Harold Carrion, English as a Foreign Language Teacher
Teacher Perspectives
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For Harold Carrion, EFL teaching was the result of a small coincidence and lots of dedication. A student at a public university in his city, Harold studied systems engineering. The fact that most of his books were written in English in the late 1990s pushed him to study English and later to teach it. He found in teaching a lifestyle full of motivation, work and fun.
He's been teaching English for almost 10 years. Harold chooses to use the web as a source of information and communication with his peers and students. He presents new ways of learning English interactively (Using Web and Web tools). Collecting information by using cooperative learning, and shares ideas with peers and students by using technology (Web sites, WIKI sites, blogs, Webquests, etc).
Harold is a full time teacher and teacher trainer and is currently working on different projects related to teaching English using new technologies. His work is oriented to both colleagues and students. On the teacher's side, he shares new ways of teaching English by using the Web and Web 2.0 technologies, and for his students he presents customized websites all with specific contents.
Using American English Materials
Harold knows young learners are lovers of video games, so he chooses to use them in class. “Trace Effects, a game developed by the U.S. Department of State, is the game that students are using to develop their multiple English skills,” says Harold. “The game fits on real students’ needs, due to its content which is really connected to the syllabus of the class. Students are really interested in playing with trace and his adventures, reaching checkpoints and defeating others with high scores. The game is very communicative and allow students to predict some events that might happening according they are moving forward in the game.”
“Magazines like English Teaching Forum which contributes to develop and guide teacher’s lessons and classes, at the same time giving teachers some approaches about American culture. Webinars also give teachers good information about what is going on in education tendencies.”
Harold is also working on developing Wiki sites, which are a good and effective tool to promote cooperative learning. Students are allowed to add and modify the information in the wiki site which empowers the use of this kind of technology.