We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ms. Shen Xu Yi Nicole, a passionate pre-service teacher and recent graduate in secondary English language education. Nicole shared her inspiring journey, teaching philosophy, and innovative use of technology to engage students who lack English language skills.
(Interview Recording)
Below are some key takeaways from our conversation:
💡 Nicole’s Teaching Approach:
Nicole adopts a task-supported language teaching approach, which focuses on creating meaningful, interactive, and communicative activities to help students bridge their language gaps. She emphasizes the importance of tailoring lessons to meet students’ needs, especially when they struggle with motivation or find traditional English lessons unengaging.
✨ Highlights from the Interview:
1. Embracing Educational Technology:
Nicole uses apps like YouTube, Edpuzzle, Powtoon, and Flip to make lessons more interactive and engaging.
These tools not only increase student motivation but also provide cultural exposure and real-life contexts for language learning.
She highlights the importance of teacher guidance in helping students build confidence in speaking and using English.
2. Fostering Self-Learning and Collaboration:
Platforms like Edpuzzle allow Nicole to monitor student progress and provide personalized feedback, enhancing self-learning skills.
Padlet encourages collaborative learning by enabling students to share their writing and comment on each other’s work.
Flip (no longer available now) has been particularly effective in developing students’ self-confidence in speaking and presenting their ideas.
3. The Power of Reflection and Peer Learning:
Nicole keeps a teaching journal to reflect on her daily lessons, noting strengths and areas for improvement.
She advocates for the open-door policy, encouraging informal class observations and professional dialogues with peers to foster growth and collaboration.
Building student profiles helps her better understand their backgrounds and tailor lessons to their individual needs.
🎤 A message for future educators:
Be patient and adaptable: Every student learns differently, and it’s important to meet them where they are.
Leverage technology: Use apps and online tools to create authentic, engaging learning experiences.
Reflect and collaborate: Regular self-reflection and peer observation are key to improving teaching practices.