I feel like sharing my II year TA application experience. I have realised that TA is a well-built system. However, I have not succeeded in understanding and applying it as a system yet, so I will only describe my experience of applying its certain elements and their effect on my teaching style and my learners.
I will focus on my re-thinking of the following aspects under the TA influence.
Aim Setting
I have realised that setting a SMART aim is crucial for effective planning and implementing a plan. I am trying now to get my students to set a specific aim for their microteaching lessons. I realised that aims like: e.g. ‘develop pupils’ speaking skills in the use of specific vocabulary and structure’ is not measurable and not connected with life as it focuses on the tools. When thinking over my own aims for my lessons I feel I am getting a deeper understanding of the meaning of my lessons and I am trying to get my students to go through the same process. So I may say that setting an aim has acquired its real meaning for me.
In my attempts to explain it to my methodology students I have come up with the following metaphor. Supposing we want to learn shooting a certain aim. Shall we achieve it if we just shoot a wall? Setting an aim like developing speaking skills is shooting a wall.
I cannot say I have become good at setting a specific aim myself. The most difficult thing for me remains setting a specific thinking aim and identifying the respective TTF step.
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