TEFL Adapting teaching methodologies for student centred learning

I have always viewed education as an experience that is required. Society has implemented education as one of the key factors for individual development, and evolution as a whole, a necessity. It is an exchange of information that takes place on a greater scale, and generates development that allows humankind to move forward. This is further demonstrated by our need to create a system that understands our psychology as a whole. Our ability to understand the learning process and teaching methodologies have allowed people to try to ameliorate the system of education and maximise its potential. Without education, we would be unable to move forward, and I feel it is crucial to realize this importance of communication involved in the learning process . An individual´s motivation and intention are factors that are necessary in benefiting from the learning process. Personally, I have not always been motivated to learn. Taking the TEFL course, has given me the opportunity to have a ?better understanding of myself and the way in which knowledge is exchanged. I feel it is a love of learning that provokes success in any manner of subject, in this case specifically language. However, my experience of the learning process from a different perspective during this course, has helped me understand that teaching methodologies and the way in which subjects are taught are just as important as being motivated to learn. This is because, I feel the way or manner in which teaching is approached has a large effect on an individual´s motivation. Teaching methodologies act as a guideline for the learning process to be maximized to its full potential for the individual, and by accepting this information, I feel I have been able to extend or increase my capacity to learn and be more efficient while learning. When it comes to language, individuals have adapted the learning process based upon their own requirements. For example, there is ?the classical method of grammar translation. This consists of a foreign language taught using direct correlation of grammatical structures between languages. When the languages are similar,( i.e. English and French)- it can be useful since the vocabulary is easily related. On the other hand, conversation skills can be limited and difficult to adapt to languages that do not share the same language structure and phonology. ?In the same way, I feel a system that is more open and flexible to a variety of methodologies and structures can aid teachers at being more effective, and adaptable to creating lessons that are student centred. Furthermore, methodologies that are more adaptable and suit the learning process permit education to take place at a faster pace. Similarly, in Jeremy Harmer´s ESA method, (used by the TEFL course in Phuket), activation of the target material occurs at the same time the target material is taught. ??It also allows individuals to work at their own pace based on individual requirements. In this way, I feel it creates a successful student centred system that is motivational for learners, enjoyable for teachers while maintaining maximum overall productivity. It also explains why I feel it is one of the many reasons that reflect the importance of further exploring teaching methodologies and the way in which a lesson is taught.

Author: Marina Lama

Date of post: 2007-04-18