Introduction to Language Arts Reflection

I definitely feel that I have changed over the course of this semester. With every education course I take, I feel I become more knowledgeable and prepared for my future. This course gave me a lot of great ideas that I am sure I will use in my classroom as a future teacher.

I felt that we did a lot of different activities this semester that will be very useful in the future. One of the first activities that we did was when we were broken up into groups, given a big sheet of paper, and had to teach the class one of the steps of the reading process. I thought this was a great way of teaching a topic, and having the whole class be involved. I noticed that by using this method of teaching I was better able to remember the steps and components of the reading process. I think students would really benefit from learning topics this ways.

We recently did the “chalk talk” activity. I really liked this too for a few different reasons. I think this is a great way for students to get their ideas out and not have to raise their hand and wait to be called on. I like how a student can write something down, but not be tied to those words in the same way as if they said them out loud. I think a chalk talk would work great for some groups, but may be more difficult for others. I know for me, I was caught up reading other peoples comments and never got around to writing anything myself. If I could do it again, now knowing how it works, I think I would be able to better participate.

The read aloud we had all semester of “Sahara Special” has been probably one of my favorite parts of the class and something I will DEFINITELY use in my future classrooms. Before coming into this class, if someone had asked what a “read aloud” meant to me, I would have probably of said, “its books that teachers read to students in elementary school.” I now know that read aloud can be done at any and all ages. Even at the college, I really enjoyed it. It was relaxing and also very entertaining. I had honestly forgotten how it was to have someone read to you. I think read aloud are great for students and invite them to use different types of listening and enjoy a new book with their teacher.

I have also enjoyed blogging this semester. Before coming into this class I would have said I would never be a blogger, but now I have done it and enjoyed it. I can see setting one up in my classroom for the students to participate in. I think blogs are great because technology is on the rise and students can relate to doing something on the computer and internet. I also thought the text your response activity was really cool and something students would love! Texting is so popular and students would think it is so neat that they can text something and it pop up on the screen. I would have seen texting as a negative thing at the beginning of the semester, but now I see how teachers can turn it into a positive thing.


Overall, I feel this semester through course discussions, and field experiences, I have become more open minded now different types of ideas can be incorporated into the classroom than I was at the beginning of the semester. I feel that I have learned so much, and when I am in my classroom I hope to remember all the things we have learned this semester and how I can effectively use them in my classroom. I have realized that for different groups of student’s ideas and lessons may have to be altered to fit their needs. I feel that the activities we have done in this Language Arts class have better prepared me for that and will have many ideas for how to differentiate for those students.