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Takako Kobayashi v MATESOL

Component 1: Commentary

Commentary
Language learning is a life-long journey. Speaking from experience, learning English as a
second language (ESL) is abundant in both joys and challenges. I started my language-learning
journey in junior high school. From then until finishing high school, English was an academic
subject that I had to study for the sake of earning higher grades. During that time, I never
imagined myself using English on a daily basis, as I do today. In 2007, my journey took a
dramatically different path when I came to the United States for the first time. Since I began
living and going to school in the U.S., my daily life has demanded intensive use of English.
Language teachers have inevitably been involved in my language development. When faced with
difficulties, my instructors continuously provided me with thoughtful and individualized
instruction, which trained me to become a successful ESL learner. Thus, language teachers have
the potential to positively influence language learners. Experiencing joy through my struggles
during my learning process has motivated me to pursue a career in language education.
Fortunately, the need for English instruction has increased in Japan. Studying in the U.S. even
helped me find English teaching jobs easily there. Despite high motivation and confidence in my
developing proficiency in English, I encountered many challenges and disappointments resulting
from not knowing how to teach the language. These experiences confirmed my resolve to pursue
a Masters degree in TESOL at MIIS.
This portfolio illustrates my professional knowledge as a language educator as well as my
personal interests and willingness to engage in learners language development. My CV
(Component 2), Lesson Plan and Rationale (Component 3), and Curriculum Proposal
(Component 4) demonstrate the knowledge and skills that I have gained in my courses at MIIS

Takako Kobayashi v MATESOL


Component 1: Commentary

and what I promise to fulfill as a language educator. Through my instruction, I hope to enable
learners to use language accurately, meaningfully, and appropriately.
I collaborated on the original version of my Component 3 lesson plan and rationale with
two of my peers in Structure of English. Of the multiple lesson plans that I have developed as
course projects, my lesson plan on information-seeking (Wh-) questions best demonstrates my
knowledge of the professional literature of language pedagogy and inductive approaches to
grammar instruction that combine work with Larsen-Freemans (2003) three dimensions: form,
meaning, and use. My revised lesson outline and materials more fully engage students in
observing and using the use dimensionthe framework for exploring meaning and form. Unlike
the linguistic analysis that we composed for Structure of English, my rationale focuses more
squarely on how my lesson plan leads students systematically toward achieving stated objectives.

Spring 2013 CD
Collaborative Project
MMSICE

Summer 2013
MMSICE instructor
My firsthand
experience

Fall 2013 Track C


Major Revisions
Course/Syllbus
Design
Unit Design
Lesson Plans

Figure 1. The process of Component 4.


For Component 4, I pursued Track C, which requires the revision of a curriculum project.
My flowchart (Figure 1) presents a chronological display of the revisions that I undertook. In my
Curriculum Design (CD) course, my team collaborated with the Middlebury-Monterey Summer

Takako Kobayashi v MATESOL


Component 1: Commentary

Intensive College English (MMSICE) program. My firsthand experience as an MMSICE


instructor during the summer in 2013 inspired me to propose some substantial changes to the
original curriculum design. Because of higher enrollment in 2013, I planned and delivered lesson
plans for the two-week elective course that my CD team proposed. The needs assessment,
curriculum design, and implementation processes provided me an ideal and valuable experience
as a language educator. My Component 4 revised project involved a careful review of relevant
literature and application of what I learned from working with my MMSICE students. Because
of the flexibility of the elective courses, I began my revision by examining the significance of the
elective courses and the role of content-based instruction (CBI). Once I settled on the general
aims of the elective courses, my revision steps included re-designing the course syllabus design,
content units, and lesson plans.
Now, my language-learning journey faces the transition to a new stagelanguage
teaching. In this stage, I will engage myself in supporting countless language-learning journeys.
My involvement as a language teacher may be transient, but I am fully confident that I have the
professional knowledge and skills to contribute to learners language development. Furthermore,
my personal journey as an ESL learner can encourage other language learners to overcome their
challenges and struggles in language learning. In taking the next steps in my journey, I envision
myself becoming a companion who can provide language learners with the best support for their
language-learning needs.
Reference
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2003). Teaching language: From grammar to grammaring. Boston, MA:
Heinle.

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