“A good gain takes long pain.”. It doesn’t fail to be a truth- at least for our learning journey to Canada- the first journey to a foreign land. After 12-day’s delay, we finally boarded on the plane flying to Toronto with the great efforts of Miss Wu, the authorities of the two schools and many people concerned.

Every tiny but rewarding piece about the journey with our supportive friends will never fade away in my mind. The significance definitely goes much further beyond those fascinating pictures. Here, I will make a reflection on what I have learned in the training course- things to apply or adapt in my future teaching.

1.       Listening & Speaking

We, Chinese English teachers, commonly combine a listening and speaking class together, and thus it is named as a Listening & Speaking class. However Canadian ESL teachers make it work in another way. They make it separate. This inspires me to think about my own teaching way of listening and speaking. The problem of lacking time had existed for long since I always tried to complete the tasks on the two aspects within only one period which is only 40 minutes. Therefore, I’m considering of single-task-based class. That is to say, one period will be focused on listening and imitating, and another will be focused on speaking.

Plus, we had a fierce but rewarding dicussion about the pre-class speaking activity, such as duty report. What I have learned about is that never allow students or provide students any chance to be dependent on words in slides. That is to say, students can only present a speech rather than read written paragraphs. Though students may make great efforts in preparing the scripts, they can learn or improve very little by reading. So this term I’ve made decision to strictly prohibit long sentences or paragraphs. But they can show and get help by some key words or pompts.

Last but not least, be extremely careful when choosing speaking topics for students. Think twice whether it can appeal to students. The topic should be suitable to the age and learning level of the target learners. A successful speaking activity should make every studnts engaged in thinking and participating.

2.       Reading

Reading makes a full man. And definitely it makes a full teacher.

The first two questions asked by our reading teaching teacher are as follows: 1. What’s the most impressive book you’ve read recently ( textbook excluded) ? 2. What’s the most important thing you want to share with us after reading? It seems to be such simple questions. Yet, I found it not such an easy task. Actually, my face blushed when I was exposed to them. So, to be frank, the most significant thing I’ve learned from the lecture is not teaching methodology, but an attitude towards learning. Never stop reading or seeking good books, make myself a full man, and a full teacher as well.

Without doubt, some teaching methods in the lecture will help in my reading teaching in the future, especially the application of group-working. Each student in a group will have a distinctive task, so they read for different purposes – for vocabulary, for raising questions, for cultural thinking, and etc.. So they have to read independently, but before they report, they have to work together. They have to discuss, they have to summarize, they have to negotiate, and etc.. Then, after this reading activity students get elevated in various aspects, including language, logic and critical thinking, communication and cooperation. The significace can’t be measured by the amount of new words or questions which are only tangible achievements. The positive influence goes deeply into their right way of thinking and the overall ability.

Besides, I was impressed by a literature workshop, which is about poems. Poetry is called the literature of literature. It’s the true essence of the beauty of any language in the world. I do appreciate Chinese peoms and essays, and always try to appreciate English poems as well, though it’s not a relaxing task, so let alone my students who are only at the low-intermediate level. But from the worshop I learned it could be fun and even Shakespear’s sonnet can be turned into a rap song. In that case, students definitely won’t considerate as dull and long cliche. Absolutely, it’s worth a try.

3.       Writing

Writing is the best reflection of one’s overall language ability. That’s why I’m keen on giving writing assignments and correctiong them. But the results are not so satisefactory. Progress is not tremendous even in a long run.

Now, I will accept Miraka’s suggetion- ask students to correct for themselves. They’ve completed a research on which works more effectively- teacher’s correction or student’s self-correction. It turns out to be a tie. That means teacher’s work in correcting students’ writing have almost come in vain. Why? Actually, students learn more by thinking, revising and editing by themselves. Some mistakes, like grammar, spelling or even logic are within their ability to handle. Then, why do teachers have to bother? More importantly, they will be more cautious next time if they find out and correct mistakes by themselves than teachers tell. So, don’t give them too many writing tasks, but focus on a few and ask students to revise more than once until it’s almost satisefactory. That’s the way I’m going to carry out my writing class this term.

“ Though my way is long and winding, I’ll explore it far and wide.” Qu Yuan’s words always echo in my mind. After such a cherished,honorable and pleasurable learning journey, I’ve been at a new beginning though I’ll be facing my old students. And, everyone's learning always starts but never stops.