I mixed different kinds of methods, but I try to focus my teaching in: listening (music, short tales, text models, etc), when we read the test I ask some questions about the reading, also they read short texts many times in order to capture the main topic and, in this way they can find the meaning and the vocabulary that is in the middle of the reading. I try, also they speak as much as possible about theirselves or about the readings. When in the class they have questions about grammar I focus my teaching in solve taht questions as an excuse to teach them the use of the language and after the questions we make grammar exercises. I prepare my class in two ways, first thinking in a topic that motivate the students to talk about theirselves and their context (family, school, clothing, friends, pets...) and secondly, the grammar as a result of their questions.
After reading and work in class the Kumaravadivelu´s paper I wonder that theory and practice are far away from our context. The theory is thought to first world countries where technology and academic issues are more advanced. The author gives us an "alternative to method" which is created based on our own practice. You can build your own theory if you reflect on your practice. Each teacher can develop their own teaching theory if teachers think about their own way of teaching and if we could be critical in our teaching process we can improve our techniques.
The Kumaravadivelu´s paper and the the approaches to EFL teaching are interesting because I can conclude that everyday we use a different method, we can learn about our practice and improve our job if we reflect in the question How do I teach? this question is very important because it makes you think about yourself, about your personality, about your strenghts and weaknesses and how are you working.
As I said before i mix in each class differents kinds of methods:
- Empiristic or Behaviorist orientation: focus on grammar, teacher at center. The activities I Implement are: dialogues, fill in the blanks, follow model texts... teaching as practicing structures that students can say in any similar situation and learning as a process of habit formation.
- Socio - cultural orientation or socio - psycholinguistics orientation, teacher is not the center. The activities I use are: interrelation between language and context, for example I ask them to design a custome and they should wear it an describe it.
- Sociocritical orientation, focus on language that will help students improve their conditions and get acces and social mobility. An activity I use is to reflect in a social situation that they are living and think how they can be better and how they can solve their own problems and show them that changes are good for their comunity and what is the position that they should take in a real situation. Students can view the teaching process of engaging in critical feflection about personal and local issues.
