Teaching Across Proficiency Levels

TEACHING BEGINNING LEVELS.

Teaching beginning levels seems atractive to me because it makes me think about my first
English class, my first English teacher, etc.

I would like to be recalled by my students for being their first English teacher. And I would like to be recalled as a GOOD teacher. That reason and some others make me write about it.

I am sure that teaching beginners is one the most difficult things that exist in the world. But I would like to have this experience and overcome it as well.

Teacher`s Role

The teacher plays a very important role in this case because he/she is like a model to follow.

The teacher has to be very careful because the students will learn in the way he/she speaks, pronounces, writes, reads, etc. That`s why the teacher is not allow to make to many errors.

Authenticity of Language.

Beginners want to learn things related to their daily life and real situations. Therefore useful everyday vocabulary has to be taught. We as teachers have to teach greetings, common phrases, introductions, etc. When people start to practice a second language they are eager to apply it to every single thing that happens to them. So that they need to learn the second language as practical as possible.

Student creativity.

We cannot ask our students to be so creative when they`ve just started their second language learning process because they are afraid of producing the language as they are not confident at this moment. But some weeks later, when our students have learned at least some vocabulary; we as teachers must be able to develop in our students the skill of producing the language putting their own style in real situations. For example we can ask them to invent an story, or a dialogue, etc. So that they are producing and being creative as well.

Teaching Across Age Levels

After reading the material and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of teaching across age levels, I think that it`s better to teach CHILDREN.

I used to teach children some years ago, and that was a very nice experience because children are very honest, pure, and intelligent. Even though I didn`t teach English, I enjoyed to work with them. So, I think that if I taught them something that I really like, as English, it`d be something great.

It`s true that you have a lot of work to do when you teach children, but when you do it you see the results, and most of the time the results are good.

Children have a very high IQ, and most of them learn quickly; especially if they like what they are learning, in this case English. They are always active and motivated if you as a teacher make them feel comfortable.

Sometimes children have short attention spans, so it`s challenging for the teacher to make the class interesting for them.

Besides, I would like to teach children because the topics are very easy. For example: the alphabet, the colors, fruits and vegetables, the numbers, etc. You don`t have to explain difficult topics of grammar, things like that.

In fact, I believe that TEACHING is a big deal, and it doesn`t matter if you teach children, teen, or adults, it is very difficult. So I think that we have to experience with all tipes of people. But I would like to start with children.