Teaching Philosophy

My motivation and passion for teaching French originates firstly, in my own remarkable language learning experience that has changed my view of the world and my own culture and secondly, in the desire to see others develop the same kind of cultural self-awareness and motivation to learn. I believe key factors in learning a foreign language are the students motivation and an interested teacher who invests in the students as individuals as well as in their learning process. I strive to be an effective foreign language teacher who gives students the tools and knowledge to have communicative competence in the target language, while at the same time encouraging their interest in the language and culture by sharing my passion for the subject. For students to achieve proficiency, I believe it is important to design my teaching around a balance of skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening, and use different activities that meet all students learning preferences. In addition, I think a good language foundation places emphasis on the culture of the countries where the language is spoken and on practical use in real-world contexts. The range of skills involved in learning a language requires applying a variety of theories to my teaching style. Applying Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) means designing activities to have a communicative purpose within a real-life context. I think students become more engaged and interested in learning when the principles of vocabulary and grammar are presented in a meaningful context. The Total Physical Response (TPR) (Asher, 1969) and the Natural Approach (Krashen & Terrell) work well for introducing many sets of vocabulary, imperative tense and teaching prepositional directions. Whenever language can be taught directly through visual representations or actions, rather than translation, it increases studen ts retention of information in long-term memory. In the aforementioned situations, TPR helps students to grasp the concepts more quickly because it imitates the original way we learn language as children, simply attaching words to objects or actions, instead of attaching words to other words, which are already representations. 1

Using these methods and others help to facilitate comprehension and respect students processing demands. In my classroom I also sequence tasks from simple to more complex and from input to output. To ask students to produce new target language structures too soon after seeing them in input, increases their processing demands and puts unnecessary pressure on them. By first using structured input or minimal output activities that allow students to focus on meaning and notice form, they have time to absorb and understand before they are required to produce orally or in writing. This form of sequencing correlates with the VanPattens theory of processing instruction, which focuses on grammar structures in context and allows students to manipulate forms that appear in the input to ensure comprehension, before moving to output. This method appeals to my teaching style, because it still allows for explicit grammar instruction, but places it in context and introduces it gradually so students are not overwhelmed with information. I often provide explicit grammar instruction and use meaningful drills as practice. This is especially important for older learners in high school or college who have already passed the critical period in childhood that is prime for language learning. Explicit explanations of grammar structures benefit them more than younger learners, who are still developing their basic concepts of language. Another essential part of language learning is feedback, and mistakes are welcome in my class as a means for improvement. I strive to create an environment where students feel comfortable being corrected, both orally and in writing, and are encouraged to see feedback as vital to their progress. Another important aspect of my approach to teaching foreign language is encouraging maximum use of the target language. The classroom is often the only opportunity for students to hear and speak French, and the teacher provides a model of fluency and correct language use. Therefore, French should be used as much as possible in the classroom, with English reserved for administrative information or complex grammar clarifications. I strive to create an atmosphere that encourages use of French, in spite of students reluctance and uncertainty, and the best way I 2

can foster desire to learn the language and progress towards proficiency, is to maximize exposure to the language. Another way to expose students to French is through authentic texts. These texts, including written and spoken forms, are an integral part of my classroom. They introduce students to cultural aspects of the language, but most importantly, provide instances of real-life language created for native speakers. Some examples of authentic texts that I use in my classroom are literature (poems, novels, short stories), newspaper articles, advertisements, emails, letters, menus, movies, TV shows, songs, YouTube videos, and speeches. All of my lesson plans address the national foreign language standards of Communication, Cultures, Comparisons, Connections and Communities. The tasks in the lessons vary from partner and group activities to whole class activities, and all tasks center on a theme that places the language in a meaningful context. I address the standards of Cultures, Connections, and Comparisons through use of authentic texts and lessons specifically focused on history and culture. I incorporate elements of culture such as literature, art, history, architecture, music, government, business and economics. Some examples of cultural elements that I include are Frances role and history in the European Union; cultural information about the DOM-TOMs (dpartements doutremer et territoires doutre-mer) and history of French colonialism; and examples of French artists in major movements like baroque, impressionism, and surrealism. This might look like a single lesson, for example, a lesson on fables using La Fontaines Le Corbeau et le Renard. This could also involve multiple lessons spanning over several weeks, for example, I have developed a unit on French cuisine and food culture for 2nd year French, and I have also created a unit on 16th century France that could be used for a 3rd-year class or above. The standard of Communities aligns with my ultimate goals for my role as a French teacher. I aim to help students become proficient in the language, but I love to see students eager to learn more outside of the classroom. In my ideal class, I want to include communication with native speakers through emails, blogs, and video chats, and field trips to plays, concerts, art museums, and 3

French bakeries to kindle students curiosity in the world around them. I hope to eventually organize summer trips to France or Quebec that provide students with an immersion experience and a chance to discover for themselves everything they have learned about in the classroom. I hope that after my class they will be eager to experience the culture for themselves, and will continue, even without me, in their quest for learning.