As a learner of English myself, I have gone through different phases of learning. I am lucky to have built a strong foundation in the language since a young age. And now, I am blessed to have been able to try out different strategies in my own classroom as a teacher. From all of these past language learning and teaching experiences, I do have some ideas of what may work and what may not. Here are a couple of principles I hold on to in teaching. 

Firstly, I believe that learners’ autonomy can lead to strong motivation. As Little (2004) writes, if students are involved in the management of their learning and in shaping it according to their own personal interests, they are also exploiting and nourishing their intrinsic motivation. In the other words, motivation is generated when students take charge of their own learning. I was one of many students who did not have much interest in learning English in school. Until I moved up to eleventh grade, I was assigned to remake one of any Thai songs, translate it into English and create a music video for the song. Apart from grammar practices, that was something new for me. To me, that project sparked motivation in learning when I knew I had to make my own decisions in these learning processes. From the example of my first-handed experience mentioned above, I came to realize that these two things: autonomy and motivation, connect. When the motivation is high enough, that is when learning happens.

Secondly, a safe and supportive learning environment is the key. It is a common situation in Thailand and many other countries where learners fear making mistakes, and are afraid of criticism or losing face in English classrooms. As shown in the study of Williams and Andrade (2008), this fear was also the most often cited source of anxiety in English classes which is considered to be one of the biggest hindrances to the willingness to communicate (MacIntyre et al., 1998). Creating a friendly, informal and learning-supportive environment for language learning through teachers’ friendly, helpful and cooperative behavior will make students feel comfortable when using the language in the class. My job, I believe, is to assist my students to tackle the feelings of unease and discomfort. I remember, it was just a usual morning during my practicum when I took my seventh-graders out to the basketball field. The goal for that day was to practice giving directions. Pictures of the places in the city such as hospitals, schools, and police stations were placed on the floor spaces to walk around in between those blocks. They were all encouraged to participate with no pressure. After a few rounds of activity, I noticed one of the students who usually sat quietly at the back of the class volunteered to lead the team. At that moment I knew, I was doing it right.  

Finally, I aim to minimize lecturing time and maximize student-centered activities. Student-centered learning has been defined as an approach to learning that allows learners to choose not only what to study but also how and why that topic might be of interest (Rogers, 1983). Just like what many researchers have found, I agree that learners feel that the learnings are more meaningful when the topics are relevant to their lives, needs, and interests. At the beginning of my career as a teacher, I always thought that it was hard to come up with student-centered activities. I realize after a year that there are many things I can do without having to make a lot of effort to apply this learning approach starting by having the students in mind when planning a lesson. Allowing students to share when making decisions in creating rubrics or scoring guides, letting them choose their own final project’s product, or giving them choices are simple ways to make them find meaning in what they do. 

Teaching brings so much joy to me when my lessons bring out the best of the students and when I see a change in them. The hope I have is for them to have a positive impression not only towards English but also to education as a whole. I hope they will keep questioning the world around them and continuously keep their interest in learning alive. As for me, I promise to carry on learning and bettering myself every day as a teacher because I do believe in the power of education. One way or another, these principles that I have always believed have made a difference in my classroom.

References:

Little, D. (2004). Democracy, discourse and learner autonomy in the foreign language classroom. Utbildning & Demokrati–tidskrift för didaktik och utbildningspolitk, 13(3), 105-126.

Williams, K. E., & Andrade, M. R. (2008). Foreign language learning anxiety in Japanese EFL university classes: Causes, coping, and locus of control. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 5, 181-191. Retrieved from http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg/v5n22008/williams.pdf

MacIntyre, P. D., Clément, R., Dörnyei, Z., & Noels, K. A. (1998). Conceptualizing willingness to communicate in a L2: A situational model of L2 confidence and affiliation. Modern Language Journal, 82, 545-562. doi:10.1111/j.1540- 4781.1998.tb05543.x

Rogers, C. R. (1983). Freedom to Learn for the 80s. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company.