My pedagogical goals as a TESOL teacher will be to teach my students to truly communicate and recognize the ways in which they can use the English language. I will utilize many games and learning strategies, I will allow students to engage in conversation and help them recognize how to move from learning vocabulary to realistically speaking, and I will want to not only teach others about my culture, but learn from theirs as well.

The teaching of the English language, though necessarily rooted in technicalities and structural understanding, must also be taught in a way which reflects an understanding of culture and society. To be fluent in a second language involves more than learning vocabulary and grammar. In order to truly communicate, one must understand the cultural norms associated with language, the ways in which articulation can express meaning, and the ways in which one can use language as an expression of his or her self. While living and teaching abroad, I expect to encounter many language barriers yet I will welcome such obstacles as a way for me to further my understanding of the increasingly globalized world in which we live as well as allow for me to share my knowledge to help others learn and grow with me. Through my own past experiences of learning the Spanish language and living in Ecuador for several months, I recognize both my place as a traveler in an unknown country as well as the difficulties students face while learning another language and the ways in which I can help ease the complicated nature of language learning. My pedagogical goals as a TESOL teacher will be to teach my students to truly communicate and recognize the ways in which they can use the English language. I will utilize many games and learning strategies, I will allow students to engage in conversation and help them recognize how to move from learning vocabulary to realistically speaking, and I will want to not only teach others about my culture, but learn from theirs as well.

Though it would be ideal, I know that it is unrealistic to expect any classroom of students to all employ the same learning strategies. People learn in different ways and I feel it is important for any teacher to recognize this fact, but I think this issue is especially prescient in terms of the TESOL teacher. Language acquisition is a complicated process, made even more difficult by the different methods students use. In a private tutoring situation, I would be able to best adapt to my student by learning the best ways in which he or she learns, whether it be through oral repetition, flashcards, or writing practices. In a large classroom, I will want to ensure that I explore a variety of teaching methods for my students. For example, many students rely on techniques such as mnemonic devices, cognitive strategies, and affective strategies, at times employing more than one, for as Oxford states in the text, “boundaries are fuzzy, particularly since learners sometimes employ more than one strategy at a given time” (167). I think that the best way to reach all students is through hands-on and real-life activities. While learning about things such as giving directions or shopping, I think role-playing activities can be extremely beneficial to all students, as it gives them a change to simulate how they will use what they are learning. Furthermore, I think it is important to involve a balance of both oral and written study methods. While introducing new material, I think that combining both oral repetitions as well as using handouts with written material can better reach a greater amount of students because I can ensure that, first of all, both pronunciation and writing can be learned, and also that both visual and oral learners can benefit.

Beyond introductions of new materials and repetitious exercise, I know from my own experiences in learning Spanish that allowing students to have opportunities to talk about what they want to talk about in an informal situation can really help stimulate language growth. Oftentimes, language learners become hung up on technicalities, so much so that they end up relying upon more basic grammar rather than attempting to utilize more advanced language forms. For example, in chapter 25 of the text, Willis and Willis write “[students] will develop a ‘classroom dialect,’ which enables them to exchange meanings in spite of their language” (174). Falling back about what you know instead of attempting to articulate deeper thoughts in more complicated language can occur often in the classroom and I would like to avoid such happenings as much as possible. Thus, I feel that allowing students to truly talk on a regular basis can help stimulate more advanced use because they will speak more freely and not think so deeply about technicalities, which often results in them realizing that they know far more then they had previously imagined. I think that a great way to stimulate this type of conversation, especially for adult learners, is to talk about societal or political issues. Oftentimes, people (myself included) can become very passionate about these types of issues, and will often find a great deal to say about such subjects, even in a second language.

As I utilize these various methods to teaching language, I will also hope to overcome the cultural barriers I am likely to face while living abroad. I think that the best ways to do this will be to involve the study of culture in the classroom. Language is an important part of culture, and unfortunately, at least in the United States today, there seems to be a fear that bilingualism can threaten our culture. I know that learning English will be extremely helpful to those I teach, but I do not want to be seen as someone who feels that any language is superior to another. Instead, I welcome the ability to learn a new language and to teach others my primary language because I welcome increasing levels of communication. Therefore, I want to ensure that my students learn about our culture and the ways in which we use language. Likewise, I think that by teaching these things and exchanging ideas, I will be better able to learn about how language functions in the country in which I am living. For example, things such as body language and slang can have huge impacts on a culture, and it is always important to me to respect culture and behave in a way that would be expected of someone living in a country, rather than using ignorance as an excuse for disrespect.

As I prepare to leave the country to teach English, I anticipate my experience to help me grow and strengthen as an individual. As dedicated as I am to the learning process and helping students explore the many aspects of the English language, I am also hoping to learn a great deal about a new culture and society and the ways in which communication can help break down barriers. I will make use of a wide array of teaching strategies that will both encourage real-life simulation and also correspond to the ways in which different students are best able to learn. I will also allow students to talk about the issues that matter to them, the ideas they are most passionate about, as I feel it will foster more advanced language use. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I will make sure that I learn and understand the ways language function within a culture, so that I can make sure to respect the culture of the country in which I live as well as teach students the ways in which they can both hold on to the important aspects of their culture while recognizing how another culture’s use of language may differ from their own.