Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 1

Philosophy of Teaching

Geraldine Odiakosa

UCR Extension

TESOL Portfolio

March 10, 2019

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Philosophy of Teaching

My interest in teaching English as a second language developed when I traveled to South

Korea in 2018. It was my trip to Korea that I discovered, through English teachers that I met in

Korea how the Korean school system is governed. In South Korea, outside of their public

schooling, students can attend hagwons, or private academies, which provide intensive English

courses to improve language skills. Besides being a nurse, I had always wanted to become a

school teacher but was unsure how I could go back to school with my current profession.

Although a bachelor’s degree was one of the few requirements to teach the English as a second

language abroad, I found it imperative that I learned the techniques and methods needed to teach

EFL in a systematic way that would permit students to speak English in a natural way. In the

philosophy of teaching, I will discuss my educational background, professional goals and

theoretical beliefs for effective EFL teaching and learning as well as examples to support these

theories in action.

My Educational Background

I believe that my 10-year experience as a registered nurse has prepared me for the

academic field of EFL. The core of being a registered nurse is safety of the patient and

education. Naturally, education has played a big part in my current profession as a public health

nurse teaching the public how to remain safe and healthy in their communities. My experience in

health education and public speaking gave me the foundation to explore and complete a 16-Unit

TESOL certificate at UCR Extension of Professional Studies which included student teaching

with English learners from many parts of the world. By adding EFL teacher as another career

path, my future goals include teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea’s public-

school system, as well as develop an English learning program for adults in the medical field

who want to gain employment in the U.S.

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My Theoretical Beliefs in English Language Learning

It is my belief that in order to demonstrate comprehension of a language, one must be

able to communicate in various ways whether it be verbally or in written form. In order to fully

grasp a second language, students must be put situations where language can be used in various

forms. In countries where English is not the primary language, the opportunities to practice

English with a native speaker can be minimal. Therefore, I strongly believe the use of

Communicative Language Teaching is imperative in teaching English as a foreign language

(EFL).

According to a definition provided by Vanderbilt University, Communicative Language

Teaching is a means by which students communicate with others through authentic language

(Vanderbilt University, 2019). There are several reasons why using communicative language

teaching has been a “major source of influence on language teaching around the world” and has

been shown to be effective in teaching EFL (Richards, 2006, p.1). In CLT, students focus on

meaning, which is important, along with use, in language learning. As opposed to learning only

grammar, which many EFL programs primarily focus on, students use real language

communication to achieve mastery of EFL. Through my study of various EFL teaching

programs, I have learned that one of the areas EFL teachers struggle with is their students lack

authentic language. Students have a good foundation on vocabulary and grammar, however,

some EFL teachers find it frustrating when their students lack the ability to hold a basic

conversation. With communicative language teaching, there are three focus areas language

knowledge areas that I believe improves student’s confidence in English communication.

First, students learn the functionality of the language (Richards, 2006, p. 3). Students

learn how to ask for directions, give advice or suggestions, argue or disagree, and make requests

using real-life scenarios. Second, students learn the appropriate settings of which English is used

in spoken language (Richards, 2006, p. 3). For example, students learn how and when to use
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formal and informal speech in spoken and written form. Saying, “Good Morning Mr. Smith”

versus “Hey, what’s up John” can lead to an embarrassing situation if the student does not

understand how to address a friend or boss. Lastly, students learn various ways to produce

different types of language in text such as e-mail, business, and academic reports, narratives,

essays and more (Richards, 2006, p. 3). In many areas of the world where English is not a

primary language, a certain level of English mastery is needed to obtain certain high-level jobs

as well as to enter a reputable university, therefore, students and workers must be prepared to

write bodies of work in English with proficiency. Student-Centered Learning can be used as a

tool to facilitate learning in these key language knowledge areas.

