I want to share with all the community about my experience in San Andres.
First I have to say thank to Jesus Christ to allow to visit and to study in that island because for me was a dream to know that place, second I will share some of my knowledge about new methodologies that are important to apply with our students.
We studied during 30 days English with National University in the morning and in the afternoon we used to study with Sena about how to apply new technological tools in our classes; at the beginning it was so hard for us because we missed our families, friends, students and customs, but later we knew how to handle that situation, so everything became nicer and interesting besides, we met new colleagues and new friends who we shared experience and ideas.
The teachers were islanders who work for NATIONAL UNIVERSITY ,however we have three amazing teachers two from United States and one from Philippines they were invited because they are in Colombia because they are volunteers ,their names are ALLY,KATE and STEPHANY, Kate was my favorite because I can speak about world cup and Colombia and United States were parts of the 32 NATIONS that participated in that event, frankly to visit San Andres, it was one of the best thing that has happened in my life because it was the first time in my life where I could speak English during one month in a real context and I had to make a big effort when I did not understand and encourage my friend to go ahead, moreover because that island is incredible and the teachers were well prepared and people in general give us a smile all the time.
Now I want to speak about the new methodologies or for me was new; I knew that the exercise should be collaborative where the student work by group, where themselves choose their leader and they feel very important for the class; I learnt that we can´t be quiet in a class and we have to make students speak in English and work in English, write in English and also read.
We have to create context where the student recognize his-her culture where he or she feel English is not only to sing or BE verb ,they must learn to speak that for me it is one of the most complex component of a language because when you are able to speak ,you have to think, you have to have vocabury ; you need to know grammar and you have to have good pronunciation so I insist that we should change part of our way of teaching ,if we don´t change our students won´t learn and the effort which government does to have bilingual students will be an empty dream that will never be possible.
As a conclusion I think we need to study all the time to maintain a good level in English and we have to make students speak in class and create strategies they do it but, it will be real if we build the condition they work in school and out of school and we are dynamic and believe our students can be better with our help; I acknowledge that is not easy but if we love this and we work hard we can achieve our established goals.
Arlis Milan
Docente
