Critical Reflecion

1. How do you define learning?

It is the process of acquiring knowledge about certain topic or skill.

2. How do you define teaching?

Teaching is to help others to learn.

3. How do you define language?

Language is the way people communicate and transmit things such as feelings, ideas, etc.

4. What roles are students expected to assume in your classroom?

They are expected to be active and participate constantly. I mean, I’m not the only person who teaches them something; they also receive feedback from their classmates and have interaction with them.

5. How do you see your role in the classroom?

First, I try to have a good relationship with my students but at the same time I show authority and that they must have respect towards me. I’m an understanding person and a good listener too, so my students can talk to me when they don’t understand something or when the explanation is not clear. I try to pay attention on each student.

6. What are the qualities of a good teacher?

I think the first important thing that a teacher must have is passion for teaching. Secondly, a teacher displays self confidence; it means that he/she must be well-prepared to know what to teach and how to teach it. Besides, he/she should be responsible and organized and pass on her/his knowledge to the students in an easy way.

7. What kinds of interactions occur in your classroom?

First at all, they interact with me, the teacher, and then they also interact with their classmates and the environment. In my classes I try to focus the topics on real life and put them on context, on real situations. Additionally my students, especially teens, can manage the class with activities that they really like.

8. What is the most rewardig aspect of teaching for you?

When you see that all the effort and investment you do in your classes has a positive effect in your students’ learning process. This is a reward for me.

9. What kinds of students do best in your classroom?

I have noticed that the students who really like English, the ones who participated in class and show interested in learning more.

10. What kind of training do you think English language teachers in our context need?

I think that at this point we need to learn about strategies to do our class the best and the most interesting one. Also, it is important to pass on our students the knowledge about English culture and teach them useful conversation, vocabulary and writing strategies.

11. What kind of support for professional development is there at the place you work or you are familiar with?

I don’t remember any especial training, but we have constantly meetings where we discuss problems or things like that and give solution to them.

12. What are the best ways to learn a language?

First at all, you have to enjoy what your learning and practice a lot. Nowadays, there are a lot of advantages that you can apply in order to learn in an effective way.

13. What dialect of English do you think should be taught (American, British, other)?

I think that we should teach the Standard English. Although in my class I speak American, sometimes I use both languages when the word has different pronunciation.

14. What changes would you like to make in your own practice?

I’d like to make my classes more dynamic it means that I’d like to know more about classroom’s management and how to arouse motivation and engagement to my students.