This document reflects on the author's primary practicum experience teaching English at a rural school in Argentina. The author realized that teachers are constantly learning from their students and must remain flexible in their lesson planning. Through using visual aids, games, songs and other engaging strategies, the author was able to help students learn English in a fun and meaningful way. The practicum experience helped the author grow as a teacher and reinforced the importance of creating a positive learning environment where students can interact and learn through creative activities.

1. INSTITUTO DE FORMACIÓN DOCENTE CONTINUA
LENGUAS VIVAS BARILOCHE (A-052)
Profesorado de Inglés- Opción pedagógica a distancia
Final Reflection
Tutora: Aurelia Velázquez
Alumno practicante: Bárbara Viñolo
Year 2019

2. The purpose of this composition is to reflect about my practicum experience at Primary level, more
specifically with Beginners level at Amadeus School, located in a rural neightbourhood in Centenario.
This writing is based on David Kolb Learning Cycle theory, which is composed by these stages: concrete
experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization & active experimentation.. Making this kind of
introspective exercise helps us, as students in process of becoming EAL teachers, to acquire deeper
understanding not only about our performance but also being aware of some essential aspects we should be
considered in our future as English teachers.
What data I acquired from my Priamry Practicum lessons? Regarding my practicum period, I could acquire
not only new methods/ strategies to improve my teacher practices, but also I could evaluate how most of the
articles read on Primary Didactics subject helped me when I planned my practicum lessons.
During my primary teaching practice, I realized that most of the time we are students than teachers, and
that our students become our teachers as we are constantly learning from them. Students showed me that as
teachers we have a huge responsibility to learn while we are teaching in the classroom and how fun that can
it be. Another important aspect I have learned is related to the lesson planning, I always try to do everything
perfectly, in a chronological order but inside the classroom this chronological order you planned can suddenly
be changed by students´ interest, behaviour, motivations, etc. So, as a reflection I could say that I realized
that teachers may be flexible on its planning, but without taking your eye off the learning focus you proposed
for the lesson. Through the first practicum lessons, I felt really nervous as I wanted to teach students following
a chronological order all the time and at the same time observed and evaluated regarding my lessons´
performance. But as my practicum period was passing by, I could show a positive attitude and without even
noticed, I was enjoying the lessons as well as the activities I prepared for the students.
During my experience in Primary level as an English teacher, I realized I made use of body and facial
movements in order to call students’´ attention through lessons while I was developing my teaching practices.
Another teaching strategies/ methods I made use during my teaching practices were multimedia resources as
songs, games, matching activities which help them to acquire the language in a more natural way. Making
use of visual aids, I could help students to infer meaning through pictures printed in big/ small flashcards (at
first, students asked me to translate what I was saying to them, but as my practicum lessons passed by, they
were able to understand what I was saying by making use of illustrated pictures. As one of the authors we
have read on Didactics subject, the best way of learning for students is through play as they are motivated/
engaged on the activity in a relaxed and enjoyable way for them. I strongly believe that teaching with games,
encourage students to make use of their creativity & helped them to be active learners through their own
learning process. So, our lessons need to be based on creativity, enjoyment and creative games.
Furthermore, through this new experience I realized that as teachers building an environment in which
students’ interaction and learning making use of visual aids & games is a fundamental aspect to bear in mid
in Primary level and adolescent´s teaching levels. Through the use of these and other strategies, students can
see language lessons with a positive perspective as they will be able to make use of their knowledge, skills and
understanding in multiple ways and contexts. Today our work as teachers is constantly challenging as we
need to find how to motivate our students to learn English language in a meaningful way not because they
are compulsory learning it, but because they enjoy learning the language.
In addition, I believe communicative approach and group work is what students enjoy the most in the lesson
as they can share how they feel and what they have learned with their peers. I could see this when students
develop freely activities and games, they feel happy sharing what they were learning and they were acquiring
knowledge in a meaningful and enjoyable way. Despite the fact it was really difficult to achieve the aims I
proposed for the activities, students made me feel really proud of their language improvement as at first they
believe that they would not being able to complete the tasks but after trying a lot of time, they could did it!.
This new experience helped me to achieve new aspects which helped to grow personally and as a future
English teacher. Also, it encourages me a lot to keep learning from my future students building the English
teacher I wanted to become in a near future.