Teaching Philosophy

Building self-esteem in the classroom is one of the most important keys to success.  In terms of second language learning, self-esteem is essential for students to build confidence.  If a student lacks self-esteem and confidence, they will most likely shut down and not even attempt to be successful.  When learning a second language, it is critical to practice speaking the language out loud in order to become competent with this target language.  If a student lacks confidence, they will most likely be reluctant to speak out loud in the classroom.  This will inevitably cause these students to fail.  If they do not practice their speech, they will not be able to fully succeed.  Raising self-esteem and confidence in students will help them lower their anxiety and ideally allow them to speak freely in class in the second language. 

Since being able to speak the language openly without worries of making errors or mistakes will help the students succeed, it is the responsibility of the teacher to give positive reinforcements.  Little reminders such as, “good job!” or “keep up the good work!” will help boost a student’s confidence throughout the day.  Writing positive feedback on written assignments will also help students feel like they are learning and doing a good job.  It is also important to inform the students of what specifically was done correctly.  For example, if a student wrote a paper in the second language and was particularly accurate with their verb tenses, it may be beneficial to write in feedback that this was a strong point for the student. 

Though it is important to inform students of errors, it is equally as important to make sure it is done carefully.  Since every student is different, some students make take negative feedback more personally.  It is essential for a teacher to know his/her students and be able to carefully offer suggestions and make sure anxiety does not increase.

 

Confidence in students is essential regardless of age.  If a student is not confident they will be unwilling to put forth effort for something as difficult as learning a language.  It is important for the teacher to keep age in mind, as different aged students will require different forms of attention and positive feedback.  Regardless of how it is addressed and what the age group of the specific class is, it is vital for appropriate build of self-esteem in the classroom.  This will lead to confidence and provide more room for effort and less room for anxiety.