Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
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
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
Component 1: Commentary