7. How can the standard-features word-processing programs be exploited for teaching writing skills?

The most famous word-processing program is Microsoft Word. It can be exploited for teaching writing skills. For instance, teachers can ask their students to write essays, reports, and so on in order for the students to improve their writing skills.

Word-processing programs as Microsoft Word have some features that help the students to improve their writing skills. When writing an essay in this program, students will be corrected automatically if they make punctuation or grammar mistakes.

Perhaps no other technology resource has had as great an impact on education as word processing. Not only does word processing offer high versatility and flexibility, it also is "model-free" instructional software; that is, it reflects no particular instructional approach. A teacher can use it to support any kind of directed instruction or constructivist activity. Since its value as an aid to teaching and learning is universally acknowledged, word processing has become the most commonly used software in education.It offers many general relative advantages (unique benefits over and above other methods) to teachers and students:

·Saves time — Word processing helps teachers use preparation time more efficiently by letting them modify materials instead of creating new ones. Writers can also make corrections to word processing documents more quickly than they could on a typewriter or by hand.

·Enhances document appearance — Materials created with word processing software look more polished and professional than handwritten or typed materials do. It is not surprising that students seem to like the improved appearance that word processing gives to their work. This is especially possible with the many templates that are part of the software suites today.

·Allows sharing of documents — Word processing allows materials to be shared easily among writers. Teachers can exchange lesson plans, worksheets, or other materials on disk and modify them to fit their needs. Students can also share ideas and products among themselves.

·Allows collaboration of documents — Especially since the release of Google Docs, teachers and students can now create, edit, and share documents synchronously.

6.Do you think technologies should play a central or a peripheral role in second language teaching and learning?

With the rise in educational technology, many schools are preparing teachers and students to work with several new technologies to facilitate learning and students engagement. Many of these technologies work particularly well with students, as they are familiar with current technologies and will appreciate a classroom that uses multimedia platforms.

Technology is a very necessary tool for teachers, but it plays a peripheral role in second language teaching and learning. We teachers can use technologies such as computers, audios, videos, pod-casts, and power point presentations when delivering a lesson. These are useful tools for teachers to support their classes: furthermore, students can use technology to empower their listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills in a variety of ways. They can watch videos subtitled in English, listen to music, read articles in English, and so forth. Also, they can research information about topics that they have not studied yet in class so that they can understand better or more easily when the teacher explains these topics to them.

On the other hand, Social networks such as facebook, Google plus, twitter, and so on can be very useful for teachers, and we can take advantage of them. For instance, teachers can create groups on facebook with teaching purposes. Teachers can upload important information for the students: a list of verbs, rules for the use of certain tense and so forth. Technology plays an important role when teaching. Teachers can play videos related to the topic they are teaching to deliver lessons more effectively, but it cannot be the center in second language teaching and learning since there are some much more important things. 

There will never be anything better than a teacher teaching in the conventional way. For example, blended learning is a form of education that combines face-to-face classroom methods with computer-mediated activities. According to its proponents, the strategy creates a more integrated approach for both instructors and students. We can realize that technology is pretty essensial in the teaching-learning process. However, " There must be always the presence of a teacher". 

5.What do you think is the role of research in improving our understanding of teaching?

The role of research in improving our understanding of teaching is essential, especially for those who are beginners in the field of teaching. We teachers need constantly be updated when it refers to education and the different approaches, techniques, methodologies, and strategies carried out in the classroom.

It is very important for teachers to look for information in order to come up with new ideas that can be applied in their classes.   For instance, we are just beginning our journey as teachers and sometimes we feel stressed out because we think we are not doing well. As a result, we get worried and start looking for information in order to improve our efficiency as teachers and here “research” takes place. We start reading books about teaching and getting the essential and useful information that can be put into practice in our classes.

We do research about teaching methodologies because we want our classes to be effective. Furthermore, we want our students to enjoy our classes and to get meaningful learning from them.

 As we are beginners in the field of teaching, we need to enrich our knowledge about what adolescents like and do not like about a teacher and the way she or he teaches. We need to look for suitable activities for our students. Sometimes we make activities that are enjoyable for us, but they may not be enjoyable for our students. We want to be great teachers with a lot of knowledge to share with our students in the right way, and that is why we are interested in learning about the different teaching methods. The more we know about teaching methodologies, the better our classes will be. As a result, we will be effective teachers containing effective knowledge about teaching. Also, we will be able to apply the method that works best for our students.

Definitely, researching has an essential role in improving our understanding of teaching since we can enrich our knowledge about teaching through good books or good documents online. There will always be new things to deal with, and we must be ready to face them. If we are not ready, we will always have the opportunity to research and overcome our challenges when teaching. Do not forget that “teachers are life-long learners.”

4. What experience do you have of learning a second or foreign language? How would you characterize the teacher´s teaching method? How effective did you find it?

The biggest experience I have of learning a second language took place the first time I went to the university. I was so nervous because I was going to start my major “Licenciatura en Idioma Inglés Opción Enseñanza”. It was a new world for me since I did not know that much about it. Neither did I have any knowledge about English, nor did I know any of my classmates to ask for some help. Whenever I had to attend English classes I felt pretty frustrated because I did not understand what the teacher was saying.

On the other hand, I characterize the teacher´s teaching method as excellent. Now that I have some knowledge about different methods I understand better what he did for us to get what he said in English. He carried out different methods such as THE DIRECT METHOD. He never spoke in Spanish because he wanted us to associate meaning and target language directly. In order to do this, when he introduced a new target language word or phrase, he demonstrated its meaning through the use of realia, pictures or any object in the classroom; he never translated it into the L1. When I asked him something in Spanish, he said “sorry, I do not understand what you are saying”; in that moment it was so stressful for me. Nevertheless, that was how I was learning because I had to look for the right words to convey my ideas. He also used THE TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE METHOD. When we did not understand a word, he made some physical movements to show us what that word meant. For example, in order for us to understand the meaning of “jump”, he performed the action. Then, we got it without translation. We got it through physical movements.

I consider that the teaching methods my Basic English teacher used were pretty effective. For example, in my case, I did not know almost anything about the language, but thanks to his way of teaching or the methods he used I learned a lot. Also, he had all the characteristics of a great teacher. He was very flexible, enthusiastic and inspired enthusiasm, inspired confidence, and the most important is that he was very patient when it came to cope with his students´ mistakes. He gave me very good bases for the next English level. That is why I find his teaching methods very effective. They worked for me.