https://voicethread.com/?#u2959242.b3423711.i17980455

Verb Tenses

Verb tenses final project from Mitglenn

Sociocultural Factors- Outsourced

Sociocultural factors from Mitzy

The Beauty of the Language: Learning and Teaching

The Beauty of the Language: Learning and Teaching

by Mitzy Glenn 

An everlasting discussion related to language is not only how to define it, but also how we can teach it or learn it. Can you learn a second language on your own (without any teacher or instructor’s guide)? In that case, what is the real importance of the teacher role? These and other types of questions are given in this work with the intention of encouraging the analysis of the relevance of the factors intervening in learning and teaching a language. First and foremost the teacher role is considered one of the most important factors related to effectively learn a second language. In formal settings, teachers are in charge of “coaching” their students about the most important aspects of the second language and how to apply them in real life. 

However, what is the level of preparation that teachers must have in order to effectively teach a second language? What type of methodology is the most effective one to teach a second language? Well, let us start by answering to those two questions; in the first one, the points of analysis are the training, the preparation and the knowledge teachers must have to properly and acutely prepare their students to acquire a second language.  Nevertheless, these points are continuously surrounded by changing aspects and their hierarchy is constantly changing too. For instance, the knowledge of cognitive processes associated to acquiring a second language is for some experts one of the most important aspects teachers must distinguish in order to teach any language. For others, the most important aspect is to domain the field of sociolinguistics; others believe that phonetics is the key, and so on. This is just an example that shows the difficulties teachers must face when deciding what aspects are more relevant for them to choose and include in their formal preparation.

 Now, concerning the methodology in the classroom, the most important aspect is to take into account the different variables intervening in the learning process; specially the students and their characteristics! - Their previous preparation, educational background, physical and mental abilities and disabilities, etc. Additionally, the context plays a key role when incorporating any activity into the classroom. In any teacher’s agenda, the awareness of both students’ characteristics and context of the teaching environment is essential in the integration of any methodology.