Teaching philosophy

My core belief is that learning a new language is like gaining access to a new spirit or world. It allows us to express ourselves in ways that may not be possible in our first language—transforming our identity and qualities that may have felt out of reach. This is how learning a new language changed me, and it's the reason I am passionate about teaching it to others. Language learning not only opens doors to new beliefs, traditions, and cultures but also creates bridges to new people and opportunities. I believe this unique feature of language learning offers students a chance to step away from their daily challenges and experience something truly enriching.

I aim to create an environment where students can express themselves, explore new cultures, and build meaningful connections through language. My classes follow a structured process that encourages curiosity and active engagement. The first phase is engagement through which I focus on piquing students’ interest and activating their background knowledge about the new language. This can be done through learning new vocabulary, reviewing previous knowledge, or listening to a story that they will want to explore further. This stage sets the stage for the deeper learning to come.

Once students are engaged, we move to the study phase. Here, they begin to learn the new language through targeted lessons—whether it’s grammar, reading comprehension, listening exercises, cultural lessons, or punctuation tips. Depending on the lesson, I may teach explicitly through direct instruction or allow learning to occur implicitly through exposure and context. I then provide controlled activities with clear, correct answers, giving students the chance to find those answers on their own. They then share their findings with a partner, fostering a collaborative learning environment. This phase helps students realize that learning is a shared experience, and they are not alone in the process.

Once students have completed the study phase, they move on to the final phase: activation. This is the culmination of all the preparation, where students apply what they've learned in real-life activities by writing, speaking, or debating. These activities allow them to use the language more naturally, often in pairs or groups. During these activities, I circulate the room, answering questions and providing constructive, supportive feedback. I write those common errors and then share this feedback with the whole class to help students improve without discouraging them. This phase marks the end of the teaching course. This multi-phase approach helps students build skills progressively and confidently apply their knowledge in real-world contexts

In addition, there will be assessments designed to gauge students' knowledge, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and ensure that each student has received the appropriate input during our classes and to make sure they are able to produce expected output. Based on these assessments, I provide constructive feedback and adjust subsequent lessons accordingly.

Ultimately, my goal is to create a learning environment that fosters both individual creativity and collaboration, ensuring that students receive sufficient input, have ample opportunities to interact, and produce language output. I provide regular feedback to support their development, giving them the time, space, and guidance they need to explore the language in their own way—building confidence and fluency.