Hagen 1
Ali Hagen
MODL 354
P. 466 # 6
December 1, 2010
In my opinion being an effective second language teacher encompasses many different unique attributes that are significant and in accordance to standards of The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL). To me, the most significant features of a second language teacher are a comprehensive knowledge of grammar structure, reading, writing, and oral proficiency and an understanding of how to teach using an interdisciplinary method. However, I also feel it is necessary to utilize creativity, show a charismatic personality, and find a unique perspective on how to teach effectively for every different circumstance. In other words, adapt your teaching practices to suite each different class’ needs. Finally, an essential aspect of being an effective second language teacher is the ability to teach more than just grammar. They must know how to successfully teach about culture dealing with literature, art and history. All of these characteristics working together should produce a second language teacher that is relevant and accessible to all students.
Although there are many different aspects that go into teaching a second language effectively, in my opinion the primary focus is to have an extensive knowledge in the target language’s linguistics and being proficient in all forms of communication. I think it is essential that the teacher thoroughly understands the linguistic aspect and is proficient enough to teach second language learners correctly. Something I feel that needs to be addressed in regards to linguistics is that a teacher needs to have a comprehensive understanding of grammar, syntax, phonetics, phonology and morphology, all of which are important parts of the grammatical aspect of learning a language. I feel students must see their teacher as a resource for their language needs and in order for this to be successful, the teacher must be an expert and knowledgeable in their content area to help students better understand the language. Throughout my acquisition of my second language, I have been fortunate enough to have competent Spanish teachers that understand the language enough to teach it effectively enough that I am now considered a proficient second language speaker.
However knowledgeable a professor is in their content area, if the material is not presented in a way that is engaging and relative to their audience, the teaching will prove ineffective. This is why I feel that language teachers need to use their imagination and creativity to design a lesson that is relevant and engaging to make learners interested. Research shows that to make teaching successful to students, it must be creative, useful and emotional. In other words, lesson plans must be relevant to what students care about, imaginative or interactive and produce some sort of positive response to it.
As a second language learner myself, I have always learned more effectively when the class and teacher were engaging and interactive rather than listening to a dry lecture. I plan to use this model with my teaching and try to always make my lessons relevant and unique to the students. For example, I had a teacher who for a final gave us a choice between making a Spanish soap opera or taking a written exam. Needless to say, I made a Spanish soap opera with a small group. Reflecting on that project, I feel I better demonstrated my understanding of the year’s material in my project than I could have in a written test. This is just one example of how using interesting and uncommon teaching practices can better educate and assess a student. I also accredit my passion to pursue a higher and more thorough knowledge of Spanish to my teachers’ evident enthusiasm and creative way of presenting the material.
Knowing what basic concepts to teach and how to teach them effectively are fundamental in teaching a second language but there must also be incorporation of a target language’s culture. To begin, I feel an understanding of a target language’s culture provides a deeper look into the language giving a more meaningful and longer lasting impression. Also learning about someone else’s culture can provide a want to examine your own and open up your world view and promote more tolerance among the public. Learning a language means nothing if you don’t understand its context and how and where it is applicable. I plan to combine learning grammar and culture to enhance students’ total understanding.
Overall, I plan to be knowledgeable enough in my Spanish to have the conformability to veer away from the textbooks on occasion to create a more relevant and relatable lesson . It is my opinion that reading and teaching out of a textbook is not effective and will not produce proficient second language learners. However, providing a unique way of teaching with the help of authentic materials such as texts and audio, creative projects, using interdisciplinary teaching methods and making it relevant to the current students will provide a better education in my opinion.