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Dr. Jim Cummins is a professor of education at
the University of Toronto. He specializes in the language and literacy development of learners of English as a Second Language
(ESL). He coined the terms: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).
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Dr. Stephen Krashen is a professor emeritus at the University of Southern California.
He developed the Monitor Hypothesis to explain second language acquisition. He is a strong proponent of reading as a
means of aquiring language.
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Paulo Freire was an educator in Brazil who challenged accepted and established educational
notions such as the teacher/student relationship. This approach called "Critical Pedagogy" was strongly influenced by
him.
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Teaching is a great responsibility. I look
at my position as an opportunity to motivate, and excite students to discover and learn. I love
to have discussions with students about new ideas, stories, or books we have read.
I am constantly using authentic materials and technology to illustrate
ideas. I firmly believe in the strength of teacher collaboration in the classroom - some of my best experiences have been
when I worked with a teacher from different discipline.
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Even though I grew up in a diverse multicultural area in Southern California, traveled in Mexico,
and lived in the Dominican Republicic; it wasn't until I was hired for my present position and began my Master's program
at UT that I first encountered second language acquisition theories. It was in my classes where I first learned
about Stephen Krashen, Jim Cummins, and Paolo Freire. These professors have strongly influenced the way in which I approach
my students and my profession.
The works of Jim Cummins, Stephen Krashen and Paulo
F "Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction,
by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students."
Paolo Freire
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