What have I learnt from the microteaching

Well, after all these days of class, of planning and, of course, of learning, I've been filling my backpack with knowledge and new experiences that, for sure, I will use in my future job as a teacher.

So, now I have to answer this question: 

What have you learnt from the microteaching?

And, in one hand it seems to be easy to answer, but on the other hand it's difficult, because as there are a lot of content, experiences, ideas, knowledge, etc that I've learnt, I'm sure I will miss or forget something to be written. But I will try to write generally. 

While doing the microteaching and by being part of my classmates' microteachings too, I've learnt the importance of having in mind the age of students and to make sure that the content and activities are acording to those levels. Because if not, the children and also the teacher will be lost.

Another point that goes, more or less, hand in hand with the last one, is the checking, make sure that our students are understanding everything, every step of the activities and that they know how to do it. We have to ask a lot of useful questions, or use some activities to verify the comprehension.

As teachers we have to be motivated in class. Because, what's more boring than having a boring teacher? and if we aren't motivated in teaching, we will not motivate them to learn. So miming, intonation, eye-contact, powerful expressions, modeling, and cheerful spirit is what we need to do as English teachers, in this way we will give meaningful and joyful classes and children will be excited to learn and participate in class.

I also have learnt to talk slowly, because it's been always difficult for me (I speak very quickly in my mother tongue, sometimes I get confused even in my own language...), but for the children is very important to take it easy in this point, not only because they need to understand what are you saying, but because you are a reference of language for them and they will probably copy us.

Finally, I want to highlight some improvements that we can do with our microteachings that our ELT teacher has said, apart of the ones that I've mentioned before:

- When we teach vocabulary we don't have to teach it randomly and without meaning.Per example:

Teacher:(showing a flashcard)This is an apple, repeat with me APPLE. 

Children: Aaapple!

This will be an incorrect way of teaching vocabulary, we have to use structures or incorporate structures when we teach vocabulary, so in this way the children know and see how they can use this word in a sentence. A correct way will be this one:

Teacher:(showing a flashcard)This is an apple, Pepita, do you like apples? I really like apples. 

Pepita: Yes, I like apples.

Juanito: Teacher, I don't like apples.

(...)

- Another thing that our teacher said was, that we have to take advantage of the children mistakes and answers. If a children make a mistake when we ask them something, we have to take advantage an make a refresh of the content to the whole class, or do a little game or activity to ensure the content. Also if the children say something that can be profitable to talk about an specific topic, about the content of the last unit or about values, of course it's well worth it to take advantage of it.

And I'm sure that there are a lot of things that I'm forgetting, but  these ones are the ones that I'm sure are more helpful and inspiring for our job as teachers. 

So, that's all! 

Have a great day!