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Teach English in Tianhuang Zhen - Jining Shi

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This topic is overwhelmingly related to me in two different circumstances because I studied with students of different nationalities right from primary to tertiary level of education as a student (but I will focus on the early stages as it relates to this topic on ESL) and I also had different students from diverse countries when I picked up the passion of teaching kids. To start with, I will firstly narrate my ordeal from the angle of the student then discuss the era when I became an ESL teacher. Both sides were fun, exciting, adventurous and memorable, however it also came with its silly downsides which most importantly is cultural differences and ethnic divergence. As kids, we were able to live to live with it because we were young and naïve but as I grew older we became sensitive and over reacts in the classroom when the problem arises, at some point it became a headache for our teachers but they were experienced and matured enough to deplete its consequences on the classroom. The awkward but funny thing I cannot forget is that our teachers made our seating arrangements in a random way so that we can mingle and interact with students from other countries and personalities to create a dynamic classroom atmosphere but we often end sitting down with our “kinsmen” even before the end of the lesson, we do engage in speaking our native language quietly or loudly (sometimes), to give answers to our mates or as a tool for mild insult against our mates but never to our teachers. On the other hand as an ESL teacher, teaching students from variable cultures and countries is a true challenge. The teacher must have a high knowledge in these cultures and countries to avoid discussing sensitive topics which are mainly related to politics and religions; teachers must concentrate on what it is acceptable for all and unit them at all cost. Classrooms are however becoming increasingly multicultural, and this leads to new challenges for teachers, having a multi-level classes poses many challenges for students and teachers and also many risks. One of the risks is that high performers could stop performing well in some cases and get bored if we focus more on the low performers even. What I like to do is preparing a class that goes accordingly to the syllabus and planned content, but then I challenge the high performers to go for more and let the low performers get used to the content that is actually what they required to learn. In that way the standards of the class remain and everyone has the chance to improve. The final outcome are high performers becoming better and low performers improving positively. Traditionally, students coming into the multicultural classroom are at a deficit because they must learn how to navigate, unfamiliar people, their cultures, and language. Thus, teachers have the added responsibility of leading students through this unfamiliar territory towards achievement. This requires specialized learning techniques, practice, and education in order to effectively accomplish. Teachers who unite classrooms with activities both inside and outside of the classroom stand a better chance at boosting student achievement and better the negative effects that have been observed in multicultural classrooms in the past. There is a relationship between education and culture, because culture is an important part of the education system, the education should reflect it, and it has to be an appropriate for students and their cultures. For example, when a teacher’s directions in the classroom are in harmony with students’ cultures, these instructions may enhance the students’ achievement and confidence of students due to increased comfort. In addition, methods of teaching and personality of teachers should play an obvious and important role in development in supporting the confidence and achievement in the multicultural classroom. Teachers in this type of classroom should create activities inside the classroom, such as group study which requires the students to interact with people from different cultures and can thus raise direct cultural awareness between the pupils. Moreover, using different activities and games in multicultural classrooms is an excellent way to foster an all-embracing atmosphere and encourage students to share their heritage. It is also a beneficial way for teachers to involve students in different styles of study to immerse them in their learning. These activities can then provide a safe space for dialogue and serve as an entryway into more in-depth interactions. Promoting inclusion in a multicultural and multinational classroom is very important, make every student “feel at home”, no intimidation or bully whether physically or emotionally. Let us discuss briefly the common challenges an ESL teacher cannot avoid and the best solutions. A classroom attuned to the individual histories and backgrounds of its students is best positioned to be an inviting and stimulating space for all students. Unfortunately, there are still many that fail to embrace and educate students on the beauty of difference. Some of the most common problems of non-inclusive classroom environments along with their solutions are listed below. First is bullying in the classrooms where students are not properly educated about different cultures, the solution to this is to help students understand that classmates from other places are not weird or bad, only different, to help remove motivations that leads to bullying. Secondly, the possibilities of cliques forming is very high, some often exclude themselves from other cultures, as students do not have the tools to interact with children who are not like them, in this situation the teacher should ensure classroom activities are inclusive and designed to engage students with each other, to build friendship and familiarity. Lastly, when teachers fail to discourage behaviour that stems from stereotypes or misconceptions, it can foster bias against students of certain cultural backgrounds, the typical solution is for the teachers to be aware of preconceived ideas about the students in the classroom to guard against biased talk on the part of other students. To bring my essay to an end, every teacher caught up in a multicultural classroom should be aware at all times that they are addressing a classroom spanning languages and culture. Everything they say, the examples they give, the issues they address, the opinions they express, and the stories they share should keep a higher perspective to avoid issues of prejudice in religion, culture and social structure. Self-awareness is a huge factor, as is being able to create a space where students feel their opinions are valid and accepted, and that there is no right or wrong answer. Experiencing the freedom to say things without fear, ridicule or judgment encourages the most interactive and enriching learning experiences for everyone


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