Reflection #1

Brown and others suggest that we teach the way that we were taught. Think back on your own language learning experience and discuss the setting (formal or informal) and age you were and what theory do you think informed your instruction. Have you found yourself teaching the same way that you were taught? If you have learned more than one language, compare the differences in the learning experiences.

I was an ESL student twice! I was born in New York; therefore my first formal language was English even though we spoke Spanish at home. At the age of nine my family decided to move to Ecuador, South America. I was mainstreamed in a third grade classroom and emerged in the Spanish culture with nobody to speak English with. I was so emerged in the Spanish language that I forgot how to even speak English.At the age of fifteen my family decided to move back to United States. I entered the twelfth grade and was placed in an ESL class. Once again, I was mainstreamed in the regular high school curriculum classes. The theory the school I attended in New York was the old “sink or swim” with lots of mimicry drilling, theory. However, some of my teachers were helpful and used strategies where I was able to understand the concept of the lesson. Overall, my experience as an ESL student was challenging and complicated and confusing.Currently, I am an ESL teacher. It has been a several years since I attended high school and I have noticed that the methods and strategies of teaching have changed in several ways. One major aspect of the changes are due to the use educational technology strategies and resources, such as computers and blogs, etc. I use my own experience as a learner to teach, and I utilize dialogues, group work and lots of teacher-student’s interactions.