Becoming a Better Language Teacher

MATC Synthesis Paper

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

Master of Arts Degree in Teaching and Curriculum

Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University

Peng Liu

April, 11, 2021

I am a second language teacher. I used to be an English teacher in China and I am a Chinese teacher

in Michigan now. Although I taught English in China, I didn’t learn how to teach a second

language systematically. So, I had lots of questions about language teaching before I joined the

MATC program: “The advanced teaching methods of language teaching? ”, “How to use more

target language in my class?”, “classroom management?”; “How to build a positive language

learning environment? ”, “How to promote students’ critical thinking in a language class?”,

“Formative assessment? ”, etc. I hoped that the MATC Program would provide me solutions to

these language teaching problems. Luckily, the program pulled through! With each course I took,

I found that I deepened my understanding of how to be a better language teacher. I discovered lots

of new strategies and technologies that I can use in my class. I increased the use of target language.

I knew how to be a facilitator and how to promote students' independent learning. I understood

students’ physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development in diverse contexts of the US.

I’m excited that I can make connections between theory and practice. I feel my language class now

is more mature and perfect.

Building a positive language learning environment for all students

Students' performance is influenced by many factors, such as family factors, community factors,

school environment, classroom environment, teachers' educational philosophy and so on.

Therefore, among these factors, we teachers can play a great role in creating a good classroom

environment and building good relationships among teacher-student and student-student. After I

learned TE807 (Professional Development Inquiry), I know some students have poor academic

performance and social skills due to the influence of racial prejudice, at this time, teachers can

play a critical role. In classroom settings, teachers should consider students’ different cultural

backgrounds and make culture friendly to make every student feel at home. In daily teaching,
teachers should express respect and avoid bias, which can be a good model for all students

(Standard 5). CEP891(Social-Emotional Development of School-Age Youth) provided me with

the knowledge of the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of children during the

school-age years. All children are different. Paying attention to the differentiation means the

teacher is building a more positive and comfortable language learning environment for all students.

Now In my class, I tried to create an environment where each student would feel comfortable to

speak a second language (MATC Standard 1 and MATC Standard 4), which I think is the

foundation of a language and culture class. I analyzed and solved the issues I found in my class

and followed classroom management rules throughout the school year to build an orderly and

trustworthy classroom environment (MATC Standard 3). I revised the curriculum according to

students’ interests and lives in a meaningful context (MATC Standard 2 and MATC Standard 6).

I think all I did in my class can help me build a positive language learning environment for my

students.

Learning theories and making connections between theory and practice

During the past three years, I read many theories and I am trying to use these theories in my daily

teaching. I think that only by using this theoretical knowledge in practice can I really understand

this theory.

Through the course TE818, I learned many useful second language teaching theories. For example,

Experience Theories. Experience Theories means Learners acquire the language through real

experience, or exposure in the target language. My students showed a great interest to speak

Chinese in role playing, which practiced what they already learned from PPT and books. Plus, I

sometimes gave students some homework like doing a survey in your community about Chinese
or speaking something in Chinese with your families to let students practice Chinese in real life.

As we can see, the experience theory is an awesome way to maximize students’ learning

opportunities (Standard 4). Another two useful theories I would like to share are First Language

Theory and Total Physical Response. As a second language learner, target language is the language

that we are trying to learn, but we usually use it not very often. So how can we change the second

language to be the first language. As a language teacher, I should improve the use of the second

language as much as possible in my class and I should make sure my students can understand my

words. I found TPR is very useful in my class and after these three years of learning and practice,

I grasp TPR very well now.

All in all, I found I have greatly improved in theoretical study and teaching practice. I pay attention

to the “time allocation”, ”the coherence of each activity”, “critical thinking”, “classroom

management”, and “differentiation”. I have a deeper understanding of how to improve students'

critical thinking. I designed contextualized activities and tried to teach vocabulary in conversation,

for example, I teach countries by asking students "have you been to…? I improved the use of target

language and used pictures, notes, gestures, and signs to support students' understanding. I

communicated my expectations at the beginning of the class and regulated students' behavior

accordingly. I gave students detailed directions before activities like “voice level”, “how to ask

help”. I gave students detailed reasons why they earn stars. For differentiation, I gave heritage

students special work and gave students who need help more attention and help in breakout rooms.

I think all improvements I have now come from learning theories and making connections between

theory and practice.

Being a facilitator
At the beginning of my teaching, I found my main teaching style was teacher-centered, so I used

“Teaching Analysis and Refinement Project” to change my teaching style to a student-centered

style which can better facilitate students’ self-learning (MATC Standard 3 and MATC Standard

4).

First, being a facilitator should provide students more chances to work with their peers. For

example, group work. Before group work: I will tell my expectations. Emphasize relationships as

a partnership. Divide up tasks according to students’ interests (Standard 1). Define roles and

responsibilities together (I learned how to do a better group work in course TE894). The artifact 6

shows that students were excited about the role-playing task and took an active part in the show.

Students learn from each other during the group-work time. They are very focused and engaged in

the learning. During my following teaching time, I would like to try to create more student-

centered, communicative tasks to my students like this to reinforce and enrich their communicative

skills and to improve opportunities for mutual learning between students and peers (Goal 2).

Second, I think being a facilitator also means stimulating students’ critical thinking. In this

semester’s teaching, I have a deeper understanding of how to improve students' critical thinking.

