Abstract
Before I came to the US, "I was just a teacher". I taught high school English. I worked very hard and students` performance was all right. I lived in a very comfort zone, and I was even proud of myself as a good teacher, so that I seldom thought about innovation. Sometimes I did want to improve myself, but I didn`t know where to start.
NLGL program enlightens me to think, to reflect and reevaluate myself. And it helps me realize there is a long way to go to be a good teacher, and it does`t mean that I can`t. Since I focused on teaching TOELF writing, I synthesized my take aways especially about writing from this program.
My compelling question is " How can new literacies help ESL teachers with writing classes?" There are several reasons that I am concerned about this question. First, the overall environment of high school English class in China reveals that the traditional ways of teaching is out of date and we have to change and integrate new literacies into English classes. Second, Beijing Royal School, which is a private school where I work, have been innovating to start mobile learning, which means that I need to change and utilizing new literacies. Last but not least, what I learned in this program empowers me to see more, do more and experience more new literacies that I want to use in my own class.
The best way to improve writing classes with new literacies is to build digital writing workshop and create a comfortable and trustable writing community. And of course, traditional literacies such as note taking, graphic organizer, free writing are still effective and need to be combined with new literacies.
There will still be many challenges. As an ESL teacher, a teacher leader instead of "just a teacher", I won`t give up, and I will encourage and collaborate with my colleagues to implement new literacies together. What`s more, I will advocate what will do good to the writing class, and contribute to the healthy school culture in my way.
NLGL program enlightens me to think, to reflect and reevaluate myself. And it helps me realize there is a long way to go to be a good teacher, and it does`t mean that I can`t. Since I focused on teaching TOELF writing, I synthesized my take aways especially about writing from this program.
My compelling question is " How can new literacies help ESL teachers with writing classes?" There are several reasons that I am concerned about this question. First, the overall environment of high school English class in China reveals that the traditional ways of teaching is out of date and we have to change and integrate new literacies into English classes. Second, Beijing Royal School, which is a private school where I work, have been innovating to start mobile learning, which means that I need to change and utilizing new literacies. Last but not least, what I learned in this program empowers me to see more, do more and experience more new literacies that I want to use in my own class.
The best way to improve writing classes with new literacies is to build digital writing workshop and create a comfortable and trustable writing community. And of course, traditional literacies such as note taking, graphic organizer, free writing are still effective and need to be combined with new literacies.
There will still be many challenges. As an ESL teacher, a teacher leader instead of "just a teacher", I won`t give up, and I will encourage and collaborate with my colleagues to implement new literacies together. What`s more, I will advocate what will do good to the writing class, and contribute to the healthy school culture in my way.