Beliefs and Practices: Teaching English as A Foreign Language

 I. Beliefs about teaching and Teachers 

Teachers’ beliefs are of critical importance to the understanding of the process of teaching and learning. Different teachers hold different beliefs on how their classroom should go. Of course, there are many variables that affect the beliefs of teachers, and it is not denied that their beliefs affect classroom activities, their behaviors, teaching and learning principles and practices, and learners (Gilakjani and Sabouri, 2017). I am not an exception. My beliefs about teaching affect the way I teach and the way my students learn. There are many philosophical explanations and approaches to teaching and learning, and to some extent, I am more influenced by some than the others. From teacher-centered to autonomous approaches, there is no extreme end for me. I do not believe that the process of learning should be accomplished by a teacher alone. Meanwhile, complete autonomy only creates chaos. I believe that teaching should be somewhere in between - somewhere a teacher can be a helpful resource provider to students or a scaffolder for students to process their learning beyond. Moreover, teaching is an art. It should include entertainment, a sense of humor, excitement, and simplification, in addition to well-prepared pedagogies. All in all, beliefs about teachers and teaching play significant roles in impacting learners and learning, and my beliefs are that teachers need to play considerably vital roles in scaffolding learners and make sure the classroom is an environment of both enjoyment and learning.

II. Beliefs about Learning and Learners 

When we talk about learning and learners, motivation can’t be ignored. Motivation in learning can be classified in different categories, including but not limited to, intrinsic and external motivations. Ones can learn better when they have motivation in their learning, or in other words, no matter how good a curriculum and teacher are or how advanced technology is used in the classroom, they might learn less or the least if they find no motivation in their learning. Yet, we have to bear in mind that there is no single factor affecting learning; motivation is just one of those several factors. I believe that learners need to be motivated enough to acquire knowledge and that will be even more beneficial when other factors, such as an appropriate curriculum, qualified teachers, a good learning environment, and assisted equipment availability, are fruitfully involved. All of these factors will assist learners to achieve the acquisition of the subject of learning.  

III. Social Context of Language Learning and Course Curriculum  

Other elements considered to be vitally important in a process of learning include social context and course curriculum. These two variables contribute to teaching and teachers, and learning and learners – in ways good or bad. A social context that appreciates a foreign language, for example, makes it easier for the learners in that context to expose more in the language learning and authentically use the language to serve their purposes. In some other cases, a social context can also drive external motivation among learners to achieve their goals. An example includes a society in which a foreign language is necessarily needed for employability. Another element worth discussing is the role of a course curriculum. A good, adequate, and well-designed curriculum takes much effort, and it is not easy to develop one. Yet it is of significance to always have it to pave a right and appropriate path to achieve a real desired outcome. Moreover, to develop a responsive course curriculum, it takes many factors into account, and that includes all the matters mentioned above - teaching and teachers, learning and learning, and social context. In turn, a designed course curriculum affects all the above-mentioned characters. A course curriculum influences teachers and especially their teaching. Furthermore, it also impacts how the subject/language is learned and knowledge is structured. More importantly, a social context and a course curriculum are correlated. A social context influences how a course curriculum is designed and, of course, a course curriculum responds to the needs within the context, and it, to some extent, impacts the social context future to come.

References: 

Gilakjani, A. P. and N. B. Sabouri (2017). "Teachers’ Beliefs in English Language Teaching and Learning: A Review of the Literature." Canadian Center of Science and Education 10(4).