EDUC2200 : Critical Reflection On Future Teaching

1: Future Teaching English Language Profession

In this essay, I shall reflect on the topic of teaching English language profession in the future. The topic encompasses teaching English to foreign or second language learners. I will focus mainly on the given article titled Principles of Communicative Language Teaching and Task-Based Instruction in order to understand the techniques of teaching world language (Brandl, 2018).

The chosen essay deals with communicative language and its principles along with task-based instructions. In the essay, the author talks about the changing landscape of teaching especially the world language teaching in the past few decades. While going through the introduction part of the essay, I found that the author has touched important points related to language teaching like communicative language teaching (CLT) methodologies, the changing paradigm of teaching language profession and so on. He also highlighted the use of different methodologies in the past that included the Audio-lingual method, the Total Physical Response (TPR), the Natural Approach amongst others. One important statement that caught my attention was that there is no one single best method for teaching English language profession. In the later sections of the essay, the author describes the historical perspective of communicative language teaching and task-based instructions. Then, he delves upon the alternative methods of language teaching followed by a thorough explanation of communicative language teaching. The author also provided an explanation of the tasks and task-based instructions and its significance.

As an aspiring teacher of English language, I found the explanations to be very enriching as the author had provided clear examples along with the explanations making it easier to understand. Burke (2011) in his essay Rituals and Beliefs Ingrained in World Language Pedagogy: Defining Deep Structure and Conventional Wisdom, also talks about the CLT methodology and its importance within the learning environment. The essay gave me a further better view of the importance of teaching methodologies. In the essay by Burke (2011), he raises the question as to the reasons why most teachers do not make use of the communicative methods of teaching even today. I think it is a valid question from the author because many teachers do not use the CLT methods in teaching world language. However, as I went through the chosen article, I found that the article talked about the shift towards communicative language teaching in the contemporary setting. The author mentioned that there has been a rise in the studies of research in applied linguistics that has provided several new insights and a better understanding of second language learning and SLA. Studies have shown that learners pass through several stages of development. Further, they develop an essential language structure that develops in a series that does not reflect every time, the series of things taught within the classroom. I must say that the author has made a valid point regarding language teaching for SL learners.

The essay, I found, has provided a succinct description of CLT methodologies and task-based instructions by giving practical examples. the critical reflection has thus helped me in understanding the important facets of teaching language profession to students in the future.

2: Teaching English

I will focus mainly on the program planning essential for teaching English to students while presenting a discussion on the chosen essay titled Short-term programming and lesson planning with the Australian Curriculum: Languages (Kohler, 2017). 

The essay by Michelle Kohler provides a succinct explanation of the importance of planning and programming in teaching English. The author gives detailed examples of curriculum design, its strands, sub-strands and threads. According to the author, checking that the teacher has the Australian Curriculum prior to planning is extremely crucial. In this regard, I tend to agree with the author because a thorough knowledge of the Australian Curriculum would give the teacher an advantage while teaching students. Adoniou (2015) also conforms to the view stating that having prior knowledge of the curriculum allows the teachers to indentify clearly the learning needs of the students. As we know, the Australian learning environment is varied with culturally and linguistically different students coming to learn. A disciplined way of teaching allows us to accomplish teaching goals smoothly.

The author has further provided a systematic process of planning and programming prior to teaching English. A table has been provided having the processes and considerations needed for the teachers to proceed (Kohler, 2017). I found it enriching because it encompassed all the elements of the teaching method, choosing a purpose, selecting appropriate content descriptions,  specifying the objectives of learning, scheming the sequence, recognizing assessment and resources are the steps in the process of teaching English as described by the author. On the other hand, Dutton and Rushton (2018) state that owing to the growing pressure of making students achieve high scores in English, teachers in Australia make changes in the strategies resulting in the narrowing of the teacher pedagogy and curriculum. This led to a more creative syllabus by the teachers helped improve teaching and engagement for the students.

As I further read the essay, I found that the author has also mentioned alterative planning and programming methods one of which is the use of concepts or ideas. The author stated that the concepts are particularly useful for comparing intercultural concepts and for linking with the content of other areas of learning. The challenge however, mentions the author, for us is to relate the ideas and concepts with the level of linguistic capability and variety of our students. I found this knowledge very intriguing and helpful because it helped me clear many notions about the ways to teach English.

At the end of the essay, the author provides a concise detail of the programs that teachers should use to prepare for the specific units. Although I had difficulties understanding the structure of the programs presented by the author, I was able to relate it to my real world situation.

In the end, I must state that reflecting critically on the essay by Michelle Kohler has helped me achieve competency in planning and programming units for teaching English. I am now more confident than before and hope to apply these learning in the real learning environment.

References:

Adoniou, M. (2015). Teacher knowledge: A complex tapestry. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 43(2), 99-116.

Brandl, K. (2018). https://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/samplechapter/0/1/3/1/0131579061.pdf. [online] Pearsonhighered.com. Available at: https://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/samplechapter/0/1/3/1/0131579061.pdf [Accessed 11 Aug. 2018].

Burke, B. M. (2011). Rituals and beliefs ingrained in world language pedagogy: Defining deep structure and conventional wisdom. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(1), 1.

Dutton, J., & Rushton, K. (2018). Confirming identity using drama pedagogy: English teachers' creative response to high-stakes literacy testing. English in Australia, 53(1), 5.

Kohler, M. (2017). Short-term programming and lesson planning with the Australian Curriculum: Languages. School Of Education, Flinders University, 3-10.