This EFL portfolio reflects what I have learned in the two-year program of English Language Learners in Vanderbilt University. It combines all I have learned in different courses and my own experiences in practicums. I also demonstrate my understanding in teaching English as a second language. There are three sections in this portfolio: philosophy of teaching, professional knowledge, and final reflection and application. In the first part, I focus on three different theories in education. They are Constructivism’s perspective, Sociocultural theory, and Chomsky’s viewpoint of language acquisition. I also show my understanding of these theories and combine them to create my own philosophy of teaching. In the second part, I use theories in my teaching philosophy to analyze my artifacts and interpret my understanding in different teaching domains. In the last part, I make a reflection about my experiences in practicum courses to show how I applied these theories in real teaching and where I should make progress. In addition, I propose some possible applications in my future teaching based on my teaching philosophy. CAPSTONE EFL PORTFOLIO Content Philosophy of teaching
Philosophy of teaching After three semester’s learning in ELL program, I have learned a lot about how to support ELL students in teaching. There are a lot of theories of multilingual education, and different views of teaching and learning. In addition to my learning experience in the classroom, I also have opportunities to put theories into practice by visiting local schools and being teaching assistant in ESL courses. These learning experiences help me summarize my own teaching philosophy which can be implemented in future teaching. My philosophy of teaching is mainly constituted by Constructivism’s perspective, Sociocultural theory, and Chomsky’s viewpoint of language acquisition. These theories converge on the importance of creating a student-centered learning process. In addition, improving students’ higher-order thinking skill and communicative competences are also indispensable. In order to achieve these goals, I will connect these theories and put them into practice. In constructivism’s view, the background and culture of the learner are important parts in teaching and learning because constructivists believe that human can acquire knowledge through the interaction between their experiences and ideas. Therefore, I will value diverse cultural experiences in classroom practice (de Jong, 2009), and affirm students’ identities. It also emphasizes that the learner should be actively involved in the learning process and relate to their prior experiences. In my opinion, it has similarity with Noam Chomsky’s theory. Chomsky believed that it is important for human to interact with the society and gain communicative competences when they are learning, so he focused on competence and performance in language learning, which gave rise to Communicative Language Teaching. This approach regards interaction as an important goal of study, so I think cooperative learning and alternative assessment can be used to pursue this goal CAPSTONE EFL PORTFOLIO 2 because they pay a lot attention to communication and interaction. Besides students’ engagement, teachers also play important roles in the class. Teachers need to provide students with supportive environment, materials, and modeling so that students can have an effective learning process. Therefore, Vygotsky’s concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is a good way for teachers to realize how to support students’ learning. Based on my understanding of ZPD, teachers should provide scaffolding for students by showing them what they should do in classes, and giving them opportunities to do tasks or activities with peers. Scaffolded opportunities should result in students being able to do these things individually. In this process, students should be fully engaged and the teacher needs to facilitate their involvement. Students’ Cultures and Backgrounds According to sociocultural theory, society makes an important contribution to individual development. It also emphasizes that human learning is a kind of social process, which should connect with people’s interaction, culture, and backgrounds. Vygotsky (1978) also mentioned that parents, peers, and culture are responsible for developing higher order thinking skill. Therefore, in my teaching, I will take advantage of students’ different cultures and backgrounds in class. If students find that their own cultures, languages, and knowledge can be used in learning, they are more willing to interact with each other and be active in class activities. At first, I pay attention to leverage students’ funds of knowledge. As De Jong (2009) pointed out, the notion of funds of knowledge is students’ knowledge acquired from their families and the community. As for me, adding their funds of knowledge to class activities can help students acquire new knowledge efficiently, since they see what they are learning CAPSTONE EFL PORTFOLIO 3 has a connection with their own lives. Therefore, students can know the reason for learning. Also, teachers can encourage students to bring and share their knowledge and skills in the class. It can not only enhance access to curriculum but also establish a meaningful relationship between teachers and students. Thus, students can realize they are valued by the teacher and peers, so they are more willing to talk and engage in class rather than listen to the teacher passively. In addition to students’ funds of knowledge, their native languages can also be used in teaching. One reflection of taking advantage of students’ languages is translanguaging, which can help students develop multiple languages proficiencies (Cummins, 2007). “Translanguaging practices include code-switching, translating, and language brokering, or interpreting between culturally and linguistically diverse individuals” (Tse, 1996). By using translanguaging, students can apply their own languages and knowledge to classes and have time to communicate with peers.
