# data[].attributes.body
My name is Laura Guzmán. Let me show you how I have evolved over the course of this subject: Special Didactics II.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Introduction

2. Assignment 1: Reflection about the changes that the ELT field has gone through.

3. The secret life of methods

4. Assignment 2: Methods and Approaches in Language Teaching (group assignment)

5. Assignment 3: Methods and Approaches-Summary chart (collaborative chart)

6. Assignment 4: Matching teen’s characteristics with teaching strategies. (group assignment)

7. Learning styles and personality factors

8. Group dynamics

9. Icebreakers and group builders

10. The use of L1 and translation in the EFL classroom

11. Conclusion

12. Bibliography

# data[].attributes.body
A portfolio is a purposeful collection of students’ work that demonstrates their efforts, progress and achievement in given areas. It has the objective of providing valuable information about how each student learns and what is important to him or her in the learning process. To do this, it makes use of reflection, critical thinking skills and self-assessment processes towards assignments and bibliography dealt with along the course.

This tool also offers opportunities for collaborative work and learning with peers. It allows us to question what we know and build new critical knowledge for change that flourishes in supportive learning environments.

This portfolio aims to present all I have learned and accomplished throughout this semester at the English teaching training college.

Beyond this introduction and the conclusion which makes a final comment and reflection about the whole project, this portfolio contains reflections on the assignments and topics we dealt with during this subject: Special Didactics II.

This course, allowed me to connect theory with pedagogical practice. In order to achieve this, we dealt with different learning strategies such as:

reading and analysis of bibliography

elaboration of graphics with content worked in class

pair and group work that fostered motivation and responsibility

observation and analysis of authentic English classes filmed in different contexts. We could do it when dealing with methods and approaches in Language Teaching. Moreover, we could prepare our own micro-class taking into account the method or approach assigned for each group.

Every work and material dealt with during this course served as a starting point for reflection and improvement of our teaching practice. This can also be considered as a pillar to base our decision as future teachers on "what" and "how" to teach English.

# data[].attributes.headline
REFLECTIONS ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENTS AND TOPICS DEALT WITH IN ZOOM CLASSES

# data[].attributes.subject
REFLECTIONS ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENTS AND TOPICS DEALT WITH IN ZOOM CLASSES

# data[].attributes.headline
Assignment 1: Reflection about the changes that the ELT field has gone through.

# data[].attributes.subject
Assignment 1: Reflection about the changes that the ELT field has gone through.

# data[].attributes.body
This bibliography makes an interesting call to trust a teacher as a reflective professional and not as a passive figure who repeats and does in class what others consider right to do.

# data[].attributes.body
This paper brings to light that there is no best method. No method can be employed in the class. Education is more than training, it is a process-oriented phenomenon. What is visible in the field of language teaching is a shift in the role of teacher from a disseminator to a learning facilitator, and students from passive receivers to critical thinkers. In such an atmosphere, learners will make an attempt to develop critical thinking and their own view of the world.

From now own, methods have a life beyond the classroom. An approach of language pedagogy is not just a set of static principles set in a fixed framework. It is dynamic which implicates change. Change implies innovation, and innovation involves being free to employ one’s commitment to maximize the process of learning.

This is not a question of choosing a method but of developing methodology based on our findings from search, beliefs, level of experience and wisdom of practice which will enable objectives to be attained. As Brown (2002) claims, “The interaction between one’s approach and classroom practice is a key to dynamic teaching”.

# data[].attributes.headline
Assignment 2: Methods and Approaches in Language Teaching 

# data[].attributes.subject
Assignment 2: Methods and Approaches in Language Teaching 

# data[].attributes.body
This pair work consisted of preparing a video on a chosen method or approach (in our case it was Suggestopedia). To do this, we had to read and analyze bibliography and also watch authentic English classes filmed in different contexts. By adapting all this material, we could also prepare our own micro-classes with activities and strategies suited to different groups of learners. This activity provided us many practical and useful ideas for our future practice.

