ELT article published by Prof. Jonathan Acua at http://reflective-online-teaching.blogspot.

com/

ELT Professional Competencies for Student Teachers

5 tips to be better in your teach practicum and practice
As a student teacher lacking the experience of being in front of a class and working with students, the need to develop ones professional competence is a must. The teaching practicum is a way to start building ones professional competencies and confront ones teaching beliefs with ones own teaching particulars and environment. To help oneself create some sort of competence awareness, student teachers are here provided with five tips to help themselves grow professionally. Self-/Peer Assessment Ask yourself at the end of the class-, what went right and/or what went wrong? This sort of question can help you reflect and self-criticize yourself as an educator. All teachers need to review their teaching beliefs to be able to make changes or adjustments in their teaching. By evaluating your tactics [BBCs TeachingEnglish 2003], this practice may lead you to teaching perfection and to a highly

ELT article published by Prof. Jonathan Acua at http://reflective-online-teaching.blogspot.com/

constructive teaching reflective stage. And if possible, ask a student teaching partner (or another teacher in school) to lend you his/her ears and eyes to help you spot areas that need extra polishing. Their help can be of great use in ones teaching competence development. Classroom Atmosphere In an in-service training session at CCCN with Dr. Neil J. Anderson (2004), author of Active Reading Skills for

Reading, overs here in San Jos (Costa Rica), he insisted on the

importance of creating a classroom culture. This culture or atmosphere allows us to ensure discipline in class and respect among class members. As the head member, the teacher can control pair and group work efficiently and time class activities to maximize student learning. This comfortable atmosphere will make teachers and students avoid confrontations that will disrupt the balance of the class culture. Students Attitudes towards English Learning If a class culture is successfully created, shifting students attitudes towards the target language seems to be a feasible task. Keep in mind that not all the students in class are really interested in learning English; English could just be another subject to pass. Nevertheless, making pupils aware of the importance of English in the working world can be a great way to motivate them to go the extra mile needed to succeed in their future, potential professional lives.

ELT article published by Prof. Jonathan Acua at http://reflective-online-teaching.blogspot.com/

Professionalism Projecting oneself as an education professional is also a must as part of ones teaching career. Several things need to be taken care of so one does no lose face in front of students (and their parents), school officials, an ones teaching colleagues. Among those things, always be punctual for class. As the TeachingEnglish editor (2003) states it, Be prompt and punctual because promptness and punctuality lead to systematic work. Students need to learn the value of promptness and punctuality, so please set the example for them by being on time for class and giving back graded assignments, quizzes, tests, and the like. Show your professionalism by always using rubrics to grade students and their performance or work. This will save you extra headaches when students complain or school officials ask you to justify a given grade. And show your professional style by following the school dress code all of the time. Do get to explore how else you can improve your professional image. Language Practice

Involve

your

students

in

authentic

communication actions, which encourage a continuous flow of speech (TE Editor 2003). Creating and having students take part of meaningful and memorable exercises guarantees learning. Be creative and replicate the real world in class so students understand why English learning is necessary. Scaffolding student performance can yield even better results in terms of class production and the accomplishment of language learning outcomes. All these elements also contribute to a greater language practice in class within a comfortable atmosphere and class culture.

ELT article published by Prof. Jonathan Acua at http://reflective-online-teaching.blogspot.com/

To sum up, developing ELT Professional Competencies is a real need for amateur and for consolidated teaching professionals. Discovering ones beliefs and how to adapt them to new teaching environments and particulars is part of the development of those competencies to become a better-shaped professional. But bear in mind that teaching goes beyond the class, so try to create your PLN [Professional Learning Network] to always be updated and to become a desirable teacher to be hired anywhere you apply for a teaching position.

To fully develop and comprehend this teaching issue, its advisable to research and expand these areas: 1 2 3 4 5 Professional competences Self-Assessment in teaching Peer assessment for teaching improvement The class culture My professional image as an ELT teacher

ELT article published by Prof. Jonathan Acua at http://reflective-online-teaching.blogspot.com/

Professor Jonathan Acua-Solano ELT Instructor & Trainer based in Costa Rica Curricular Developer at CCCN Senior ELT Professor at Universidad Latina Freelance ELT Consultant for OUP in Central America For further comments or suggestions, reach me at: @jonacuso Twitter jonacuso@gmail.com Gmail Other blogs I often write for my students at the university are: 1. http://bin-02.blogspot.com/ 2. http://bin-04.blogspot.com/ 3. http://bin-06.blogspot.com/

a. Anderson, Neil J. (2004) In-Service Training at CCCN. San Pedro: CCCN, Costa Rica b. Professional Competence 1 (2003) by TE Editor, [http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/] 28 March 2003 Published on http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/professional-competence1