REFLECTIVE  TEXT
Autor: MOVE UP | Publicado: 2009-09-30T10:23:00-07:00

 “Great teachers inspire, motivate and change the world.” I don´t  know who wrote this quotation, but that´s the way how I feel teaching. However, as a Second Language teacher isn´t an easy job to get it. People tend to ask me  what methodology do I work with, but there are various possible methods which seek to facilitate the acquision of a second language such as: Communicative Methods, Community Language Learning, Direct Method, Grammar- Translation Method, Natural Approach, Oral Approach, Silent Way, Situational Language Teaching, Sugestopedia, Total Physical Response and others. At the beginning of my career I used to work with only one method, then I realized that it was impossible working with the same method with all the students I used to have, as Kuramavadivelu words classroom teachers have always found it difficult to use any of the established methods as designed and delivered to them. So, I saw myself with many difficulties in class. To William Mackey the word method means so little and so much (1965, p.139) I tried to teach in some Second Language school according to their methodologies. As a teacher I personally believe that we need to follow something, some ideas or even some methods. However, teachers should pay more attention to communication aspects (approaches) then being concerned about grammar explanation or translation methods. Teachers should study all the methods and approaches before they go to the class and start to teach anything. They should be aware with student needs. Whether standing in front of students or actively commanding students´attention; whether sitting silently in the course of contemplative work or participating in small group-based tasks, teachers are the center of all activities which gain life and come to pass in the classroom. Indeed, such crucial role provides teachers a great rewarding opportunity to facilitate learning if certain conditions are met. However, we can not define exactly what and how we must teach. Tudor affirms a classroom is not just an exemplar of a certain pedagogical idealization. It´s something living and dynamic which doesn´t necessarily fit into an idealized picture of what classroom should be. Teachers must focus their classes on the students needs. For example, early childhood EFL teachers are expected to perform a wide range of different duties and often functions as lectures, storytellers, group discussion leaders, traffic officers, care providers, among others. Most importantly, they are to interact closely with learners, especially verbally, as when guide students through activities or respond to their questions, compliments, or complaints, and physically, as when they hold the children´s hands or embrace them. In addition, teachers need to welcome young learners to their classrooms and take time to work with them individually, in small groups, and sometimes with the entire class. Above all, I believe that teachers should act responsibly and heartily so as to help the students to develop their knowledge, understanding, and interests they need to reach the goal of being not only successful foreign-language learners, readers, and writes, but successful human beings as well, and on this path we can motivate  and inspire them.TUDOR, I. The Dynamics of The Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001KUMARAVADIVELU, B. Beyond Methods: Macrostrategies for language teaching: Yale University, 2003Mônica Montenegro