TEFL Masonville Iowa

Having sampled the TEFOL course, I was at first unsure as to what I would want my essay to focus on. However, after considered thought, I've settled upon focusing on exploring what I've learned about classroom management from this program. I have taught in international schools previous to entering into this program, and so it was interesting to me to see so much discussion of some of the things I've tried in the past, for better and for worse. For example, there are many useful tips detailed throughout the program in reference to the specific skill set required for teaching english as a second language; like only acknowledging english responses from those of intermediate skills. In this essay I would like to say that my most enduring lessons from the classroom management section are learning why english response is necessary from the teacher, discovering strategies to use for different personalities, and how to employ specific lessons for larger groups. In regards to the first part of my response, I used to consider that making some kind of effort to learn the native students' language would be beneficial. While it may be useful for the teacher, what this course has taught me is that this effort can also be misconstrued and delay the students using their english properly. This does make sense, considering that if they were able to use their native language, most students would be inclined to try this when appropriate. I've come to understand that part of my role as a teacher is to reinforce that english fluency and gently discourage the use of any other language in an english classroom. This can be done through how I acknowledge and respond to student questions or my responses to those who demonstrate the usage of english in a variety of forms. It would be of the greatest use if I had known this in my previous years of teaching, but now I can apply it in future positions. Additionally, I consider it useful that the emphasis on english can come in a variety of forms through an instructor, not just scaffolding or worksheets, but in strategies. The strategies that are suggested to deal with different kinds of personalities are useful for the convenience of the instructor and in the deployment of teaching english. I noted that the program suggests such strategies as: pairing strong/weak students, utilizing playing in english through hang man activities and pass-the-ball ice breakers etc. In short, what was impressed upon me is there is a plurality of english activities is better received by a multitude of learners. I also felt this could be used for those students who may easily become bored because they're better than some of their classmates. If they can be paired and given a positive role it might encourage them to use english more widely. My mind was also drawn to the noted strategies for larger groups. Having taught in international schools before, I am aware that sometimes the class list may be much longer than a Western teacher is usually used to. A class list of thirty is normal in many places. Instruction that is useful for a group of fifteen is definitely different for such a large class. However, this program recommends that it can still be utilized in a good way, again through pairing, but also through separating into groups to get many viewpoints and skills. As time goes on and the better students are identified, they can be put into pods of four or five and this gives more flexibility for the instructor. The program even argues that allowing them to do this with some autonomy (“do nothing”) can be good, because the students are involved in their own learning and the emphasis on english comes from them. In the round this has been a very beneficial program for me. Some of the highlights included studying videos of lessons to discern better ways to approach a class (humor, silliness, an emphasis on names, scaffolding, circulating in activities etc), as well as the class management tips included in this article. I would argue that most teachers, not just of esl, but english in general, would find a lot of these strategies universal and useful. Having looked over the material on why english responses must be emphasized heavily, the strategies to employ, and the way to adapt to large groups, I feel I could now go into a variety of situations. I would even say an increased amount of positions than previously.