Hi Anita , thank you for being our special guest on " Teachers Talk ". You run the school " Jolly Workshop " where students learn in a creative atmosphere . Would you tell us about your teaching approach , please ?
First of all , I would like to thank you for calling me in for this interview . Indeed , I run a language school which is at the same time a teacher training centre . We love to create and try out new teaching activities that make learning an enjoyable and rewarding experience . Now … as far as my teaching approach as you put it so well -and not my teaching method- it is to a great extent the product of my own teaching philosophy . Learning , as the Russian educational psychologist L . S . Vygotsky said , is socially constructed . Thus , I try to create the necessary conditions and opportunities for my learners to collaborate with each other as well as with me . I view my classroom as a learning hub and myself as facilitator of learning . Teaching for me is not the traditional ‘ spoon feeding ” method by which a teacher simply delivers information to students . Learning is alive , an on- going process where children can actively be involved and take pleasure in . In order to meet individual differences and spark student enthusiasm for learning I have incorporated a variety of kinaesthetic , auditory and visual activities . I wholeheartedly reject “ teaching to the test ” or “ drill and kill ” methods as they are called , as they are counterproductive and do not provide holistic understanding of the language . My aim as educator is to provide strong foundations for life-long learning . Our motto here at the Jolly Workshop is “ Inspire , Aspire , Succeed ”.
I wish I was one of your students , Anita . I get the feeling that any student can easily unveil the secrets of English with your help . What inspires you to create new games and activities ?
That ’ s an interesting question … My major sources of inspiration are the learners themselves … I always listen to their wants , needs and make sure to adapt my activities according to their areas of interest as far as possible . Before planning my activities however , I always ask myself “ What ’ s the learning goal and what am I trying to achieve with my students ? Is the objective of the game / activity to revise and / or introduce structures / vocabulary or other ?” For me it is important that games and activities have a clear language learning purpose and are not just done to keep students amused .
6