How applying linguistics can make us better teachers

As a teacher, I  am a sculptor because I have in my hands the lives of my students who are clay. I am a sculptor who has to use all my creativity and effort for making a masterpiece from simple and pure elements.  I am a craftsman who has to create masterpieces in spite of  the fact that   tools are insufficient. I am a craftsman who must model  future generations. I am the craftsman who has to create beautiful masterpieces which will be displayed in   society´s  art gallery.   Dorally Muñoz

Linguistics makes us better teachers?

 

The limits of my language mean the limits of my world. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1922) 

Teaching is not a simple task. This process requires taking into account the way how students learn and their possible cognitive problems  in order to find the best method to work with them and made their learning  a success. Applying linguistics as the science that studies  problems related to language can be the clue for finding the manner of solving the different inconveniences that appear during the development of the teaching profession.

Applying linguistics can offer the solution of problems related to language, especially when we as teachers face real problematic situations in a language class. There is a wide range of linguistic problems but I want to mention two of them: The difficulties that some students have for learning English and, the difficulties of students with cognitive problems.

 First, let us consider  the difficulties of learning English.  From my point of view,  this is the most common problem of students, especially in the public sector where students do not  want to learn a new language because they do not see the necessity to learn it.  It is here, where a good teacher can take advantages of social aspects in order to motivate them  using aspects like cultural environment to make their process of learning something meaningful. For example: In a countryside school, the knowledge of the land and the farm animals can be a good topic for making projects in which students show their knowledge and, at the same time,   can learn from something that is important for them. The most important thing is to take advantage of the student’s previous knowledge for getting good results in their performance, since students have to use the problem-solving method for learning by doing, in this way learning is significant and relevant. (Jerome Bruner 1984)

Second, cognitive problems. Some students have difficulties in their process of learning; sometimes those problems are not easy to notice, especially for simple teachers like us who only have academic formation. In spite of this,  teachers develop a kind of connection with their students that allows us to realize these difficulties so that we can  try to look for the best way of teaching them. 

Teachers have to do their best for students to get the information necessary for acquiring  new knowledge. Unfortunately, the National education system does not offer us   enough preparation for facing this kind of difficulty. A good example of this is the famous “Inclusion program” ( programa de inclusión) that pretends to give the same educational opportunities to students with disabilities. This is good. But, this kind of population needs special attention with special professionals who know how to work with them. Teachers have good disposition for helping our students but, our knowledge is empiric. Is in this moment when we have to be wise enough  to look for   help thinking in the well-being of the students and  guaranteeing  a good education for these special human beings.

Languages is one of the most important and fascinating aspects of humans. It is always changing. In like manner,   education must evolve and fit   new ideologies, technologies and social and cultural tendencies.  New generations need innovative teachers who are engaged with the students and their necessities.

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