Jake Collins

July 21,2020
ED 325
1
ELL Teaching Philosophy

It is important for teachers to have a personal philosophy of Education. Why is it

important for teachers to have their own philosophy? It is important because it helps the teacher

focus on what he or she believes is important for students to learn and it also helps teachers run

and manage their classrooms as well as helping students understand what expectations are to be

met in the classroom. When it comes to my own philosophy of education I believe that the

purpose of education is to help students understand and create new knowledge. Students will

then take this knowledge and use it to participate, transform, and improve society in a positive

way. When it comes to ELL education I want my students to learn English so they can express

themselves in new ways, as well as being able to participate and be a part of communities where

the majority of people speak English. While I want them to be able to participate in the majority

of English spaces I believe that this should not come at the expense of their native language, and

believe their native language is a skill to help them learn English. I also believe that students

should be able to learn English in a fun, positive, and inclusive environment. I will explain what

pedagogies influenced my personal philosophy of education. I will also explain what approach I

think is best for teaching English language learners. I will also explain how I would implement

my philosophy in the classroom. I believe my personal philosophy of Education will help me be

the best ELL teacher I can be.

What are teaching pedagogies and why are they important for the teachers? According to

the textbook ​Introduction to Teaching Second Edition ​(Hall et al.,2017),​ ​a teaching pedagogy is

A theory of practice of education and teaching effectively to help students learn (2017).​ ​In
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July 21,2020
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layman’s terms teaching pedagogy is a certain style of teaching. There are many different styles

of pedagogy. The ones I want to use in my classroom are critical and progressive pedagogy.

According to Hall et. al (2017), critical pedagogy focuses on teaching students skepticism

towards oppression and authoritarianism. The other pedagogy I want to implement in the

classroom is progressive pedagogy. According to Hall et. al (2017), This type of pedagogy

focuses on respect for individuality, science, and is receptive to change. It also focuses on social

interactions with others. It also believes that learning takes place when activities have meaning to

the students. I want to use these pedagogies in the classroom because they are student-focused

and empowers students and give them control over their life.

My teaching philosophy and the teaching pedagogies I want to use have influenced what

kind of approach I want to use when teaching English language learners. I want to use

Vygotsky’s social interactionist approach. What is this approach and why do I want to use it in

my classroom. Vygotsky believed that learning is a social process and that knowledge is created

through interaction with others. A couple more concepts that are in this approach include the

zone of proximal development and scaffolding. This approach gives a lot of emphasis on

speaking and collaborating (McLeod,2018). I want to use this approach because I believe that

language is a social activity and learning will be a lot faster when learning a second language

takes place in a social setting.

How would I apply these ideas to my classroom? I would make sure I model the lesson

activities before I have my students complete the activity. I would have them do lots of pair work

and group activities. Student’s grades would rely less on quizzes and tests. I believe tests and
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July 21,2020
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quizzes should be more of a tool to help the teacher understand what the students are learning

and not learning in class. I want grades to focus more on journaling, essays, class participation,

presentations, and projects. I think students would learn a second language faster when they have

to use them in a creative way. I also believe it is okay for students to speak and read in their

native language in the classroom. I believe that students’ native language should be viewed as an

asset and not as a liability.

I have learned a lot about teaching and ELL this summer. One of the things I learned was

about creating a personal philosophy of education. This philosophy was influenced by critical

and progressive pedagogy as well as Vygotsky’s social interactionist approach. I will implement

these ideas in my classroom and use my students’ first language as an asset and not a liability.

Hopefully, my personal philosophy can help students become their best selves.
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July 21,2020
ED 325
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Works Cited

Hall, G. E., Quinn, L. F., & Gollnick, D. M. (2017). Glossary. Introduction to teaching:

Making a difference in student learning (pp. 223,235,518). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.

McLeod, S. A. (2018, August 05). Lev Vygotsky. Simply Psychology.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html