TEFL Urumqi

By the time I hit Unit 4 to learn about present tense, I realized that, as a native speaker, I take a lot of things for granted about english. I began to understand why people say it's one of the hardest languages to learn – it has so many nuances and exceptions to rules. I also began to understand why the common errors some learners make are actually quite logical. Because of all the aspects of the language esl learners have to acquire, I really have a newfound respect for anyone learning english. I also have a newfound respect for teachers. As a student, I always appreciated good teachers, because I love to learn. But before taking this course, I hadn't realized how much work and thought good teachers put into every lesson or how much the classroom dynamics they cultivate can affect the students' learning experience. All of this has made me determined to prepare thoroughly for each lesson, making sure I completely understand a topic so I can answer any student questions and also making sure my lesson plans are engaging, enlightening, and relevant for my students. I want to make sure the time we spend together is worthwhile and fulfilling for all of us. I also intend to be sensitive to the learning challenges my students face, whether those challenges are related to learning style, dynamics at school or at home, pressures students may be facing from classmates or family, logistics of getting to and from class, economics, etc.