My TESL Journey

During Unit 3, our course focused on classroom management and the importance of having a classroom etiquette outline. With my learners, I always tend to get their help to create the classroom etiquette. While there are many concepts that I make sure show up, when it comes from them, it has more value. As a teacher, I can tell them the rules, but if they don't understand them and why they are in place, they may have difficulties putting them into practice. With young learners, it is important to practice your etiquette so they can see what is expected of them. With adult learners, some may need to be practiced, others may already be understood and learned. The infographic below is a Classroom Etiquette poster I created for an adult ESL course. I find it is important to include images as learners reading levels may vary. 

How can introducing a variety of activities enhance language learning? Giving learners a variety of activities means that they can interact with the material and lessons in the way they learn best. If you use many different activities to teach the same concept, it also gives them multiple chances to use the concept as well to get a deeper understanding of it. In my opinion, student-centered activities will have learners more engaged in their learning and therefore learning more. In my class, I use a project system for my science classes that goes along with the Universal design concept in which learners can present the information in a way that works best for them. I have found that it has made my learners more engaged because even though they are all learning the same topic, they can present it in a way that makes sense for them. I have had learners do presentations, plays, dioramas, etc. It has been very helpful. This has not only helped me in classroom management, but it has

Here is an infographic and activity adaption that I have done as part of my TESL course. The activity is one that can be found in the Activities page. It is an activity to get learners to speak and have conversations. The activity can also be done as an ice breaker activity. Assignment 2

What biases and assumptions might a teacher bring into a classroom in these contexts? In nearly all instances, people act and behave based on biases and assumptions they have gained throughout their lives.  Teaching is no different despite the best efforts of teachers to not allow biases and assumptions from guiding their behaviours.  In the contexts discussed in this lesson, there are a few different biases and assumptions that teachers may have about their learners.  When working with immigrants, teachers may believe that the learners came to North America because they wanted to live in the Euro-Western culture that is present in much of North America.  However, this fails to realize some immigrants came because of repression or economic turmoil in their home countries. Teachers may also have assumptions about the mental states of learners who have experienced torture or extreme trauma in their home countries and may treat these learners differently than other learners in an att

Seesaw I chose to review the Seesaw application and website.  Seesaw is a closed social media platform made for classrooms.  This website and application allows learners and instructors to upload videos, files, recordings and more.  These features create a way for instructors to share resources for the learners as well as a place for learners to present what they are working on.  For any instructors interested in this program, there is a Seesaw Help Center that goes through all of the basics of the website as well as a process for setting up classrooms ( https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us ).  Additionally, Seesaw has a Youtube channel that has many helpful videos ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYUfnb7MIsGald-Xtig9Umw/videos ). Personally, I like Seesaw because it is very similar to other social media platforms that learners may be accustomed to using as well as a great place for learners to have an environment to share with their peers.  This combination of features that is famil