How can we raise student awareness about how students can best learn and help them find more ways of learning English more effectively and productively?

According to my point of view, it is the main task of the teacher facilitates ways of learning to their students.

An ELT practitioner needs to develop some skills and characteristic in order to provide ways of learning English more effectively to their students.

Language Teaching has also inherent challenges in conveying successful content language teaching. 

An ELT practitioner has to be aware that as future language teacher, a way to facilitate learning English to their students is constantly served as models, demonstrating how to use the language, and showing students how to complete task, it is not just transmit knowledge; we must show students what we expect them to do and develop.

As a learner training I need to take into account the following:

• Work on study skills,
• Evaluate teaching strategies and why I use them. 

In order to facilitate learning as well as enrich my skills on teaching English. It is essential demonstrate a variety of language teaching in classes such as Visuals aids and a variety of graphic organizers, listening, reading, speaking and writing activities, opportunities for group work, a variety of activities to teach vocabulary, peer feedback, checklist etc. According to the level, learners’ background, interest and the objectives that I want to achieve. Because not only the content of the lesson is important, but also the way in which that content is presented.

For example: when I have to teach vocabulary, I can help my students to learn in a natural way. There will be times when it will be difficult for them to use expressions they want, because they do not know certain words, or because they do not come to their mind at that moment.

That`s natural. A child`s vocabulary, for example is not very large, but he/she always expresses or tries to express his/her needs or ideas in a way or the other. In learning English I can help them to do the same. That is, motivate students to express their ideas the best way they can, using the vocabulary they already know while they are learning new words. Thus, like a child, they will learn more and more, and they will be able to use many other different expressions. Sequentially, the students will be able to understand structures of words, vocabulary, means, give examples and when use it and when no determinate use of words or expressions. 

Another important point is the methodology that I implement in the classroom, in order to provoke interest and involvement in my students. A good teacher should choose the right kind of task for the students, the best techniques and continually reflect about what benefits and impact provoke certain activities in the students’ learning process.

Also integrating new technologies in the teaching-learning process empower affective learning and have a positive impact in learners. Because teachers need to be creative and imaginative, make interesting lessons not routine, and adapt activities according to the most important student`s needs.

In the same way it is important motivating students lo love language learning, it is by my attitude, enthusiasm and preparation for classes that I can inspire them.

Also I can try: Create a comfortable learning environment and facilitate experiential learning because they need learn content through experiences and a teacher`s job is make students believe in themselves.

How would you deal with error correction in your classroom(s)?

I think the techniques that a teacher uses in order to deal with error correction in classrooms have an important impact in the student`s learning process.

I think when students commit mistakes, is an opportunity for the teacher to encourage them “to find the way” by themselves. It is not a good idea simply provide the corrections, they just need for help or techniques in order to make the corrections and find the mistakes by their own.

There are some aspects that teachers need to take into account when correct students for example:

Who corrects? It is important make that decision according through what experience we as teachers expect the students learn. It can be :

Self-correction. When we provide students chances to correct by themselves. This way they are going to be able to monitor their own learning. In some cases students need assistance in knowing where the mistakes are and what kind of mistake it is, then they can self-correct.

Student-student correction. Through this technique we have the opportunity to involve the whole class in the correction process and making learning more collaborative.

Teacher correction. The teacher can help students by appropriate gestures, or saying something like : “repeated again” . It is important create a positive rapport that allow students even if they commit mistakes, feel confident to ask for guidance when errors appear. Because sometimes students have doubts or they know that there is a mistake, but if there is not a good relationship students prefer do not ask for help.

What kind of mistakes we must correct?

It`s depending on the activities and what skills the students need to improve. For example in a reading activity we can help students to correct intonation, or  pronunciation by facilitating or modeling the correct way.

When do you correct?

It is depend on the objectives we want to achieve, the teacher  can tell the students what is the purpose of the activity, and  how he/she  is going to correct them.

For example: In a repetition practice we must correct students in the moment and make the whole participate. In contrast, in a role play or presentation it is not a good idea interrupt people. We can give feedback later .

The teacher has to evaluate the strategies to implement for error-correction according to the level of the students, the aim of the activities and because mistakes are part of the life, and through mistakes our students take risks and show their progress we must help them to positively to success. 

What seems to be more difficult: teaching teens or teaching large classes?

Well, I think both teaching teens and teaching large classes has real challenges for teachers. When teaching teens, the teacher needs to pay specially attention at the  ages range of students , because during this stage it is a time of changes to them. That phenomenon presents   unique challenges for teachers, such as no emotional stability, so the teacher has to be able to manage a variety of strategies that support the student`s needs, provoke interest  in learning and motivate students being a reflective and creative teacher. Although the students have a strong enthusiasm and energies they need to be well conducted in the learning process. Sometimes they can be easily get bored in this term we as teachers need to be able to struck a balance between serious study of English, with some entertaining activities to facilitated language learning. When teaching teens we can face low levels of motivation because they feel force to do any activity, one strategy to help our teen students is design lesson  plans that include a variety of sensory experiences to increase student attention and encourage students to explore by their own experiences.

At the other hand, teaching large classes seems to be more difficult create real interactions between teachers and students, but when we have a lot of students the first step is adequate the sitting arrangement in which teacher and students can move easily. Also, the activities that carried out in the classroom have to be focus on the entire class. We can use well oriented pair work or group work in which the teacher is free to monitor students’ performance in order to give individual feedback later. In teaching large classes we do not have to teach exclusively to either the good or the weak students, and make an effective use of the time if we spend a lot of time with students who do not understand any activity, we have to keep the others occupied to prevent disruptions. To prevent indiscipline we have to stablish the rules the first day of the class and clearly explain the consequences if they broke any of them.

In my personal experience, I've only had the opportunity to teach teenagers although there have been many challenges; I always try to adjust appropriate techniques to the needs of students. For that reason, teaching in large classes it seems more difficult for me and deal with it will be a new challenge to apply what I have learned in the best way. 

I considered adding these links. I hope can be useful in our teaching-learning process.