For example, I lead students to summarize the patterns, comparing the different countries’ cultures

by themselves instead of just telling them answers (Standard 2).

Third, I think keep learning can help me keep a good condition as a facilitator. I found I can learn

from Classroom teachers, Chinese teachers, art teachers, etc. I think many teachers have the same

feeling as me-- we are teaching students and we are learning from our colleagues every day. Only

by studying every day can we have new ideas to facilitate students' learning. In this school year,

remote teaching makes me feel that the school district’s support and training for teachers is more
important than before. A lot of psychological counseling and technical support from the school

district ensure the teachers' high-quality teaching.

Understanding students’ physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development in diverse

contexts of the US

First, as we all know, all children are different. I learned from course CEP891: Some students learn

best visually (they have to see it to learn it) and some auditorily (they have to hear it to learn it). It

seems that tailoring instruction to each student’s cognitive style is potentially of enormous

significance; perhaps struggling students would do much better with other teaching methods. Also,

different students are in different learning levels, and different learning styles. As to help students

to step over their ZPDs, teachers need to set appropriate learning goals and expectations,

differentiate in content and differentiate in learning outcomes. Teachers should involve as many

methods as we can, such as providing verbal resources and practice, pictures, videos and the part

of students can learn in doing. So, as a language teacher, I analyzed my students and designed

multiple learning styles, which can make sure each of my students can find an appropriate learning

method (Standard 1).

What’s more, before taking course CEP891, I’ve been thinking about a question: “Which exerts

the greater influence on children: nature or nurture” (Standard 5). As a language teacher, I found

some students learn language slowly and they cannot pronounce words very well. In contrast, some

children have good pronunciation. I think this is what we called nature. Since language is based in

structures found in certain areas of the brain. Thus nature plays a vital role in language

development. But we all know that nature is not the only factor that impacts a child’s language

development. Environmental factors like family, school, cultural backgrounds are also crucial for
a child’s language development. A child who has a talent in language cannot have a good language

development without a good environment. Therefore, I don’t think we can figure out nature or

nurture which exerts greater influence on children. They are both important. As a teacher, we

should try our best to do what we can do to help children develop their language ability. I think

what I learned from CEP891 is critically important for me. Because after I have the answer of the

question “Which exerts the greater influence on children: nature or nurture?” I will not give up the

students who seem to be slow to learn languages. Although many teachers don’t want to admit, I

still feel it is easy for teachers to subconsciously value gifted students and involuntarily give up to

students who are not gifted. So I really appreciate the course CEP891, which let me notice: Don’t

give up any child.

In course TE807, I read lots of essays about American history and races (MATC Standard 5). The

essays in TE 807 which gave me more courage to discuss “difficult topics” in my class and

broadened my horizons. In my early teaching career, although I told my students different

countries and nations have their own cultures, and we should respect different cultures. I never

said something about the skin color. Because I didn't feel racial discrimination in my school. I'm

not sure if it is good for me to say this thing. I mean young students may not feel color differences.

If I emphasize this thing, which may be not good. But Dr. Gholdy said “The first thing I will say

is what you should not do, which is be silent on what’s happening or ignore it. It is very dangerous

and harmful to pretend that racism doesn’t happen or that it hasn’t happened.” I feel I was the

teacher who kept silent before. This course provided me a chance to discuss these sensitive topics

with other teachers. After this course I feel I should lead students to respect the different ethnicities,

not just respect different cultures (Standard 1, Goal 1).

Formative Assessment in the Foreign Language Classroom

Initially, I thought formative assessment means observation in my class. After I learned and

practiced formative assessment in TE891 and TE894, I build a logical and systematic knowledge

about how to use formative assessment in the Foreign Language Classroom (Standard 2, Goal 2).

Formative assessment and Summative assessment are two main types of assessments. Summative

assessment is important, which gives us “big data” once a year on student proficiency. But these

summative assessments are not timely for language learning. The main assessment form I am using

now is formative assessment. I am teaching the whole school students’ Chinese, and I have more

than five hundred students. I think formative assessment is pretty useful and doable for me. After

course TE89, I summarized some activities that I think I can use in my language class and divided

these activities into four parts: listening, reading, speaking and writing. Some activities can be

used in two parts (listening and reading or speaking and writing, etc.) This summary is very useful

and helpful in my following teaching. For example, Listening: Four Corners. Reading: Sequence

Cards; Fill-in-the-blank or “cloze” activity. Speaking: Student-teacher conferences or small group

discussions; Exit slips to show “I think..”, “I wonder…”, “I still want to know…”; Role playing.

Writing: Journals or learning logs to show growth over time in a portfolio; Gallery walk of student

work; Label pictures, photos; Whiteboards. Also, in this school year, I designed Nearpod practice,

quizlet as formative assessments for students. Plus, I summarized the useful ways for me to collect

data: A, observe and take a note; B, grade and record (homework or tests); C, use a collection

portfolio to keep students’ writing or use a camera to record students’ speaking. Formative

assessment can help me to provide meaningful learning opportunities to every student by

establishing specific and differentiated learning activities, giving attention to the students who

need more help and challenging the students who are more advanced (Goal 1, Goal 2).
Throughout many of my MATC courses, I learned to teach a second language in different ways to

make the language learning more interesting and meaningful to students. The improvement of my

teaching ability is also the guarantee of my quality teaching. In short, I think the three years of

studying at MSU will definitely benefit me for life, and I hope I will be a better language teacher.