REFLECTION ABOUT ESL LEARNING SO FAR...
Work by Uwe Kils. Found at: http://www.ecoscope.com/iceberg/ (Photo date: July 3rd 2005)
Reflections about ESL learning? It's not a new metaphor, but I picture an ice-burg...
So much of what I had perceived about teaching has been surface deep. This course has introduced a range of themes that have fascinated, instilled fear, and informed decisions going forward. So much of the good work undertaken by educators is below the surface and unseen. The scope of planning and prep-work required to host even a short learning experience for students can take significant time and involve never-ending refinements. Teaching is tough!
Like an ice-burg - there is beauty and facsination in ESL teaching. Learning how to better connect with students, their needs and interests is a human experience that transcends borders and individual cultures. The world is exciting and in getting to know our students we learn about ourselves and how much more there is to see and experience below that surface. I think this is the part of my recent learning that I most enjoy.
Like the sheer size of an ice-burg - the volume of ESL material to learn instills some anxiety and foreboding. Study of ESL teaching has been overwhelming as there is so much to learn. There are so many areas one could specialize (within the specialty), and EdTech is another frontier that is evolving quickly. It's an incredible responsibility to assist ESL learners who are spending valuable time in class and working to make better lives for themselves and their families. As an ESL teacher I would want to get it right. How many new/aspiring teaching ask - can I do this? I think this particular stream of education must shake even the most confident as they wonder, how deep does this ice-burg go? Planning lessons, choosing meaningful topics, tasks, and activities have to be purposeful and measured against established goals. Assessment is ongoing and always repeating/cycling as you account for lessons before and after. A mass undertaking.
Like the tip of the ice-burg - some things can be seen to help inform decisions. Like the ice-burg, ESL teaching is layered with it's own history and evolution. The theories have been considered, debated, and applied with measured successes leading to conventional "best practices". Focussing on what is known, we can shape learning experiences in significant ways. We can continue to use collaborative techniques to inform our collective challenges and frustrations. We can learn with our students and continue to apply and test new approaches.
As a student teacher making these reflections time will tell if I'm an intrepid tug-boat or trudging Titanic.
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