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My Classroom Philosophy
I believe that the most effective way to learn a language is through complete immersion in that language and the associated culture. Thus, my approach to teaching ESL is a social one that emphasizes English language interaction between students. However, I also recognize that written language is one of the greatest tools that we as humans possess and that many students are visual rather than auditory learners. Therefore, I believe that it’s important not to neglect the written word in favor of a predominantly conversational approach. Students have different needs, language has many aspects, and balance is key. Furthermore, it is essential for students to become intimate with the cultural backdrop that holds sway over this ever-changing language. And though I believe that American culture must come hand-in-hand with English language learning, it is also true that the U.S. is a nation that celebrates diversity in the meeting of many cultures, as will I in my classroom. My role as a teacher is to guide my students through the new environment of the English language and to instill in them not only the knowledge necessary to utilize English as a communicative tool inside and outside the classroom, but also an appreciation of the language as a means of personal expression. Also, it is vital for students to have a desire to learn the language, and therefore the learning process must be enjoyable. Finally, I believe that it is the responsibility of teachers in the twenty-first century to take full advantage of new technologies in the classroom in order to provide students with the skills they’ll need to thrive in this evolving world.
My Academic Interests
English Language

Education
ESL Websites
http://eslus.com/eslcenter.htm
http://www.eslcafe.com/
http://www.eslpartyland.com/
http://esl.about.com/
http://www.eslflow.com/
Extras
Education Week RSS Feed

Literature and Creative Writing
Education
ESL Websites
Extras
Education Week RSS Feed

[[rss url="http://feeds.feedburner.com/EducationWeekEnglishlanguagelearners" link="true" number="10"]]
Plight of the ESL Teacher
My Final Project Proposal
{ed&comp final project proposal.docx}

John's ESL Wiki
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My Classroom Philosophy
My Academic Interests
English Language
Foreign Languages
Languages I've studied:
Spanish
Italian
German
French
Linguistic Theory
Morphology
Semantics
Linguistic Anthropology
Literature and Creative Writing
Education
Extras
Education Week RSS Feed
[[rss url="http://feeds.feedburner.com/EducationWeekEnglishlanguagelearners" link="true" number="10"]]
Plight of the ESL Teacher