OXBRIDGE ESSAY

Let’s talk about my teaching approach

Teachers in general have played a vital role regarding our lives. Every single one of us can remember that one teacher who had influence on them; either good or not. He/she may have been the reason for a successful career or the aversion to a branch of science. So, what makes a great teacher? And, more specifically, what method of teaching is best to follow in order to become one?

First of all, there are various ways a student can learn with, depending on the circumstances. Education psychology theories explain this, through many years of studies and observations. For instance, approximately eighty years ago, it was commonly believed that people learn by modifying behavior patterns. Behaviorism, as it was named by John B. Watson, stated that, in order for a student to learn, several attempts would be needed. Then, after praising the correct and discouraging the wrong ones, a free from error behavioral pattern would be accomplished. This particular way is put to action around younger ages. Mothers seem to repeat “Don’t!” again and again through the day believing that somehow their kids will learn to distinguish the difference between bad and good actions.

Another way of learning, called Cognitivism, focuses more on how students think and perceive material in order to remember and, eventually, acquire the knowledge. In addition, the supporters of this method claim that people are able to learn when put into peripheral but meaningful tasks like listening to a conversation in the language they are trying to learn. Through constant practice and memory retention students achieve cognition on wanted topic.

The third major theory that will be mentioned is Constructivism, which states that knowledge is constructed and not acquired. Emphasis is given in what the students already know, believe, and have experienced, as these affect the way they perceive the knowledge surrounding them. Lastly, they learn to develop their own 'inner criteria' as to what is educationally acceptable and also use contextualized materials through the whole process.

All of these ways mentioned above are widely used in modern teaching in order to better understand students as well as their needs. But a good teacher also takes into consideration their learning goals and ambitions, which may differ. For example, the enthusiasm of a student who wants to learn English in order to be able to travel will be much greater than that of an office worker who has mandatory classes at work. While forming my own teaching approach, I try to first acknowledge the attitude my students have towards learning English, so that I can offer my best tutoring.

With this in mind, I will make an effort to elaborate my technique together with the things I value and take into consideration when encountering students. To start with, age plays a huge role in the way I treat students. Younger ages tend to prefer more playful and energetic activities, while older ones need logical explanation and structure. Given that, I borrow elements from a method called Total Physical Response (TPR) which uses coordination and constant movement to teach (mostly) kids. Adolescence is a more egocentric period for students, so I try to focus on them and make them feel valued and understood while listening to their opinions and ideas. The key to achieve this is through communication and interaction. The third age spectrum contains adults in general, where students are more familiar with the idea of accepting knowledge through rules and regulations rather than questioning everything new they learn. Surely, they search for logical explanation and structure which will be given to them. Adults need to feel that not only the teacher knows his/her job well, but also that it’s a person they can relate to.

Equally important is the prior knowledge a student has, as well as his level. The first lesson with a new student is, for me, a type of assessment and get-to-know each other. Through simple questions starting from S1 level I will try to understand the familiarity a student has with the language. Let’s assume the student has no prior contact with English. My role is to first, make sure he feels comfortable around me and is not intimidated by my presence. Secondly, I will introduce myself using graded language, hand gestures and expressions. The class will flow accordingly to this level, with me being the facilitator and guide of my student’s learning instead of a dispenser of information. The use of cognates in this level is always a comforting solution for the student, as he will feel that English is not as difficult as he may have initially thought. As the class level rises, the material will gradually become more complex resulting in complete cohesion of knowledge. After a basic group of vocabulary is acquired, topics will be discussed in the class to provide fluency and confidence.

Furthermore, I always account for other affective factors such as motivation, opportunity, and personality. Every person is different, so why should we teach them all in the same way? Motivation is of utmost importance regarding the will to learn. We, as teachers, should care to admit that keeping students highly motivated is our responsibility in order to achieve wonders. A few ways to manage this include constantly praising our students (even for the smallest victories), being friendly while building rapport and, also, having realistic expectations about the outcome. Letting the students know that there is no pressure in learning but usually time is needed to succeed, will relax them and make them focus on actually understanding instead of memorizing. As a teacher I try to have realistic expectations of them, too. Overstressing about the amount of words I will teach only makes me talk incoherently and create frustration.

Opportunity is a set of circumstances usually ignored by teachers. Not every student has the ability to afford English lessons. For that reason, I have offered (and continue to offer if needed) free classes to students unable to afford them, in hope that I will be able to contribute to a better future for them.

The third affective factor that I notice is the personality of a student. For example, extroverted and social students have a tendency to do better in class than those who are shy and introverted. I overcome this issue by including the latter into the conversation and ask them all equally during class. This will urge them to become less self-aware and keener to conversation, making them progress more rapidly. Role play helps, too. I always enjoy the ideas and phrases shy students come up with during a role play in class. It helps me come closer to them and understand them a little bit more.

In the second part of this essay I will explain some techniques and behaviors I use during class and the reason behind them. Regarding mistake correction, I usually try not to intervene too much, as sometimes it makes the students less willing to speak, especially in lower levels. I focus on correcting the target language as well as grammatical errors. In higher levels such as P4 and P5 I am stricter for obvious reasons. The way I use to address a mistake is through the silent method, where I stay silent making an expression or gesture depending on the error. The students then have some time to reflect upon their mistake and correct it right after.  

Classroom setting is a matter I have given much thought before deciding which one works for me. I prefer sitting across the students than standing in one side of the room, as it creates an approachable feeling and minimizes the sense of authority. The language used during my class is graded and clearly pronounced enabling students to understand me and keep up with the pace of the class. I do not encourage first language usage, although I do not forbid translating vocabulary when writing down their notes. Having the unknown (English) word next to one you understand makes you connect them and remember the English one easier next time you come across it.

Concerning the principles I comply with the most, I would say the communicative approach expresses best my view on teaching. The communication during the class should be encouraged and flow uninterrupted while focusing on content and allowing the students to fully express themselves. I opt for adapted material, both audio and visual, which I carefully prepare before each class. Lastly, the way I choose to assess my students is continuous and formative meaning that I do not use any fixed point exams but I give students feedback after every class. Also, I value each student’s performance and participation equally. I am not particularly fond of exams, as I have been taking them my whole life so why not ignore them and focus on the actual progress?

In conclusion, I believe that being a teacher is a very responsible and important role. Every student is a different person with a unique mindset. My job is to always have a well-prepared class and be open-minded about change and constant improvement. I consider it an honor to be a part of this family because if I hadn't met those two great mathematicians I wouldn't be one today; and if I wasn't on that particular TEFL class I wouldn't be motivated enough to become a great English teacher as the one i had, either.