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.

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.

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.

Ice-breakers

Group builders:

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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)

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. 

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”.

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:

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.