English language assignment essay on: Language assignment
Any language that is acquired comes with its own set of rules, lexical system, discipline and cultural nuances. The most important factor in any language system is its relevance to the culture and the region in which it was born. Therefore the language that is to be learnt, demands that the learner must adapt to its needs and requirements. The process of learning goes incomplete without a good teacher and that is what I had always wished to be. This can only be possible only when the teacher gets involved in the process of teaching heartily. English language comes along with its intrinsic value and validity but has changed through time, which has made this language system to acquire some extrinsic values also (About ELL Programs n.d.). The program not only aspires to make it a long instructive session for the students, but also aims to invoke the students’ reactions to this concept of new learning. Thus, it is an advantage to the beginners to learn under the guidance of the English Language experts who themselves are non-native speakers of English. It not only provides a chance to the students to learn English but that they will also get to share the personal experiences of the ones who went through the same exercise before reaching this expert state (Tucker, J 2006).In my experience there had been many a times when the things turned up to be strange and a little confusing before beginning my practice. Before practice of course it was only a bookish experience and only a theoretical knowledge of how the students are and that how they should be taught a new language. I only thought that the professional experience would be little exhausting because only the giving away of the knowledge would be there, but this perspective was changed once I entered the classroom. The students were there from diverse cultural backgrounds having a very limited knowledge of English (Genesee, F., & Upshur, J. 2000). That moment I thought that teaching would be easy as teaching something would only be instructional but the case was not so. It was both a give and take process between the students and me, alongside having fun with the students by making them learn new things through classroom activities. The development of a teacher takes place when they consciously use the teaching resources so that they can forward their learning whether dealing with the individuals or the group of students. According to the author of the article ‘Module 22 and Beyond in: A course in language teaching’, the initial years of teaching for most of the professionals may be very tough as they get to deal with heterogeneous group of adolescents (Penny, Ur 1996). I agree with the same to an extent as I used to grow nervous in the initial sessions even when I came prepared with my own lesson plans. There were certain apprehensions about the behaviour of the children which gradually got removed through my professional development. I was glad with the way my supervisors assisted me in the better understanding of the classroom and even what the report says that I could successfully manage to form a good rapport with my students and they in fact felt ease in my class.During the practicum it was altogether a new feeling to could give me this chance to work in TAFE and so I feel lucky to have got this experience of sitting in a lot of classes and thus could gain knowledge at different levels. I was working very closely with the two senior teachers Kuldip Kaur and Patricia Brown, they were indeed quite helpful in making me understand the right manner in which the students can be treated. I was mostly given the level one classes and I was also engaged in assisting the students on various occasions like the Computer ITS classes, the beginner classes and the Level 1, 2 and 3. In the article ‘Teaching the casual conversation’ the author is of the specific views in engaging the students in the computer classes he is of the view that the teacher should not only restrict himself/herself to one computer but should make the use of the projector. The author elaborates upon many interesting sequential activities like teaching the students to make the report of the events that they experience, then discussing with the students that would be taken up in the course of the unit and then to let them know how to operate the internet by recognizing the major English keywords. According to the author this could be favourably done by researching on the various tourist attractions in Australia. Then the student can be asked to prepare a small report on the experience of the place that he/she visited during the internet research (Waterhouse, D 2000). Thus I always kept such important theoretical frameworks in my mind and therefore ways tried my best to inculcate those points in my profession. The use of such activities in order to improve the computer skills in a way demonstrated to the students the practical learning of English as a language because computer and internet do have a fun side added to it.According to the author of ‘An Intuitive Learner’ it is believed that as important is the discussion the verbal parts are so is the case with the written part of the language. Therefore I always kept it in mind that whatever the students are speaking all the points should be written down. This exercise was in fact so helpful to me because it taught me so many things which were so beneficial for my personal and the professional development. In the class I had always made it a point that the discussion of the topics shall not be limited and therefore class participation was something I had working upon (Stevick, E 1989). Alongside the formation of the bond with my students I got to form a healthy relationship with my colleagues too. I consider that I was being valued by the people around me when the teachers always wanted me to come up with the new ideas and the suggestion which could further involve participation of the students wanted team work. I used to sit and have a talk with my supervisors and about the effectiveness of the program .As an ESL professional I always kept the larger motive in my mind, thus in my practicum experience it was my prime goal to help my students the value that the new language which they are learning holds, at a global level. So I had thought to devise my plan in such a way in such a way that it helps the students to take up the challenges of life with will and a bundle of encouragement. I promised myself to personally relate to each learner and help cutting away the unnecessary fears and anxieties related to the use of English. With the coming up of English and its evolution in achieving the status of a world language, we as an organisation found the need to teach this language to the school children so that they can make use of the maximum opportunities and the chances they get to explore. As, most of the communication is taking place in this language, it has become the hallmark for the status and the competition today (Appleby, R 2001). Once, the schoolchildren gain the expertise in this language they would eventually be able to stand equally besides the native-speakers of this language too. Moreover, the competition is so tough today that there are now various varieties of English including American English, African English, Indian English and Australian English, where the parent language remains the British English. So, such diversity makes it as important as it should ideally be. Moreover, it was an enlightening experience to get exposed to the enriched dictionary of English, which has acquired many new meanings through time and changing patterns of the world (The Internet TESL Journal. (2005)).I find myself to be in a new state altogether after the time that I have spent in TAFE. I find that there is a better understanding of the ESL classes now. Earlier it was a little difficult for me when I was a beginner because there was sometimes an imbalance in management of the resources, but now whenever I get to access the resources I