I believe learning is a highly individual process, but that it is nurtured by positive social interaction and collaboration. In my ESL classroom I want to create a welcoming space where my students feel comfortable to express their individuality while practicing the skills needed in a new language to do so.
I am entering the field of language teaching with a background in coaching speed skating. I have coached individuals of all ages, from toddlers up to seniors. If there I one thing I have learned in my time as a coach, it is that every individual develops at their own pace. Some have seemingly natural aptitude while others have to work a little harder. As a coach I have always focused on personal bests over placements. There is no greater joy to me than seeing the gratification on an individual’s face when they experience self-improvement. I want to bring the same perspective to the language classroom. It does not matter to me how my students’ English skills compare to others; I simply want them to better themselves and feel good doing it.
While self-improvement is an individual experience, I feel it can and should be collectively celebrated. As a teacher I seek to facilitate learning by creating a friendly, accepting, and welcoming environment in which every student’s unique strengths, learning styles, and rate of development is recognized and celebrated. I aim to encourage students to practice individual expression, whether verbal or non-verbal, to form authentic connections with their peers and with myself as their teacher. When students feel seen and appreciated, I believe they are more willing to take risks—an essential element of language learning.
In my limited teaching experience thus far I have found communicative activities to be effective in creating a classroom community through practicing essential language skills. I enjoy having the students engage in discussions on topics they have chosen based on their interests. The students answer questions which allow for controversy without hostility. The desire to argue their opinion motivates them to speak while the friendly debate aspect builds mutually respectful relationships in the class. To accommodate for students not yet ready to speak I incorporate listening activities into communicative lessons. I ask the students to actively listen to their peers during presentations or other speaking activities and give them questions to answer about what they heard, with the option of answering in writing. Though not producing speech themselves, the quiet students listen carefully to the speech patterns and content of their peers and familiarize their brains with the English language. I have seen individuality, community, and language develop in my classes in tandem. As the weeks go by, participation and laughter steadily increase, and the quiet students start speaking up, even volunteering to speak first.
Ultimately, my hope for every student I teach is for them to develop their English skills to the point that they can comfortably function in an English-speaking location or use English for intercultural communication. I realize this is a long-term goal, so I instead focus on the process. In my classroom, I want to see my students improve their own skillset and gain confidence as English speakers and as whole individuals. I hope as I enter the field as a new teacher that I will build the skills needed to help my students reach their individual potentials. I plan to be receptive and accountable as a teacher and ask students to provide feedback on my teaching. I want to listen to the needs of every student I teach and adapt my classroom environment to suit the community within it.