Learning the Language: Part 2 - On Teaching English

Learning the Language: Part 2

On Teaching English

Introduction

Before moving to Spain, we took a course in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and that was a good thorough review of the English language, including its grammar, some of its history, and then a fair amount of coursework in creating lesson plans, etc.

Well, here I am – some nine months later – and for what I’m being asked to do, I’m feeling like a competent English teacher at this point. I still have plenty of room to grow, but I’ve invested into my students and my self-education over the last school year, and I’ve learned a lot about English, teaching, and myself. Here are some examples.

About English

For the non-native speaker, pronouncing “-ed” endings is a mystery. I’m not going to get into tips and tricks here. I just want to point out that “-ed” endings can be pronounced 3 different ways – as “d” (honed), “t” (liked), and “id” (landed) – and unless you’ve studied why, I doubt you know why. Native speakers just do it naturally. However, when a non-native speaker reads a word with an “-ed” ending, you never know what you’re gonna get.

Additionally, while English is not alone in this, there are tons of phrasal verbs in English. And not only are there are a lot of phrasal verbs, we use them all the time. Just ask Bob the Canadian. And sometimes the same phrasal verb can mean different things – like “work out” can mean to exercise or to figure out, or “run into” can mean an unexpected meeting with someone or to crash into something. But they don’t literally mean “work out” or “run into”.

And “English” is spoken all over the world. United States English overlaps with British Isles English, but not always. I quickly learned about “bangs” and “fringe”, for example. So there’s a lot of “English” I don’t know, just because I’ve never lived in the British Isles.

About Teaching

At first, all my lessons introduced new things. If we had a lesson on something, then I put that in the “learned” column, and we moved on. But that’s not how learning works, especially with busy people who – even if they complete the homework – aren’t processing the lessons with their full attention. All I’m saying is that review/revision (US/UK) is essential. It brings those quasi-learned things back to the surface for another reckoning – and we’ll keep reviewing until it sticks.

To some extent, this could turn into a book about whose responsibility learning is – the teacher’s or the student’s? Is the student paying me to help them learn English, or to teach them English? (Or some combination of both?) My undergraduate and graduate degrees came from institutions where learning was primarily the student’s responsibility – education was very student driven. Initially, I expected as much from my students.

Eventually I discovered that I was being too laid back, at least for my current students. I had to take the lead, like in a dance, and give my students more firm and structured guidance. I’m still developing my preferred teaching style, just like all parents aren’t alike. I’m an authority figure of the English language, an expert – so what’s the best way to share my expertise (or help my students pass their exams)?

About Myself

I’ve been teaching or tutoring small groups of 1-4 students, and I enjoy it. Generally speaking, I like people, in small doses. And since a social life is something that develops over time, it’s been nice to somewhat get to know people through my classes, all while we nurture a social life outside of work.

I’ve been working freelance, and I’m not a fan. I like a set schedule – and when my schedule is absolute chaos and can change at a moment’s notice, it puts me on edge. I’ve compensated for this some by setting my own hours of engagement – times when I’m available by phone or email. I insulate myself from texts as needed. If it’s not an emergency, I can finish writing my lesson plans before responding, etc.

I love having a plan. That doesn’t mean I need things to go to plan. I just need to prepare for class, and then if that’s not the class that happens – oh well. It’s more of a mental/emotional preparation than an actual lesson plan. It’s akin to reviewing my Spanish (Castellano) vocabulary before walking into a shop or a conversation. It’s working up the nerve. Even if I mess up the conversation, I’m committed to having it and seeing it through.

Time will tell if teaching English is sustainable. I’m still learning the educational cycle and how to market myself. I’m still building relationships. But I’ve gotten to do a pharmaceutical voiceover, I’ve been on the radio, and I’ve met a wide swath of students from ages 4-60, with beginning to advanced levels of English. It’s been an enriching experience.

Conclusion

I’m disappointed that my Spanish (Castellano) hasn’t progressed as much as I like. That was the language I had intended to learn! I’ve been focused so much on learning English inside and out, so that I can teach it effectively, that my studies of Spanish (Castellano) have suffered. Then again, who ever learns a language as quickly as they would like?

All in all, I’m confident that my studies in teaching a foreign language will help me learn a foreign language once I do dig into it. We currently enjoy watching Bluey in Castellano, and it's adorable. And, though I spend the majority of my days speaking English, we do live in Spain.