PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN TEACHING YOUNG ADULTS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

UNIVERSITY OF EL SALVADOR

WESTERN MULTIDISCIPLINARY CAMPUS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT

DIDACTIC OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE III - GROUP II

CYCLE II, 2016

group #3

RESPONSIBLE:

LIC. ROXANA TRIGUEROS 

Alas Duarte, Hugo Alexander

Velasquez Castro, Nestor Patricio.

Christian Eduardo González

Barrientos Muñoz, Daniel Armando

Diaz Reynosa, Hugo Alberto

Felix Ariel Romero Figueroa

 Néstor Patricio Velásquez Castro

                                                           MY REFLECTION:

All I got from this awesome subject was that I learnt the manners through which I could understood the importance and the worth of being a teacher also the power you have to command your students and the responsibIlities that you have to deal with. Teaching is freaking awesome no one had refused it and no one will.

From my personal experience and my observations of people around me, the result of the Natural Approach is very rewarding. It is, in fact, much more effective than the traditional, grammar focused approach of teaching. At present, we still can’t fully understand how the language learning process works in our brain, and why our ability of learning our first languages and our seconds are different. Linguists have posed various theories to explain their observations from related studies. Among them, Chomsky’s theory has gained much attention. He argues that our ability to learn a language is innate, and there is a “universal grammar” at the base of the structure of all existing languages, which enables infants to learn whichever language they are immersed in . This theory is often cited in studies on first language learning. On the basis of his theory. Krashen developed the concepts of second language acquisition and second language learning. He suggests that there are two independent systems of second language learning. Second language acquisition is a subconscious process that resembles the process of infants acquiring their first languages. It does not require knowledge of grammar and structure. Second language learning, on the other hand, is a conscious process involving theoretical knowledge and practice. This system involves logical thinking, and what we learn through it will not necessarily turn into the unconscious functions. Long ago, Terrell put the theory into application by developing the Natural Approach to language teaching. He suggests that, instead of teaching grammar and giving tests, teachers need to engage the class time to communication related skills such as listening and speaking and being part of the learning process as the students do. The experience teaching with a lesson plan gave me the chance to go straight to the point with clearness and no difficulty. Everything I was to teach was as I need it.

My educational experience:

I have never faced any experiences in my life like to teach in high school, but my first class I did know what to wait from the students. I was really relax because I did know  my lesson plan was going to work. In the first class, I had to teach 2 hours, and I taught the time I was required,  at the end I felt really satisfied not for the way I taught but for my lesson´s plan flow, I felt in that way because my class was interesting for the students. They said  they had learned more with me than with the teacher because they did not understand to the teacher the topic about future with will and going to, but with me it was different. Although I saw the reality of teaching in high school when the teacher did not use a lesson in any of her classes, the teacher only followed what the book says. She never looked more beyond the book.

Another important thing that I want to highlight is that I could have the full control of the class because all student collaborated and had fun during my classes. In some times, some students asked me for permission to go to the bathroom twice in an hour if I did not give her/him started making noise or talking with the other classmate.

I noticed the important of a lesson plan in a long period of teaching because more than a tool the lesson plan is a guide during the class in order to help the teacher do not miss the path of the class. Made the lesson plan was not easy because I needed to think too much in which activities give to the students in order to teach them and do not get bored them as well, so I spent some minutes more thinking on that.

 Here you have an example of the lesson plan I used to teach the simple past tense:

My attendance also is provided here. I reall enjoyed this I wished I could be teaching more classes than I was assigned.

high school grades



Here is the prove of my teaching practices  i will not  presume, but i would say it was more than i expected.

RECOMMENDATION LETTER

Hugo Alberto Díaz Reynosa

My Educational Experience

     Being a teacher is the greates job in the world to me not only because I share my knowledge with other people,but also because I learn new things every day. I still remember the first teaching practice I did; I was terrified since I did not know what to do with my students, I did not know how to teach, how to make a lesson plan, and other things I believed I was not able to do. Step by step, I learned how to teach better, so that my students were able to understand better my clases very well; it was in didactics I, and now I can say it was a nice experience since I taught to children. Then in didactics II, I also learned a lot since my students were not children anymore but youth, and it was a complete new experience to me. Now in didactics III, everything was different because I had to teach in high school, and it was really hard to me since the students were really hyperactive and I had to learn to control them, to deal with those kind of students. I aslo had good students  who were paying attention and wanted to learn from me, and the behavior of those kids motived me to continue teaching and to do my best always. One more thing I want to say about my educational experience is that my friends and I went to teach Tecnical English at the University of El Salvador, and I had to learn how to do it because I was no able to teach at the beginning; I learned how to do it and went to teach. I was happy because I was getting ready to teach adults since I faund out that there were many adults in the group I went to teach, and now I just can say that I really like to teach; it is just what I love to do.