It is important to mention that this assignment showed us that any idea we take from a method or approach can be shaped by the teacher’s own understanding, beliefs, style and level of experience. Teachers are not mere conveyor belts delivering language through inflexible prescribed and proscribed behaviors (Larsen-Freeman, 1991), they are professionals who can in the best of all worlds, make their own decisions.

# data[].attributes.headline
Assignment 3: Methods and Approaches-Summary chart 

# data[].attributes.subject
Assignment 3: Methods and Approaches-Summary chart 

# data[].attributes.body
As regards this group assignment, the best part is that it allowed all members to learn interactively and benefit from that collaborative learning. It was time-saving and practical since it is meant to be a resource for reviewing and studying methods and approaches for the final exam.

What I learnt from this and the previous assignment is that as future teachers, we need to be eclectic, bearing in mind that just as there is no one learning style among our students, so no one method or approach in language teaching is perfect. Now, teachers have the freedom to explore the many various aspects of their role in the L2 classroom. After all “Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique, good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” (Parker J. Palmer, 1998)

# data[].attributes.headline
Assignment 4: Matching teen’s characteristics with teaching strategies. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Assignment 4: Matching teen’s characteristics with teaching strategies. 

# data[].attributes.body
Teaching a foreign language to teenagers is a special challenge, and it requires a teacher who is flexible and resourceful. Flexibility can be reinforced by knowledge and understanding of adolescent brain development and their particular needs. Mindful of these characteristics will allow educators to be more effective by adopting teaching strategies that respond to the academic needs of their students. Moreover, it will allow pupils to succeed and take responsibility of their own learning.

In my opinion, teamwork was definitely one of the most important aspects of this course. We would have been unable to accomplish anything if we had not worked together. Even though the design process was broken up into individual pieces, we often consulted with one another when we ran into difficulties with our work. As a result we managed to achieve a strong outcome thus enhancing our knowledge, competencies and empowering the group as a whole. I learnt that in order to function successfully, you need to be able to trust, communicate clearly, and listen carefully to others.

# data[].attributes.body
First of all, the way people learn something or perceive information is a trait that makes us unique. More precisely, different learners can have different approaches to the same learning task. Learning styles and strategies are very important in mastering a foreign language since they can facilitate the internalization, storage, retrieval, or use of the new language. As we seek to make the language classroom an effective environment for learning, students should be given the opportunity to understand not only what they can learn, but also how they can learn the language they are studying more effectively and efficiently. This will lead to learner autonomy, which is one of the most important goals of teaching.

Secondly, understanding how human beings feel, respond, believe and value is also an important aspect of a theory of second language acquisition since personality factors within a person contribute in some way to the success of language learning. It is essential for teachers to identify those factors that are significant for the acquisition of an L2 and to find effective means for implementing those findings into the classroom pedagogy.

Because of all this, I consider that as future teachers of English, it is important to know about this topic.

# data[].attributes.body
This is definitely one of my favorite topics since it provides simple and useful ‘getting to know you’ and ‘group building’ activities that can be suitable for a wide age range. The ones that I would like to use in my classes are:

Ice-breakers

1. Fact or fiction

2. The question web

3. Would you rather…?

Group builders:

1. One minute please!

2. Line up

3. Who am I?

Building a strong community in the classroom that knows one another depends in same way on successful organization. If we think back to those groups that we have been part of, the ones that have been most successful are those where everyone feels included, appreciated, respected and cared for. Team building is an important aspect of that. It is important to take the time during the beginning of every semester and also when new members join the group to do some group development activities. Whether in the form of icebreaker or group builder activities, it will give teachers new insight into the group and allow them the opportunity to make people feel welcomed and involved. In addition, these activities can also be used to encourage creative thinking, challenge basic assumptions, explain new concepts, and introduce specific material.

It is essential that teachers bear in mind that these activities work better if they have relevance to a specific class, are targeted to the appropriate group, and are varied.

# data[].attributes.body
Stevick states that “[In a language course] success depends less on materials, techniques and linguistic analysis, and more on what goes on inside and between the people in the classroom.”

