Teacher development portfolio

I joined “Teacher development portfolio” at the British Council because there has been much discussion about the Disadvantages of teacher- centered learning. I believe when it comes to grammar my classes is teacher-centered. I believed if I am not showing my students the structure, it will be information gap. When I learned about this course I felt it was a nice opportunity to learn “ how to teach grammar in a student-centered class. This course covers

These cover the following topics:

Students and their needs

Classroom management

Language awareness

The learner-centered classroom

Teaching reading

Teaching writing

Teaching speaking

Teaching listening

Teaching vocabulary

Teaching grammar

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

ICT and language learning.

When the course started, It was module “ teaching grammar ad ICT. 

 I asked my trainer, I am looking for the  method I can teach  my students' grammar in a learner-centered classroom and some more questions related to the subject, my trainer’s reaction was she  got annoyed from the questions and she told me this is unfair for other trainees, if I asked many questions, I should go home and research!

That reminds me a few days before I was watching seminar  “20 steps to teaching unplugged” by Luke Medding I was astonished by his words he said teaching unplugged can be described only two words “ listen and ask” his these two words made me watch all his video about teaching unplugged. When I learned more about teaching unplugged I discover the reason why this method is popular, The main reason it’s become so popular is that the main focus is one hundred percent on the students’ actual language needs. Another benefit of the teaching unplugged method is that it takes out all external input.  This in turn brings down barriers that exist between the teacher and students. There’s no hiding behind texts and media content.

The training provides teachers with the tools, knowledge and  ability to impact inspire their students. The training programs provide the opportunity for teachers to sharpen their skills and share their experience with other teachers. Therefore, I read “ Training Unplugged” article wrote by Fiona Mauchline, it was published in the Teacher development newsletter published by aitefl.com (issue 70) she wrote that she learned that it's all about letting go. As a trainer, she explained in training unplugged she learned

Letting go of time restrictions

Letting go of blinkers

Letting go of control

Letting go of expectations about yourself

Letting go of assumptions

Letting go of always needing to lead.

At the end, she concluded her article with the words 

A final word, though; I firmly believe there is no ‘onesize’methodology or approach – not to teaching and not to training. It’s like shoes – the shoes have to fit the learner, don’t try to make the learner fit the shoes. This is true of trainers too – we don’t all suit, fit, feel comfortable in or like the same shoes. Unplugged training can be effective, but it depends largely on the trainer, their personality, values, willingness to think outside the box and to take risks. Not for nothing did the phrase ‘step outside your comfort zone’ crop up time.

I couldn’t  be more agree with Fiona Mauchline we can learn from any training course, but it depends largely on the trainer, their personality, values, willingness to think outside the box and to take risks. Finally letting go of  control.

By:Aayesha Qureshi