Sixth Task

Questions based on Richars and Lockhart (20017) "Exploring teachers' beliefs"

• Beliefs about English

Learning English as a second language it is important, not only to communicate with native speakers but also, because nowadays in Colombia and in many countries English is requirement for getting a job, for business, for understanding all the information from the mass media and among others. However, I think that not only the dialects of American or British English should be taught at schools, but also other dialects like latin American English, chinese English and others.

• Beliefs about learning

Learning is a transformative process since learners can delete pieces of information, or build new learning based on their background knowledge. Also, this transformative process can be obtained with input, output, intake and with reflection. For example, we as pre-service teachers who are doing their practicum in a public school and where students do not use English as a second language because they do not have a basic level, we can give them input since we are the main resource they have in order to speak in English later on.

• Beliefs about teaching

My role as a teacher is to be an intermediater between the learning and teaching process. Students in my classes participate if they know how to answer in English, they do; if not, they answer in Spanish. I always tell students that I won't jugde them if they commit mistakes, because failures are part of the learning process. Also, I try to implement within the classroom the communicative appoach, task-based approach and cooperative learning.

• Beliefs about teaching as a profession

The profession of teaching needs that we as teachers set goals not only for the class but also, to set our own goals. A teacher who is professional see their work not only as a guarantee for their well being, but also they do their work with motivation.

• Beliefs about the program and the curriculum

In my opinion the program and the curriculum should be planned and implemented including all the educative community, the needs of students and the context.