| Pedagogy Institute 2009 | |||
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Yuehong Li |
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| Teaching
Statement For me, the purpose of foreign language education is to open students’ minds and give them the tools to experience foreign environments and communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds. The primary knowledge that I seek to share with students include language, culture and perspective. The language class environment should be comfortable, focused, and stimulating. Students should learn language through experience, not only by rote memorization of words, phrases and dialogues. I want my students to learn the language through interaction with the teacher, their peers, and if possible with various native speakers of the target language. Focus should be on the students and not the teacher, allowing motivated students to advance ahead of the class at large and giving other students a pace at which they can follow. Language instructors should use available opportunities to include different subjects and technology in instruction. As communicating effectively requires more than proper grammar and pronunciation, teaching culture is a primary part of every language curriculum. This knowledge should illuminate the similarities and differences between the students’ culture and the culture associated with the target language. Exposing students to new concepts, new activities, and lifestyles will not only allow them to understand others, but also broaden their personal options for living. Students can gain not only personal perspective from this experience, but also learn to see the world from a universal human perspective. Interaction with ideas and individuals from different cultures should help students develop personal and social values based upon reflection from their experience. It is hoped that this universal perspective will result in increased empathy, understanding, and a better, more peaceful world. In conclusion, students should finish a language class with language skills, cultural understanding and a different perspective. |
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