Félix Ariel Romero Figueroa

My experience with the teenagers in my teaching practices was amazing and very successful for me, and I am sure that for the students, too. I know that I have many things I should improve but also things in which I am very good, but to start talking about my experience I will talk about my strengths.

What were my strengths?

ü  My attitude was always excellent, I enjoyed the whole experience, preparing classes but also sharing time with the studentss every week, it was not a burden but a pleasure.

ü  I was another teenager, and I enjoyed playing with them and doing things they love to do.

ü  I live near the school and because of it, I was always on time.

ü  I always used teaching materials.

How can I build upon them?

 The best way to build upon them is to continuing doing the same things in my coming experiences and try to do it better than the previous one, because teaching is a process than never ends. I know that I have a base and I don’t have to lose it.

If I want to be a good teacher my attitude has to be always excellent, I have to act always as a teen, be always punctual and be always prepared with my teaching materials and procedures. If I stop doing those things in my coming experiences my previous experience will have been in vain. I have to learn about them, build upon my strengths and improve them.

What are some specific areas for improvement?

Taking into account that this was my first experience teaching teenagers, I can say it was a satisfying experience overall but I am aware that there will always be things in which I can improve. Here I go…

ü  I need to have a better classroom management.

ü  Learn to have their attention. 

ü  Work more in repetition.

ü  I must learn how to manage in a better way mi time in the class.

ü  I have to learn more songs and games for the teens.

4 specific action steps for addressing these areas

1.      Try to look for tools that can help me to be a better English teacher.

2.      Read about some techniques and procedures I can follow to have more dynamic classes.

3.      Prepare my classes with more days in advance.

4.      Write always my lesson plans.

Christian Eduardo González

My teaching practice was very successful and I am proud of the development of every single day that the teens had with my classes. All of them were participating all time with the needed energy that was asked to be part of the classroom. I always found the manner to make every single class entertaining for them all.

  What were My strengths?

I was prepared for every single class. All topics I thought were to be used in real life.

My attitude was the needed in the classroom and also every single kid was feeling the class because all of them were participating and paying attention to me.

I don’t feel afraid to talk to people in a very public manner.

I usually prepared activities to enjoy in classroom.

My students were very respectful with me end the activities that I assigned to them.

How can I build upon them?

The best manners to build upon them is realize that the need of working constantly in every single class is worth to have better students. This is to enhance the qualities of the procedure that takes part in the classroom.

At the bagging I didn`t know how to cope with children but then I understood that they all are different and that they have different qualities as weaknesses and willingnesses.

I know that I have the material and knowledge to transmit a very wide repertory of knowledge to apply in my classes to build up teenagers as very strong trees.

What are some specific areas for improvement?

This was a very good first experience and I felt that every single aspect was completely managed as I was expecting. Although, I know that nothing is perfect so that here are some of the aspects that I consider are part of the challenges to take into account.

The preparation of the classes.

Prepare better activities, like songs, games, activities. 

Have students to be part of the activities presented every single class.

My tone voice that sometimes affected me at the beginning. But know I have enhanced it as I expected it.

Daniel Armando Barrientos Muñoz

My experience teaching at a high school level was very interesting. I learned many new things from the oportunity of teaching teenagers. It was great but that does not mean that i did not face difficulties and problems. As everybody being in a new school, new classroom, and in front of new students, i was very nervous. At the begining it was very difficult to have their attention because they were full of energy, but i looked for ways to call their attention and use their energy in funny activities. It was not easy because they were very noisy and i was worried that the other teachers could call me the attention for the noise but it did not happen. Other challenge i faced was to make my students understand the topics well. I used many activities to make them understand a Little better the topics; for example i used funny games that helped me to get their attention and to let them get fun learning those topics. i applied many of the techniques that i have learned trough my time in the university from the different teachers i have had. It was not a piece of cake but i did it. I lived a lot of new experiences by being in front and with high school students.

HUGO ALEXANDER ALAS DUARTE

To be a teacher is not an easy task but when you try to give the best of you to your students the results are the reward of your effort. This time I had the opportunity to teach in high school, it was a good experience because I could improve my teaching skills and learn a little bit more how to be a better teacher. To learn how to be a teacher is a process in which you need to work so hard and love what you do. It was very interesting and I think I will not forget this experience all during my life. My students are very intelligent and they were always trying to participate and work hard, because of that, I believe it was not difficult to teach them. I feel very happy because I have gotten good grades and also I have acquired more knowledge and that was the purpose of this task.

high school grades


Here is the prove of my teaching practices i will not presume, but i would say it was more than i expected.

Note: Teacher I did not need recommendation and permission letter because I work in that place.