Attached below is my final journal entry in Block 4 for Education 351.

Considering this is our last journal response, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on my learning, understanding and growth within our second language course. Over the past six weeks, I have gained many valuable skills and approaches to teaching a second language. Not only did I learn from my professor, but I also gained valuable insight from my peers since many of them have not had previous experience or exposure to French. After these experiences with my peers, I believe I will be more understanding and inclusive with my future students. I felt like I was able to share my knowledge with my peers and broaden my perspective on what it feels like to learn a second language. Second language learning requires students to be willing, vulnerable, and open-minded which are not easy, especially at a young age. I believe this course furthered my understanding in my approach to teaching a second language which needs to be inclusive, safe, supportive, and welcoming towards my students. After listening and participating in my peers’ presentations today, I was able to see their growth throughout this course. Many of them began attempting to pronounce unfamiliar French words without being anxious of judgement from the rest of the cohort. It is important to remember we are all learners, even the educator, because so much learning comes from your students.

Throughout this course, we have all gained impactful resources that will support our students needs while keeping things exciting, relevant, and fun. One that I found most helpful for my own practice were the types and functions of differentiated activities in the language classroom. I was unaware that differentiation could be narrowed down to process, product, content, and linguistic complexity. Differentiated learning connected with both our inclusive education course as well as diverse classrooms this block. Not only will I be able to use these skills in second language, but they are applicable to almost all student learning scenarios. I can confidently say I was able to formulate meaningful connections this semester with my course work. All my students will have various skills, personalities, interests, and opinions which will contribute to my classroom culture. I am no longer anxious about classroom diversity; in fact, it excites me. Having a student whose first language is not English will force me to differentiate my teaching approach and most likely make me a better teacher for that reason. Teaching Indigenous languages to students who are impacted by intergenerational trauma will help empower them and take small steps towards reconciliation. Nothing would make me prouder than having a child be more accepting of themselves after being given the tools and support to learn about their own culture. Students will be apprehensive about learning a new or unfamiliar language. It is our job as educators to help them understand why it is important to learn about other cultures and languages and how it contributes to them becoming a well-rounded learner. 

This course has provided me with the tools I need to be an inclusive second language educator and I hope I am able to bring that inclusivity into my next practicum experience.