Teaching Philosophy

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In order for learners to have lifelong learning in their life, what can I do as an EFL instructor? I believe that teachers should provide learners meaningful learning and stimulate learners' creativity in learning which allow them to learn better and more.

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Meaningful Learning

We learn better and retain more when learning is meaningful. Then, what makes language learning meaningful? Tomlinson (2003) believes that connecting learning experience in the classroom to learners' life outside the classroom is one of the important factors in learning process. He also indicates successful learning occurs when learners see connections between their learning experience and its potential value in their own life.

As a language learner and teacher, I agree with this point of view in learning. When learning is relevant to one's life, it is valued more which motivates learners more. Therefore, I would like to be a bridge for my students between the classroom and their life outside the classroom. Learners will be able to have meaningful learning as they are asked to discuss personal or social issues in their life related with a lesson. Moreover, they will be able to apply their learning experience into their life as they are encouraged to make connections between the lesson and those issues.

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Creativity-Enhanced Activities

In EFL settings, many learners' language level does not coordinate with their cognitive level. Moreover, the polarization of students' English proficiency in public schools in Korea has become more serious. In order to fill the gaps between language and cognitive levels as well as between students' different English proficiency, I believe creativity-enhanced activities are essential.

According to Maley and Peachey (2015), creativity improves self-esteem, confidence and self-awareness of learners which leads to more committed and effective learning. Moreover, creative activities provide learners opportunities for creative thinking. People make creative efforts to communicate or to find and solve problems (Starko, 2013). Since they use their cognitive skills in creative activities, English learners with lower proficiency are able to have more opportunities to participate which is difficult to experience in a conventional class. Being able to be part of the class makes learners feel more confident and positive towards their learning experience. Therefore, I would like to design creativity-enhanced activities including ideas worth to communicate, problems to be identified and problems eliciting endeavor to solve.

 

I would like to make my class meaningful and creative so that my students can both learn a language and enjoy learning itself. I believe the two approaches encourage and enhance learning. Furthermore, it allows learners to have lifelong learning in their life.

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References

Maley & Peachey (2015). Creativity in the English Language Classroom. British Council.

Starko, A. J. (2013). Creativity in the classroom: Schools of curious delight. Routledge.

Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). (2003). Developing materials for language teaching. A&C Black.