Italian Teacher in the City of London

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Name of the teacher: Barbara 

In my career as a teacher I have experienced each and every segment of the work starting from planning to assessing the course outcomes. What is so appealing to me about this job is that one works with but above all for people, getting to know their ways of learning, of interacting and of evolving, but at the same time it helps one get to know him/herself better as well, comparing themselves with one’s own strengths and weaknesses.

As a teacher, I have always tried to present contents with different methods (visual and auditive especially at a basic level, situation-oriented, interactive-communicative, at upper ones), but I have also taken into consideration the importance of meta-cognitive strategies, peer-tutoring, cooperative learning, which are pivotal to set the best and most varied approaches and learning strategies during a lesson in a classroom and outside.

Using authentic materials, taken from different sources (books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, internet, etc…) is a must and always positively affects learners’ interest and involvement. Another key-word is supporting the autonomy of students, scaffolding and encouraging them to achieve their learning goals; to do that it is very important to augment students’ talking time and reduce teacher’s talking time, by presenting activities, games and exercises which allow them to practise the language, knowing that the
teacher is anyway there ready to help.

I am conscious that many obstacles can prevent a very good learning process from taking place, like peer-pressure and other psychological obstacle to acquisition, so I try to create a positive, cheerful, very
involving class-setting, where anybody can feel at ease and take part into lesson activities. Teaching and learning is a complex, delicate process that only takes place when it is based on a good interaction among partakers and when the atmosphere positively stimulates them to get involved.

Learners need to trust their “guide” and feel they can express themselves, so I would tend to accept their participation and give the appropriate feedback, supporting and giving some advice if needed to further improve their skills and inform them about their progression routes.

I am keen on studying and widening my teaching skills so I regularly attend courses to widen my competences and keep me updated. As you can see from my resumé, I graduated in 2006 with a Master Degree in Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures; last year I completed a Post-Graduate Teacher Training during which I had the chance to work as Teaching Assistant side by side to Mrs Salzano, an MFL teacher in charge of supervising and observing my training.

Here in London, I attended a course about Behaviour Management in challenging classroom and I am in possess of the Enhanced CRB required to work with pupils.
Among the other certifications I took a Certificate of Proficiency in English, the “Teaching Knowledge Test – Module 3 and “Teaching Knowledge Test – Clil” at the ESOL Cambridge University Local Examiner and School, “The British School” where I was given the chance to be part of the team as an English teacher for young learners and as an invigilator during ESOL exams.

Concerning my experience, I started working as a teacher and tutor for a local association, GIOSEF -Italy, planning, delivering and assessing lessons for University students visiting our country and attending EUProgrammes,
like Leonardo and/or Erasmus. Meanwhile I started cooperating for “The British School” as an MFL teacher and invigilator. Then, I was hired by a Primary School as an English teacher and after 3 years I was called from a State Secondary School in a near city to teach German language and civilization. At the end of 2013 I had also the chance to be hired as a Commissioner for Final State Exams (High School Diploma).

Regarding the books, I tend to create a mix between some online sources, bespoke exercise and activities, and some books, like “Espresso”, “Noi”, “Italian Grammar Drills”, but I am always open to students’ input and so to sort fo create a “new formula” each time.

 

Teaching and learning is a complex, delicate process that only takes place when it is based on a good interaction among partakers and when the atmosphere positively stimulates them to get involved. This is the reason why I always try to create a positive, cheerful, very engaging class-setting, where anybody can feel at ease and take part into lesson activities. The approach I tend to implement is the meta-cognitive where the learner is encouraged and actively engaged to explore and gaining self-awareness about his cognitive processes, thus developing autonomy of thoughts, independent judgement and recognition of their limits, abilities and chances. I have been working in the educational field for more than 15 years and I still think this is a challenging but very rewarding and enriching profession, and I really wish to put all my knowledge, skills and heart to good use to prove myself an efficient teacher.