A Quarter in Lynden's ESL 40: Process and Product

As is indicated in the title, the hard copy of my Senior Project breaks down into two parts: process and product. The 'process' is represented by my Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Practicum Journal. This journal reflects the thoughts and feelings that I experienced during my first longterm exposure to an ESL setting. The Journal is by no means formal; instead of deciding on a particular format for my entries, I let them form themselves. I chose to approach the journal in this way so that my reflections could be seen in the clearest light, without the interference of rigid structures or expectations. I wanted to wait until near the end of the experience to crystallize my experiences into something more formal. The 'product of my experiences in Lynden this quarter is my Food and Shopping Unit. Whereas the Journal is more passive, the Unit shows how I can specifically implement the things that I have learned about language and language teaching over the course of the quarter. Though I did plan and teach some lessons during the quarter, the Unit plan enabled me to approach teaching a beginning ESL class from a more holistic perspective. I had to plan the lesson according the the overall needs of the class throughout the quarter; the activities build upon each other and attempt to address all aspects of language fluency. Through the Unit I had the chance to impose a more formal notion of ESL teaching upon myself.