Article "Learning language is like..." - Week 3 Reflection

I loved the article “Learning language is like...” and the activity the author suggests. I think this is a very interesting way for teachers to understand some of the students’ behaviour and identify different learning styles. It’s also a great opportunity for the students to know more about their classmates and share perceptions and experiences that can help each other grasp some concepts of the learning process.

Besides that, as this activity raises students’ awareness about the different attitudes that lead them to learn more, it can motivate them to try some of the strategies presented by their friends.

Something that called my attention was that the author says although she has done this activity with every class she has taught, she always had different experiences and learned she couldn’t make any assumptions about what the students would say.

By reading the article I really felt like using this activity with my class because I’m sure I can find out a lot of curious and important information about my students that can help me know how to deal with them better.

Article “Ten characteristics of a good teacher” - Week 2 Reflection

          

          Reading the article “Ten characteristics of a good teacher” I found out the importance of affective characteristics and their influence on the learning process, and that made me reflect.

            I do believe that the way teachers conduct their lesson is determinant to the students’ engagement, motivation and consequently success in learning a language. Characteristics like enthusiasm, humor, pace, patience, encouragement, interest in the students and availability are some of the most important qualities of a good teacher. I had a great opportunity to confirm this thought while observing peers whose enthusiasm, commitment and believing in the students contaminated the whole class and lead students to be involved and enjoy the lesson.

            The author also mentions that using different aids and being creative is very important to engage students. Many teachers are afraid of using games or activities like that with adult learners but, in my opinion, students from all ages like and benefit from this kind of activity.

            Something I learned from this article and I want to remember is that speaking in the target language to the learners shows we believe in their knowledge, challenges them to speak in that languague as well as makes them feel like learning more. I agree we can and we should use the target language most of the time, not to say all the time, even with beginner students because it’s only a matter of making students get used to it.

            Another point of the article I’d like to comment on is the fact that we, teachers, should be prepared to answer questions related to the topic we are teaching. Considering that, we have to plan our lessons very well so that we are able to do this in a confident way. On the other hand, I don’t think it’s a big problem if the teacher can’t answer a student at the time he/she makes a question because it shows we are also learning and we have to study as they do.