TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Everyone is different and it is important to recognize this. It is unrealistic to assume that a group of people will perform the same and grasp the same amount of knowledge, so why teach it in a way that is not effective to all? Marie Guilloteaux and Zoltán Dörnyei (2008) analyzed motivational strategies in second language classrooms and how a teacher’s motivational teaching practice affects his or her students’ motivated learning behavior. They provided powerful evidence that the teacher’s motivational practice does matter, and teaching the curriculum in a motivating manner is a realistic possibility which actually “resulted in tangible positive changes in their students’ overall motivational disposition and concrete classroom behavior” (p. 73). Keeping students engaged and interested in learning is crucial and remains the challenge for many teachers. Finding the reason why students are learning a second language and what situations they hope to use the language in the future will further engage and create relevant experiences they might use in real world situations.

As I mentioned before, language has power, and with that power can bring change. As a teacher, I understand that my students are affected by the society and powers that are in place. Using critical pedagogy, I will encourage my students to use their voices, be confident in speaking up, and make the changes they want to see in their communities a reality. Through language teaching, I can challenge my students to think critically about how language plays a role in society and create more inclusion and representation of groups who are left out (Akabari, 2008). After all, I want the teaching in my class to make impacts and differences outside of class.   

TBLT embraces the concept of “learning while doing”. Tasks, according to Samuda and Bygate (2008), can “be seen as a means of creating experience- based opportunities for language learning” (p.36). Tasks are  meant to be meaningful, and in doing them students should communicate. With this being said, it is important to know your students to create tasks and activities that will be meaningful to them (needs analysis) (Norris, 2009). An example in my teaching is from my class on English for Effective Presentation during my practicum in Thailand. For the final presentation, I had my students create a scientific research poster based on a research project they were already working on and present to other English teachers in the practicum. In doing so, my students were able to apply the concepts of effective presentations and present on something that is actually meaningful and applicable to them in the future.

Giving back to the communities that my students are a part of is a way to create meaningful and purposeful learning in my classroom. Based on Barge, 2010 and Larmer & Mergendoller, 2010, there are four common features of PBL. (1) Learner autonomy allows these projects to be student-initiated and student-led where the teacher acts as a guide for the students. The direction of the project and final outcome is completely dependent on the students which allows them to take pride in their and be more motivated in the learning process. (2) Students must work together and collaborate on the project. (3) The project students chose can further the awareness of a specific topic or issue by doing research on it which creates more learning opportunities and growth. (4) PBL is authentic, seeing the projects address real-life issues. These features tie to both CP and TBLT because students get to problem-solve about a change they want in their community while also doing a project that’s meaningful to them. 

These projects can be a couple days long or months long and typically follow the stages of brainstorming the idea, researching the topic/issue, then presenting the project. The role of the teacher is to enhance the students' learning experience by showing them authentic context in which the language is used. An example of a project students could do in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context is to create educational and informational material in English about proposed legislation in their local government to keep all in the community informed about the decisions being made.