TESL 100 - Unit 7 reflection pt. 1

Unit 7 discusses some interesting topics that I find both interesting and also challenging in some regards.  The unit generally discusses the importance of interacting with the language and seeing how it is used in realistics scenarios (Brown & Lee, 2015, p. 258).  This is an approach to teaching English that I use on a regular basis with my students. I attempt to make most, if not all, of the information I am attempting to share with my students applicable to their daily lives and show them how this information is used in realistic scenarios to provide them with a chance to see its importance.  I have had many experiences with students claiming the information they are learning in a particular class is useless for them or they will not need it in the future. I attempt to show them that the information is important and make it more of an interaction in a realistic circumstance than a scenario that may not be applicable. I also found the description of a ‘teacher’ as a ‘controller’ to be interesting.  I tend to view myself more as a ‘manager’ or ‘facilitator’ and wonder what the different perspectives of a teacher’s ‘title’ could be on their particular teaching style (Brown & Lee, 2015, p.259-260). Does someone who sees themself as a ‘controller’ take a more active role in guiding, or ‘controlling,’ the learners than I do? Do I go into teaching with an expectation that learners are more capable than someone who believes themselves to be in a more authoritative position?  These questions, and the others that this unit has posed in my head, have given me the chance to start thinking about what role I have been taking and what role I want to be taking in the future.

Brown, D. & Lee H. (2015). Teaching by Principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.