find it really easy for me and it is great when I can use those theoretical activities in the class as the practical sessions. This process only encouraged a better learning for my students and that was the benchmark that I was always willing to achieve as a teacher of ESL. I could manage to get good resources in as better way (Lightbown, P 2000). The total progress which I found in myself as a teacher is majorly because of the twelve important principles which I kept in mind. These valuable principles were by Douglas Brown the author of ‘Teaching by Principles’, I would therefore like to throw light upon the same principles one by one. The first important principle is Automaticity, this asserts that children should absorb English as a new language only through meaningful use and that children shall be taught in such a way that makes them focus upon the purpose of the new language rather than analyzing the forms of knowledge. Thus I exercised this principle by making the students learn with patience and focusing my lessons upon the language ‘use’ than the tight structures of the language system.The second important principle which I had been following was that of the Meaningful Learning. This was exercised by me by using the specially designed lessons in such a way which appealed to the interest of the children and that how can this language which they are learning can enhance their career goals and ensure long-time achievements. Also I made it a appoint that whenever I introduced a new topic it should be something related to their specific cultures, or their backgrounds which they can easily relate to and also could learn a new thing in the present language system. This was fruitful as the response was positive and the students were participating. The third important principle which I followed as given by Douglas is The Anticipation of Reward. The important statement as given by Skinner “Virtually everything we do is inspired and driven by a sense or goal”, also the author brought out that only this purpose “directs” one’s behaviour. So I made it a point that I should verbally praise my students whenever they gave me correct answers or whenever they made inputs of some new ideas about new language learning. I asked them to support each other and compliment whenever the other student gave good answers. Sometimes the students who had low-motivation there was a promise of achieving small stars or the special stickers for the way they would fare in the classroom. This acted as the motivating factor for the students especially the young learners (Nunan, D 1995). Also, by the gradual improvement the students were also reminded about the long term goals they can achieve by learning English, how jobs could be gotten by them at the influential locations. The fourth important principle is Intrinsic Motivation this principle was therefore fundamentally required in order to regulate the hidden feelings, desires and the wishes of the children. First, I worked hard to set the asset for each individual student in the class and then I based certain activities in the class like extempore and the debates so that such sessions can drive the competency about the students. The next important principle was Strategic Investment, in this principle the two important pedagogies were to be kept in mind, first that I should be dealing with the styles that each learner (if it was impossible individually then I formed small groups among the class mates) possess while he/she approaches the text and the next was to improve the concentration of the student in the class. Thus, this was the investment that was more at the learner’s part than mine where I had to only act as a catalyst. The sixth important principle as given by Douglas Brown is Autonomy, this principles guides the teachers that they should encourage the students to do something new and innovative on their own once they get a catch of the beginning level. Thus, encouraging them for creativity within their capacity was my main goal. The seventh principle which was effective in my professional development was the use of the Language Ego Principle. According to this principle the new language learning also ensures the acquiring of the new thinking, the new culture and the new identity for the learner but then it only remains a second identity, a second culture and the second thinking, so this may create a sense of frailty and defensiveness in the young learners but I dealt with them patiently and I was sensitive to their behaviour.The other important principle is the Willingness to communicate this stated that the teacher should be encouraging the student to communicate in the second language even if they speak it a little uncomfortable they should be speaking it. The students should be taught to understand the importance of ‘risk-taking’ in life. This was what I did in encouraging my students to soften their spoken skills in the second language. The ninth important principle is The Language and the Culture connection, this interested me as a teacher because ideologies, the new thinking and the introduction to the new customs. So the task demanded that I should be discussing the cross cultural implications of their first and the second language. Also that no culture is better than the other but only the value and the scope changes through time. This way, my sense of association with the new culture got enhanced and also I found myself morally more upright. The last two principles which I effectively followed were the Native Language Effect and the Interlanguage. These two are interrelated as they evoke that the appropriate feedback should be given to the learners about the native effect of the language which they have on their tongue, this told to them that it becomes the cause of the error. Thus translation should be avoided and thus thinking shall be used as the appropriate tool to remove the interjection taking between the two languages (Oxford, R 1989).The stage at which I am now as a TESOL practitioner is a magical phase of my life where I gain new experience everyday and in am now well accustomed to the possible situations that might occur around me. What keeps me going very easy with my practice is the feedback which I had got from my supervisor which said that my class lesson plans were appropriate and that it was indeed a good variety of the tasks which I had to offer to my students. In my presentation skills the factors like the teaching skills, the approach and such parameters were excellent but I am happy that I was suggested by the supervisor to put a control on the amount of the talking which I do and also that the language should be a little simplified else they found it very well presented. Also the report followed that I was proactive and was observing the students well. I am happy that I got complimented upon my organization skills, from increasing their participation to adjust my pace with theirs. This means a lot to me and of coerce this has proven that I have the potential to increase my capabilities as it is itself so rewarding to know that I can make a very good ESOL teacher.Now as a TESOL practitioner I am still encouraged by the positive feedback of my first experience of teaching. I recall that it was indeed helpful to rely upon the library resources to which I am indebted that they contained such a vast knowledge and offered so much to read which in fact became the guiding principles to my teaching. I am glad that I overcame the apprehensions and the fears that I originally had that what if I lose any students who wouldn’t appreciate the activities in the class but the things ended up very well. Still what I have altogether learnt is that “the group of professional practitioners with a passion for improvement taking risks and assessing what happens when they initiate changes.” (Grundy, S 1995). This statement striked me for the first time I read it and is still there with name and hopefully would always encourage my professional development.
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