new things, activities that will lead students to enlarge their knowledge.
ReplyDelete