Teach English in Daxin Zhen - Qingdao Shi

For every person in the world, learning our first language (or native language) is a mechanical process that our brain makes by itself without the effort and the knowledge of the situation. The context usually helps since we all learn, at least, to speak, from our first year by listening to others and copying sounds while understanding, step by step, meanings and uses. We feel comfortable acquiring this language as it gets into our most valuable implement to communicate our needs to the others. We learn it from our family and we use it communicate in a gradual way until we get into school and start studying the language with the grammar, vocabulary, tenses and other structures that are its nature. On the other hand, learning a second language is an experience that many people can not get over, since it generates a lot of challenges that sometimes are so difficult that make the person feel frustrated. And it can get even harder as we grow up and we turn into adults. My second language was English, and now I am preparing myself to teach it to Chinese students. At the moment it is being taught to children from 3 to 10 years old, in most cases. And I think that it is an advantage for both, teacher and learners. Being so young can help them acquire English almost as easy as their first language, mandarin. Children do not have the grammar structures so clear on their mind yet, they don’t rationalize the uses of the language, do not feel embarrassed for an incorrect use of the words, they do not usually make the process of trying to translate every sentence or word to their native language, what generates some troubles since “literal translation” is not always useful. In addition, I have been studying Chinese for the last three years, and it has been a new “second language acquisition experience” for me. Spanish and Chinese are the most distant languages in what common structures and vocabulary concerns. We have nothing but “imported vocabulary” in common, such as kafei (for coffee), or sofa (for the couch). The grammar is completely different, they do not conjugate verbs, etc. But I have learned that there are more things in common with English, what has make my learning process easier by using it as the reference. This shows me that for Chinese learners, studying English may not be so difficult if teachers can help them acquire the language in the most natural way possible. My expectations as a teacher, are to be able to generate them interest in learning this meaningful language, that as the time goes by, gets even more and more common as the second language for a lot of people in the world, and the first choice for communicating between them, in most of the cases. As well, I would love to make them know the culture, so different from the Oriental culture, and being able to producing lessons enjoyable and helpful for them. In my experience, learning a second language is a situation that can be very joyful or not that good, depending on a lot of items, but the teacher is a key item. We are responsible of giving students the tools to take possession of the language at the level that they are disposed to. Adapting lessons to the students ages, to their needs, to their knowledge level, are things that must be considered when developing a lesson, so that we can give them the best presentation of the language according to their context and personal situation. It will help them achieve their personal and professional goals by acquiring this language from a native or non native but trained teacher. Nowadays technology helps a lot making students feel interested and involving them with the process of learning. This is also an implement that we, as teachers, can use in a balanced mode to cheer them up. I hope I can give my best to help them learn English, but even more important, teach them enjoying English while studying it and appreciating the importance of this language for their personal and professional futures.