Experiences of a teacher of English

Many of us wish to learn a language, and we do need this one.  Well, we can read from H. D. Brown (1989) A Practical Guide to Language Learning. A Fifteen-Week Program of Strategies for Success . New York: McGraw-Hill.  I mean, we can turn to colleagues like him, and then learn a lot from them. I said “colleagues” but actually he is a master.  And if you read from that book you will learn that each learner has to find his or her own pathway to success, for each learner has his or her unique way to learn, one in which they come to feel well.  On this post I pick up some ideas from that book, about which I wrote a paper for a college journal some fourteen years ago.  The learner thus has to invest his best. Because learning and acquiring a second or foreign language demands the best from you. If you agree to put all the best, you for sure will attain and achieve to succeed.  Otherwise if the learner sits down in the classroom, in the language classroom, and t...

Many of us wish and need to learn a language. How to achieve this stupendous goal? By relaxing. We learn when we are relaxed. Also in other circumstances, but better if relaxed for example in classes.  Some sane and healthy tension, however, is necessary. But we have to be somehow and rather relaxed.  I notice that my dear students now are rather relaxed in the classroom, or at least mostly so.  When you’re relaxed, the language input may more easily get stuck in mind. You learn more easily. And of course as well you can subconsciously acquire the language.  Thus there is a nice atmosphere of cooperation in the classroom.  Perhaps in your classroom now there is more tension, but what about trying to get as much as possible that nice and relaxing atmosphere? As much as possible.  Another point that helps both teach and educate your students is love them, with benevolence love, this is, by seeking what is good for them. We have to love our students. With prud...

We have begun the lessons. You may know I teach grownups. It’s great. Also I liked teaching kids.  One of the strong points this school year – not the only one – is reading books. Reading books boosts learning and acquiring vocab and grammar, so the language.  One of the group-classes has chosen to read books on their own. The other group-class perhaps will read the same graded reader for all the students. Hopefully we will read more than one reader or unabridged book. Say one per term.  What I mean here is that I want for the students to choose what they discern is better for their learning English. It’s them who have to learn and wish to learn! They’re co-protagonists with the teacher.  I plan each lesson but I take into account what they can do in the class on their own.  For example last Friday two students got knotted and intertwined in a conversation between them – in English. I let them carry on, for the main purpose of lessons is… learning and acquiring ...

I like to teach, although it demands a lot of commitment. Well, any job exacts commitment.  Every job is some nice service to other people, to society. And exerting and carrying out that job demands not only justice but also charity and love to those people you are serving.  If you are committed, you may catch yourself being happy. As a consequence. I do not work just to be happy: I work for the people I serve; and as a result I will be happy -- that's the way to think, I guess.  Also you may have a transcendent view: I may work for God and for human people.  I as a teacher have to treat nice my students and their families, and everyone else I treat at my daily working.  I said that justice is okay but it’s not enough: treating human people demands treating them as persons they are. And all that has to turn into smiling and politeness and cordiality. Also all that has to be honest, sincere.  Within two days I start lessons proper. I had planned what I’m goi...

Many people need to learn a foreign or second language. For their work for example or perhaps they want to get a new job. And it’s our mission as teachers to facilitate that. Now amid these special circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis.  Lately I've told you my readers that reading books however the format may be a stupendous way of learning and acquiring that tongue.  Not only is reading good for learning: we have to practice listening, speaking and writing. But reading is so great and it comes to the same plate: it actually helps a lot, also as Stephen Krashen puts it.  I do it and I have done it over many years and I can assure you that you learn a great deal.  I’m reading a Jules Verne’s novel, in a complete and unabridged version. It’s okay. Each learner has his or her own unique way of affording learning a language, even the same person changes and shifts ways of learning along his or her career as a learner.  I read a couple of pages and then go back to fo...

We are still at the beginning of a new academic year. And it’s good we teachers and our students alike be enthused. Even now that we are going through this Covid-19 crisis.  Anyway, what I’m saying on this post may affect any time around the school year.  I teach English. Currently to adults. And I do know that students can learn the language, but also they can acquire it, i.e. learn it subconsciously.  We learners of English also acquire the tongue if exposed to it at a level we can understand, better if the texts are a bit above our level. This is, finely tuned at a level which is a bit above us.  The scholar who explained all this theory is well-known, Stephen D. Krashen (Chicago, 1941).  He also said that if the learner reads books freely, he will acquire a lot of the target language.  It’s also my experience: I’ve learned a lot of English through reading, and keep on doing so.  Presently I read Jules Verne’s Five Weeks in a Balloon . In an unabrid...

We teachers must think some points out, even more if we are starting a new school year.  I was thinking that for learning a second or foreign language with success, we learners have to find our own unique pathway to success. And each learner has his or her own way: what works for me may not work for you.  And we teachers in the classroom or online have to facilitate to find that unique way to success in learning that language.  Henry Douglas Brown is one of the authors that say this same thing: find your own way of learning!  We teachers have to plan lessons but we should think of helping our dear students find their own learning ways.  Each learner learns in a more or less different way.  On individual tutoring sessions we can assist our students in this way. Those tutorials are crucial. Because we may be making those students think of their learning processes.  When I taught kids we had those tutorials. Better if male teachers talk with male students...