Teacher Student Relationship on Learning a Second Language, Essay Example

What is the impact of student teacher relationship in the development of students in relation to learning a second language?  Learning is considered as a process that the human brain undergoes in consideration to the need to advance in terms of thinking. True, it is an innate need for humans to progress especially in the case of mental development. This is the primary reason why it has become a requirement for young individuals to be enrolled in structured academic institutions that offer several programs of learning that are believed to give a boost on the cognitive development of each person. In the case of one growing up and realizing the truth about life, there is still a need to develop one’s self. Perhaps not in an institutionalized setup anymore, but learning is an inevitable matter that continues throughout one’s years of life. Individuals could undertake learning the second language either by choice or by need in relation to the life-progress that they each person wants to undertake. In the presentation that follows, an interview proving the condition of developmental impact that student teacher relationship has over student’s learning progress shall be discussed.

Yan Liu is an ESL teacher handling a small group of children ages four to six years as her private tutoring job. She is also handling two university students who she teaches basic English to. Noted to have spent the past four years in America as a part-time ESL teacher, Yan Liu mentioned that it was hard for her to be accepted by other foreign students as a teacher of a language that is not her base tongue. This is the reason why she started to teach Chinese-only children hence reducing the friction of whether or not she is able to present the lessons properly to her students.

When asked about why she finally decided to handle teaching only the Chinese children who want to learn English, she mentions how important it is for students’ trust to work on how they actually learn the lessons that they are presented with. Believably, this decision did not only make her task much easier, but also made her presentations more effective especially in connection to how her students respond to the matter. This is supported by Matsuda’s definition of teaching as a condition that needs to be established on the agreement between the teacher and the student overall (372). Relative condition of development only comes from such agreement which further increases both the motivation and interest of the students to learn and further apply what they have learned from class.

As a mentor, Liu views herself as a model for her students. From this point, it could be analyzed that as a teacher, she sees herself as somewhat the condition by which she is able to make a distinctive impact on how her students view their lessons as well as how they would be able to understand the relevance of each lesson in their practical lives. Notably, this is supported by Hooks’ writing as she mentions that teachers who understand their role properly are the ones who are able to influence their students positively (297). This approach leaves a good sense of effect on how their students develop individually especially in relation to the expertise that they are aiming to acquire [including that of the need to acquire a second language].

True, from this particular interview, it has been realized that the condition of the thinking of the teacher affects the instruction process largely especially when it comes to teaching a second language to students who do not practically use a particular speech for practical conversation. On the other hand, the condition of attention and acceptance on the part of the students with regards the integrity of the teacher to teach the lesson gives them better motivation to learn and accept the lessons presented to them as reliable and useful. Understandably, the agreement between the teacher and the student create a specific environment that could boost up the capacity of both parties to provide beneficial results, which would improve the process of acquiring a second language as a form of speech.

References

Hooks, B. From Teaching to Transgress: Education as the practice of freedom.

Matsuda, A and Matsuda, PK. World Englishes and Teaching of Writing.