Professional Goals / Teaching Philosophy

Even though I’m not currently teaching, most of my career has been focused on teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) to adults. In my current role, I develop curriculum, create assessments, and train and supervise teachers, among other tasks.

During my time as an EFL/ESL instructor for adult learners, my teaching philosophy centered on fostering meaningful engagement by tailoring instruction to the unique needs and interests of my students. I have always firmly believed that effective learning occurs when students see their experiences, cultural backgrounds, prior knowledge, perspectives, and identities reflected in the lessons. Guided by this belief, I prioritized creating inclusive, student-centered lessons that valued and incorporated the diverse experiences of my students. This approach not only fostered engagement but also empowered students to connect language learning to their personal and professional aspirations, making the process relevant and transformative.

By integrating these elements into lesson planning, I aimed to cultivate a learning environment that celebrated diversity and encouraged active participation. My goal was to build students' confidence by recognizing their strengths and funds of knowledge, making English learning both enriching and meaningful. I viewed the classroom as a collaborative space where students felt respected and supported, enabling them to share their voices and experiences while developing the language skills necessary to achieve their goals.

Even though my teaching philosophy has not changed in a while, my understanding of what it means to prioritize and take students’ needs and interests into account has profoundly been impacted by the graduate courses I have taken during the Ed.S.  

As educators, we are often reminded of the importance of incorporating our students’ culture and interests into lesson planning. This practice not only helps students feel like active participants in their learning but also ensures they feel respected and valued. At the start of my graduate studies, I was confident that I had been consistently implementing this approach in my lessons and believed my efforts were sufficient. However, this self-perception of a caring educator has been challenged by the many articles I have read and classes I have attended during my studies. These experiences helped me realize that I could, and should, do more to truly support and empower my students.

Although it is difficult to pinpoint which course, article or book impacted me the most, there are a few examples that easily come to mind. One of the articles that challenged this view, for example, was Mundorf et al.’s Portrait Two: Co-constructing Critical Literacy Curriculum. In the article, Mundorf et al. (2019) explain that what teachers believe to be relevant to students may not always be true. The authors state that “Like many teachers, I previously developed a curriculum by considering what I believed was relevant to my students’ interests. As I began to learn more about critical literacy theory, the idea of relevance felt problematic” (Mundorf et al., 2019, p. 72). When I read that part of the article, I realized that including what I believed students would find relevant or interesting was far from being enough, and that students should be in fact included in the design and in the implementation of curriculum, as there is increased group productivity when students have a sense of ownership.

Another impactful article was “The skin that we speak: Thoughts on language and culture in the classroom” (Delpits, 2008). The story portraited in the article demonstrates how powerful student contribution to curriculum development can be, and how this contribution may eventually lead to a welcoming school environment, which in turn lowers students affective filter and improve learning conditions.

Many other courses have helped deepen my understanding of instructional and assessment design practices and of theories on second language acquisition (SLA). The books “Assessment and ESL: An Alternative Approach” (Law & Eckes, 2007), and “How Languages are Learned” (Lightbown & Spada, 2021) have been particularly impactful, and I find myself frequently going back to them for consultation. These resources and newly acquired knowledge have helped me design curriculum and assessment instruments in a more conscious, intentional and effective way.

One teaching practice that reflects the concept of student engagement and participation in lesson planning is the adoption of Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in classroom instruction, especially with adult learners. Since TBLT promotes functional language usage by teaching students how to employ language in real-word situations, it allows for student input and inclusion of tasks that reflect students’ real needs and personal interests. One memorable example of this approach occurred while I was teaching an ESL class a few years ago. Among the students in that group there was one individual who was actively seeking employment. I used this real-life situation as an opportunity to create a meaningful and relevant task for the entire class. The activity required students to search online for actual job postings, and then as group, analyze the language used in these advertisements to identify the key vocabulary and phrases needed to write professional emails and cover letters for job applications.

To further expand the task, we incorporated language skills essential for performing well in job interviews. By using Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) as a framework, the activity encouraged student input while simultaneously fostering confidence through opportunities for authentic conversation and engagement. This approach not only addressed the immediate needs of the job-seeking student but also equipped the entire class with practical language skills applicable to real-world scenarios. As explained by Lightbown & Spada (2021), “In communicative, content-based, and task-based language teaching (TBLT), there are more opportunities not only for a greater variety of input but also for learners to engage in different roles and participant organization structures – for example, pair and group work” (p. 70).

As far as professional ambitions, I have goals in two distinctive areas or roles. One of my goals as an educator is to continue my professional learning journey, especially in curriculum and assessment design, since these are part of my current job responsibilities. I plan, therefore, on participating in professional development workshops and conferences to continue learning and to remain up to date with trends and new research findings. As a teacher trainer and supervisor, one of my professional goals is to inspire teachers, and to foster a supporting environment which encourages collaboration among teachers while also supporting individual personal growth and career advancement. As stated by Carswell (2021), “Leaders who model and encourage collaboration and autonomy also motivate and empower teachers to achieve and perform at their best.” (p. 55). And this is exactly the kind of leader I strive to be.

References:

Carswell, M. A. (2021). Developing the leadership capacity of teachers: Theory to practice. Journal of School Administration Research and Development, 6(1), 52–59.

Delpit, L. D., & Dowdy, J. K. (2008). The skin that we speak: Thoughts on language and culture in the classroom. New Press.

Law, B., & Eckes, M. (2007). Assessment and ESL: An alternative approach (2nd ed.). Portage & Main Press.

Lightbown, P., & Spada, N. (2021). How languages are learned. Oxford University Press.

Mundorf, J., West, E., Steege, L., & Koschoreck, J. (2019). From the voices of teachers: Envisioning social justice teacher leadership through portraits of practice. International Journal of Teacher Leadership, 10(2), 67–81.