In Student-Centered Teaching theory, students will grow confidence in their ability to

learn the English language by using student-centered group-style activities. Group-style student

centered activities are important because it encourages students to express ideas, opinions and

role play (Jones, 2007). Students work together to improve their English skills. Group activities

give students greater choice in learning and increase their autonomy and motivation to explore

the English language. When using Student-Centered practices, the student is the driver of

learning while the teacher is a passenger, alongside, providing support and encouragement while

overseeing the learning process unfold. Jones in Student Learning Teaching provides a snapshot

of what a classroom looks like when using this theory. Jones (2007) explains teachers:

Consider the needs of the students, as a group and as individuals, and encourage them to

participate in the learning process all the time. The teacher’s role is more that of a

facilitator (see Chapter 6) than instructor; the students are active participants in the

learning process. The teacher (and textbook) help to guide the students, manage their

activities, and direct their learning. Being a teacher means helping to learn – and, in a

student-centered class, the teacher is a member of the class as a participant in the learning

process (p.2).
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Both communicative language and student-centered teaching, working in concert with

each other, makes language learning fun and interactive. As stated by Jones (2007), “if students

want to improve their speaking skills, there’s no substitute for pair and group work” (p. 40).

Students have opportunity to practice authentic language in the classroom that they may not have

opportunity otherwise, therefore I believe the theories provided give students an opportune

chance in mastering EFL.

Examples of CLT and Student-Centered Teaching in Action

I have seen communicative language and student-centered teaching methodologies

demonstrated effectively while observing skilled ESL teachers at UCR IEP (Intensive English

Program) as well as my own experience as a student teacher in the same program. One example

of how communicative learning teaching was demonstrated was in an advanced 500 level ESL

course called Integrated Skills. In this class, students learn speaking, reading and writing skills.

Students ranged from early twenties to early forties and the class was culturally mixed with

students for the Middle East, East Asia and South America. Ms. Johanna Kim was the ESL

teacher for the course, and she has had experience in teaching ESL both in the US and aboard in

South Korea. The topic for the class was “Harmony” and the course book was produced by TED

Talks. As a final project, students were required to submit a 500-word essay on a situation that

lacked harmony and provided suggestion on how they can resolve conflict on the issue. Ms. Kim

wrote on the board the following topics: professional, academic, personal and global. Students

quietly brainstorm situations that would fit the 1-2 topic areas. After 15 minutes, students were

placed into pairs to discuss their brainstorming session and why their situation lacks harmony.

After another 10 minutes, students reconvened together and Johanna led an open discussion with

the students, soliciting responses from the student’s discussion. Various topics were discussed

such as tuition increases in the Cal State University, North and South Korean war conflict, and

the Mexico border wall debate.

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Although Ms. Kim provided the writing prompt for the final essay, students were able to

come up with their own topics they felt compelled to write about in current events or personal

experiences. Students demonstrated one of the key knowledge areas of communicative teaching-

learning which functionality of language: they provided feedback and suggestions on the topics

presented in class. Over 15 minutes, I saw students expressing their personal experiences and

knowledge on the given topics, giving each other support in their research for their final essay.

One example of student-centered learning practice was demonstrated at UCR’s IEP

program where I had the opportunity to be a student teacher. The elective course was

Intercultural Communication, comprising of 18-30 years old students speaking intermediate to

advanced English. In the course, students compared and contrasted cultural differences,

stereotypes, judgments and prejudices and how they can affect the way we communicate with

different people from across the world. The topic I presented was on “Self-Confidence”. In

many Eastern countries, it can appear to be uncommon to speak highly of oneself because it can

be seen as being too confident or arrogant. Comparatively, this is different from the Western

world where knowing what your strong abilities demonstrates confidence and high self-esteem.

After providing the presentation, I gave students ten minutes to write down things that they find

that they are good at. Some examples including cooking, dancing, and drawing among other

things. Then, I placed students into groups and asked them to share what they wrote down. Some

students found this difficult to do. As students were sharing their abilities, students asked each

other questions and were intrigued by the responses. Student-centered teaching was

demonstrated by using group-activities that encourages students to share, engage and contribute

to cultural exchange thus adding to the improvement of their English skills using authentic

language.
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Conclusion

In conclusion, my philosophy of teaching stems from communicative and student-

centered teaching which I believe is imperative to EFL learning. In order for students to gain

knowledge in the English language, it is my goal to provide an atmosphere that encourages

verbal and written communication is the most authentic way possible. With my experiences in

student teaching, classroom observations, studies in TESOL, and interest in other cultures, I look

forward to continuous improvement in the area of EFL teaching.

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References

Jones, L. (2007). The Student-Centered Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today. New York: Cambridge

University Press.

Vanderbilt University. (2019, February 8). What is communicative language teaching?

Retrieved from Vanderbilt: https://my.vanderbilt.edu/zhangg/what-is-communicative-
language-teaching/