Teaching a foreign language is always challenging, since we have to manage with a class that is pursuing an integral learning.
Role of the teacher:
Teaching at some levels has different degrees of difficulty, so teachers and student’s performance will vary.
As teaching beginning levels is considered the basis of the foreign language process, the role of the teacher must be very active.
As beginners are students that have few or no knowledge of the target language, the teacher is going to be the spring from which students will absorb the knowledge. Teachers have to be the model to follow, so they have to speak accurately and clearly so that students can understand the transmitted message. As the teacher is the center of attention, he has to be careful with the pronunciation of tricky words. Teachers have to manage students interacting activities in order to take advantage of peer support, given that we always have students who have a more advanced knowledge or better understanding than others.
When students are in a beginning level they act as if they are babies who learn to talk in their native language; therefore, the material presented in the classroom has to be as abstract and meaningful as possible.
Authentic y of language:
When teaching beginners, teachers have to be very conscious that they are working with students who may not have the expected expertise to understand simple language spoken in a high speed, so they have to make pauses and stop using technical language. As everything goes from the simple to the complex, teachers have to start with easy patterns as greetings and commands, lots of repetition and activities appropriate to this level. As the course advances, teachers should increase the difficulty of the spoken language.
Student’s creativity:
For being creative, we have to speak, draw or act, then, as students don’t have lots of vocabulary, their creativity is limited. But they can be creative in their context; for example, when students invent words in the target language, make assumptions of certain grammatical matter, or inquire in something related with the target language, they are being creative. Teachers have their students write and speak freely to let them be creative and discover hindrances as they perform and then correct their mistakes. We are very intelligent and what we need is an appropriate guidance and constant motivation.
hi Henry! you're basically saying that a teacher must do things really well, without making mistakes if it's possible. Being a teacher of beginner students is a huge responsability, since as you said, he is the one who builds the basis of the learning of a foreign language in his students. These basis must be very strong so that students don't fail in their learning process in the future. It's a big weight in your shoulders because you're the model for them, so if you pronounce a word in a wrong way, they will do it too. For me, it is the most difficult proficiency level for the reason that they begin with few or none knowledge about the language, and starting from nothing must be really hard.
ResponderEliminarhi guys I agree with you when you said that being a teacher for beginner students is a huge responsability as they are learning the basis of the target language, so what Lili said that if you as teacher does something wrong, students will make the same mistake too and that is the problem a teacher can face in this stage.
ResponderEliminarIn this level you have to look for the appropriate activities in which you can get your students involved; otherwise they will never feel comfortable to provide something in the target language.
Hi guys!!
ResponderEliminarBeginners are an extraordinary responsability. When you firts begin in this teaching field, you might have some doubts and be afraid of working with this level of students. Later on you will figuere out how great working with them is.
The fact that they have no knowledge of the target language must encourage you to draw the most out of them. But first your input and the diversity of activities you bring them will set the basis for succes.