Experiences of a teacher of English

  I teach English to adults, as you know. And I would like to consider each lesson as a study session with my dear students. It’s an occasion for us to learn English. To learn new words, phrases, some syntax. Plus an occasion to have nice discussions about the topics from the textbook and from life itself.  If I consider that lesson as a study session, I will not get a bit nervous for acting in public, because on the other hand I like studying and learning English.  Even more, in that way I can have sort of a contemplative attitude in class, and that will positively influence on my students and my students’ learning and acquiring that target language. It will.  Something essential – you know – is planning that lesson, and there will be activities we carry out on the spot, and others that they, the students, will carry out on their own, working silently, and thus learning and acquiring English in some likely peaceful and quiet atmosphere: this latter is also essential...

  So you have heard me that we teachers ought to plan our lessons, so they may really help our students learn a lot of things in class and at home with homework.  Today I wanted to share some things with you online, things that might perhaps help you plan your lessons effectively and in a rather short time.  If you teach a second or foreign language, you could start the lesson with a warm-up set of questions to those students, like for example asking them today’s date, having some discussion about the weather, and practicing some grammar patterns they’re learning or any stuff about lately lessons. That may be a nice occasion to communicate with your dear students in the target language, with authentic communication, and by using the vocab and grammar you’re dealing with.  Then in class you may carry out activities where the four language skills are combined: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Or otherwise if you utilize a text- or a course-book, well those bo...

  I teach English, as you well know. And I consider that a second or foreign language teacher, well, you know, he or she has to give clear instructions to their dear students, in that target language, or ninety-something percent in that tongue. In English for instance. And at a level a bit higher than their students’ one, or than their average level.  In that way it’s easier to manage classroom behavior. That teacher will try not to contradict himself, ok?  At the same time, however, he will have his dear students at freedom, he’ll get them free, for they are human beings who are learning how to deal with their own freedom.  Many years ago one member of the directive board of the school where I taught in Jaén, another town south of Spain, told me – before my will of managing the classroom behavior perfectly – that ultimately those kids were free, so let them a bit behave as they are, perhaps sometimes – often actually – they’re talking to each other to ask something ...

  Are you a committed teacher? If so, you may understand what I’m saying today.  Look, I think a good teacher must plan his or her lessons, so that these ones may be of good use to their students.  What about thinking of a few goals when sitting to plan next lesson? Just a few of them, with our dear students in mind. Aims or goals are pretty important, if we wish to be right at lesson planning. And you may think of those few objectives, ones that do not block that lesson planning. All the contrary, they will help you find what your students do need now.  What I mean is: I would tell you to think just what they need or what you think is most important now, these days. At other times you will think of other goals with more ample lenses.  I also mean, if your students do see that you have planned your lessons, and you try to follow those plans – well, you may change something on the spot, let’s be realistic if something goes wrong – well, then, more likely the stud...

  Let’s see. I’d like to say some things which could help teachers develop their careers, and more focused I’d like to state something about classroom behavior management.  For example Claire English says that one of the main things we teachers can do to maintain order in class is to stay calm. You know, if the teacher is calm, well, more likely he or she will transmit that calm to their dear students.  If the teacher is but jumpy and agitated, more likely he or she will need more effort and struggle to keep order in class, and discipline.  I totally agree. And our dear students need but a peaceful atmosphere in class to work and learn and get to know our world. I have seen it, and I’m thinking of my colleague Pepe Asensio: when I was giving my first steps at this wonderful teaching career in his classroom to young kids, he did accomplish a so peaceful ambiance in class with a class of nearly thirty lions, I mean, kids.  And I said something about Claire English...

  We as teachers wish our students would learn a lot, who doesn’t wish so?  It seems sound and sensible they would gain reading comprehension. At least here in Spain quite some or many students have rather poor reading understanding at school and when they leave school.  And experts now state that some drawback for them is they may be so accustomed to screens. Even they may show some addiction to them. Well, it’s ok they use computers and tablets at school, yet it seems more important they’d use paper books and practice handwriting: sometimes you can encounter kids or teens or college students that have no dexterity at composing an essay, or understanding an article properly.  And that’s a big problem.  It is so necessary our students would dedicate a lot of their daily time to study their paper books and write essays. What can you do with a student who reaches college and cannot answer an exam with some appropriate response?  It is paramount our students s...