We learnt that to be effective, teachers need to understand the teaching and learning process well and formulate strategies to make use of their knowledge of the process, to make students learn well. One of the processes that teachers need to learn more is about ‘the group’. By understanding how the group develops and consciously trying to create and maintain one, teachers can make classroom events less threatening and enjoyable. Moreover, efficient methods of classroom management as well as learning from and with students could be developed.

This close collaboration and discussion in separate breakout sessions was an enriching activity. We benefited a lot from this collaborative learning.

# data[].attributes.headline
The use of L1 and translation in the EFL classroom. 

# data[].attributes.subject
The use of L1 and translation in the EFL classroom. 

# data[].attributes.body
The mother tongue is a skill that human beings possess and as such, it is a helpful and valuable tool that teachers can use to the benefit of students. Teachers should not be afraid of using it in class. It can be used when necessary to suit their requirements and students’ needs.

In language teaching contexts, the use of L1 is inevitable and translation is undoubtedly necessary. They have a facilitating role in the language classroom not only for teachers but also for students since they provide a sense of security and validate the learners’ lived experiences, allowing them to express themselves. The learner is then willing to experiment and take risks with English. Apart from this, the teacher can also take this advantage to raise language awareness, promote learning, and develop pupils’ autonomy and teaching strategies of different types.

# data[].attributes.body
Throughout this portfolio you can see that my work was a progress from individual reflection and critical thinking to collaborative thinking and learning. All the work I collected on this file was the journey I went through this course. Each assignment had a prompt and its own individual purpose for us to seek and complete. Moreover, every topic provided me with opportunities to reflect and gain new insights for my future teaching practice.

One of the topics I would like to focus and study in more detail is Group dynamics. It is a very useful discipline with many practical instructional implications. As a whole, a teacher’s work is not only to teach students but he/she should work to create positive circumstances in the class which could motivate students towards participative and significant learning. To do this, teachers should have knowledge of group dynamics since it will pay off in the long run for them and students alike.

The use of L1 and translation in the EFL classroom is also an interesting topic  since these issues are permanently present in language teaching. They are a hint of the techniques that teachers can develop once they are free from their inhibitions about using them.

During the course, I am sure many students did face challenges because of this unusual online semester. Sometimes, classes did not go that smoothly because of Wi-Fi connection and it is difficult to focus during classes when you are stressed about the whole internet situation. Miss Alba did her best to make this online course more engaging and meaningful. I really appreciate her efforts to deliver interactive, funny and flexible lessons but most of all, her empathy. She never forgot about the human component in her classes.

Last but not least, I want to ensure that I take what I have learned in my life and apply it to teaching my students. Understanding, respect, passion, innovation, education, and inclusivity are aspects of me that I hope to pass down to them. With these core values, I hope to make at least a difference to a child, just as many teachers did with me. I really want to help students discover they are important as individuals, that they really matter. I think every child deserves the opportunity to be his or her best self and I will work on that.

# data[].attributes.body
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching (5th ed.)

Cook, V. (2001). Using the first language in the classroom. Canadian modern language review, 57(3), 402-423.

De Lorraine, S., Bongolan E., Baron, Moir, W. (2009). Keys to de Secondary Classroom: A teacher’s Guide to the Firsts Months of School. Chapter 1: The Adolescent Learner.

Dornyei, Z. & Malderez, A. The role of Group Dynamics in Language Learning and Teaching.

Grahame K. 40 Icebreakers for Small Groups.

Larsen – Freeman D. (2011). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. OUP. 2nd Ed.

Richards, J. C. (1984). The secret life of methods. TESOL quarterly, 18(1), 7-23.

Richards, J. (2009, March). The changing face of TESOL. In Jack Richards’ Plenary Address at the 2009 TESOL Convention in Denver USA.

Topolska-Pado, J. (2011). Use of L1 and translation in the EFL classroom. Zeszyty Glottodydaktyczne, (3), 11-25.